2017 Australian Grand Prix - Melbourne, 24 - 26 March

[Vasconia]

- How did Magnussen not get a penalty? That wasn't even attempt gone wrong. I can guarantee there will be penalties for less.

And you´ll fail. That is exactly what Liberty said about driver battles, this season they will allow much closer racing

And in alll honesty, not even with past season standards that was a move to punish any driver, going a bit too long on first corner can´t be enough to punish anyone

Thank God now they can battle and we don´t expect half of the race with some investigations.

Forgot to mention the Verstappen-Hamilton battle, I knew the race was over for Lewis when he rejoined the race behind him. Who is going to overtake this guy with those cars and tyres?

[Vasconia]

I haven't seen the entire discussion before but Australia was an ok race imho. I'm very happy that Vettel & Ferrari won but I am not convinced that Ferrari has the car to beat the Merc all year round. One factor which went in their favour was the higher track temps. Ferrari always struggle in the lower temps so China will show a more accurate picture.
Secondly, Australia has been a notoriously unreliable indicator of the F1 pecking order. I remember the first year of the hybrid era when Jenson Button was 2nd and Kevin Magnussen was 4th (later converted to 3rd after Daniel Ricciardo's disqualification) in a McLaren Mercedes. Later that year, McLaren ended way way off the pace. Even if you do consider that Merc would have reduced support towards the end of the year, McLaren were off the pace.
That said, Ferrari look to have the second best car comfortably. But will they be able to develop successfully over the year? Red Bull cannot be written off

China is a quite cold race but the following ones will be hotter so they should suit Ferrari.

Anyway I still think that Mercedes has the best car, no only on qualy but also on race, this time Ferrari managed the tyres and the strategy but this won´t happen always.

[Vasconia]

[*]quite disturbing (but expected) that a car that was at least 1 second faster (Ham vs VES) wasn't able to pass. While Melbourne is a difficult narrow bumpy track, I feel that perhaps in 2014-2016 it would have been doable. Perhaps a sign of DRS being less effective.

DRS was yesterday quite ineffective but I guess that it would also have been quite difficult to overtake Max in 2016.

Anyway its clear that with those cars we will see less overtakes, except in the tracks with long straights where the DRS should work well.

[ThumbsUp]

All Strategies of the race, Kvyat managed 34 laps on the US tire...
https://twitter.com/pirellisport/status ... 8938428417

[zeph]

I wonder if the much lower rear wing compromises the DRS' effectiveness?

[Jef Patat]

Just how good Alonso is was readable on where he qualified his car and where he would have finished the race had his car had no technical issues, and especially, compare it to supposed 'new wonder' VanDoorne.

You do realise they were racing different cars and experiencing different issues? There's no point comparing them now.

Stoffel didn't get updates Fernando didt get. Worth 0.3s according to several sources.
Stoffel didn't get to pull of a decent qualifying lap due to engine issues. He only got one change to put a time, didn't had the change to warm his tires properly and couldn't risk going flat out and end up with no time.
Stoffel had ERS issues at the beginning of the race. He also lost the display on the steering wheel and had to enter the pits to do a full power cycle. (time/positions lost)

Both drivers did have to do fuel saving and intense engine management, changing parameters all the time. You're comparing apples and oranges.

[Giblet]

I haven't seen the entire discussion before but Australia was an ok race imho. I'm very happy that Vettel & Ferrari won but I am not convinced that Ferrari has the car to beat the Merc all year round. One factor which went in their favour was the higher track temps. Ferrari always struggle in the lower temps so China will show a more accurate picture.
Secondly, Australia has been a notoriously unreliable indicator of the F1 pecking order. I remember the first year of the hybrid era when Jenson Button was 2nd and Kevin Magnussen was 4th (later converted to 3rd after Daniel Ricciardo's disqualification) in a McLaren Mercedes. Later that year, McLaren ended way way off the pace. Even if you do consider that Merc would have reduced support towards the end of the year, McLaren were off the pace.
That said, Ferrari look to have the second best car comfortably. But will they be able to develop successfully over the year? Red Bull cannot be written off

Now, why is there so much hate for Alonso? The guy does a lot of self-PR but there is no denying that he is one of the best F1 drivers of the past 15 years atleast. Yes, he has attracted controversy but one cannot deny his talent.He has managed to get a result from an underperforming Renault, Ferrari & now McLaren Honda so many times. Yes, he may not be a team player but even Hamilton is not so. Every great driver like Senna, Schumacher etc always had a little bit of selfishness. Alonso's career has been marred by poor choice in selecting teams. He chose to return to Renault when Red Bull had given him an offer. He chose to go to McLaren when he should have stayed at Ferrari. Age is not on his side and I do not think that he will win his 3rd title. But he deserves respect. He always outperforms the car. Alonso is like Jose Mourinho. Unquestionably great but will always divide opinion.

This thread is really more about the race we just saw and not so much about comparing drivers careers.

[Vladimir]

Pirelli compounds this year are so confusing. Seems that teams still havn't enough information for prediction the right choice for race strategy.

[iotar__]

Pirelli compounds this year are so confusing. Seems that teams still havn't enough information for prediction the right choice for race strategy.

- I'm sorry to be blunt but: what strategy? What right choices? What Pirelli's fault?
- In Aus: you start on Q tyres, pit and put (here's one choice) A or B to get to the end at the right pace, doesn't matter really.
- Three teams have more data about tyres than others, to the shock of no one: top 3 teams.
- when RB were blocking Rosberg in AD on purpose it was a jolly good laugh, when Hamilton can't get past = rules are bad for racing.

There's one other good thing about '17: nothing is happening so you don't waste time discussing here, and on this positive accent...

[basti313]

Pirelli compounds this year are so confusing. Seems that teams still havn't enough information for prediction the right choice for race strategy.

Is this a joke?

[Andres125sx]

Move of the race: Ocon vs Alonso!

I am not an Ocon of FI fan, but that car seems to have possibilities of being the best of the rest.

And Ocon stuffing it to Alonso. Awesome. And in typical fashion Alonso finds a problem with the car right after having his lunch money taken from him. I just don't understand why people rate him so highly. Maybe years ago, but not for years.

If you find it surprising people rating Alonso so high, imagine how surprising we find your statement saying Ocon move vs Alonso was the move of the race when he couldn´t pass that embarrasingly slow McHonda in 25 laps and only managed to do it when the McLaren broke apart

It was the move of the race because it Not only involved slolonso...

Stopped reading here, say it all about your reasoning

[Andres125sx]

He is under the impression that Alonso only radioed about his problem after Ocon passed him. However, the world feed images clearly show he showed down considerably which is what allowed Ocon to make that pass. I suspect the radio message was made before he was overtaken, but not broadcast until afterwards.

I thought it was a good, enjoyable race. Let's hope the rest of the season is equally unpredictable.

The worlds feed said that he stopped because of a suspected suspension issue. Not an engine issue or a speed issue. This occurred supposedly after the pass.

Wrong, all radio comunications have a delay, all of them, so that radio com just after the pass obviously occured before the pass

BTW you seem to think if your PU does not blow out, you can keep pushing 100% at 300kmh even if your car is unintentionally turning right by itself . Well, maybe if you´re a suicide, but anyone with a brain will slow down just in case the car finally break apart and you crash with one of those walls at both sides

Sincerely Fifty, you should try to control your hate, it´s not doing you any favour

[6rotorguy]

I thought it was a great race.

Disappointing for Haas.

Also, i don't think Red Bull is aggressive enough. Or maybe their design philosophy was ruined with the suspension changes recently forced. The real lack of down force on their current setup makes them a middle tier car. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Faenza team pass them in the points unless something changes.

Love this forum btw.

[DVB]

The Red Bull seems to be doing great with that crap engine. They just played safe knowing Renault couldnt deliver the horse power. Watch out for Red Bull in the 2nd part of the season, they might drop a bunch of extra downforce things when the engine can deliver the horse power.

[SectorOne]

Didn't watch the race. As everyone is talking about Alonso, I assume the race was boring.

Up to the first pit stop it was pretty good at the front with Vettel chasing Hamilton and both just left everyone else in the dust.
A small gap until Hamilton complained about tires and Vettel was right on his ass again.

If we get to see more of those two racing like that then it should be a good season.