2019 Australian Grand Prix - Melbourne, March 15-17

[TAG]

Ferrari's tire issue in Melbourne seemed a bit like Mercede's tire issues in 2017.

[Unf]

And the fact is that tyre temperature depends on many of setup's factors like toe, pressure, camber... So it wouldn't be that hard to understand and fixing... I hope

[dans79]

And the fact is that tyre temperature depends on many of setup's factors like toe, pressure, camber... So it wouldn't be that hard to understand and fixing... I hope

As i said previously, it can be fixed but not without compromising some other aspect of car.

All the cars are running the minimum tire pressure allowed, and no one wants to run more than that, so that leaves suspension tweaks, and aero changes.

You have to be careful with the suspension tweaks as its easy to go to far and end up trading tire temperature for tire wear. Aero changes are much the same, its easy to over compensate and generate more drag, or a cars who's balance is always on a knifes edge.

[mistrx]

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

Really? Source?

[Capharol]

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

Really? Source?

guess you don't understand ironical remarks do you?
it was a joke

[Mattchu]

I think we also have to remember back to last year when the thinner spec Pirelli tyres were used. When they were used last year at Barcelona the Mercs came 1-2 with Red Bull third and Ferrari fourth.
Paul Ricard followed a similar pattern with Hamilton first closely followed by Verstappen, then Raikkonen 25 seconds back.
The British Grand Prix seemed a bit of an anomaly with Merc, Ferrari and Red Bull very close.

Maybe these new compounds just suit Mercedes and Red Bull better for now and Ferrari have a problem to solve. Perhaps they`ll drill some holes in their wheel rims Either way I personally want all 3 teams fighting for pole/podiums...

[munudeges]

Something has drastically changed at Ferrari between testing and this race that can't be explained by set up or any other issue.

maybe the circuit, maybe the temperature, maybe the layout of the track, maybe another tracksurface

Or even scrutineering, which was not done in the test sessions. Could something have been called out and removed/replaced/altered?

Honestly, anything is possible, but.........something is very, very off here. The way they said "We don't know" to Vettel over the radio over lost performance tells me they do know but they won't say.

[Wynters]

I'm not sure Hamilton would have won the race had he not had the damage to the floor, he lost it in the first 100 metres (annoying but thats Aus circuit). But I reckon he would have been a lot further up the road than he was.

I'm not so sure. Once he went into the first corner in second he only really had one option. He had to sit back and nurse his tyres so that a) Bottas would stop first and b) he could put in 2-3 blindingly fast laps to try and take advantage of Bottas having to get his harder tyres up to temperature. That's why the early call for the pit stop hurt him so much, he'd been tiptoeing around, not using any of the pace he had and then had to throw the tyres away with all the pace still in them.

Vettel didn't have to worry about that, Ferrari would have already planned the strategy out so Vettel knew he could take plenty of life out of his tyres as he wouldn't have them on for long. Look at the difference in pace in the first stint between Vettel and Leclerc (the latter's mistake not withstanding). What Ferrari didn't expect was for the car to be so slow after the pitstop that Vettel couldn't protect the lead his quick sprint had built up. I don't think they expected Verstappen to be able to pass him*.

*I do think they predicted Leclerc (who sacrificed pace for longevity in his first stint so that he could be faster throughout the longer second stint) would but they'd already addressed that outcome with their drivers in pre-season so it was a non-issue.

[dans79]

*I do think they predicted Leclerc (who sacrificed pace for longevity in his first stint so that he could be faster throughout the longer second stint) would but they'd already addressed that outcome with their drivers in pre-season so it was a non-issue.

Honestly, If I was Leclerc, I would have quietly got close, and just passed him.

[NathanOlder]

*I do think they predicted Leclerc (who sacrificed pace for longevity in his first stint so that he could be faster throughout the longer second stint) would but they'd already addressed that outcome with their drivers in pre-season so it was a non-issue.

Honestly, If I was Leclerc, I would have quietly got close, and just passed him.

I don't understand why Ferrari let Charles get down to 0.2xx behind Vettel. Why not just tell Charles to hold position when he gets to within 2 seconds ?! Its like if Charles hadn't have asked, they would have let him try.

[Capharol]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-hfD5diepE

Marc Priestley #AskElvis

[NL_Fer]

Are there any signs that Vettel or Hamilton, took to much out of their tires, during the first laps after the pitstop? Maybe they pushed to hard, while the rear tires were only heated to 80c by the electric blankets.

[zeph]

*I do think they predicted Leclerc (who sacrificed pace for longevity in his first stint so that he could be faster throughout the longer second stint) would but they'd already addressed that outcome with their drivers in pre-season so it was a non-issue.

Honestly, If I was Leclerc, I would have quietly got close, and just passed him.

And risk pariah status in the team at the first race? Not the smart move, IMO.

[Sieper]

*I do think they predicted Leclerc (who sacrificed pace for longevity in his first stint so that he could be faster throughout the longer second stint) would but they'd already addressed that outcome with their drivers in pre-season so it was a non-issue.

Honestly, If I was Leclerc, I would have quietly got close, and just passed him.

And risk pariah status in the team at the first race? Not the smart move, IMO.

Indeed Leclerc also went out of his way to escape Vettel at the start in turn1. He was cautious as he needs to thread carefully now he is in a top team. Don’t upset people without real cause.

[dans79]

Honestly, If I was Leclerc, I would have quietly got close, and just passed him.

And risk pariah status in the team at the first race? Not the smart move, IMO.

Indeed Leclerc also went out of his way to escape Vettel at the start in turn1. He was cautious as he needs to thread carefully now he is in a top team. Don’t upset people without real cause.

he had the pace, and unless he wants to be a permanent #2 he needs to draw a line in the sand.

for example!