Australian GP 2012 - Albert Park

[myurr]

McLaren's biggest weakness was that they didn't let Hamilton pit a couple of laps earlier when his tyres were about to hit the cliff because that could have given him the undercut on Jenson. That is probably why he looked so pissed off after the race.

Without that he probably would have run the second stint with a much bigger margin to Vettel and therefore could have saved the tyres a little more.

But it would have compromised Jenson's chosen strategy so they didn't let him do it.

[e30ernest]

I do not understand why McLaren would want to compromise Hamilton's strategy all for Button. The team's priority is to get the most points they can. They wouldn't get that if they ruin one of their drivers' race. I'm not buying all that conspiracy talk.

My theory is that they needed to keep the stint longer to avoid back-markers on the out-lap. They probably also had to stretch the tires out longer in order to stay competitive in the later stages of the race.

[beelsebob]

I do not understand why McLaren would want to compromise Hamilton's strategy all for Button. The team's priority is to get the most points they can. They wouldn't get that if they ruin one of their drivers' race. I'm not buying all that conspiracy talk.

My theory is that they needed to keep the stint longer to avoid back-markers on the out-lap. They probably also had to stretch the tires out longer in order to stay competitive in the later stages of the race.

Because McLaren's version of team orders is "if you're on track and in front, you dictate the pit strategy, and we don't give the other driver the undercut on you".

[Dann]

Isn't that has been McLaren's long-time SOP, whoever is leading will have the advantage to pit first?

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

+1 beelsebob

Hamilton has had the benefit of it too. Fairest way of treating drivers IMO.

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

Isn't that has been McLaren's long-time SOP, whoever is leading will have the advantage to pit first?

I dont think so, I think it was with the advent of the Pirelli tyre, as before strategies were also fuel governed.

[Mandrake]

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.

Aham, yea, sure.... The red bull is nowhere as stable as last year as vettel's off in FP and the race show. So with that turn in oversteer (normally not caused by running closely behind another car, understeer would be more common...) He's just a loser,but alonso in the poor ferrari is god himself pushing that thing to the limit?

[CHT]

McLaren's biggest weakness was that they didn't let Hamilton pit a couple of laps earlier when his tyres were about to hit the cliff because that could have given him the undercut on Jenson. That is probably why he looked so pissed off after the race.

Without that he probably would have run the second stint with a much bigger margin to Vettel and therefore could have saved the tyres a little more.

But it would have compromised Jenson's chosen strategy so they didn't let him do it.

I dont get it. If LH is quicker than Button, and Vettel couldnt catch up with Button, then why didnt LH overtake SV after the SC?

[beelsebob]

McLaren's biggest weakness was that they didn't let Hamilton pit a couple of laps earlier when his tyres were about to hit the cliff because that could have given him the undercut on Jenson. That is probably why he looked so pissed off after the race.

Without that he probably would have run the second stint with a much bigger margin to Vettel and therefore could have saved the tyres a little more.

But it would have compromised Jenson's chosen strategy so they didn't let him do it.

I dont get it. If LH is quicker than Button, and Vettel couldnt catch up with Button, then why didnt LH overtake SV after the SC?

Because he didn't have the fuel to turn the engine up.

[myurr]

+1 beelsebob

Hamilton has had the benefit of it too. Fairest way of treating drivers IMO.

Agree, although perhaps it could be refined. So a driver can nominate that they'd like to pit in the next two laps and then it's up to the other driver to choose whether to react and on which of the two laps.

Otherwise you end up with the situation they had in Australia where Hamilton lost a huge chunk of time after the tyres fell off the cliff just because Button was in front. That probably cost them the 1 - 2 more than anything else. Sure the safety car gift wrapped it for Vettel, but the poor first stop strategy put Vettel in touch in the first place.

[myurr]

I dont get it. If LH is quicker than Button, and Vettel couldnt catch up with Button, then why didnt LH overtake SV after the SC?

Never said LH was quicker than JB. That's not how the undercut works.

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

@ Myurr

I think by pitting Hamilton earlier, his struggles with tyre management would have caught up with him at the end of the race.

[Tamburello]

I do not understand why McLaren would want to compromise Hamilton's strategy all for Button. The team's priority is to get the most points they can. They wouldn't get that if they ruin one of their drivers' race. I'm not buying all that conspiracy talk.

My theory is that they needed to keep the stint longer to avoid back-markers on the out-lap. They probably also had to stretch the tires out longer in order to stay competitive in the later stages of the race.

Because McLaren's version of team orders is "if you're on track and in front, you dictate the pit strategy, and we don't give the other driver the undercut on you".

That's every teams philosophy at the start of the season.

[CHT]

McLaren's biggest weakness was that they didn't let Hamilton pit a couple of laps earlier when his tyres were about to hit the cliff because that could have given him the undercut on Jenson. That is probably why he looked so pissed off after the race.

Without that he probably would have run the second stint with a much bigger margin to Vettel and therefore could have saved the tyres a little more.

But it would have compromised Jenson's chosen strategy so they didn't let him do it.

I dont get it. If LH is quicker than Button, and Vettel couldnt catch up with Button, then why didnt LH overtake SV after the SC?

Because he didn't have the fuel to turn the engine up.

JB was setting the fastest lap consecutively for the first 6 laps till he build up a gap of over 3.0sec ahead of LH.If LH has the pace to overtake JB, I dont see how he could be losing 0.5 sec per lap to his team mate on same fresh tyres.

I thought both Mclaren drivers were facing the same problem on low fuel. Why is it affecting LH more?

[CHT]

I dont get it. If LH is quicker than Button, and Vettel couldnt catch up with Button, then why didnt LH overtake SV after the SC?

Never said LH was quicker than JB. That's not how the undercut works.

If mclaren needs to pit LH early they will have to pit Button earlier as well or else Mclaren will be criticized for team order