Australia Fastest Laps

[shiny side up!]

Fastest Lap Times In Race
01 Fernando Alonso 1:25.683
02 Giancarlo Fisichella 1:25.994
03 Rubens Barrichello 1:26.233
04 Kimi Raikkonen 1:26.255
05 Jenson Button 1:26.260
06 Michael Schumacher 1:26.261
07 Juan Pablo Montoya 1:26.393
08 Mark Webber 1:26.493
09 Ralf Schumacher 1:26.536
10 Christian Klien 1:26.627
11 David Coulthard 1:26.690
12 Nick Heidfeld 1:26.854
13 Felipe Massa 1:26.893
14 Jarno Trulli 1:27.116
15 Jacques Villeneuve 1:27.745
16 Takuma Sato 1:27.877
17 Narain Karthikeyan 1:27.970
18 Tiago Monteiro 1:28.999
19 Patrick Friesacher 1:32.852
20 Christijaj Albers 1:33.144

Interesting gaps between some teammates... gaps of about a second or more between:

Karthikeyan and Monteiro
Button and Sato
Massa and Villenueve

Must say I am impressed by Karthikeyan!

[N I Tram]

This list may well be the best guage of performance, although the McLaren guys seemed to be stuck behind someone for large parts of the race, whereas Fisichella in particular always seemed to have a clear track. Button's race looks better once you see how high up the list he is, but he obviously didn't sustain this place before his unfortunate last-lap engine failure [/sarcasm]. The most surprisingly impressive team-mate gaps are probably those of Klien, Button and Rubens. Best news of all is that 2nd to 9th is covered by little over half a second, and includes cars from each of the likely top 6 teams.

[shiny side up!]

It also seems that Fisi may have had a bit more pace available than he showed, judging from the interviews of him and the team's comments. I guess that makes sense, since he really wasn't under any pressure for the majority of the race...

[f1_carzy]

It is hard to think of Fisi as an agressive driver, like Alonso; so, i wud think that it would be difficult for Fisi to score wins, but he may visit the podium numerous times. He was not under any pressure on Sunday, but still he could have pushed like MS did last year to set up a comfortable lead, so that he did not lose position even after pit-stops...of course it was the first race, and Fisi would not have wanted to blow the chance of winning the Grand Prix due to an engine failure or a tyre failure.

Loads of great racing to follow...hope weather does not play spoilsport

[sonic]

after such an odd qual, this is probably the most accurate measure of performance as mentioned

jaques and taku really were dire huh?

Puts Red bulls performance in a more realistic light too.

[Kicking-back]

I don't think you can read too much into fastest laps - Sato was right behind Jenson for much of the race.


No point in doing a fast fastest lap if you're not consistent.

[mike_slh]

How quick was Narain!
Only a tenth slower than Sato,i was originally a doubter of this guy,but after racing with jetlag,he produces an amazing performance!!

[BootsOntheSide]

I'm not sure how Button failed to advance from 11th at the end of lap 1, consdiering that his best lap was so fast. Setting one or two fast laps isn't as important anymore, and it could be that he wore the tyres out too soon (which seems unlikely given his trademark smoothness).

I'm sure Fisichella could've gone faster, but erred on the side of caution considering the questions of tyre and engine durability - no need to excessively stress the engine out when there's another weekend to come. The possibility that a lot of guys took it unusually easily does detract from the exact accuracy of these figures, but taken at face value, the closeness in upper-midfield is extremely encouraging. Maybe Malaysia will be a better race.

[ralf fan]

As Fisi said...he couldve gone faster if he had been under pressure...

[Ryo28]

Originally Posted by BootsOntheSide

I'm not sure how Button failed to advance from 11th at the end of lap 1, consdiering that his best lap was so fast.

Because he can't overtake?


Karthikeyan looks pretty impresssive from the laptimes, bit worrying how slow the Minardi's were though, I know its a hastily cobbled together hybrid but 4 SECONDS OFF A JORDAN?!

[sonic]

Originally Posted by BootsOntheSide

I'm not sure how Button failed to advance from 11th at the end of lap 1, consdiering that his best lap was so fast. Setting one or two fast laps isn't as important anymore, and it could be that he wore the tyres out too soon (which seems unlikely given his trademark smoothness).

I believe Nick Fry said the problem was not getting enough temp in the tyres/ JBs quickest time was set on lap 55!

actually looking at them all, they were around the lap 50 mark. only alonso put in a stormer early - on lap 24.

basically they were all taking it too easy - worried they tyres would fall apart. and, for the most part, they didn't.

[JJ Jet Plane]

I think the Button v Sato thing proves that Button has a worrying lack of consistency. How can he have started 12 places above his team-mate on the grid, lapped 1.6 seconds faster and STILL only be just ahead of him? It would be interesting to compare consistency – I bet Sato's SLOWEST 20 laps were faster than Button's.

[Adam43]

It is about even from Button and Sato in the first stint. Sato has the upper hand in the second and Button is way ahead in the final stint.

Button was stuck behind Alonso, who was stuck behind Villeneuve in the first. He was stuck behind Villeneuve in the second. He had a chance ot go for it in the third.

Sato was behind Massa in the first stint, could catch Button in the second (from 7.3s behind to 1.4s behind) and in the third he lost time to Button.

[Glen]

Er yea, right - worrying lack of consistency. That will be how he scored so many podium last year.

Do you have ANY examples to back up your statement?

[krt917]

Originally Posted by N I Tram

Best news of all is that 2nd to 9th is covered by little over half a second, and includes cars from each of the likely top 6 teams.

Yes, I agree. I hope that this closeness continues, especially after the F2005 arrives...

Originally Posted by f1_carzy

He was not under any pressure on Sunday, but still he could have pushed like MS did last year to set up a comfortable lead, so that he did not lose position even after pit-stops...of course it was the first race, and Fisi would not have wanted to blow the chance of winning the Grand Prix due to an engine failure or a tyre failure.

You also have to remember that with the new rules, drivers are not going to want to strain the engines any more than they have to. Fisi's drive was not outstanding, but he did the job and, with any luck, looked after the car enough for it to complete the next GP.

Originally Posted by sonic

Puts Red bulls performance in a more realistic light too.

Yes, and it shows that:
a) DC was lucky in qualifying;
b) He drove a pretty consistant race and made the most of the opportunity.

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by JJ Jet Plane

It would be interesting to compare consistency – I bet Sato's SLOWEST 20 laps were faster than Button's.

I forgot to say, No they weren't. I have ignored the first lap, the pitstop in and out laps and the final lap. All of which make Sato's stats a little better. In addition Button's last lap isn't amongst his 20 slowest whereas Sato's was.

Slowest 20 laps:

Driver	        Total	        Average
Jenson Button	29:58.237	1:29.912
Takuma Sato	30:02.503	1:30.125

[shiny side up!]

Stop it, Ashmore! We will have no fact-based analysis going on here!!!

[BootsOntheSide]

Still hardly a huge advantage for Jenson there, although I suspect his time on each of those 20 laps was being dictated by JV's (lack of) pace (the same probably goes for Taku's though).

[Adam43]

Yes, it is difficult to draw any conclusions. All of Jensons 20 laps were set before his final stop which were being affected by following JV. Three of Sato's slowest 20 were set in the seond stint and three more in the final stint (when he had a clearer road, but probably traffic).

While we can't categorically say somethings a quick look at what happened does show us we can't say other things. Or, at least, give us an idication.

[chunterer]

I thought Button proved he could overtake last year?. Yes i agree with the point that people were being careful with rubber.

More worryingly does it suggest that it's even harder to overtake in these cars than before?!!!

After all i would venture that If Alonso hadn't spent 17 laps was it?, mucking about behind JV, he would've won...or is that too easy to say?

Mr overetaker Monster wasn't very combative either...but i'm sure he was deliberatley going for just a finish in his 1st McCedes race...

[Glen]

Originally Posted by chunterer

More worryingly does it suggest that it's even harder to overtake in these cars than before?!!!

Like I keep saying: if it is harder to overtake, it is also harder to defend.

Everybody - teams, engine companies, tyre suppliers and drivers - was very cautious with their approach. Now that they tyres have been seen to hold up perfectly, this will change.

[Snrub]

I think that fastest lap is perhaps a worse indication than in the past. Given that they were often stuck behind someone it ment it was difficult to put in a fast lap. Another factor is the timing of that fast lap. If you had clear road with a full load of fuel, the time will be less impressive. Plus, they were all being very conservative. This means that their stratagy was not to push, but perhaps their team would ask them to push at a specific point in the race based on track events. They could also be asked to slow down based on tire wear, etc.

[Neil Adams]

Originally Posted by shiny side up!

Must say I am impressed by Karthikeyan!

ditto! wasnt expecting him to be the faster of the jordan drivers

[krt917]

Originally Posted by chunterer

After all i would venture that If Alonso hadn't spent 17 laps was it?, mucking about behind JV, he would've won...or is that too easy to say?

He might have beaten Rubens, but I think Fisi merely drove as quickly as he had to and would have responded had Alonso got close.

I agree that the teams and drivers were probably a bit conservative and that things will change as everyone adapts to the new rules.

[N I Tram]

That's only if they can ge tthe cars to be fast enough and reliable enough though. Malaysia will almost certainly be worse, especially if the whole weekend is dry and hot.