The Official 2017 Australian Grand Prix Thread **Spoilers**

[MockingJay]

Pickled said:

His interviewing technique is poor these days, he was trying to provoke a reaction from Paddy Lowe earlier, and you could see Arrivabene getting very pissed off with him last season (he blanked him today) - He needs to realise he's not Paxman, and is acting more like Kay Burley, maybe all Sky reporters attend the same interview course.

I agree, I don't know if a bit of extra fame from having his own little show has got to him but the notepad used to be one of the things I always watched, can't stand it now. His attitude and interviews and just annoying.

[VolvoT5]

I'm kind of disappointed. I had expected a bit more from Ferrari and especially Raikkonen. OK 2nd and 4th looks decent but I do not see them as a winning force this year unless they have some mega updates coming imminently.

[Pickled]

VolvoT5 said:

I'm kind of disappointed. I had expected a bit more from Ferrari and especially Raikkonen. OK 2nd and 4th looks decent but I do not see them as a winning force this year unless they have some mega updates coming imminently.

If they have got a good start procedure (again) and can get the cars in the top 4, I can see them using Kimi as a mobile chicane, he made some cracking starts off the line last year from further back.

[FourWheelDrift]

LaurasOtherHalf said:

Any thoughts on Giovanazzi then? He was on for a storming lap before running wide on the second last corner. Could he take the seat from Werlein?

It's been 7 years since there was an Italian in F1 (Trulli) and there really should be one, he was the stand out performer in GP2 last year for me despite not winning the title. He won the most races and only lost the title by 8 points despite scoring nothing in the first 4 races.

[PhillipM]

If Giovanazzi can pull a lap like that - regardless of the slight mistake at the end - in a Sauber after sitting in and driving the circuit for the first time that morning...bye Wehrlein.

[Pickled]

PhillipM said:

If Giovanazzi can pull a lap like that - regardless of the slight mistake at the end - in a Sauber after sitting in and driving the circuit for the first time that morning...bye Wehrlein.

Replacement for Kimi? Be a shame to have a promising young driver's career stunted by playing No.2 to Seb, have any Ferrari No.2 drivers ever gone on to win a WDC? Mansell? although he'd argue he was the No.1

[hairyben]

LaurasOtherHalf said:

Bottas-I didn't expect the gap to be that big. I know everyone says it's his first race weekend with the car but he'll have been in that simulator 24/7 so it really shouldn't be too unknown for him. I think he's got a good steady head for races but his natural speed doesn't seem to be in the same league as Nico. One things for sure, Mercedes will not be happy at him letting a Ferrari get in the mix.

TBF bottas has never been all that quick, a driver on hamiltons level would have crushed a twilight years massa. Hes a steady head, copes with pressure well, but doubt we'll see more of him than building points for wcc and cheeky wins when hamilton has a prob.

[LDN]

Vocal Minority said:

Grip on tap.

Pretty amazing.

Anyway - small bit of business for when Tommunster turns up.

From the first test thread

tommunster10 said:

Vocal Minority said:

You're on.

I will settle for a Mercedes 1-2 as that is easy to define.

We can then have a friendly debate about what constitutes a class B car!

The bet is £10 I give to charity if another car gets on front row, or if it is Merc 1-2 you give £10 to charity.
You seem to be saying you don't think Merc will be the car to beat again.

https://www.justgiving.com/acorns

I fundraiser/volunteer here from time to time and I am sure they would be grateful for a tenner.

Thanks old sport

Quoted for prosperity.

[thegreenhell]

hairyben said:

LaurasOtherHalf said:

Bottas-I didn't expect the gap to be that big. I know everyone says it's his first race weekend with the car but he'll have been in that simulator 24/7 so it really shouldn't be too unknown for him. I think he's got a good steady head for races but his natural speed doesn't seem to be in the same league as Nico. One things for sure, Mercedes will not be happy at him letting a Ferrari get in the mix.

TBF bottas has never been all that quick, a driver on hamiltons level would have crushed a twilight years massa. Hes a steady head, copes with pressure well, but doubt we'll see more of him than building points for wcc and cheeky wins when hamilton has a prob.

It's a bit early to be writing him off completely. The gap to Hamilton was less than 0.3s, which is closer than Rosberg ever got to Hamilton around this circuit.

[Pickled]

hairyben said:

LaurasOtherHalf said:

Bottas-I didn't expect the gap to be that big. I know everyone says it's his first race weekend with the car but he'll have been in that simulator 24/7 so it really shouldn't be too unknown for him. I think he's got a good steady head for races but his natural speed doesn't seem to be in the same league as Nico. One things for sure, Mercedes will not be happy at him letting a Ferrari get in the mix.

TBF bottas has never been all that quick, a driver on hamiltons level would have crushed a twilight years massa. Hes a steady head, copes with pressure well, but doubt we'll see more of him than building points for wcc and cheeky wins when hamilton has a prob.

Despite Mercedes stating that there is no number 1 or 2 driver, I'm sure thats bs to keep the fans happy, I don't think Toto wants a repeat of the stress of having 2 drivers banging wheels again, I reckon Lewis would have walked if he didn't get the teams assurance that they would back him for his 4th title so a safe pair of hands were hired for the second seat.

[37chevy]

Pickled said:

Despite Mercedes stating that there is no number 1 or 2 driver, I'm sure thats bs to keep the fans happy, I don't think Toto wants a repeat of the stress of having 2 drivers banging wheels again, I reckon Lewis would have walked if he didn't get the teams assurance that they would back him for his 4th title so a safe pair of hands were hired for the second seat.

Not sure what gives you that impression. Lewis has never asked for number 1 status. If they wanted a number 2 Mercedes would have gone for pascal

[Vocal Minority]

LDN said:

Quoted for prosperity.

Hope over expectation but worth a go

[poo at Paul's]

ZX10R NIN said:

Lorenzo (insert most motorcycle racers) breaks his collarbone in qualifying has overnight surgery & races the next day, Pascal man the fk up!!

Edited by ZX10R NIN on Saturday 25th March 09:01

Not quite, he broke it on Thursday free practice at Assen, flew back to Spain, had the OP, back on Saturday, did the warm up, only 0.7s off the pace, did not do the top 12 qually, so took a 12th place start and raced Sunday, came fifth! Hero!

(fking hard as nails the bike boys!!)

Ref Wehrlein, I have a weird feeling something else is going on.
Even the crash he had as ROC was most odd, like he just lost totally what he was doing? Wonder if he is struggling with some awful problem or illness?

[sparta6]

Bradgate said:

Agreed. Ted's doing too much of the bumbling twit act. Or perhaps it's not an act....

+1

I switch off Notebook now. He's getting dangerously close to becoming a total tw^t

[anonymous-user]

Hopefully Wehrlein has an actual real issue and it is not just fitness. If it is he is going to land up out of F1 before his career has even started.

Bottas was impressive. Yes Lewis and Vettel out qualified him but to get a good solid 3rd is impressive.

Grosjean was my driver of qualifying. He was on fire.

Red Bull were quite worrying off the pace. Both drivers were having to over drive and it showed.

McLaren were ok. Alonso is the only reason they got 13th on the grid. Still poor

Hopefully the race will be a close one. If Vettel can stay in touch with Hamilton or even pass him into the first corner it could be good. Just depends if Ferrari have improved their pitwall work which was shocking in 2016.

[sandman77]

Vocal Minority said:

Hope over expectation but worth a go

Have I read the bet wrong? Ferrari are on the front row so don't you need to pay £10 to Toms choice of charity?

[London424]

sandman77 said:

Vocal Minority said:

Hope over expectation but worth a go

Have I read the bet wrong? Ferrari are on the front row so don't you need to pay £10 to Toms choice of charity?

You've read it wrong.

[hairyben]

thegreenhell said:

It's a bit early to be writing him off completely. The gap to Hamilton was less than 0.3s, which is closer than Rosberg ever got to Hamilton around this circuit.

I'm not writing him off for being .3 off ham today, I'm expressing doubt based on a couple seasons worth of not being able to show clear daylight between himself and a near retired journeyman.

[sandman77]

London424 said:

You've read it wrong.

Yip, re-read it now and see my error.

[KaraK]

poo at Paul's said:

ZX10R NIN said:

Lorenzo (insert most motorcycle racers) breaks his collarbone in qualifying has overnight surgery & races the next day, Pascal man the fk up!!

Edited by ZX10R NIN on Saturday 25th March 09:01

Not quite, he broke it on Thursday free practice at Assen, flew back to Spain, had the OP, back on Saturday, did the warm up, only 0.7s off the pace, did not do the top 12 qually, so took a 12th place start and raced Sunday, came fifth! Hero!

(fking hard as nails the bike boys!!)

Ref Wehrlein, I have a weird feeling something else is going on.
Even the crash he had as ROC was most odd, like he just lost totally what he was doing? Wonder if he is struggling with some awful problem or illness?

I'm not trying to trivialize Lorenzo's achievement because that was pretty impressive but you're not really comparing apples with apples there, you're talking about a completely different type of injury - fractured collarbones are a pretty common injury in moto gp (and other motorbike sports) and when pinned or plated the vast majority of the strength in that area is returned. It would certainly have hurt like a bd though!

I do get the feeling that there is more to Pascal's injury then he's saying publicly (and to be fair it is medical information so that's within his prerogative) - if it was purely fitness levels I'd have expected that to be apparent after testing.