2012 Australian Grand Prix Thread - Official

L.Hamilton is faster over a single lap than J.Button, that's a fact. J.Button is consistent, smart, and lucky in difficult situations and high attrition races

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Originally Posted by jens

Garry Walker, if you say that Red Bull has the best car, then McLaren had the best car last year. :p : Because this year their car characteristics seem reversed. McLaren is quick straightaway and builds a gap after starts to get out of a DRS-zone. Red Bull is struggling with tyre heating and start challenging only at the end of stints. Button had a race like Vettel used to have last year - controlling from the front. Vettel had a race like Button used to have last year - challenging upwards after poor initial position.

Overall the race gave a completely new picture compared to qualifying and much closer to the one that was expected based on winter testing. Also closer to last year as the same five drivers that dominated the sport in 2011, locked out Top5 again. It looks like some teams have to work on setups, tyre management and how to get an optimal performance out of the car over the whole race weekend. RBR is indeed fast in race trim, but struggling with tyre heating. On the other hand Mercedes is pretty slow in race trim, worse than expected.

But we have got a good prologue to a potential McLaren-RBR title fight for the rest of the season. Webber finally outdid his Minardi drive in front of his home crowd with a 4th place. :D

Midfield is very tight though – Ferrari, Williams, Sauber, Lotus, Mercedes. Some of their race paces were perhaps hard to judge, but it seemed like there is little to choose between them.

Ferrari was pretty decent at the beginning of stints, but tyre management was an obvious problem.

Sauber – as expected, very fast in race trim. Pérez 1-stop strategy didn’t work with the safety car, he was a roadblock at the end of the race. Hopefully won’t get DQ’d this time, a pleasant P3 in WCC. :)

Williams – after tests their race pace was expected to be good, but it was not only good, but very good! But there has been a lot of doubt about their drivers. They need to deliver the points.

Lotus – the experienced driver delivered the result this time. Shame about Grosjean, he didn’t look too comfortable at the front. But it was the first time for him to start from the sharp end of an F1 grid, so he will learn his lesson.

Mercedes – a bit like Honda in 2006, when Button got pole in Oz, but after that was a moving roadblock. They have a lot to think about. It’s nice to be at the front on Saturdays, but in the era of DRS there is not much use of it.

STR – neat performance from two new drivers in both qualifying and race. It is shaping up to be a nice battle between the two for the rest of the year.

Force India – disappointing. Seem to be behind all of the „old teams“. But the gap is tiny and they can turn it around with upgrades like last year or even on more suitable circuits.

Marussia – not bad considering they hadn’t run the car at all before this weekend.

Caterham – perhaps it was good Trulli left, because nothing has changed at all.

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Good analyzed, even if this first race didn't give an entirely clear picture of how good the teams really are (as you said) .. it will be interesting to see next weeks race when the conditions are quite different..
That McLaren and Red Bull were on the topp in Australia was not any big suprise for any one - I think .. The biggest negative thing was Mercedes but I think they will be back already next race .. and Ferrari really is a big question mark - and Felipe ?? I can only imagine how it would be without Alonso - their situation shows that money is not everything ...
When looking something positive and surprising (anyway for me) it was Lotus and Crosjean but also Kimi who gave an clear message that he is back in "the business".. Promissing was also that so called midfield looks this year bigger than ever - but even here - how big it really is can we see first after a couple races - I believe also that Caterham is closer the others if/when everything works for them .. Congrats to Button - :beer:

I thought Mercedes had fair race pace. In my pub Pickems I had the Shoe down as 3rd (Shhhh, don't tell ioan) and he would have done it as well I think if not for a uncharacteristic gearbox failure.

what happened to Rosberg on the last lap, I saw a replay of him passing someone, then he was cruising on the exit of the fast chicane?

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Originally Posted by Robinho

what happened to Rosberg on the last lap, I saw a replay of him passing someone, then he was cruising on the exit of the fast chicane?

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Originally Posted by Nico Rosberg

"The end was particularly unfortunate with Perez when we touched on the straight, causing a puncture which took away a points scoring finish."

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Australia Sunday quotes: Mercedes - F1 news - AUTOSPORT.com

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Originally Posted by Knock-on

I thought Mercedes had fair race pace. In my pub Pickems I had the Shoe down as 3rd (Shhhh, don't tell ioan) and he would have done it as well I think if not for a uncharacteristic gearbox failure.

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I don't think Schumacher would have finished 3rd, RBRs were much faster and would have passed sooner or later. Alonso was also faster at this stage of the race, but Schumacher went out before he got caught. And as we remember, Maldonado was even faster than Alonso... So at best Schumi would have finished 5th with his good defending, but even then he would have had a train of cars behind him.

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Originally Posted by jens

I don't think Schumacher would have finished 3rd, RBRs were much faster and would have passed sooner or later. Alonso was also faster at this stage of the race, but Schumacher went out before he got caught. And as we remember, Maldonado was even faster than Alonso... So at best Schumi would have finished 5th with his good defending, but even then he would have had a train of cars behind him.

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He might do something funny in Monaco, though :D

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Originally Posted by Mia 01

And, Fernando Alonso, what a great driver! That car was nowhere yesterday and he took it up to fourth place.

Somhow it´s shame that he has the car he has this year again.

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He's got to have some bad luck for what he and slime bag did in Singapore 2008.

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Originally Posted by N. Jones

Yes he has. A disappointing start for a team everyone thought would be fighting for 8-10th.

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Everyone? Not everyone that is in their real mind.

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Originally Posted by DexDexter

He wasn't, Heikki didn't have KERS, DRS started working only on lap six and he also had a steering issue all through the race which lead to his retirement in the end.

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More context for you: Heike started the race on softs, Vitaly on mediums. I'm not sure which tire either had after that. Vitaly was on Kova's gearbox for the first 15-odd laps (for a while they were both held up by Timo Glock), pitted later, got out in front, and eased away from the Finn from that point until his retirement.