Australian GP 2012 - Albert Park

[LionKing]

Vettel has indeed slowed down.

The inlaps of Vettel:
1:54.857 PIT [1. stop]
2:00.851 PIT [SC stop]

For comparison (WEBBER):
1:53.152 PIT [1.]
2:05.400 PIT [SC]

I think Vettel was towards the end of the lap, so he did not have to slow down for a whole lap.

He was 1.6 sec behind Hamilton and a bit faster before the pit stop. I think Hamiltons stop was 1.5 slower than Button's. He would have likely passed Lewis anyway.

The driver that really benefited are the ones following the leading three. For instance Webber 16 sec gap erased to a 1 sec.

[CHT]

Nathan - the timing system doesn't quite work in measuring a live gap. What it does is that there are checkpoints around a lap. It logs the time when any car's transponder crosses it. Let's say that at 3:24:15.069 PM Vettel crosses one of them. Then Button crosses it at 3:24:16.169. That registers as a 1.1s gap.

Button is going through the Turn 1 to Turn 10 checkpoints at safety-limited speed; compared to when Vettel went through them at racing speed.

If (theoretically) Button had stopped the car completely and we still saw a time gap - the time gap would stay 1.1s the whole time as that was the latest checkpoint that Button passed.

Hope this clears it up

Ah i see what your saying,
Doesnt explain how Vettel caught the cars infront on the inlap though.

during button out lap, his sector2 timing is 5sec slower than vettel who is doing his in lap during safety car, and lewis sector 2 timing was almost 9 sec slower.

perhaps both mclaren driver slow down when they saw SC, while Vettel didnt,

[raymondu999]

But Vettel's Sector 2 wasn't safety car affected - was it? The safety car came out as he was finishing sector 2 iirc

[NathanOlder]

I think the things we learned after the race were,

- Mclaren have the fastest car in Qualy & Race.

- Red Bull & Ferrari have better race pace compared to their qualifying pace.

- Mercedes have great qualifying pace, but are well down on race pace.

- Lotus is still unknown.

[donskar]

A very good race. Great drive by Button (shades of Phil Hill -- driving just fast enough to win). Hamilton could learn from his teammate, but I don't think he will. Good performance by Vettel; magic by Alonso. Maldonado made a bad, unforced mistake, but he is young. Williams, Toro Rosso and Sauber looked very good. Ferrari, thanks only to Alonso, were not disgraced. Mercedes continues to dismay. McL does it again: a fast car that is also beautiful (remember when we used to say that about Ferrari?).

[raymondu999]

I think the things we learned after the race were,

- Mclaren have the fastest car in Qualy & Race.

- Red Bull & Ferrari have better race pace compared to their qualifying pace.

- Mercedes have great qualifying pace, but are well down on race pace.

- Lotus is still unknown.

Agreed. Though some still say that quali pace equals race pace. I think the situation will yo-yo between the Red Bulls and McLarens though.

[Pierce89]

A very good race. Great drive by Button (shades of Phil Hill -- driving just fast enough to win). Hamilton could learn from his teammate, but I don't think he will. Good performance by Vettel; magic by Alonso. Maldonado made a bad, unforced mistake, but he is young. Williams, Toro Rosso and Sauber looked very good. Ferrari, thanks only to Alonso, were not disgraced. Mercedes continues to dismay. McL does it again: a fast car that is also beautiful (remember when we used to say that about Ferrari?).

Best analysis I've read anywhere

[Adrian Newby]

I haven't read the whole thread, so this has probably already been said...

McLaren seem to build heat into their tires much faster than Red Bull, which helps them with faster qualifying and better starts and restarts.

Other than that, the pace of the two seemed very similar.

I am of the opinion that Seb, with DRS, would have eventually passed Ham on the track, so I just feel like the SC caused me to miss a good battle.

We all hoped for tight racing between the top teams, and many people hoped Seb would be in the lesser car, having to prove/use/show his racecraft. I think that is what we got. Ideally, a couple of the other teams will get up there too.

[myurr]

We all hoped for tight racing between the top teams, and many people hoped Seb would be in the lesser car, having to prove/use/show his racecraft. I think that is what we got. Ideally, a couple of the other teams will get up there too.

I'm not sure that we can say he's proved himself yet. He only really made one pass, on Rosberg. All the others were gifted to him through safety cars, poor starts, or other people dropping out. And don't forget in the race he was in the second best car on the grid and had an advantage over those he was racing against. He also completely got away with running off track early on.

Call out Alonso for a storming drive in a mediocre car and, as much as I dislike the guy, I'd agree with you 100%. Vettel drove a solid but unspectacular race, had a huge dollop of luck, but also seems to still be better able to manage the tyres than probably even Button. For whatever reason his driving style just lets him push as hard as he wants whilst still taking less out of the tyres than everyone else. Quite a skill to have, but still a tiny bit lucky that the tyres suit him as much as they do.

[beelsebob]

We all hoped for tight racing between the top teams, and many people hoped Seb would be in the lesser car, having to prove/use/show his racecraft. I think that is what we got. Ideally, a couple of the other teams will get up there too.

I'm not sure that we can say he's proved himself yet. He only really made one pass, on Rosberg. All the others were gifted to him through safety cars, poor starts, or other people dropping out. And don't forget in the race he was in the second best car on the grid and had an advantage over those he was racing against. He also completely got away with running off track early on.

You have to admit though – it was a monster of a pass

[Giblet]

He also forgot how close you can follow another car, lost downforce, and took a drive on the lawn. 1 good pass cancelled out by almost binning it in my view.

[NathanOlder]

Good job it was turn 1 and not turn 3, otherwise would have lost alot more time.

Jenson makes it 3 wins in 4 in Aus, no wonder Lewis couldnt beat him, Jenson is almost unbeatable in Australia

[raymondu999]

BBC vids!
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QFnkDZUfzc[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RcDrLB0d_c[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLmJ8EQaCrI[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYCv8ELa4cQ[/youtube]

[Adrian Newby]

I'm not sure that we can say he's proved himself yet.

at the Vettel haters.

Of course he has proven himself. Repeatedly.

This season he is attempting to be only the third man in history to win three F1 driver's championships in a row.

Don't be ridiculous.

[raymondu999]

He also forgot how close you can follow another car, lost downforce, and took a drive on the lawn. 1 good pass cancelled out by almost binning it in my view.

How many people almost binned it into 1 though? A lot.