Official 2024 Australian Grand Prix Thread ***SPOILERS***

[Byker28i]

Merc talking about going back to their Bahrain test spec floor, wondering if their upgrade has introduced a problem in high speed corners
Andrew Shovlin says the car is competitive everywhere apart from high speed corners where a combination of bouncing and loss of downforce plus grip are costing it lots of time that just can't be made up.

Thats bad news as Albert Park’s run from Turn 7 through to the Turn 9/10 chicane is just fast corners

[BrettMRC]

There is a quite often an upset here, so fingers crossed for something more interesting up front!

[thegreenhell]

BrettMRC said:

There is a quite often an upset here, so fingers crossed for something more interesting up front!

Is there? The track is quite narrow in places which can cause some silly accidents, but I can't recall any performance-related upsets.

Still no word on Sainz' fitness to race, although he is currently in Melbourne, apparently.

[ChrisH79]

StevieBee said:

ChrisH79 said:

Does anyone know if F1 is free to air in Spain? I’m there over the weekend but don’t fancy setting up a VPN to watch on my phone

Why not? Easy enough to do. Express VPN are doing a free month trial I think. Works a treat!

It’s more watching on my phone I don’t fancy.

[Byker28i]

thegreenhell said:

BrettMRC said:

There is a quite often an upset here, so fingers crossed for something more interesting up front!

Is there? The track is quite narrow in places which can cause some silly accidents, but I can't recall any performance-related upsets.

Still no word on Sainz' fitness to race, although he is currently in Melbourne, apparently.

I thought the announced he wouldn't be racing and it would be Bearman again?

[Hondashark]

thegreenhell said:

BrettMRC said:

There is a quite often an upset here, so fingers crossed for something more interesting up front!

Is there? The track is quite narrow in places which can cause some silly accidents, but I can't recall any performance-related upsets.

Still no word on Sainz' fitness to race, although he is currently in Melbourne, apparently.

Usually a pretty boring start to the season. Only exciting because it's the first test of new cars.

[thegreenhell]

Byker28i said:

I thought the announced he wouldn't be racing and it would be Bearman again?

I haven't seen such an announcement anywhere.

[BrettMRC]

Hondashark said:

thegreenhell said:

BrettMRC said:

There is a quite often an upset here, so fingers crossed for something more interesting up front!

Is there? The track is quite narrow in places which can cause some silly accidents, but I can't recall any performance-related upsets.

Still no word on Sainz' fitness to race, although he is currently in Melbourne, apparently.

Usually a pretty boring start to the season. Only exciting because it's the first test of new cars.

Oi!

Pack it in and stop pouring water on my hopes!

[Sandpit Steve]

Nothing from Carlos or Ferrari on Twitter as yet, although the team have pictured Charles at the circuit already. I assume that most of the drivers didn’t go back West for too long after Saudi, and have been trying to work out the jet lag for a few days in Australia. Few private jets on this leg of the championship, mostly commercial 1st class cabins for the drivers.

F2 are also in Melbourne, so Olli was always going to be there anyway; but even without F2 there would be a couple of spare super licence holders hanging around the paddock, secretly hoping there might be a problem with one of the F1 drivers.

[Byker28i]

thegreenhell said:

Byker28i said:

I thought the announced he wouldn't be racing and it would be Bearman again?

I haven't seen such an announcement anywhere.

Maybe I got confused with the story Bearman was heading to Australia, or maybe its changed now from 5-6 days ago when I read it? One of the F1 sites/repoeters were saying it.
Reporting now looks like he'll be on standby in case Saintz decides not to race or isn't ready

Thats quite amazing recovery, not just to be over it, but to put your body through the rigours of an F1 race weekend.

[Byker28i]

Sandpit Steve said:

Nothing from Carlos or Ferrari on Twitter as yet, although the team have pictured Charles at the circuit already. I assume that most of the drivers didn’t go back West for too long after Saudi, and have been trying to work out the jet lag for a few days in Australia. Few private jets on this leg of the championship, mostly commercial 1st class cabins for the drivers.

F2 are also in Melbourne, so Olli was always going to be there anyway; but even without F2 there would be a couple of spare super licence holders hanging around the paddock, secretly hoping there might be a problem with one of the F1 drivers.

Didn't the Supercar drivers complain they'd been kicked out the pits for the F2?

[geeks]

Just in case anyone is interested I have set a poll up for a different vote of who will finish 5th in the race. Sounds easy but actually its not. Keep up the good work PiP I may not contribute in the main threads much but I always vote and read them

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

[Sandpit Steve]

Byker28i said:

Sandpit Steve said:

Nothing from Carlos or Ferrari on Twitter as yet, although the team have pictured Charles at the circuit already. I assume that most of the drivers didn’t go back West for too long after Saudi, and have been trying to work out the jet lag for a few days in Australia. Few private jets on this leg of the championship, mostly commercial 1st class cabins for the drivers.

F2 are also in Melbourne, so Olli was always going to be there anyway; but even without F2 there would be a couple of spare super licence holders hanging around the paddock, secretly hoping there might be a problem with one of the F1 drivers.

Didn't the Supercar drivers complain they'd been kicked out the pits for the F2?

Ha probably, they’d have been knocked down to 3rd in the paddock hierarchy, which at a temporary circuit means likely being relegated to what looks like a car park full of tents half a mile away from the actual track.

[TheDeuce]

Sandpit Steve said:

Byker28i said:

Sandpit Steve said:

Nothing from Carlos or Ferrari on Twitter as yet, although the team have pictured Charles at the circuit already. I assume that most of the drivers didn’t go back West for too long after Saudi, and have been trying to work out the jet lag for a few days in Australia. Few private jets on this leg of the championship, mostly commercial 1st class cabins for the drivers.

F2 are also in Melbourne, so Olli was always going to be there anyway; but even without F2 there would be a couple of spare super licence holders hanging around the paddock, secretly hoping there might be a problem with one of the F1 drivers.

Didn't the Supercar drivers complain they'd been kicked out the pits for the F2?

Ha probably, they’d have been knocked down to 3rd in the paddock hierarchy, which at a temporary circuit means likely being relegated to what looks like a car park full of tents half a mile away from the actual track.

If they turn up with proper racing cars, they can have nicer digs

[Byker28i]

TheDeuce said:

Sandpit Steve said:

Byker28i said:

Sandpit Steve said:

Nothing from Carlos or Ferrari on Twitter as yet, although the team have pictured Charles at the circuit already. I assume that most of the drivers didn’t go back West for too long after Saudi, and have been trying to work out the jet lag for a few days in Australia. Few private jets on this leg of the championship, mostly commercial 1st class cabins for the drivers.

F2 are also in Melbourne, so Olli was always going to be there anyway; but even without F2 there would be a couple of spare super licence holders hanging around the paddock, secretly hoping there might be a problem with one of the F1 drivers.

Didn't the Supercar drivers complain they'd been kicked out the pits for the F2?

Ha probably, they’d have been knocked down to 3rd in the paddock hierarchy, which at a temporary circuit means likely being relegated to what looks like a car park full of tents half a mile away from the actual track.

If they turn up with proper racing cars, they can have nicer digs

Aussie touring cars. Probably why ours are on a separate race weekend so they get top billing.

[Gad-Westy]

Tim the pool man said:

Gad-Westy said:

Tim the pool man said:

Gad-Westy said:

4am is brutal isn’t it? Last year it was 6am which is much easier to deal with. Wrestling with whether to watch this one live I must admit. I’ll maybe see if qualifying throws up anything interesting. Any news on Carlos’ recovery?

Ah poor diddums... clear to see who the real F1 fans are, we generally have to stay up ridiculously late or get up ridiculously early to watch Grands Prix live, but we manage to!

Was that honestly called for?

Fair call, my apologies. It was meant in jest really but can see it didn't come across that way

[Tim the pool man]

Sandpit Steve said:

Byker28i said:

Sandpit Steve said:

Nothing from Carlos or Ferrari on Twitter as yet, although the team have pictured Charles at the circuit already. I assume that most of the drivers didn’t go back West for too long after Saudi, and have been trying to work out the jet lag for a few days in Australia. Few private jets on this leg of the championship, mostly commercial 1st class cabins for the drivers.

F2 are also in Melbourne, so Olli was always going to be there anyway; but even without F2 there would be a couple of spare super licence holders hanging around the paddock, secretly hoping there might be a problem with one of the F1 drivers.

Didn't the Supercar drivers complain they'd been kicked out the pits for the F2?

Ha probably, they’d have been knocked down to 3rd in the paddock hierarchy, which at a temporary circuit means likely being relegated to what looks like a car park full of tents half a mile away from the actual track.

Pretty much what they deserve for the most boring "racing" series in the world!

[TheDeuce]

Tim the pool man said:

Sandpit Steve said:

Byker28i said:

Sandpit Steve said:

Nothing from Carlos or Ferrari on Twitter as yet, although the team have pictured Charles at the circuit already. I assume that most of the drivers didn’t go back West for too long after Saudi, and have been trying to work out the jet lag for a few days in Australia. Few private jets on this leg of the championship, mostly commercial 1st class cabins for the drivers.

F2 are also in Melbourne, so Olli was always going to be there anyway; but even without F2 there would be a couple of spare super licence holders hanging around the paddock, secretly hoping there might be a problem with one of the F1 drivers.

Didn't the Supercar drivers complain they'd been kicked out the pits for the F2?

Ha probably, they’d have been knocked down to 3rd in the paddock hierarchy, which at a temporary circuit means likely being relegated to what looks like a car park full of tents half a mile away from the actual track.

Pretty much what they deserve for the most boring "racing" series in the world!

Not even about racing really. F1 is suffering increasing levels of tribalism. Aus Supercars is a racing series built upon tribalism in the first place. And now there is no actual war to be waged, there is no 'Australian' side to win anymore. Not that there was an Australian car industry for a long time anyway.

Those guys need to come up with something new. Perhaps go racing for the sake of racing, not race-ism (national pride, whatever)...

[Teatowell]

TheDeuce said:

Not even about racing really. F1 is suffering increasing levels of tribalism. Aus Supercars is a racing series built upon tribalism in the first place. And now there is no actual war to be waged, there is no 'Australian' side to win anymore. Not that there was an Australian car industry for a long time anyway.

Those guys need to come up with something new. Perhaps go racing for the sake of racing, not race-ism (national pride, whatever)...

Personally I think tribalism is the absolute least of F1s worries at the moment.

[Derek Smith]

For an industry that sells itself to advertisers on brand awareness, F1 is going from strength to strength. It's doing nothing wrong in the eyes of those who gaze at ledgers all day. For those who watch F1 on TV, the presentation improves steadily. We can now see what the drivers see, and if we don't like a particular one, we can jump onto the visor of another. Cameras populate every corner and straight of the circuit. We've got the pits covered, and there's even views from above.

While we'd love for there to be a challenge for the lead, it's been something that been missing for two seasons. Perhaps the organisers will realise they need to sort something out. But the TV producers have realised this and now more or less ignore the unchallenged cars and we see the battles down the field, something that was ignored in the good old/bad old days.

I've sat through mind-numbing 8-point rugby matches, in the rain. What kept me going, I don't go so much now, is the promise that such matches are unusual. A rarity. 6Ns, such at this last one, with its whole series of fabulous matches, is no quite so unusual, can restore one's faith in rugby. That's what F1 needs; the occasional one or two-pointer. We're not getting them and the organisers are not getting it. A third season with no challenges and no interest at the front will harm the sport, so perhaps we'll see changes. But they are unlikely to come when the balance sheet looks enticing.