Australian GP 2009 ( finally! )

[joseff]

My web feed was quite bad, but it appears McLaren already was running the new diffuser for FP2, and it's not an extended-height version.

[myurr]

I'm too lazy to find the Williams fw31 topic, and I don't remember this being discussed... take a look at the splitter that is at the bottom of the noscone attachment...

it looks new to me, but please correct me if i'm wrong.

space for ballast? KERS? or purely aero function?

Looks like it's purely aero - conditioning the air and helping to get the correct flow to the rest of the car.

[myurr]

My web feed was quite bad, but it appears McLaren already was running the new diffuser for FP2, and it's not an extended-height version.

Yeah I thought so too but cannot definitively confirm. From the radio it sounds like Lewis's problems were the car bottoming out. His final run was looking much more promising before a big slide meant we didn't get to see what the improvement would have been. Never mind

[hulmerist]

My web feed was quite bad, but it appears McLaren already was running the new diffuser for FP2, and it's not an extended-height version.

Yeah I thought so too but cannot definitively confirm. From the radio it sounds like Lewis's problems were the car bottoming out. His final run was looking much more promising before a big slide meant we didn't get to see what the improvement would have been. Never mind

seemed like he was 6 tenths away in the second sector, so he'd have probably ended up around the level of the ferraris....which is something i guess

[andartop]

6 "diffuser" cars in the top 7 in FP2. Looks like we'gonna have another year full of controversy, and sadly it's probably gonna kick off right after the first race. At least I hope people are not going to start moaning that the FIA favors Ferrari, but that the FIA favors Ferrari, Renault, Red Bull, Torro Rosso, McLaren, Force India and BMW.

EDIT: OR that the FIA favors Brawn GP, Toyota and Williams!

[Ciro Pabón]

I saw the practice in a brazilian webchannel (thanks, Chaparral). The funniest comment, by brazilian fans:

"Hamilton to DTM!"

[meves]

At last it has all kicked off and the free practice feed is excellent and if you don't live here in the UK its got to be a reason to move here.

Has anyone noticed that it's the KERS teams that are further down the grid? It's rumoured to be Ferrari, McLaren and Renault that are using it. Could it be too much of a penalty with the CoG disadvantage? Mind you until the FIA get the system in place that tells us when they are using it, it's difficult to know.

Oh I forgot to add, does anyone know if anyone has been running reduced revs through these sessions. It's rumoured that teams are running reduced revs by up to 1000rpm, to save their engines due to the new engine rules for this year.

[axle]

<<--- Tries to not get too excited at the thought of a Williams winning, but is glad his prediction that they would be quick has come true.

I think we'll see cars in the 1:25's tomorrow...just hope it's Williams', Brawn's and Toyota's

Good to see Webbo put in a stirling effort in P2 1:26:3 is bloomin quick. Ferrari and McLaren could both be out of the points this weekend! (Damn it, stop getting carried away!!)

[timbo]

Oh I forgot to add, does anyone know if anyone has been running reduced revs through these sessions. It's rumoured that teams are running reduced revs by up to 1000rpm, to save their engines due to the new engine rules for this year.

18k limit is on for this year.

[meves]

Oh I forgot to add, does anyone know if anyone has been running reduced revs through these sessions. It's rumoured that teams are running reduced revs by up to 1000rpm, to save their engines due to the new engine rules for this year.

18k limit is on for this year.

It was being discussed that they ran them reduced through some ro all of freee practice, down to 17k to prolong engine life as they are running so many laps..

[axle]

It's not beyond the relms of possibility.

Lets hope everyone is doing that so the times are still representative.

[CMSMJ1]

Am watching the replays again as I "work from home"

Too cool to see the cars out there... Do we still think they are ugly?

[nae]

Do we still think they are ugly?

not sure on the 'snow plough' front wings
have got used to the rear wings
and the rest of the cars look good
am sure i will get used to it over time

especially if it keeps the 'topsy turvey' order like
it has in free practice and even more if it increases
over taking in races

Ferrari 10th 1 sec of the pace
macca 17th

bring on the racing

[myurr]

Do we still think they are ugly?

not sure on the 'snow plough' front wings
have got used to the rear wings
and the rest of the cars look good
am sure i will get used to it over time

especially if it keeps the 'topsy turvey' order like
it has in free practice and even more if it increases
over taking in races

Ferrari 10th 1 sec of the pace
macca 17th

bring on the racing

It's not all the front wings though, the McLaren looks amazing (even if it isn't as fast as it looks), the Ferrari and Williams look good as well.

The ones that look truly awful are the boxy and bright white wings such as the Toyota but especially the BMW. That is one truly fugly car, rivaling even the Renaults nose in my opinion.

[xpensive]

If these times will be representative for Sunday's race, MrE&M will face a rather delicate political situation.
What a mess.