Round 1: 2015 Australian Grand Prix (Grand Prix Weekend Thread)

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by Casper

Mike, if Honda could not replicate an F1 in a sports car close enough to test the hybrid power plant then they are not going to win an F1 race.

Then it would no longer be a sports car, it would be a replica F1 job, and even then it would have to be built exactly to the latest F1 construction rules.

I know that the FIA are daft, but they are not totally stupid. They are more than aware that certain manufacturers would attempt to get around the testing rules by building "hacks" for pure testing purposes, and they have written the rules to ensure that that doesn't happen. Even Pirelli have had to get special dispensation to run older cars to test the suitabilty of some of the rubber they used a couple of years ago. Now, for equalisation purposes, the rules have been amended so that every team will have to take part in official tyre testing spread over the season.

[steve_r]

If F1 wants to see new engine manufacturers come in, then they need to give them freedom to properly test and develop their engines. The very public embarrasement that Honda went though in preseason testing and in Australia and will presumeably continue to do so for a while yet is hardly going to encourage any other manufacturer to spunk a zillion pounds on producing one of these ultra complicated power units.

[Casper]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

Then it would no longer be a sports car, it would be a replica F1 job, and even then it would have to be built exactly to the latest F1 construction rules.

I know that the FIA are daft, but they are not totally stupid. They are more than aware that certain manufacturers would attempt to get around the testing rules by building "hacks" for pure testing purposes, and they have written the rules to ensure that that doesn't happen. Even Pirelli have had to get special dispensation to run older cars to test the suitabilty of some of the rubber they used a couple of years ago. Now, for equalisation purposes, the rules have been amended so that every team will have to take part in official tyre testing spread over the season.

All Honda had to do was tell the FIA/BE/Every other team they were going to test and if they did not like it then the entry was off. They had not entered a race, become part of the competition etc so they could build anything they wanted to and tested it. They were at that stage not part of the rule structure so not bound by it. You are judging things by those that have entered the competition which is a different thing altogether.

[steve nielsen]

Originally Posted by steve_r

I think that Sainz would have finished ahead of Verstappen if he did not have that massive pitstop delay. Once again, Torro Rosso have two new drivers. It's hard to tell just how good they are without a teammate of known quality to compare them with.

It will be interesting to see how this pans out over the season - the lure of a RBR seat is there if Kvyatt fails to impress or if Ricciardo signs for another team etc.

Max was only 5 seconds behind Carlos before that pitstop and Max started on medium and was going to do the last part of the race on the faster soft tires.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by TrapezeArtist

"Contract law" and "ethics" are words that should never appear in the same sentence. Indeed "law" and "ethics" shouldn't be assumed to have any relationship at all.

There are plenty who have worked their whole lives to try and make a difference. Let's not associate all aspects of the law and lawyers with dodgy ethics......

[mikuni]

The times from this race don't tell the whole story, but as an ultimate lap they are very interesting. McLaren faster than one of the Toro Rosso's in ultimate 1 lap pace?

POS NO DRIVER NAT ENTRANT TIME ON GAP KPH TIME OF DAY

1 44

L. HAMILTON GBR Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team 1:30.945 50 209.915 17:23:14
2 6 N. ROSBERG GER Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team 1:31.092 47 0.147 209.577 17:18:42
3 7 K. RAIKKONEN FIN Scuderia Ferrari 1:31.426 0.481 0.334 36 208.811 17:02:23
4 5 S. VETTEL GER Scuderia Ferrari 1:31.457 0.512 0.031 52 208.740 17:26:49
5 9 M. ERICSSON SWE Sauber F1 Team 1:31.560 0.6150.103 51 208.505 17:27:11
6 19 F. MASSA BRA Williams Martini Racing 1:31.719 0.7740.159 50 208.144 17:23:49
7 11 S. PEREZ MEX Sahara Force India F1 Team 1:31.959 1.014 0.240 46 207.601 17:19:41
8 27 N. HULKENBERG GER Sahara Force India F1 Team 1:31.970 1.025 0.011 48 207.576 17:22:20
9 12 F. NASR BRA Sauber F1 Team 1:32.612 1.667 0.642 46 206.137 17:18:17
10 3 D. RICCIARDO AUS Infiniti Red Bull Racing 1:32.797 1.852 0.185 46 205.726 17:18:20
11 55 C. SAINZ ESP Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:32.872 1.927 0.075 49 205.560 17:24:04
12 22 J. BUTTON GBR McLaren Honda 1:33.338 2.393 0.466 56 204.534 17:35:50
13 33 M. VERSTAPPEN NED Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:34.295 3.350 0.957 30 202.458 16:53:22

[steve nielsen]

Originally Posted by mikuni

The times from this race don't tell the whole story, but as an ultimate lap they are very interesting. McLaren faster than one of the Toro Rosso's in ultimate 1 lap pace?

POS NO DRIVER NAT ENTRANT TIME ON GAP KPH TIME OF DAY

1 44

L. HAMILTON GBR Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team 1:30.945 50 209.915 17:23:14
2 6 N. ROSBERG GER Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team 1:31.092 47 0.147 209.577 17:18:42
3 7 K. RAIKKONEN FIN Scuderia Ferrari 1:31.426 0.481 0.334 36 208.811 17:02:23
4 5 S. VETTEL GER Scuderia Ferrari 1:31.457 0.512 0.031 52 208.740 17:26:49
5 9 M. ERICSSON SWE Sauber F1 Team 1:31.560 0.6150.103 51 208.505 17:27:11
6 19 F. MASSA BRA Williams Martini Racing 1:31.719 0.7740.159 50 208.144 17:23:49
7 11 S. PEREZ MEX Sahara Force India F1 Team 1:31.959 1.014 0.240 46 207.601 17:19:41
8 27 N. HULKENBERG GER Sahara Force India F1 Team 1:31.970 1.025 0.011 48 207.576 17:22:20
9 12 F. NASR BRA Sauber F1 Team 1:32.612 1.667 0.642 46 206.137 17:18:17
10 3 D. RICCIARDO AUS Infiniti Red Bull Racing 1:32.797 1.852 0.185 46 205.726 17:18:20
11 55 C. SAINZ ESP Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:32.872 1.927 0.075 49 205.560 17:24:04
12 22 J. BUTTON GBR McLaren Honda 1:33.338 2.393 0.466 56 204.534 17:35:50
13 33 M. VERSTAPPEN NED Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:34.295 3.350 0.957 30 202.458 16:53:22

Max started on medium and retired in his first lap on soft, so he also would have been faster

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by mikuni

The times from this race don't tell the whole story, but as an ultimate lap they are very interesting. McLaren faster than one of the Toro Rosso's in ultimate 1 lap pace?

Agreed, interesting - both Ferraris well up but Ericsson is the real surprise in there - where did that time come from?! Verstappen would undoubtedly have been quicker than Button if he'd set some times on the soft tyre (it was worth what? A second a lap?) that would still have left him behind Sainz though. The McLaren was about 5 seconds off the Mercedes in qualifying but 2.5 (ish) off in the race - I guess that's down to Mercedes not really pushing and then McLaren turning it up at the end?

[steve nielsen]

Originally Posted by BertMk2

Agreed, interesting - both Ferraris well up but Ericsson is the real surprise in there - where did that time come from?! Verstappen would undoubtedly have been quicker than Button if he'd set some times on the soft tyre (it was worth what? A second a lap?) that would still have left him behind Sainz though. The McLaren was about 5 seconds off the Mercedes in qualifying but 2.5 (ish) off in the race - I guess that's down to Mercedes not really pushing and then McLaren turning it up at the end?

I think Max would have been faster than Sainz, Max had a lighter car when he switched from medium to soft.

Saizn started on soft and switched to medium.

[chunterer]

He might have yes, but Max might also have outqualified Sainz but he didn't?!

[steve nielsen]

Originally Posted by chunterer

He might have yes, but Max might also have outqualified Sainz but he didn't?!

and we have seen many drivers beeing faster in the race than their teammates who outqualified them in the past.

that he was only 5 seconds behind and on just on the faster tire when the car broke down is a fact.