Official 2024 Australian Grand Prix Thread ***SPOILERS***
Poll: Official 2024 Australian Grand Prix Thread ***SPOILERS***
Total Members Polled: 129
Discussion
We’re in Australia, which means early starts for anyone watching it live. There were two red flags last year, with chaos on the 2nd restart, so it could be a fun race.
Mercedes was quite competitive last year (despite Max winning after a spin…) so it will be interesting to see if it has a better weekend. Also Piastri/Norris and Hamilton/Russell are worth a watch as the team leaders are under some early pressure.
Poll is for 2nd, depressingly.
Date(s): Friday 22 to Sunday 24 March 2024.
UK Broadcast Timings (and track time)
All sessions are live on Sky F1. Channel 4 is showing highlights of Qualifying and the Race.
2023 Highlights:
https://youtu.be/FExS3lFEwqc?si=RqmpSz6XXNHkQn4p
Tyres: (softest compounds)
2023 Result:
Mercedes was quite competitive last year (despite Max winning after a spin…) so it will be interesting to see if it has a better weekend. Also Piastri/Norris and Hamilton/Russell are worth a watch as the team leaders are under some early pressure.
Poll is for 2nd, depressingly.
Date(s): Friday 22 to Sunday 24 March 2024.
UK Broadcast Timings (and track time)
All sessions are live on Sky F1. Channel 4 is showing highlights of Qualifying and the Race.
2023 Highlights:
https://youtu.be/FExS3lFEwqc?si=RqmpSz6XXNHkQn4p
Tyres: (softest compounds)
2023 Result:
Edited by Piginapoke on Sunday 17th March 10:44
mk1coopers said:
Thanks for the thread PiaP, now officially (for me) the most interesting part of a F1 weekend. Right thing to do to change the poll as we face another dead duck of a season, zero chance of me watching any of this live, more interested in taking the family to see the new Ghostbusters film 
Oh, there's a new Ghostbusters film?!Sandpit Steve said:
axel1990chp said:
Piastri for 3rd (Perez is sure to get second surely)
That would be awesome for the home crowd if there’s a local on the podium - and it’s somewhat unlikely to be Daniel these days sadly. On the subject of the crowd, they’d better not disappoint with the “Christian Horny” banners and general piss-taking of the Red Bull team boss - something that was never going to happen at the first two races.
Edited by Piginapoke on Sunday 17th March 15:57
deadslow said:
Sandpit Steve said:
paulguitar said:
ARFBY said:
I guess this is how 100mtr sprinters felt for the best part of a decade. Silver is the best one can hope for when on the track with Mr Bolt!
The difference is that Bolt did not have special shoes. paulguitar said:
Tim the pool man said:
It's also a shame to see the voting for 2nd place simply because you don't like the most likely winner 
It has absolutely nothing to do with whether anyone is liked or disliked. The fellow who puts these threads together is a Verstappen supporter.The reason we don't vote on who the winner will be is that we all already know who it will be and so it would be pointless.
Dingu said:
If Logan hadn’t stacked it so much last year maybe he would be closer in terms of performance. But he did and is clearly the poorer driver. So it makes sense. He is lucky to have a seat this year tbh.
It’s a sure way to make sure your number 2 driver has zero confidence for the rest of the year. It was Albon’s mistake, he should have to sit it out. But the main thing is how can a team get to the third race of the season without a spare tub? The first 2 cars were built 5 weeks ago, the team has had no major crash repairs to do. It’s very poor and include Vowles in that.
Forester1965 said:
InfamousK said:
Completely agree, Sainz should be real hot property.
He's competent and quick on occasions but not consistently enough in races. Red Bull let him leave the stable without trying him in the 1st team. Neither his karting or single seater record really stands out. A good number two for a top team or a team leader for a mid-to-back marker. In his 10th year of F1 and never really kicked on.Leclerc still dines out on 2019 but his earlier record is impressive including back to back series wins in GP3 and F2 before coming into F1. Beat the 4xWDC in the standings in '19 and '20, lost out to Sainz in '21 but has maintained the upper hand in the current rules era.
Don't really need to say much about Hamilton. Give him the equipment and he'll deliver the goods. Sulks when the machinery has no chance of winning, possibly his biggest F1 weakness, but I'd have him any single day over Sainz.
Ferrari have kept and hired the right drivers for next year, in my opinion.
The real question is whether you’d pick an on form Sainz, or a waning Hamilton.
Sandpit Steve said:
Well those who stopped early got a big undercut on those who stopped later (apart from Fernando who stopped under the VSC). The question now, is can the late-stoppers eke out the marginal one-stop and stay out as other pit? This could be quite the conclusion if there’s no safety car.
Can’t see any doing a 1 stopper. We have an actual race!
Sandpit Steve said:
A 30s penalty (10s Stop-Go commuted to a time penalty) would put him 8th rather than 6th.
Really not a good look for the sport though, memories of MV v LH in Saudi ‘21, or Vettel’s petulant swipe at LH in Baku.
If the stewards find that Alonso deliberately brake checked Russell and caused him to crash, I think thats a DQ.Really not a good look for the sport though, memories of MV v LH in Saudi ‘21, or Vettel’s petulant swipe at LH in Baku.
Zammy said:
Fantastic result for Carlos... The man has been on fire all season, shame he missed Saudi race!
Interesting to see result of that Russell/Alonso investigation. Also well done Haas, double points finish, a real improvement from last season... Has getting rid of Gunther actually worked!?
Interesting that Haas has maximised its points for the last 2 races- maybe a calmer environment helping?Interesting to see result of that Russell/Alonso investigation. Also well done Haas, double points finish, a real improvement from last season... Has getting rid of Gunther actually worked!?
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