2019 Australian Grand Prix - Melbourne, March 15-17

[Zynerji]

Albert Park is its own beast.

The proper tracks that are coming up will show the real order.

Im looking forward to what midfield surprises 2019 has for us!

[Artur Craft]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtkFZqfc-hs[/url]

Either ferrari/merc have been hit hard on their party modes with the extra restrictions put in place on the PUs this year, or honda has practically closed the gap completely, which would be quite astonishing.

account deleted already. Juzh, can you, please, upload this telemetry comparison again? I doesn't need to be on youtube, it can be wherever you like. Also, did you post onboard laps?

About this weekend, I don't care about the "Melbourne is not a representative track for pecking order" talk. I doubt very much that Ferrari and RB will challenge Merc this year. Even on places like Monaco I can see Merc locking a front row easily, given how good their mechanical grip is. This sort of superiority really feels like 2014-2016

[loekf2]

• Honda failure for Gasly too.

Why would Honda be a failure for Gasly ?

I would rephrase it as "Gasly failure for RBR already". He was way too passive, could/should have passed Kyvat. I still rate Red Bulls car superior, though they have same engine. He won a position after the pit stop, but couldn't hold it.

I wouldn't be surprised if he keeps finishing out of the top 10 and assuming Verstappen keeps on getting podiums, Redbull will look around for another driver.

[yelistener]

I thought Bottas's "I want 26pts" in team radio was pretty badass, so I made a little video about it.

Bottas comes to Melbourne to chew bubblegum and get 26 points, and he's all out of bubblegum

[elno]

no failure for gasly but big one for renault on sainz's car (mgu-k)

[i70q7m7ghw]

Pretty disappointing, again a technical reg shakeup which hasn't really done anything for the sport. The b-teams are dominating the midfield, it looks like it's going to be a three way fight beftween Haas, STR and Alfa. The independant teams can't compete with copy/paste b-team cars. Massively cut back highlights coverage from Channel 4, and ad breaks littered with Sky TV adverts. I'm not paying sky high prices for year of processional races. It's sad to see F1 going this way, it's fading away in to obscurity.

[Just_a_fan]

Interesting stat on the UK Channel 4 highlights programme: whenever a team has won Melbourne 1-2, the winning driver went on to win the title and the team won the constructors' title.

So Bottas has history on his side this year. Will he keep the roll going...?

[dans79]

Pretty disappointing, again a technical reg shakeup which hasn't really done anything for the sport.

this is the problem with formula one, people always trying to change stuff because fans don't like the pecking order.

[Artur Craft]

It's so strange, though. Looking at both laps next to each other, the Ferrari seems to be much more relaxed/stable (which normally translates into fast laps, some might assume). Hamilton, on the other hand, looks absolutely on the edge. His head and steering wheel moved as if he was in a just launched rocket.

I guess you have never seen an onboard from the 80's/early 90's to think that seems on the edge?

[Justthatek]

Pretty disappointing, again a technical reg shakeup which hasn't really done anything for the sport. The b-teams are dominating the midfield, it looks like it's going to be a three way fight beftween Haas, STR and Alfa. The independant teams can't compete with copy/paste b-team cars. Massively cut back highlights coverage from Channel 4, and ad breaks littered with Sky TV adverts. I'm not paying sky high prices for year of processional races. It's sad to see F1 going this way, it's fading away in to obscurity.

Nowtv sky sports package is only £20 a month

[GPR-A]

Pretty disappointing, again a technical reg shakeup which hasn't really done anything for the sport.

this is the problem with formula one, people always trying to change stuff because fans don't like the pecking order.

Unlike in the past, when regulation changes used to catch the leading teams off guard, the current Mercedes team (including a very strong driver) seems to have developed resistance towards such changes and keep building cars that competes at the sharp end. They are not just the first team to win across one major regulation change, but seems to be on path (quite premature, but still) to win across 2 such changes.

You can't blame the FIA/FOM (Liberty) to be trying their best to shake things up, but with the budgets and resources that the top 3 teams have, they would continue to keep the space occupied. With McLaren and Williams fading away, the 3 teams that dominated F1 for the past 2 decades, continues to be leading the space. Everyone hated Ferrari's dominance and then everyone hated Red Bull dominance and now everyone hates Mercedes' dominance.

This is just first race of the season and with sparks that Honda has shown, there is a possibility that they have found the right direction to develop their PU and they have also committed large budget for their F1 program. If they deliver a bit more than others, you can expect RB to be competing and if Ferrari buckles up a bit and come out of the immediate shock (I hope it just a blip), this season can still be a very competitive one.

If Honda succeeds well enough, there could be a possibility of them returning as a Factory Honda F1 team at some point, which would then be good for sport to have brought one of the big player from slumber. After all, Brawn has worked for Honda F1 team as a team principal in the past.

[PlatinumZealot]

6 Points ahead of Vettel is a win for me. Bottas and LeClerc won't pose any real threats over the season.

[Wynters]

Why would Honda be a failure for Gasly ?

no failure for gasly but big one for renault on sainz's car (mgu-k)

Gasly's engine didn't provide 'Overtake' functionality (see radio dialogue between Gasly and the pitwall). On a track like Melbourne, where opportunities are so limited, that missing boost will have really hurt him.

[fritticaldi]

The car that Mercedes usually give to Hamilton was given to Bottas and Hamilton received the car that Bottas usually receives.

[Leon]

is there the damage mentioned by the Mercedes team?