Grand Prix 2012 Australian Grand Prix Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion

Gentleman, start your engines

Despite it feeling only a few weeks since the season ending Brazilian Grand Prix last November the Australian Grand Prix is coming very quickly into view to start of a season which hopefully promises to be a lot closer than the 2011 season where Sebastian Vettel ran away with the Championship and had it virtually won by mid season.

Looking at testing and it is virtually impossible to see who is in the best shape going into the season opener apart from that Mclaren and Red Bull are the two teams in the best shape which really isn't surprising but the big surprise is the continual lack of pace from Ferrari despite a radical new car (the issues I commented on on a previous thread).

As for the midfield it is anyone's guess as all the midfield have all been up and down the testing rankings throughout the winter and it'll only be qualifying where we see a true reflection of where the grid is in terms of reliability. Without a doubt Lotus have had the most work to do after they had to make a major chassis change involving suspension mounts which meant abandoning one of the test sessions but that doesn't seem to have had a major effect on the team and with Kimi Raikkonen at the wheel it is hoped that they can challenge Mercedes after a fairly disappointing 2011 after a strong start.

Once again HRT are the joke of the entire grid as they once again go into the first race of the season without having so much as turned the wheel before after crash test problems earlier this year and it will be a miracle if they actually qualify as they failed to do so in Melbourne in 2011, but they could be joined by Marussia who have also had problems with their new car and have had to test with a modified 2011 car recently and they will also be struggling to even qualify for Melbourne which isn't good news for the team unless they can pull a rabbit out of the hat with the new car.

This seasons cars (apart from Mclaren) are characterised by the distinctive stepped nose due to new regulations about front wing height and this is how the vast majority of teams have interpreted this rule and it seems that only Mclaren are running a 'smooth' nose and it remains to be seen whether this was a correct decision and one that can mean they can challenge for the title after an average 2011 (unless you're Button of course)

For the British viewers 2012 is going to be a completely different viewing experience as Formula One is going to be broadcast on satellite television for the first time. When it was announced that Sky would be broadcasting F1 with BBC showing only half of the races (live) it was met with uproar from all quarters but as more details have been announced, many fans (me included) are rather looking forward to the full F1 package that is being provided this season with the F1 channel being launched in a matter of days!

For Galahads brilliant circuit write up, see here http://cliptheapex.com/pages/melbourne-grand-prix-circuit-albert-park/

 

[Mephistopheles]

Just like his gearbox problem..

 

[tranquility2k9]

You're right! I think that was just a mistake, but Gary seems well informed

I have my doubts about how well informed Gary Anderson is. Clearly he knows what he is talking about but when he looks at the cars he always seems to look at individual concepts without taking into account the car philosophy as a whole. A classic example is that he has been openly critising McLaren's nose design and side pods from the word go. He said their nose was not so good aerodynamically and that their sidepods were not as good as those used by most other teams where rather than being rectangular shaped they curve down into the central tub. This is fair enough as these 2 concepts when looked at, considering nothing else, are better than those McLaren are using, but McLaren have a very clever philosophy with their car.

I pretty much thought of how their general car design works earlier on today. I may be wrong and I am no aerodynamicist but... My feeling is that they purposely have a low nose this year so that the air that goes under the nose will be more compact and at a higher pressure (imagine a hosepipe effect, making the jet smaller, making it keep shape more and propel faster). They then catch this airflow with their sidepod design and rather than having sidepods that stereotypically allow for better aerodynamic flow to the back of the car they actually try to squeeze that airflow even more with rectangular sidepods. These side pods may look bigger but the actual airflow being pushed below them should better achieve its end target goal of cleanly reaching the rear of the car. Moving back to the front again - by having a lower nose they naturally get more airflow going over the sidepods and because this year, the best way to exploit the exhaust flow is clearly to use the "coanda effect". This means having airflow push other jets of airflow (or in this case exhaust gasses) into a different preferential direction. I may be talking crap but if my assumptions are near to what their intention is then I think they have an in-genius concept.

Even when McLaren came up with their major upgrade towards the end of the last Barcelona test, some of which revolved around changing from the "snow-plough" splitter to a more conventional splitter, Mr. Anderson couldn't resist saying, McLaren have just showed that they got their nose design wrong because what they have done would be even better with a stepped nose. I guess he is kind of missing the point here - they're refining their design because their sidepod concept is quite different to that of last year, but they know what they are doing.

Sorry for going off on a bit of a Gary Anderson rant. I do appreciate his insight so far but think these things needed saying. I would also say he does not look comfortable on TV and looks a bit like a drunk irish guy who needs to clean himself up a bit. He also failed to give much meaningful information on time during qualifying such as when the Merc guys went on on used tyres during Q3. On the Sky coverage reliable Ted Kravitz let the commentators know instantly, whereas on BBC, DC found out near the end of the session off someone.

 

[Galahad]

Red Bull didn't say Vettel didn't have KERS, so I think we must conclude he did. He said he made a mistake on his final run though, but not enough to trouble the McLarens (this much seems clear anyway).

People often talk about KERS being worth 0.4s per lap on average, which to most cars it is, but Red Bull's is of a lower capacity (it was in 2011, assume the same unit is being used this year) and so is almost certainly less costly when it is inoperative.

 

[Mephistopheles]

Still I hope that Mark's performance has put paid to any doubts some people have about him it is up to Vettel to prove he can win in an inferior car, you could say this is his big chance...

Edit

Mark sort your starts out mate there's a good chap..

 

[tranquility2k9]

Another very interesting Webber quote from this article: http://formula-one.speedtv.com/article/cooper-and-so-it-begins

“We’re certainly looking to go forward. Fifth is my lucky number here! But also keeping in my mind it’s a long year. We need to leave here with some points in the bank, and massage more out of this car quite quickly. I feel we will find out tomorrow, and also we’ll find out next Sunday how we are on Sunday afternoons, but I think Saturdays are probably not one of our strengths at the moment."

It just feels surreal to see/hear a Red Bull driver saying Saturdays are not their strength at the moment. Wait a minute, am I actually dreaming and McLaren haven't got a 1-2 and Vettel is just waiting to pull out a second in Q3.

 

[gethinceri]

I have my doubts about how well informed Gary Anderson is and looks a bit like a drunk irish guy who needs to clean himself up a bit.

funniest thing I've read today.

 

[Cookinflatsix]

It's st paddies day today, everyone looks like a drunk Irishman today

 

[Jos the Boss]

I have my doubts about how well informed Gary Anderson is. Clearly he knows what he is talking about but when he looks at the cars he always seems to look at individual concepts without taking into account the car philosophy as a whole. A classic example is that he has been openly critising McLaren's nose design and side pods from the word go. He said their nose was not so good aerodynamically and that their sidepods were not as good as those used by most other teams where rather than being rectangular shaped they curve down into the central tub. This is fair enough as these 2 concepts when looked at, considering nothing else, are better than those McLaren are using, but McLaren have a very clever philosophy with their car.

Sorry for going off on a bit of a Gary Anderson rant. I do appreciate his insight so far but think these things needed saying. I would also say he does not look comfortable on TV and looks a bit like a drunk irish guy who needs to clean himself up a bit. He also failed to give much meaningful information on time during qualifying such as when the Merc guys went on on used tyres during Q3. On the Sky coverage reliable Ted Kravitz let the commentators know instantly, whereas on BBC, DC found out near the end of the session off someone.

Well there's something under the body work which is working well or he has made a mistake, and he isn't really the pit lane reporter I don't think, I'm not sure who is because they list him as 'Technical Analysist' I think Lee is new pit lane reporter

 

[Jos the Boss]

Off topic, but the guys at vodafone must me extatic about the free advertising they're getting! We all know how the f-duct was named but if you don't, it was named because it was on the 'f' of the vodafone Mclaren sponsor! Paddock nickname of course but another quick quiz question (which tooncheese will probably get) What is the more technical name of the F-Duct?

 

[gethinceri]

Fuck Duct?

 

[Cookinflatsix]

I am a self confessed Hamilton fan but do not understand the grounds from which you make that statement on this occasion?

Q1: Ham 1.26.800, But 1.26.832
Q2: Ham 1.25.626, But 1.26.663
Q3: Ham 1.24.992, But 1.25.074

What I mean is that q3 is where the drivers go as fast as they dare, q2, and 1, not a big gap but there doesn't have to be

In q3, Lewis' best lap was better than Jensons despite the latter having a second chance with new tyres
Therefore Lewis could have gone even faster relatively

Doesn't really matter though, what matters is Lewis is on pole, barring start incidents I think we will see him use his speed advantage to pull a gap with Jenson waiting till pit stops or gambling on strategy to try to pass

 

[tranquility2k9]

funniest thing I've read today.

oh god.. i have actually had a few drinks myself and my girlfriend was sitting next to me when I wrote that about him looking drunk / needing to tidy up. We both read it back and burst out laughing but I said even though it sounds harsh im going to keep it there as it is just really funny and I wanted to see peoples' reaction lol!

 

[tranquility2k9]

What I mean is that q3 is where the drivers go as fast as they dare, q2, and 1, not a big gap but there doesn't have to be

In q3, Lewis' best lap was better than Jensons despite the latter having a second chance with new tyres
Therefore Lewis could have gone even faster relatively

Doesn't really matter though, what matters is Lewis is on pole, barring start incidents I think we will see him use his speed advantage to pull a gap with Jenson waiting till pit stops or gambling on strategy to try to pass

I don't want to get into an argument so don't take it this way but, im like 99% sure that Hamilton was on fresh tyres on his first run during Q3, as was Button during his 2nd run. McLaren only used 1 set of soft tyres before Q3 so they had 2 new sets.

 

[Kewee]

It was a 4.7 magnitude 30km west of Whanganui.
for Keewee's benefit there's this http://www.geonet.org.nz/earthquake/quakes/latest.html (they ask you to please report what you felt)

As for the rest of us, Melbourne is so far away that we needn't worry about the race tomorrow in any way.

Thanks Roadie. I'm familiar with geonet and have the site downloaded on my phone, I went back to sleep without looking. I'm like many he in NZ, when I feel an earthquake I always wonder if it was a small one nearby or the edge of something massive a couple of hundred miles away near Wellington. If we get the big one in Wellington everyone's hoping won't happen it would destroy us, financially as well as lost lives. Too much to bare after Christchurch.

 

[Jos the Boss]

**** Duct?

Urm not exactly, I'll reveal the answer at quater to!

 

[Cookinflatsix]

I don't want to get into an argument so don't take it this way but, im like 99% sure that Hamilton was on fresh tyres on his first run during Q3, as was Button during his 2nd run. McLaren only used 1 set of soft tyres before Q3 so they had 2 new sets.

You are probably right

 

[GeoffP]

Red Bull didn't say Vettel didn't have KERS, so I think we must conclude he did. He said he made a mistake on his final run though

an error of the same amount in both runs in Q3 - Seriously?

 

[johnnoble1990]

Think DC made a very good point about Red Bull.

In many ways, it was inevitable at some point that this incredible rise in Formula 1, that the bubble would burst at some point, because all these teams, Ferrari, Mclaren, Mercedes have winning DNA; they've been doing it for generations.

Though I don't think this is the Red Bull obituary, I did find it strange everyone getting so carried away with their dominance, acting like it was going to continue indefinitely. I don't think Red Bull are dominant by nature. I think it is a credit to everyone who has worked incredibly hard over the last 3 years in the team, particularly Adrian Newey. Every car they build that challenges for titles is an incredible achievement.

 

[Galahad]

an error of the same amount in both runs in Q3 - Seriously?

Don't shoot the messenger: http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/98115

 

[GeoffP]

Fortunately the safety's on...

The one thing I'm waiting to see - somewhat dreading, is that last year Red Bull seemed to dominate qualifying more than the races. I had put this down to either turning the wick up to "5" for a limited period in quali, and/or actually have a DRS that was more effective with the rest of their package.

I seriously hope they do not fall off a cliff in the race!