Melbourne Practice, Qualy And Stuff Like That

[HandyNZL 1]

It's too hard to think, and you don't need the fastest car to win a race.

[Rainmaster 7]

True, but no team ever wants to be an example that you don't need the fastest car to win the race. Anyway, we didn't have a race yet and Mclaren are well known for their ability to develop over the season.

[HandyNZL 1]

Nope. This is it. If you can't win the first race, quit.

I'm sure that's what they learn you in school these days.

[LabradoRacer 2]

God's p**sing on the quali.

[Ikyrotz 0]

At this rate, they have to cancel due to darkness... should've just slept and watch the thing in the morning.

[Quiet One 15]

It's 4.30 a.m., I woke up at 3.00 am for this. Grrrrr

F1 is a joke. I am not going to watch it again. Ever.

FFS!

[Ikyrotz 0]

What is the point of having full wet tires, if they are never going to drive in conditions that might require them?! This is ridiculous.

[Kati 0]

It started at 6am here... or should've? It's 8am... and no I didn't wake up for it, I just didn't sleep... zzzzzzzzzzzzz

[Massa 0]

Not going to complain about qualifying moving from 2:00 AM to 8:00 PM, but...

...I don't know.

I'm not there to judge the weather conditions, and I'm all for safety. However, it just seems like they are really, really hesitant to race in any wet weather conditions that go beyond those which only require intermediate tires. I kind of figured that racing in the rain was part of F1. A part that a lot of people enjoy, a tiny little treat for the hardcore fans living in the casual viewer's world. Something that would totally mess up the grid to make tomorrow's race even better, and something that would serve as a stage for any driver to potentially do something extraordinary. Unless it's truly unsafe, I just don't know why they have to be all NASCAR about this.

[Kati 0]

I just hope Gutierrez decides it's safe to get out of his car's c#ckpit before the postponed qualifying starts. I can't be bothered to another delay.

[Massa 0]

Gaah...the U.S. doesn't get to see qualifying until four hours after it happens! I guess they had something else to show at 8:00 PM tonight. There goes the only positive for me personally in postponing the session.

[Quiet One 15]

Why do rain delays races whereas in good old times that never, ever happen?

First, because that's a lie. Races and qulay sessions were interrupted by rain many times in the past. Big machos like Lauda and Senna were very vocal about t he dangers of driving in the wet and, of course, Lauda is still a living proof of the not so nice consequences of going out to race at 200mph just because otherwise people comfortably sitting in their houses in front of a TV will call them "pussies"

Even if you still think that with nowdays safety they could still have go out, a mere replay of the Q1 session would suffice as a prove that, even if the drivers DEMANDED to stay out and drive, that wouldn't have made for an interesting spectacle or even a meaningful competition. Cars going off the track, crashing all over, spinning, etc. That's not a display of balls and skils, that's just some sort of russian roulette with no purpose whatsoever. If they had kept going on, we would have enjoyed many more cars out because of stupid minor crashes and a mixed up grid but no cars left.

Why this seems worse today than in the old times, besides rose tinted glasses? Because of something else we, the fans demanded: more technology! A 70's car could get a nice beating and even some structural damage without so many damning consequences, still being mostly mechanical, sturdier and with simpler, not to mention a field not so tightly packed together aerodynamics. Nowadays you have cars filled with delicate technology and very very fraggile aerodynamics. The slightest of brushes can render a car useless or, at least, make it lose enough performance as to make it worthless to go on with a much more competitive grid.

So, if you want race with rain you will soon be complaining of lack of technology.And when you have it you will complain about lack of overtaking, and when you have it its lack of different strategies and when you have them...

[Rainmaster 7]

Glad I didn't stay up to watch.

I don't know what the limit of racing in the wet is. I think the conditions in Q1 were acceptable. I don't know what the conditions were following the session but I'm guessing they deteriorated to a level worse than anything in Q1. Q1 for me was already approaching the limit of being a lottery of crashes (emphasis on approaching there), so if the conditions got worse, I don't see any problem in not running.

[BradSpeedMan 6]

Why do rain delays races whereas in good old times that never, ever happen?

First, because that's a lie. Races and qulay sessions were interrupted by rain many times in the past. Big machos like Lauda and Senna were very vocal about t he dangers of driving in the wet and, of course, Lauda is still a living proof of the not so nice consequences of going out to race at 200mph just because otherwise people comfortably sitting in their houses in front of a TV will call them "pussies"

Even if you still think that with nowdays safety they could still have go out, a mere replay of the Q1 session would suffice as a prove that, even if the drivers DEMANDED to stay out and drive, that wouldn't have made for an interesting spectacle or even a meaningful competition. Cars going off the track, crashing all over, spinning, etc. That's not a display of balls and skils, that's just some sort of russian roulette with no purpose whatsoever. If they had kept going on, we would have enjoyed many more cars out because of stupid minor crashes and a mixed up grid but no cars left.

Why this seems worse today than in the old times, besides rose tinted glasses? Because of something else we, the fans demanded: more technology! A 70's car could get a nice beating and even some structural damage without so many damning consequences, still being mostly mechanical, sturdier and with simpler, not to mention a field not so tightly packed together aerodynamics. Nowadays you have cars filled with delicate technology and very very fraggile aerodynamics. The slightest of brushes can render a car useless or, at least, make it lose enough performance as to make it worthless to go on with a much more competitive grid.

So, if you want race with rain you will soon be complaining of lack of technology.And when you have it you will complain about lack of overtaking, and when you have it its lack of different strategies and when you have them...

lovely post

[Massa 0]

Why do rain delays races whereas in good old times that never, ever happen?

First, because that's a lie. Races and qulay sessions were interrupted by rain many times in the past. Big machos like Lauda and Senna were very vocal about t he dangers of driving in the wet and, of course, Lauda is still a living proof of the not so nice consequences of going out to race at 200mph just because otherwise people comfortably sitting in their houses in front of a TV will call them "pussies"

Even if you still think that with nowdays safety they could still have go out, a mere replay of the Q1 session would suffice as a prove that, even if the drivers DEMANDED to stay out and drive, that wouldn't have made for an interesting spectacle or even a meaningful competition. Cars going off the track, crashing all over, spinning, etc. That's not a display of balls and skils, that's just some sort of russian roulette with no purpose whatsoever. If they had kept going on, we would have enjoyed many more cars out because of stupid minor crashes and a mixed up grid but no cars left.

Why this seems worse today than in the old times, besides rose tinted glasses? Because of something else we, the fans demanded: more technology! A 70's car could get a nice beating and even some structural damage without so many damning consequences, still being mostly mechanical, sturdier and with simpler, not to mention a field not so tightly packed together aerodynamics. Nowadays you have cars filled with delicate technology and very very fraggile aerodynamics. The slightest of brushes can render a car useless or, at least, make it lose enough performance as to make it worthless to go on with a much more competitive grid.

So, if you want race with rain you will soon be complaining of lack of technology.And when you have it you will complain about lack of overtaking, and when you have it its lack of different strategies and when you have them...

I'm not yearning for the past, though, in my criticism. Nowhere in my post do I pretend I was there, or suggest that this is a new policy. I'd have no idea if it was or was not. I'm yearning for the future, and I want the future to involve running the sessions at whatever times they can be best aired on U.S. television, regardless of conditions.

But seriously, I'm an advocate for racing regardless of weather when at all possible. Mindful of safety, but mindful of how unique it makes F1, and how it fits in with how F1 presents itself as the pinnacle. Nothing to do with history. Everything to do with the present and future, for me. Instead of wasting my time on what was, I'm wasting my time on what should be. Equally useless.

(It's a good post, of course, addressing the other line of thought, that this is a change from the past).

[Quiet One 15]

I'm not yearning for the past, though, in my criticism. Nowhere in my post do I pretend I was there, or suggest that this is a new policy. I'd have no idea if it was or was not. I'm yearning for the future, and I want the future to involve running the sessions at whatever times they can be best aired on U.S. television, regardless of conditions.

I support you on this, just because that would mean better times for me as well

But seriously, I'm an advocate for racing regardless of weather when at all possible. Mindful of safety, but mindful of how unique it makes F1, and how it fits in with how F1 presents itself as the pinnacle. Nothing to do with history. Everything to do with the present and future, for me. Instead of wasting my time on what was, I'm wasting my time on what should be. Equally useless.

(It's a good post, of course, addressing the other line of thought, that this is a change from the past).

Oh most of us (me included) would love to see F1 cars racing in the rain. In fact, I would like them not to be so touchy in terms of tarmac conditions and such. But , again, it is hardly feasible in the current frame of mind of F1. For that, you need to change rules, allow for more development in that area, balance it with safety concerns, etc. Too much for the FIA. Let's be frank, we are talking about a bunch of old guys gathering together mostly to select one of them to rule them until he gets caught in some S&M or some other kinky sexual act.

And no, I am not talking about the Vatican there.

[JHS18 0]

Glad I'm not the only one who was annoyed at the stupidity shown today. Comparing the conditions to the last time qualifying was moved to a Sunday (Suzuka, 2010), you do have to wonder what the problem was.

I know there's a lot of factors to consider when making that decision, but it does smack of health and safety gone mad. It has been annoying to see that in recent times there does seem to have been a growing tradition of red flagging sessions when there's rain, or starting races behind the safety car. Answer me this: when was the last time we had a proper standing start in properly wet conditions? I honestly can't remember. Thinking back, I can only remember safety car starts.

I have to wonder as well, if we ever had a re-run of conditions like Spa '98 again today whether the race would ever be run. Sadly, I don't think it would be.

I don't wish to sound flippant about safety, but the cars are super safe today, safer than ever before, as are the tracks...and these guys are supposed to be the best in the world. If the "danger" is such a problem...why do they even race in the dry then? Racing is dangerous and it always will be. But isn't that why so many of the drivers do what they do? Isn't that why we like to watch and admire their talent? I bet old school drivers like Stirling Moss must laugh themselves silly on a day like today - in his day the danger was part of the appeal. Yet today? OH NO DON'T GO FAST IN THE WET IT'S DANGEROUS.

The appeal of wet racing used to be to see who was talented enough to take these cars with so much power and no traction control and not end up in the gravel. It was a "sorting the men from the boys" kinda thing. But these days we never, ever get to see who is actually any good in the wet, because the FIA Sh#ts their pants every time a few cars start spinning off. I guess drivers constantly moaning about how bad the conditions supposedly are doesn't help their decision making process either.

I said a similar thing when they stopped qualifying at Silverstone last year - I don't personally think that any qualifying session should ever be stopped because of the weather. After all, in qualifying, it isn't mandatory for you to be out there. If they feel the conditions are too bad, then don't go out. There's always going to be some who are brave enough to take a gamble on the conditions, on the tyres or whatever, to try and get a better grid slot than they'd normally be capable of. And that kind of thing allows us to have an exciting grid - if race day is dry, you've got faster cars that probably haven't qualified so well moving through, and those that have qualified well trying to stay up front as long as possible.

I think they should just man up and get on with it, particularly when they get paid so much money. Or, Formula One should stop kidding itself, recognise that okay, for whatever reason, they don't race in the wet any more, and do a NASCAR. At least that way you're being honest to the fans who turn up at the track, and everyone knows what to expect.

[HandyNZL 1]

Likely still raining today. There has been a cyclone off the coast of Aussie that even we here in NZ are getting remnants of.

[HandyNZL 1]

Oh and I'd just like to add a boo-hoo to eveyone that is a little sad that they had to get up early and didn't see any action and are complainging about decent times to run F1 on their television.

Let me just go rummage around for the worlds smallest violin....

[The Shadow 0]

I can understand why people seem to think the stoppage was unwarranted. Nobody likes to be sitting in anticipation and have the event seemingly disappear into a time not at their convenience.

On the other hand, the situation is justified when you consider that when conditions are overcast, the sun's light will fade earlier than the sunset would have it, given the delayed start.

The second factor would be that even without the delay, Melbourne is, at certain points, a street track. There is no doubt that similar conditions in a modern Tilke designed circuit would be deemed safe. This is just a result of the barriers and walls of this particular circuit being in such close proximity to the track braking points, that any small misjudgement (which there will be due in part to the fact theat we have new drivers and new cars, being the 1st race of the season) can have the potential to cause an injury. The FIA would thus be in a difficult situation where they have to weigh the risks of possible disaster, or what will be in the course of the season a minor annoyance when things play out as they will.

It was a difficult decision that has been taken, but be in no doubt that it is passed. Running qualifying today or tomorrow will not really impact anything much because no points are paid at the end of it. Given the characteristics of the new 2013 Pirellis, we are in for a lottery tomorrow and will be seeing a lot more variables in play throughout the day. As fans we should welcome that, no?

[Massa 0]

Oh and I'd just like to add a boo-hoo to eveyone that is a little sad that they had to get up early and didn't see any action and are complainging about decent times to run F1 on their television.

Let me just go rummage around for the worlds smallest violin....

My comments were only joking...I don't care when they run the qualifying sessions, since they aren't covered live, anyway.

[Quiet One 15]

I can understand why people seem to think the stoppage was unwarranted. Nobody likes to be sitting in anticipation and have the event seemingly disappear into a time not at their convenience.

On the other hand, the situation is justified when you consider that when conditions are overcast, the sun's light will fade earlier than the sunset would have it, given the delayed start.

The second factor would be that even without the delay, Melbourne is, at certain points, a street track. There is no doubt that similar conditions in a modern Tilke designed circuit would be deemed safe. This is just a result of the barriers and walls of this particular circuit being in such close proximity to the track braking points, that any small misjudgement (which there will be due in part to the fact theat we have new drivers and new cars, being the 1st race of the season) can have the potential to cause an injury. The FIA would thus be in a difficult situation where they have to weigh the risks of possible disaster, or what will be in the course of the season a minor annoyance when things play out as they will.

It was a difficult decision that has been taken, but be in no doubt that it is passed. Running qualifying today or tomorrow will not really impact anything much because no points are paid at the end of it. Given the characteristics of the new 2013 Pirellis, we are in for a lottery tomorrow and will be seeing a lot more variables in play throughout the day. As fans we should welcome that, no?

This.

And the big factor in this case seemed to be the white paint on the tarmac which became awfully slippery when wet.

I don't think that safety was the determining factor. More a case of darkness coming as you pointed out and simply the fact that cars spinning and going off the track in the rain is no thriller and no "sorting men from boys". That happens only if you have rain but also cars/tires capable of coping with the conditions in the first place.

[Massa 0]

Yeah, I think those are fair posts (The Shadow and Andrés).

I'm just too excited to be reasonable.

Might have to extend the DVR recording for the Grand Prix just in case. Sounds like more rain...

[HandyNZL 1]

FYI Shane van Gisbergen won race three of the V8 Supercars....in....the.....rain.

Yes, that wet stuff is still in Melbourne

[HandyNZL 1]

I do love how Pitpass.com's vote on who will win this weekends race has Inoue as firm favourite hehehe