Grand Prix 2018 Australian Grand Prix Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion

As a less than convincing set of test sessions drew to a close in sunny snowy rainy sunny Spain, most of the motoring press had Mercedes out in front as the team to beat again this season.The packing cases, cars, freight, PR Stands and all the other guff that makes up the travelling kit of a modern F1 team will by now be well on its way to Australia and in a few short weeks we will find out if the motoring press are correct.

One man who won't be taking his place in the stands at Albert Park this year will be Ron Walker, the former Mayor of Melbourne and the Chairman of Grand Prix Australia who was the key figure in establishing the Albert Park and Melbourne as the countries addition to the GP Calender. Ron passed away on the 30 Jan this year.

Attendance figures at Albert Park have been on the decline since reaching a peak in 2012. The race day attendance last year dipped below 100'000 for the first time in the tracks history. Does this reflect a growing global apathy with F1 or the lack of Australian interest on the grid since Mark Webber retired?

Four drivers will be taking to the grid in Australia for the first time. Two debutants and two who joined mid way through the season last year. Leclerc joins as reigning FIA Formula 2 champion and the 2016 F3 champion but will find himself saddled with possibley the worst car on the grid. Hartley did little to impress in last years Toro Rosso and will be looking to make a stronger impression this season alongside his team mate Pierre Gasly. Gasly, the 2016 GP2 champion settled quickly in to life at Toro Rosso last season and with the works backing of Honda, both drivers will be seeking to maximise their potential. Sergey Sirotkin won the race off to join Williams, replacing the finally departing Massa. A shame for many who wanted to see Kubica take the seat at Grove, Sirotkin will need to do well to shake off the feeling that he's just another rent a drive. His previous single seat results show that on his day he can perform with the best of the younger drivers and the first thing he'll need to do is show a clean pair of heels to Lance Stroll. I remain convinced that despite the money on offer from both drivers backing, Kubica is just one or two driver error DNF's away from stepping up to the race seat while one of the two are 'rested'.

I'm not going to waste finger strokes speculating about the performance of the teams on the grid because I think we all know who are going to be the key players in this area and see little to convince me that anything will change too much from last year but we live in hope.

 

[aaron8831]

This is the least excited I've been for a F1 season since I started watching every race and really following what was going on through out the week off the track. The halo, current engine spec, lack of competition up front, etc has finally worn me down I'm afraid. The technology is damn impressive but it doesn't do anything for me.

If you haven't seen it yet, look up Marc Gene taking the F2003 around Road Atlanta. My god the sound and sense of speed is unreal. I don't care if the 2018's could go faster, they don't have the brutality that the old cars had.

On the plus side, MotoGP looks likes it's shaping up to be as crazy as last year. Might actually fork over the money for their streaming service since I can't access it very easily on TV in the U.S.

 

[Andyoak]

It is a discussion that we keep coming back to (and it's on a few other threads) but it boils down to there are too many restrictions on mechanical stuff and too much reliance on aero.

I've got no problem with the engine noise... I've heard all sorts of engines over the years and they all sound great in their own way. I want speed and close racing (not to be confused with lots of over taking).

That is sport between men in machines.

 

[Galahad]

Structurally, we're stuck with things the way they are for at least another three years. Lack of competition across a season; lack of competition within individual races; predictable outcomes; no new engine suppliers, teams, tyre wars or anything to shake things up on the horizon. Frankly, my patience is unlikely to last that long. I expect this will be my last season of watching every race.

 

[teabagyokel]

I didn't see Mercedes threatening to leave earlier? Must have imagined it...

 

[Galahad]

Australian Grand Prix: Mercedes boss Toto Wolff tells F1 bosses not to "mess" with Ferrari's Sergio Marchionne

Wolff is basically saying, we have to keep Ferrari, and Ferrari will leave if we change the prize money distribution, therefore we can't change the prize money.

Which coincidentally also benefits his team greatly. But it's all about Ferrari, oh yes.

And the chance of a breakaway is the same as it ever was.

 

[cider_and_toast]

Toto really has developed a case of verbal diarrhoea recently.

 

[RasputinLives]

Toto is fastly becoming the new Flavio.

Maybe that's a bit harsh.

 

[Rutherford]

On the plus side, MotoGP looks likes it's shaping up to be as crazy as last year. Might actually fork over the money for their streaming service since I can't access it very easily on TV in the U.S.

Well, Dorna are actively working on reducing the gap between works and customer teams in oder to make the bikes more equal and the racing more exciting.
They seem to be applying common sense to the approach. Looks like it’s working wonders. I don’t expect the same to happen in F1 though, they’d rather concentrate on irrelevant matters such as grid girls, on-screen graphics, the logo etc. which does f**k all for the on-track action.

 

[F1Brits_90]

On the Rutherford point. I read an interesting article & where James Allen talked to chairman of Crystal Palace. Where he made some common sense points that F1 is case study of how a sport should not be run commercially. Which when a football chairman is give you financial advice, thinks have gone badly wrong. Its like Jimmy carr helping with tax returns

But Crystal Palace chairman said “It has to stay competitive. Nobody wants to watch someone destroy a club 7-0, it’s not intoxicating. Take F1 for example. The big teams got all the power, demanded more & more money. Now there’s a spectacle where there’s 1 or 2 teams with a chance of winning a race, people are switching off.

 

[F1Brits_90]

It is a discussion that we keep coming back to (and it's on a few other threads) but it boils down to there are too many restrictions on mechanical stuff and too much reliance on aero.

I've got no problem with the engine noise... I've heard all sorts of engines over the years and they all sound great in their own way. I want speed and close racing (not to be confused with lots of over taking).

That is sport between men in machines.

I dont mind sacrificing speed or engine noise for close racing. Because i watch sport for the twists & turns. The drama There was many weekends where i preferred GP2/F2 to F1. Even if they may have gone 10secs a lap slower. I said on FE thread that if i describe a F1 race where winner won from pole & lead every lap, 2nd started 2nd & finished. No overtakes for the lead. You assume boring race like we've had over recent years. But it was really exciting because they could run nose to tail with following car being told to back off, even if they had an average speed of 82.7mph

 

[RasputinLives]

I'd like your post F1Brits_90 but you mention James Allen and I just I can't bring myself to like something that might validate him as a 'journalist'.

 

[rufus_mcdufus]

Actually it's quite good fun seeing one football team destroy another 7-0, because it doesn't happen very often. It's very tedious watching one draw after another. Variety is good.

 

[F1Brits_90]

I'd like your post F1Brits_90 but you mention James Allen and I just I can't bring myself to like something that might validate him as a 'journalist'.

True & he wasnt such a great commentator but not as bad as legard

rufus_mcdufus the odd time 7-0 can be good few times i enjoyed pep guardiola man city destroyed a few teams stoke 7-2. But scottish league is proof of continued dominance is really bad because 15yrs ago It was 1 of big leagues & ranked 6th. Now they ranked 26th below Cyprus Azerbaijan & level with Belarus

Although reminds me of Kevin bridges joke Scotland was a 2 horse race, until we lost a horse. We are now showjumping

 

[Galahad]

There are big clubs in football and big teams in F1, and in both cases they usually hoover up all the prizes at the end of the year. The difference in football is that any team can win a given match, on their day, and often do. In F1, for a long time, there has been the same team at the front for every race, almost always with the same team in second place. Unpredictability of individual races would go a long way, for me. Not sure we've truly had that since about 2003.

 

[cider_and_toast]

Since 03, I can think of three races where the apple cart was upset by the little guy. Sebs win for Toro Rosso, Pastor's for Williams and Robert's for BMW Sauber. (When did Button win in Hungary? Can't remember if that was 03 and for BAR? Ok maybe four?)

That's an awful return.

Granted in football there are more matches every weekend but in the last few weeks Wigan knocked Man City out of the FA Cup, Bournemouth beat Man Utd and lets not forget Leicester won the title a few years back.

 

[Rutherford]

Did I say common sense isn’t applied to F1. Well, I’ve just been proven right by the FIA. They’ve determined that overtaking was extremely difficult last year, especially in Melbourne, so they’ve added an additional DRS Zone, between turn 12 and 13, making it three in total.

Hey there! How about changing the technical regulations instead of utilising that stupid gimmick to increase the action...!

 

[F1Brits_90]

Just realised i stupidly forgot to add the link last night which i thought i had

Football chief spells out why F1 fans are ‘switching off’

 

[RasputinLives]

The second half of 2009 was very unpredictable I remember with some very mixed up grids and teams coming out of nowhere. Fisi nearly winning in Spa for Force India stands out in my memory. 2009 was a bit of an anomaly though with the big investors in the sport having a wobble due to financial crash and losing grip on the sport because they didn't know if they wanted to stay in it. That soon changed though with Merc buying out Brawn and the rise of Red Bull.

 

[F1Brits_90]

Since 03, I can think of three races where the apple cart was upset by the little guy. Sebs win for Toro Rosso, Pastor's for Williams and Robert's for BMW Sauber. (When did Button win in Hungary? Can't remember if that was 03 and for BAR? Ok maybe four?)

That's an awful return.

Button was 2006 & BAR, but also they are upsets no doubt but not complete surprises as Maldonado won from pole & Button was 4th fastest with 10 place penalty. Also forgetting the last proper shock after vettel. Fisichella in brazil 03

 

[cider_and_toast]

Nah, Fisi doesn't count. It was pouring down with rain and he finished in the pitlane on fire. That race was just a mash up due to the awful conditions.