The Official 2019 Australian Grand Prix Thread **SPOILERS**
Discussion
Bottas is driving for his seat, he is out of contract at the end of the year. He can only go down the grid in terms of car performance and I don't see any good alternatives right now - so he has nothing to lose in going ultra aggressive vs Hamilton.
What's the worse that happens? He gets suspended by the team for a race if he takes Hamilton out too many times...
What's the worse that happens? He gets suspended by the team for a race if he takes Hamilton out too many times...
So...
Marko has come out and said basically the Honda PU is to powerful for the chassis, and “they have not been used to having to put this downforce on a car”, and we have have to previously compensate to get pace!!!
We are working on it!
Then Ferrari have ERS and cooling problems (just ERS for Hass/Alfa) can they be resolved without scrapping the car and binning a PU, (k&h & es)!
No speed higher than 280kph through the traps.
Merc
Mystery floor damage (lap 4 poss), at a canter running 20/30kph less through the traps than the Hondas, Bottas running a perfect race.
Car looks quick in the corners, and a nice 1/2 quali & Race.
Midfield
McLaren
Look race quick, podiums for them this year.
Hass
Quick car, Grosjean unlucky with the wheel, looked like a decent package, and Kmag a decent finish. Need consistency. Podiums this year.
RP
Mr Stroll (jr) best grid starter in F1?
Perez needs to have a good season again.
Car will be dangerously quick on high speed circuits. Podiums or better this year.
Alfa
Great finish for Kimi, and a dogged race for Giovinazzi, proper midfield scrap. Points most weeks.
Renault
A tale of two starts, F1 timing live explained on the start Dani Ric was not used to starting this far back, and then had an incident on the start, Nico decent race points finish. Need to get going.
Torro Rosso,
Kyvat, great drive, points finish and held off the red bull for 17 laps.
AA, did well in quali, a little lost in the race, has raw pace though..
Williams
George, F1 live timing had him as the hardest working driver yesterday, decent debut.
Kubica, unfortunate first lap incident, 3 pit stops and 3 laps down.
Marko has come out and said basically the Honda PU is to powerful for the chassis, and “they have not been used to having to put this downforce on a car”, and we have have to previously compensate to get pace!!!
We are working on it!
Then Ferrari have ERS and cooling problems (just ERS for Hass/Alfa) can they be resolved without scrapping the car and binning a PU, (k&h & es)!
No speed higher than 280kph through the traps.
Merc
Mystery floor damage (lap 4 poss), at a canter running 20/30kph less through the traps than the Hondas, Bottas running a perfect race.
Car looks quick in the corners, and a nice 1/2 quali & Race.
Midfield
McLaren
Look race quick, podiums for them this year.
Hass
Quick car, Grosjean unlucky with the wheel, looked like a decent package, and Kmag a decent finish. Need consistency. Podiums this year.
RP
Mr Stroll (jr) best grid starter in F1?
Perez needs to have a good season again.
Car will be dangerously quick on high speed circuits. Podiums or better this year.
Alfa
Great finish for Kimi, and a dogged race for Giovinazzi, proper midfield scrap. Points most weeks.
Renault
A tale of two starts, F1 timing live explained on the start Dani Ric was not used to starting this far back, and then had an incident on the start, Nico decent race points finish. Need to get going.
Torro Rosso,
Kyvat, great drive, points finish and held off the red bull for 17 laps.
AA, did well in quali, a little lost in the race, has raw pace though..
Williams
George, F1 live timing had him as the hardest working driver yesterday, decent debut.
Kubica, unfortunate first lap incident, 3 pit stops and 3 laps down.
Vaud said:
Bottas is driving for his seat, he is out of contract at the end of the year. He can only go down the grid in terms of car performance and I don't see any good alternatives right now - so he has nothing to lose in going ultra aggressive vs Hamilton.
What's the worse that happens? He gets suspended by the team for a race if he takes Hamilton out too many times...
It’s even tougher than that, he’s lost his personal sponsor (that will actually pay his pay), hence the FU at the end of the race.What's the worse that happens? He gets suspended by the team for a race if he takes Hamilton out too many times...
He’s always been quick, and even with 30 podiums hes still seen to have something to prove ( he’s got more than the ‘higher’ rated max or Dani).
He’s a clean racer, and as Hamilton will race fair.
Vaud said:
Deesee said:
It’s even tougher than that, he’s lost his personal sponsor (that will actually pay his pay), hence the FU at the end of the race.
Ahh, I'd missed that.The package would just about cover his superlicence and jets!
Some points in discussion with a friend today.
LH, despite the damage, seemed to have the legs of MV. As the RB got close, LH maintained enough of a gap.
The 20+ seconds gap to Bottas might well have been sensible racing given that they've got just 3 engines this season (Sainz now 2).
Was Bottas aware of the gap to second place? If so, why not slow?
LH, despite the damage, seemed to have the legs of MV. As the RB got close, LH maintained enough of a gap.
The 20+ seconds gap to Bottas might well have been sensible racing given that they've got just 3 engines this season (Sainz now 2).
Was Bottas aware of the gap to second place? If so, why not slow?
swisstoni said:
Just like pre-season testing is no real indicator of actual race pace, so the first race is no real indicator of a season.
That platitude just isn't true, virtually every team that wins the Australian GP wins the constructors championship.It happens so regularly that it has to absolutely be considered an indicator of the season
Fundoreen said:
Difficult to pass around albert park in an equal car as we know but is instantly forgotten by everyone.
Even finishing 2nd to Bottas is a result for hamilton as they thought they were behind ferrari after testing.
Commentards in the sky box expecting ferrari to tell vettel to move aside just because leclerc has caught up. Same with Kvyat because gastly has caught up.
They are all racing for position in the first race of the season .
So all the usual stuff.
LeClerc was told to hold station behind Vettel and not attempt to pass.Even finishing 2nd to Bottas is a result for hamilton as they thought they were behind ferrari after testing.
Commentards in the sky box expecting ferrari to tell vettel to move aside just because leclerc has caught up. Same with Kvyat because gastly has caught up.
They are all racing for position in the first race of the season .
So all the usual stuff.
HustleRussell said:
Alfa Romeo, Raikkonen's race was compromised by an early stop because of a visor tear off in his brake duct. Giovannazi suffered early damage from the race start wing debris. More to come?
The tear-off in Raikkonen's brake duct was Raikkonen's own tear off, so a bit of a rookie error which I'm sure he will iron out with experience...Gassing Station | Formula 1 | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff