2013 Australian Grand Prix Official Thread

[TheFamousEccles]

My totally (ahem) biased view is Webber and Ricciardo running away in a fit of home ground advantage fervour to take the top two rostrum steps - the order however is anyone's guess...

In the cold, hard light of day though, I agree that it is hard to know just how much in the way of sandbags the RBRs have been "carrying" in the pre-season, and I would imagine in light of previous form Jenson and the Mc might have a red-hot chance too. It will be enjoyable watching the Pout circulate toward the back of the midfield - schadenfreude is vastly under-rated IMO

[kfzmeister]

We'll soon find out who's been sandbagging during the tests...Kimi? Pastor? Sebastian?

None of 'em. All Renault powered cars bet on the idea that they would be able to use new engine mapping for 2013 and actually looked good at the beginning of testing, but have all had to revert to a different exhaust and to same mapping as 2012. As a result they all did not look good in sector 3 in Barca. Even with fuel levels corrected, Vettel would have been .3 off Fernando's fastest time in that same sector. They are all (Renault engined cars) having problems with traction coming out of slow corners.

[keysersoze]

I expect a 2nd season Pic would not get above 3.2 or 3.3sec if the 2013 Pic drove the 2012 Caterham. Van der Garde will probably be about 6 tenths or so off Pic this year.

I don't know about this one rj. Although I think that Pic got the better of Giedo when the two were GP2 teammates, it wasn't a landslide. Generally, they were very close. I'd be surprised if Pic was as dominant as you suggest. Giedo also has the benefit of having been with the team longer than Charles, and drove the Caterham in FP1 last year a half-dozen times. My guess is that Charles wins the qualifying battle, 11-8.

[gloomyDAY]

The freights have arrived! Albert Park - Imgur

Australia, can you please get your drunk women in check? Thanks.

[Tazio]

Initial long term weather on the BBC, suggests a cloudy weekend with a few spots of rain.

So not a storm thus far, so hopefully we get a race so we can judge the new cars.

Yes long range Melbourne Forecast is for some rain on the weekend,

which could add an extra dimension of interest to this race IMHO. Their probably won't be enough, but I guess there is a chance that the race could be run exclusively on inters, and supersofts’ (although not likely) :

[driveace]

Sure that Vettel has been sandbagging !I am hoping that Hamilton and Alonso can have good early results and points ,as The Bulls will not take long to turn it around if they are off the pace in the early part of the season !

[teamleader]

Will Sky broadcast the first grandprix free to watch??

[DexDexter]

I predict Red Bull domination, hopefully I'm wrong .

[Garry Walker]

I'm putting a fiver on Lewis each way

You just love to give away money, don't you?

Kidding aside, I would love it if you actually earned a bit over that bet, but I don't think Mercedes can compete with Red Bull yet. Not over a race distance anyway.

[Tazio]

Tire preview for Australia

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1tWUsECQ_M

I will be pleasantly suprised if the supersofts' really are worth 16-20 laps this weekend.