[Race] Australian Grand Prix 2023: Grand Prix Weekend Thread - Round 3 of 23

[Tourer]

It's Friday morning here in Melbourne and in the absence of one of BR's magnificent intros, thought I'd get this thread up and running to chat about this weekend's Grand Prix.

Hope you're OK BR - really miss your intro.

In the absence of the usual intro, I give you this, a video piece released by the Australian Grand Prix about building the circuit.

Also, as Valtteri Bottas is fast becoming an "honourary Australian" he took a very Australian approach to getting himself prepared for this weekend.

Let's see what comes this weekend - hard to see anyone pushing the Red Bulls aside (yet) but Albert Park has at times produced some outlier results - who knows what may come?

The weather right over the weekend is cool - low 20s maximums and there are showers forecast today and Saturday, so there may be something of a "lottery" element to practice and qualifying - might just shake things up a bit.

[chillibowl]

that mullet helmet is great. his actual mullet is great. its great how much fun these drivers can be once they get away from the mega corporate team operations.

[E.B]

Originally Posted by chillibowl

that mullet helmet is great. his actual mullet is great. its great how much fun these drivers can be once they get away from the mega corporate team operations.

He has actually released pics of an Aboriginal design on his helmet for this weekend so the Mullet on his helmet has gone. One of his helmets will be auctioned off to raise funds for local indigenous charities. He still sports the mullet haircut though.

A short video release showing them and explaining the images in cultural terms: https://www.instagram.com/p/CqaJRrcAPpT/



Meanwhile last weekend Valtteri went full 'bogan' and demoed a Bathurst winning Commodore V8 Supercar doing donuts and laps at the Adelaide Festival of Motorsport.

[Tourer]

Here's the Forecast for Melbourne for today and the weekend.19 degrees max today, 70% chance of light showers; 16 degrees tomorrow, 70% chance of light showers again and then 19 & cloudy on Sunday.

Those teams that struggle to get heat into their tyres may have a hard time of it today and tomorrow.

Shout out to Oscar Piastri (not just because I'm an Oz). Genuine home town driver (rather than a driver from the same country as the race) for the first time in Melbourne - a younger Oscar used to play other sports on the fields at Albert Park, he really is about as local as a driver could be. Makes me wonder how many other drivers are truly local to the location of their home country Grand Prix. I don't think it would be many, so that's pretty coool for Oscar.

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by chillibowl

that mullet helmet is great. his actual mullet is great. its great how much fun these drivers can be once they get away from the mega corporate team operations.

Originally Posted by E.B

He has actually released pics of an Aboriginal design on his helmet for this weekend so the Mullet on his helmet has gone. One of his helmets will be auctioned off to raise funds for local indigenous charities. He still sports the mullet haircut though.

Some people won’t be happy. Helmets shouldn’t change. https://tentenths.com/forum/showthread.php?t=143635
(It’s not the mega corporate operation that doesn’t like it) - time to bump that thread?

Cool Bottas. I like it.

[Tourer]

FP1 completed, seemed a bit "kwazy" with two red flags - 1st due to problems with the GPS system (!!) and the 2nd when Logan Sargeant stopped out on track. Threw rhythm out for a few, Max on top despite a spin and cutting some grass, Lewis 5 tenths back, then Checo.

Lando in 7th, two Ferraris 5th & 6th.

[Teretonga]

FP2 started dry so they all got out Sainz first.
Then it rained and gradually got heavier so Alonso fastest, Leclere, Verstappen, Russell Sainz Ocon Perez Norris Hulkenberg Gasly Tsunoda

[Greem]

I see Mr "Popular" Masi is present in and around the paddock after presenting to stewards and senior officials on the importance of impartiality.

Interesting move!

[Tourer]

Originally Posted by Greem

I see Mr "Popular" Masi is present in and around the paddock after presenting to stewards and senior officials on the importance of impartiality.

Interesting move!

Certainly popular & well-regarded in Oz, has senior roles here with Supercars & a few other organisations. Supercars of course at the AGP so he’d be at Albert Park for that.

He’d be a good man to talk about impartiality with a good track record of being impartial - good move to use him.

[S griffin]

Look forward to this one, Albert Park always has a great atmosphere and has a habit of throwing up drama. Already we've had technical glitches and a bit of rain. What will the rest of the weekend bring?

Yes, interesting to see Masi there. It's his home GP, so it makes sense, but quite brave of him to be back in the F1 paddock

[Greem]

Originally Posted by Tourer

Certainly popular & well-regarded in Oz, has senior roles here with Supercars & a few other organisations. Supercars of course at the AGP so he’d be at Albert Park for that.

He’d be a good man to talk about impartiality with a good track record of being impartial - good move to use him.

Oh, I know how highly regarded he is (and I still rate him, too) - I just thought that it was a genuinely interesting thing, being in the paddock.

It certainly set the social media fires off again yesterday!

[bjohnsonsmith]

6:00AM for both qualifying and the race, I don't think I can do both but will definitely watch the race.

Alonso tops FP2 with a lap time of 1'18.887 and that was before the rain came. Leclerc was second with a lap time of 1'19.332.

[Lancsbreaker]

As a C4 watcher this weekend - my Sky-owning friends aren't keen on an early-morning invasion - so will be watching around midday. At least not too hard to dodge "spoiler" news articles.


I see Lewis has declared he has "no plans" to contact Masi


Times today probably fairly unrepresentative, but it looks closer than previously this year. Looking forward to it.

[E.B]

IMPORTANT NOTE:

Just to help those overseas peeps setting alarms/watching and /or recording devices this weekend at Albert Park please be aware we change our clocks in Melbourne between qualifying and race. (Clock change Sunday 3:00am local)

Practice and qualifying with be held in what we call Australian Eastern Daylight (Saving) Time which is GMT +11.


The race however will be held in Australian Eastern Standard Time, which is GMT+10.

Also because with the clocks going back will have us in darkness earlier the actual race starts at 3:00pm local time. SO in effect in European time the race starts I think 2 hours earlier than last year given the clock change and earlier start time to avoid the earlier darkness.



SUNDAY 02 APR
Race
15:00 AEST GMT+10

SATURDAY 01 APR
Qualifying
16:00 - 17:00 AEDT GMT+11

SATURDAY 01 APR
Practice 3
12:30 - 13:30 AEDT GMT+11

[Mike Harte]

Chris, but how does that compute to BST (British Summer Time) that we are enjoying in the UK now?

[E.B]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

Chris, but how does that compute to BST (British Summer Time) that we are enjoying in the UK now?

OK Mike right now it is 23:55 Friday night in Melbourne and 13:55 in the UK (ie we are 10 hours ahead)
For Sunday race time we will be only 9 hours ahead

[crmalcolm]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

Chris, but how does that compute to BST (British Summer Time) that we are enjoying in the UK now?

From Radio Times:

Australian Grand Prix practice time
All UK time.

Friday 31st March
Practice 1 – 2:30am
Practice 2 – 6am

Saturday 1st April
Practice 3 – 2:30am

Australian Grand Prix qualifying time
Saturday 1st April
Qualifying – 6am

Australian Grand Prix race time
Sunday 2nd April
Race – 6am

[Born Racer]

Thanks a lot for getting this started, Tourer! And I hope everyone enjoys the weekend. Melbourne usually brings some excitement and drama.

Noteworthy are the four DRS zones - a bit over the top, I think!

[chillibowl]

Originally Posted by E.B

He has actually released pics of an Aboriginal design on his helmet for this weekend so the Mullet on his helmet has gone. One of his helmets will be auctioned off to raise funds for local indigenous charities. He still sports the mullet haircut though..

thats really neat. love the symbolism the artist brought in plus how the Alfa logo has been incorporated onto the front! very cool!

Originally Posted by Adam43

Some people won’t be happy. Helmets shouldn’t change. https://tentenths.com/forum/showthread.php?t=143635
(It’s not the mega corporate operation that doesn’t like it) - time to bump that thread?

Cool Bottas. I like it.

always a bit nervous when reading an old thread as one can never be sure how much or how little their point's of view have aged or evolved over time. great memory to remember that thread!

[chillibowl]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

Alonso tops FP2 with a lap time of 1'18.887 and that was before the rain came. Leclerc was second with a lap time of 1'19.332.

missed it but would have loved to see how everyone did in the wet.

for sure everyone is running their program, but did anyone stand out in the wet?

and hope its wet for the race!

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by Born Racer

Thanks a lot for getting this started, Tourer! And I hope everyone enjoys the weekend. Melbourne usually brings some excitement and drama.

Noteworthy are the four DRS zones - a bit over the top, I think!

Seriously? We need FOUR??? May as well make DRS available on the whole track.

[Greem]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

Seriously? We need FOUR??? May as well make DRS available on the whole track.

Yep. And limit the total time it can be deployed in each race.

Oh. No, IndyCar does that. Won't happen here!

[chillibowl]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

Seriously? We need FOUR??? May as well make DRS available on the whole track.

surprisingly, i have to agree this sounds excessive...would like to know how their race simulations (assuming they do that sort of thing) predict what the outcome/benefit is. we talk about transparency and in this area there definitely needs to be more openness about how they are predicting the outcome/benefit of additional zones.

[Aysedasi]

More lame overtaking I assume, on the basis that lame overtaking is presumed to be as good as overtaking you have to actually plan and execute like a Formula 1 driver......

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Greem

Yep. And limit the total time it can be deployed in each race.

Oh. No, IndyCar does that. Won't happen here!

IndyCar uses Push-to-Pass. There is a total of 150 to 200 seconds for road courses and street courses, with a maximum use of 15 second increments at any time, for a 50-horsepower boost