Australia predictions-- post them up

was Tiki happy about it ?

or have you decided to sleep with Pap ?

 

Can't wait, even patiently waiting for Practice 1:

1. Alonso
2. Webber
3. Vettel
4. Massa
5. Rosberg
6. Schumacher
7. Heidfeld
8. Kobayashi
9. Barichello
10. Perez

Both McLarens will retire in the first half.

 

Wow all good with you guys.

Here is my prediction in qualifying:

1) Vettel
2) Webber
3) Alonso

Race

1) Alonso
2) Schumacher
3) Webber

 

Button
Alonso
Webber

 

What he said.

 

Unless something else fail/changes/happens Im still with RedBull and all others behind. This race for the most part is an end to testing more so than a beginning to the season.


What would be fun is to be completely wrong and see RedBull not on the podium. Possible yes but that car is very very good.

 

I read that Vettel and Massa had both each a big hole in their tire. Officially caused by stones, inofficially by the crumbling Pirellis.

My feeling is that this race won't be decided by who has the best car or who uses KERS and the movable wing the best. This will go down to who times the pitstops the best.

It could very well be that the fastest car/driver combos won't podium at all.

Pirelligate anybody?

 

Couldnt agree more! Finesse and timing will be big. Tire management will count but if the tire crumbles then what. Lots of luck as well. Could be wild.

 

I have definitely had the opinion of this in the back of my head for a while now. Although after second practice, several drivers are reporting they are surprisingly pleased with the Pirelli tires today.

 

Add this from Newey:
http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/25032011/23/newey-red-bull-three-five-tenths-ahead-pack.html

 

I so hope that is not true. Newey seems to be a straight shooter so to speak. Id hope for something close. I have a feeling they will be strong to say the least.

 

While Domenicali is concerned about them, MB was stating they were much better after practice. I agree with Domenicali in that 78 pit stops during a 58 lap race is totally rediculous though. 2 pit stops would be plenty.

I am wondering what the strategists are doing regarding qualifying tires. Will they run softs just to get good track position for the start, or will they run hards for more durability?

The situation could be as follows for a team qualifying on softs:


Just to show you what a circus this will be:

scenario A:
race starts on softs, the first 3 laps are good and a small few second gap is built from those running on hards. after 5-6 laps, the softs drop off and times immediately take a dive. pit for hard tires.

In the meantime, those already on hards have a dozen or so laps more they can put on their hards; therefore, those who just pitted for fresh hards must rely on catching up to and passing those their somewhat older hards up front before their own hards degrade too much.

Now we are at lap 17-18 and those who started on hards are thinking about pitting while those who started on softs are already on hards which have maybe 10 laps more in them.

The hard tire starters pit while the soft tire starters pass while those drivers while in the pits. The guys with mid-worn hards need to really build a gap between those on fresh hards.

Lap 27-30 and those who started on softs are thinking about pitting again while those on medium-worn hard tires are closing the gap. Soft guys pit again and get passed.

Fresh hards. More time made up. 10 laps later, others are pitting again! Here we are lap 40, 18 laps to go. Lap 50, what do you do? 8 laps to go and your hards are toast or near toast.

Pit and very possibly get passed ? Maybe pit for a set of soft tires for the final 8 laps and run the living bejezuz out of the car hopefully making up a ton of time??

It's a circus.

 

It will be very confusing for us to keep track on positions/tire changes etc.

I hate to say it, but all the "passing while pitting" sounds a bit like meaningless NASCAR passes back and forth.

We might end up with a GP where only the last ten laps will have any meaning on the outcome of the race. Which would cheapen the race and reduce it to a Daytona 500 etc.

 

+1M post of the century.

My gosh I hope it doesn't go down like that, but with this many stops. Sheesh. We can only hope that everyone decides to all qualify with the same tires so they sort of have a level playing field on rely on their own tire wear rather than when the other guy is pitting, and in the meantime drive like a sissy to make sure your tires don't explode.

 

Well thanks. There were a few better posts in the last 99 years as well...

Seriously, I think this and the coming few GPs will be "test GPs" to find out how bad the tire degradation really is and whether KERS and the wing have any benefit. There is a lot to sort out for the FIA and by Monaco things might stabilize. But some of the WDC points might already be tarnished by then.

There will be tons of controversy, no doubt. But before we call somebody lucky/unlucky/deserving/undeserving champion, lets get one thing straight:

The rules for 2011 were the same for all the teams. Whoever wins might do so with some luck but most likely also because they did their homework better than others.

<except of course if that winning team should not be Ferrari at which point it is obvious they cheated, were plain lucky, bought the FIA, had the Gods on their side etc>

 

Welcome to F1 in 2011......

 

naturally lol. although the pope has blessed Ferrari so I don't think God is on anyone else's side.

 

I would love to see that....

 

Last 10 laps will be lightest fuel loads and potentially fresh tires or almost dead with the terrifying option to pit or not to pit? Eek