2018 Australian Grand Prix - Melbourne, 22 -25 March

[NathanOlder]

Be interesting to see how many updates Merc could possibly have held back, seemed very similar to the Barcelona car. So maybe a performance boost is yet to be had by the W09. SO come Bahrain, the gap has a decent chance of being bigger, more of a power track and all that.

Are you saying you’d like the gap to be bigger? If so, you surely aren’t an F1 fan...?

Please explain to me where I said I'd like the gap to be bigger, I'll then spend a few more seconds to give you a reply.

[strad]

I must say that I am quite disappointed, not in the race itself, it was a fairly decent race as far Melbourne can provide one.

I am disappointed in the people here and in the tone of the discussion, the accusations and the blatant disrespect shown both to eachother but also towards the teams and drivers.

I have come to know the forum here as filled with people with vast and varied knowledge on every aspect of the sport, yet when the outcome of races doesn't conform to your ideal view some on here completely lose all semblance of critical thinking and civility.

This is a sport, it's not just about being the fastest, the one with best aero, most powerful engine, coolest concept or most originality. It is about getting from start to finish ahead of the competition, if you do that by using clever engine settings, good strategy or just plain dumb luck doesn't matter.

Instead of being angry that Mercedes have a power advantage, be impressed with how they manage to get PU, software and aero to work together.
Instead of being mad about Ferrari got by under the VSC, be impressed with how they did it, that they took the chance to stay out knowing it was their only hope.
Instead of spreading ludicrous conspiracy theories about HAAS failed pitstops, feel their pain.

I understand that some people doesn't like Better or Ferrari, I don't. But that doesn't mean that their win wasn't deserved.
I understand that some hate that Merc have been so dominant, I dont. but that doesn't mean that it haven't been deserved.
I understand that people doesn't like the way HAAS is being run, I don't. But that doesn't mean that they would throw a race away, they wouldn't.

So please, discuss the how's, why's and what rival teams could do about it the next time around, but leave the childish poo flinging at the door.

.
+1
Well said. Wish I could give an upvote for that.

[Unc1eM0nty]

How many laps did Vettel run on the Ultra Soft tyres, half the race? And doing so with the car at its heaviest. Surely that is too durable for what is supposed to be the second softest tyre?

And this being the evidence thus far, what on earth was the point of introducing a Super Hard, when I doubt we will see any teams running anything harder than a Medium.

Because of this, I was surprised not to see more cars going for 2 stop strategy. Seems like teams have mastered nursing these new tyres already. Or Pirelli haven't made them a step softer, just a bit softer than last year.

Two stop strategy, really ?

On a track where its almost impossible to overtake on ?

[FightingHellPhish]

I dont know why but that failure of the Haas pit crew actually hurt. Maybe it has to do with my thoughts of F1 and how hard it is to actually succeed. Dont know. To me, those 22 points that that pit crew lost means they will likely finish 8th or 9th like I expected even after testing. McLaren will likely be faster next race as well as Renault. I think Haas is basically screwed.

[Bill_Kar]

Well, I can't say I wasn't left gutted after this race. It's really annoying that something outside your control occurs and you concede the lead while being the faster car clearly.
I hadn't slept all night so I was a bit edgy in general, when I saw Seb in front I had a bit of a meltdown.
But just like my Dad said, LH is much better off than last year, there is pace there so let's not cry over some spilled guineas.

Ohh, McLaren

[Unc1eM0nty]

Ferrari looked to struggle on the soft tyres with Both Mercedes and Redbull chasing down hard towards the end, on most other tracks they'd be toast.

Great to see Alonso bring it home 5th, a much needed boost for the team.

Max made a bit of a mess of it didn't he, great talent but he's still rough round the edges.

[Scorpaguy]

Aside from a bit of vitriol and unwarranted gloating...it seems to me we can sum up the start of 2018 by stating it is quite similar to the end of 2017 = Merc fastest with Ferarri and RB chasing.

Haas seemed a leg up...but their impending stumble back to mediocrity is sure to be forthcoming. McLaren...they may have something.

End of year seems a lock for Lewis...too good a driver to not win with several tenths on the field.

[iotar__]

Ferrari looked to struggle on the soft tyres with Both Mercedes and Redbull chasing down hard towards the end, on most other tracks they'd be toast.

Great to see Alonso bring it home 5th, a much needed boost for the team.

Max made a bit of a mess of it didn't he, great talent but he's still rough round the edges.

- No. In Red Bull's case it was SC, tyre strategy without costs and Haas (although they should have been in front so you might ignore that). Ferrari as Ron Dennis used to say were not racing RB .

- Alonso finished "as expected" because Renault hired Sainz who can't stay on track on his own for the fourth time in ~15 races and 2 Haas cars retired.

[oT v1]

Urhggg Was the track really that bad for passing previously? I’m shocked the RBR boys weren’t dicing up the Haas’ and Bottas had a real struggle behind traffic.

It seems like it extends to all cars this year and not just noticeably the Mercs (ref delta pace), hopefully Bahrain will be a truer test of the order.

No problems with Vettel winning, I dislike him a lot (when he’s inside the cockpit) but he took advantage when opportunity arose, I’m sure the ‘luck’ will even itself out over the year Kimi looks on it so we could have a very good season ahead!!!

[Brenton]

The only thing I will remember from this race is the depth of knowledge and high iq from skyF1 presenters on Vettel's pit under virtual safety car.

I too was overwhelmed by the succinct explanation for the benefit gained. It was almost as though they had been watching f1 for years and understood how vsc undercut was a thing, and that fast teams who pit as soon as it's in their favor, lose the opportunity to pit later at a street circuit where safety cars are a statistical probability...

It was so nice to hear the presenters get to this straight dope so quickly and totally not participate in any bullshittery.

Is this all a massively sarcastic conversation? Because what I heard was a ridiculous "explanation" from Crofty that instead of the fact that less time is lost pitting under yellow because the opponents are going slower, he pulled out of his ass this idea that the gain was because the pit lane isn't part of the VSC speed limit. It's frustrating watching someone being paid a lot of money to explain it to millions of viewers feed them all nonsense instead of the obvious facts. Maybe I missed it when the Sky team corrected themselves?

Anyway, I don't know why years ago there wasn't a penalty time added to pitting under a VSC to alleviate the time benefit. Simply not letting the team touch the car for the first ten seconds of the pit stop, or something like that, like a previous poster said. This would be a more fair rule change.

It's depressing to see the discussion turn into ad hominems about "you're just salty your driver lost this time". I was happy to see Ferrari win because I hope for a good title race. I still think that they won in part because of an unfair advantage from luck.

Though I agree that at the same time, everyone knew that a VSC could happen and should have had it in mind when strategizing. So credit to Ferrari for the win. Hamilton could have stayed out longer to avoid the chance of being caught out by a VSC but Mercedes choose the wrong strategy this time. Part luck, part mistake, imo. What's his name on YouTube who works for McLaren, I think made a good point saying that the root of it all was bottas crashing in Q3.

Really fun exciting race, imo. Dramatic. What a horrible break for Haas for example. For me, the analysis isn't even over yet because I get to read the coming days on this forum about estimated race pace from all the teams. Looking forward to it. Thanks everyone here for contributing!

[LionKing]

It beggars belief in a sport so obsessed by minuteae that the regulations allow that an advantage can be gained when under 'safety car rules'. If this is the case then 'tactical' or otherwise, stoppages on the track should cause a red flag situation!
Surely Charlie Whiting should see that this is not good for the port and give a technical penalty.

As a Ferrari supporter I dont want to adopt a win by any means mentality otherwise we will return to the deliberate accidents of the past!

What would a red flag achieve? A safety car pretty much nullifies all the time deltas, resetting all the advantages. So would a red flag...It has always been this way.

In reality all that is required for VSC and SC events is that all cars must be in line up prior to resumption of racing in the same order they were before the declared VSC/SC.

Though this is exactly what happened. Vettel - Lewis - Kimi was the order when VSC was declared.

Ferrari gained from the reduced time penalty of a pit stop during a SC as usual. That converted a race lead with a projected 3rd place due to an incoming pit stop into keeping the race lead after the actual stop.

Finally, last year Ferrari lost out in China and Spain due to VCS/SC. I don't remember this much fuss being made then.

[basti313]

Interesting timing. The gap to Bottas during VSC was 65sec, in the end about 35sec. In a race without SC everyone down to Bottas would have been lapped...

[foxmulder_ms]

The only thing I will remember from this race is the depth of knowledge and high iq from skyF1 presenters on Vettel's pit under virtual safety car.

I too was overwhelmed by the succinct explanation for the benefit gained. It was almost as though they had been watching f1 for years and understood how vsc undercut was a thing, and that fast teams who pit as soon as it's in their favor, lose the opportunity to pit later at a street circuit where safety cars are a statistical probability...

It was so nice to hear the presenters get to this straight dope so quickly and totally not participate in any bullshittery.

Is this all a massively sarcastic conversation?
...

[NathanOlder]

Though I agree that at the same time, everyone knew that a VSC could happen and should have had it in mind when strategizing. So credit to Ferrari for the win. Hamilton could have stayed out longer to avoid the chance of being caught out by a VSC but Mercedes choose the wrong strategy this time. Part luck, part mistake, imo.

Lewis could not have stayed out more than a lap or 2 that Kimi, it wasn't a mistake to pit when he did, Ferrari forced Lewis to pit, and that would only work out good for ferrari if the VSC had been applied which must be very very unlikely at that exact lime in the race.

If Lewis stayed out, how long would you stay out ? remembering his tyres were getting worse and nearing the end of their life while Kimi was out on brand new rubber. So to cover Vettel and a VSC you have to stay out as long as Vettel, and all the time Kimi is 3rd circulating faster, Ferrari can then leave Vettel out and if Merc went with your tactics, they would leave Lewis out.

The VSC coming out in those 6-7 laps after Lewis pits are probably (at a guess) 100/1 chance. 3/1 to happen in a street race at any time, and then to happen in the right 10% of the race takes the chances way out to 100/1 (all guess work)

So if that didnt happen (which is more likely than it is to actually happen like today) Merc had the perfect strategy. Gap the 2nd place car by about 3-5 seconds, maintain the gao, wait for 2nd place to pit, pit the following lap, maintain the lead after all have pitted and win the race while driving as slow as possible. This also goes to some of the people here saying Hamilton couldn't even pull a big gap to Kimi. In todays F1 its very rare for the leader to pull out a massive gap, So why would today have been any different. Plus its not like Kimi was driving slowly, Seb even said after the race he couldn't keep up with the front 2.

As for the Crofty/Brundle comments on being faster to drive through the pit lane, Someone needs to explain that to me, as last I checked the pit lane speed limit is way slower than the VSC average speed ?!

[carisi2k]

As mentioned elsewhere. Hamilton won a couple of races last year due to the VSC and when it comes to the Sky sports team they are so biased towards Hamilton it isn't funny. I had to switch to a free to air channel with ads just to shut their whinging up after the VSC.