2010 Australian Grand Prix Preview

Galahad

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Round 2 - Albert Park, Melbourne

Summary
2010 will be the 26th world championship Australian Grand Prix, and the 15th held since Melbourne wrested the event from Adelaide in 1996.
The lakeside circuit in Albert Park hosted the Australian Grand Prix as long ago as the 1950s, when it was a non-championship event. The current layout is a street circuit with temporary facilities constructed for the race each year. There is a preponderance of slow- and medium-speed turns, with short straights, though the final sector features some faster turns, including the super-fast chicane at turns 11 & 12.

Rainfall in Victoria in March is usually low and to date no Australian Grands Prix in Melbourne have seen rain, though a number of qualifying sessions have been wet - infamously in 2005 when changing conditions caught out both Ferrari drivers.

Historically the winner of the Australian Grand Prix is more likely to go on to become world champion in that season than any other current event - nine times in the last twelve seasons, and all of the last four.

The overall finishing rate at Melbourne is very low.
The likelihood of a driver-related retirement is the highest of all current circuits.
Mechnical failures are more also likely at Albert Park than the for most other tracks.
Finally, a first lap retirement is more likely in Australia than at any other Grand Prix.

Michael Schumacher has won four Grands Prix at Melbourne, while Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button have recorded single victories. Other drivers to record good results at Albert Park include Nico Rosberg and Timo Glock, while Felipe Massa has a total of three points from seven starts for a solitary sixth place finish.

Ferrari have won five of the last ten Australian Grands Prix. The high retirement rate has also allowed smaller teams including Williams, Toro Rosso and Force India to record higher than usual points tallies over the years.

The Last Five Years
2005201712010 - Fernando Alonso (Renault)
2006221336313 - Jacques Villeneuve (Sauber)
2007221723016 - Felipe Massa (Ferrari)
200822969510 - Sebastien Bourdais (Toro Rosso)
2009201625117 - Jarno Trulli (Toyota)
Overall1067214259
[td]Year[/td][td]Starters[/td][td]Finishers[/td][td]Retirements - Mech[/td][td]Retirements - Acc[/td][td]Lap 1 retirements[/td][td]Most places gained[/td]

Circuit Ranking (of all 18 circuits)
Finishing Rate
...
16th Catalunya 68%
17th Melbourne 68%
18th Montreal 63%

Mechanical Failures
...
5th Hungaroring 15%
6th= Melbourne 13%
6th= Sepang 13%
8th Hockenheim 13%
...

Driver-related Retirements
1st Melbourne 24%
2nd Montreal 20%
3rd Monte Carlo 15%
...

First lap Retirements
1st Melbourne 8.5%
2nd Interlagos 7.7%
3rd Catalunya 5.8%
...

Current Drivers' Records at Melbourne
Michael Schumacher1171st (4)51224.55
Fernando Alonso881st (1)41009.13
Rubens Barrichello1482nd (4)38327.36
Lewis Hamilton331st (1)16007.67
Jenson Button1051st (1)13229.7
Jarno Trulli1363rd (1)124310
Nico Rosberg433rd (1)11019.5
Mark Webber845th (2)6319.63
Timo Glock214th (1)50118.5
Heikki Kovalainen325th (1)4019.33
Felipe Massa726th (1)33212.14
Sebastien Buemi117th (1)20013
Pedro de la Rosa326th (1)11016.67
Adrian Sutil329th (1)01019.33
Sebastian Vettel2113th (1)0026
Robert Kubica3114th (1)0123.67
Vitantonio Liuzzi2114th (1)00115.5
Jaime Alguersuari0------
Karun Chandhok0------
Lucas di Grassi0------
Nico Hülkenberg0------
Kamui Kobayashi0------
Vitaly Petrov0------
Bruno Senna0------
[td]Driver[/td][td]Starts[/td][td]Finishes[/td][td]Best result[/td][td]Points[/td][td]Retirements - Mech[/td][td]Retirements - Acc[/td][td]Average grid pos.[/td]

Chassis Records at Melbourne (since 2000)
Ferrari20131st (5)85456.45
McLaren20121st (2)67526.85
Renault20161st (2)591410.15
Williams20112nd (2)46368.7
BMW Sauber20122nd (1)28449.2
Mercedes GP20151st (1)27239.55
Red Bull20124th (2)114612.45
Toro Rosso20115th (1)77217.55
Force India2095th (1)28414.3
Hispania0------
Lotus0------
Virgin0------
[td]Chassis[/td][td]Starts[/td][td]Finishes[/td][td]Best result[/td][td]Points[/td][td]Retirements - Mech[/td][td]Retirements - Acc[/td][td]Average grid pos.[/td]
Results for Mercedes GP include BAR, Honda and Brawn
Results for BMW Sauber include Sauber
Results for Red Bull include Jaguar
Results for Force India include Jordan, Midland and Spyker
Results for Toro Rosso include Minardi


Engine Records at Melbourne (since 2000)
Ferrari46261st (5)98111110.59
Mercedes-Benz24161st (3)85527.13
Renault24171st (2)57189.92
Cosworth28134th (2)1010415
[td]Engine[/td][td]Starts[/td][td]Finishes[/td][td]Best result[/td][td]Points[/td][td]Retirements - Mech[/td][td]Retirements - Acc[/td][td]Average grid pos.[/td]
Results for Ferrari include Petronas
Results for Cosworth include Ford


All ranking figures are expressed as a % of total starts.
"Retirements-Acc" are retirements where the reason has been listed as Collision, Accident or Spun Off.
 
Excellent stats there chap.......

However may I be the one to float the proverbial turd in your pool/piss on your chips?

Aside from 06 (due to the jogging and high jump) it's been the first race of the season, surely this must skew the stats from the reliability side of things and maybe even the accidents as it's the first time they've gone wheel to wheel and with a lot of new drivers entering what could be their first F1 race on a "street" circuit?
 
Thanks Spesh...

Of course you're right - the first race is always going to feature more mechanical failures, and probably more accidents too. Will those teams that had problems in Bahrain have solved them for Melbourne? Hmm.
 
Has anyone come across any news regarding the conference call FOTA had on Thursday? There was the announcement that the cars will sport the FIA's safer roads campaign logo, but I think I read that they were also going to discuss the current 'crisis' of processional races.

With a number of F1 figures considering the two mandatory stops solution I wondered if they might try it out in Melbourne under a gentlemen's agreement, and whether they'd be open about doing so.
 
Not a peep out of them, however a couple of drivers in the past day or two have mentioned that a knee-jerk reaction to one race would not be a good thing.

I think the meeting was aborted...
 
Genji,

Unfortunately there are very few gentlemen in Formula 1, and if the agreement weren't agreed to by ALL of the teams, it would never happen.

I still think that eliminating the "use both types of tyres" rule would go a long way towards addressing the concerns.
 
Apparently it is going to rain at some points over the weekend.

weatherk.png


Could get interesting! Well, it'll be more interesting than Bahrain whatever the rain. LOL
 
Galahad said:
Thanks Spesh...

Of course you're right - the first race is always going to feature more mechanical failures, and probably more accidents too. Will those teams that had problems in Bahrain have solved them for Melbourne? Hmm.

taking into account that Melb is the first of the year, 'Historically the winner of the Australian Grand Prix is more likely to go on to become world champion in that season than any other current event - nine times in the last twelve seasons, and all of the last four.' is even more interesting...
 
I was thinking a conservative FP2, Qualifying and the race, but I might consider FP3.

I seem to remember getting up in the middle of the night in years gone by, like 3am - e.g. for Japan and Australia. Is my memory playing tricks on me, as is its wont, or have things changed?
 
genji said:
I was thinking a conservative FP2, Qualifying and the race, but I might consider FP3.

I seem to remember getting up in the middle of the night in years gone by, like 3am - e.g. for Japan and Australia. Is my memory playing tricks on me, as is its wont, or have things changed?


Note - UK clocks go forward this weekend - Don't get caught out (like I nearly did for last year's race :embarrassed: )
 
Show Off LOL

Don't forget to take some pictures and up load them to the Grandstand thread and share your views on the race as you see it.

Wish I was out there. :thumbsup:
 
cider_and_toast said:
Show Off LOL

Don't forget to take some pictures and up load them to the Grandstand thread and share your views on the race as you see it.

Wish I was out there. :thumbsup:

will do. Friday/Saturday will be walking around, then Sunday taking a good bit of hill early for the race. Only GA, so not sure about good cars pic, but will do me best ;) hanging for it actually.....:D
 
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