The Official 2019 Australian Grand Prix Thread **SPOILERS**
Discussion
patmahe said:
I really hope this morning is not an indication of things to come, if Mercedes are 0.8 seconds ahead of the field it's going to be a long season.
It tends to come down to who's topping the times - much like in pre-season. If Merc are on top, it's reported as a sign of their dominance, and Ferrari are all at sea and would be better off sitting the year out. Couple that with the now customary mention of a fragile, feeble, broken Vettel, and we're to assume they're in a pickle. However, if Ferrari set quicker times, it's a case of Merc sandbagging, and not a case of perhaps Ferrari doing a decent job.Based on FP1 & FP2 and Seb's comments, Ferrari are having setup issues, and probably haven't played all their cards. More importantly, the car's not where they thought it would be after Barcelona. There's a bit left in the tank, who knows how much, or whether they can uncork it in time for qualifying. The Beeb reporting the car has little headroom for R&D already, paints a bleak picture for the season, at least as far as Ferrari are concerned. IMO it's a bit early to say they've produced a poor car.
Merc are getting on with it and haven't touched any of their hot engine modes yet - I don't think they'll be 0.8 seconds ahead at the end of Q3, it'll be less (but most likely still ahead). Red Bull are an unknown; the Honda PU might have some punchy qualifying modes on tap, as might the Renault, but we wont see anybody dabble with them til they need to.
It's more cat & mouse than it normally is, and the midfield is remarkably close, based on whatever guesstimates are producing extrapolated lap times.
HustleRussell said:
GOATever said:
HustleRussell said:
Does anyone know what rattled Hamilton’s cage today? I heard he made an early exit from the press pen
Someone mentioned that Bottas has been given Carte Blanche to try for the drivers title this year, with no early intervention from anyone. I don’t think Hamilton agrees with that decision.I too think Mercedes have the better pace. Any theory Ferrari are sand bagging at this stage falls flat, there is zero reason they would do that as there is no time for any team to react, so they might as well show their true pace and use it to set up their cars for qualifying. which by Seb's comments, is exactly what they're going to do ahead of FP3 - work on the setup.
The good news is that they should move closer to Mercedes as a result, and that we will have two cars at the top that are close enough for luck/circumstance to play a big enough part in the seasons results for it not to be a foregone conclusion. Also RB are looking like they will be at least in the mix, which is what most of us wanted I think!
Even if the battle at the top falls flat, there is no doubt the midfield is tight. There is plenty to watch this season
NB: Williams have apparently told their drivers not to use the kerbs as it's breaking the car and they don't have spare parts. So that's another interesting, if odd story-line to follow this season.
The good news is that they should move closer to Mercedes as a result, and that we will have two cars at the top that are close enough for luck/circumstance to play a big enough part in the seasons results for it not to be a foregone conclusion. Also RB are looking like they will be at least in the mix, which is what most of us wanted I think!
Even if the battle at the top falls flat, there is no doubt the midfield is tight. There is plenty to watch this season
NB: Williams have apparently told their drivers not to use the kerbs as it's breaking the car and they don't have spare parts. So that's another interesting, if odd story-line to follow this season.
Edited by TheDeuce on Friday 15th March 13:36
5678 said:
seymourski said:
Thats a good read. I think I just about followed it! We should get more like that as fans.
Something doesn't ring true with Ferrari's pace vs. Mercedes and with Sebastian Vettel.
If Sebastian genuinely felt Ferrari had a 0.8s deficit to Mercedes he would not be so sanguine. He wouldn't be talking about little set-up changes here and there, it'd be a disaster. He would, in my opinion, have to try very hard to disguise his disappointment at staring down the barrel of a white wash the likes of which we haven't seen in a couple of years.
Are we really to believe that Ferrari are only one tenth quicker than the Alfa Romeo?
It is all very cute and intriguing.
Both teams are still sand bagging. Mercedes' fastest lap is 1.5s slower than Hamilton's 2018 pole lap. I reckon Mercedes are perplexed at the extent to which Ferrari are holding back. It's ominous, and of course that's the whole point.
Come tomorrow, barring some extreme circumstances, Ferrari and Mercedes are going to be all over each other.
If Sebastian genuinely felt Ferrari had a 0.8s deficit to Mercedes he would not be so sanguine. He wouldn't be talking about little set-up changes here and there, it'd be a disaster. He would, in my opinion, have to try very hard to disguise his disappointment at staring down the barrel of a white wash the likes of which we haven't seen in a couple of years.
Are we really to believe that Ferrari are only one tenth quicker than the Alfa Romeo?
It is all very cute and intriguing.
Both teams are still sand bagging. Mercedes' fastest lap is 1.5s slower than Hamilton's 2018 pole lap. I reckon Mercedes are perplexed at the extent to which Ferrari are holding back. It's ominous, and of course that's the whole point.
Come tomorrow, barring some extreme circumstances, Ferrari and Mercedes are going to be all over each other.
HustleRussell said:
Something doesn't ring true with Ferrari's pace vs. Mercedes and with Sebastian Vettel.
It's not so much Ferrari vs Mercedes as Ferrari vs the mid-field which doesn't make sense. I could believe Mercedes had somehow found a second or had been effectively hiding a second in testing; it's harder to believe that Ferrari have lost a second relative to every other team on the grid. I could be wrong, but I'm still expecting at least one Ferrari on the front row tomorrow.
On the other hand, what have Ferrari got to gain by running this far off their ultimate pace? Surely it's got to limit the ability of the drivers to work out where the limits are and of the team to set the cars up optimally?
Edited by kambites on Friday 15th March 14:00
kambites said:
It's not so much Ferrari vs Mercedes as Ferrari vs the mid-field which doesn't make sense. I could believe Mercedes had somehow found a second or had been effectively hiding a second in testing; it's harder to believe that Ferrari have lost a second relative to every other team on the grid.
I could be wrong, but I'm still expecting at least one Ferrari on the front row tomorrow.
On the other hand, what have Ferrari got to gain by running this far off their ultimate pace? Surely it's got to limit the ability of the drivers to work out where the limits are and of the team to set the cars up optimally?
This year’s Ferrari is a pup. Some of the team have said so ( although not publicly). There’s been a mis interpretation of the rules, when the design was laid down. They are going to be massively borked early season:I could be wrong, but I'm still expecting at least one Ferrari on the front row tomorrow.
On the other hand, what have Ferrari got to gain by running this far off their ultimate pace? Surely it's got to limit the ability of the drivers to work out where the limits are and of the team to set the cars up optimally?
Edited by kambites on Friday 15th March 14:00
kambites said:
On the other hand, what have Ferrari got to gain by running this far off their ultimate pace? Surely it's got to limit the ability of the drivers to work out where the limits are and of the team to set the cars up optimally?
And that's the nub of it. The only reason they'd do that is inter-team mind games. If they showed better pace in P2 than everybody was expecting the other teams are going to revise down their targets but there's basically nothing they can do about it this weekend... Anybody who doesn't believe Ferrari are sand bagging just because it's now free practice at Melbourne have another thing coming...
For the first few years of the V6T.H. era Mercedes' engine advantage was such that they were managing their pace down season after season so as not to reveal the true extent of what they had in the bag.
HustleRussell said:
And that's the nub of it. The only reason they'd do that is inter-team mind games. If they showed better pace in P2 than everybody was expecting the other teams are going to revise down their targets but there's basically nothing they can do about it this weekend...
Anybody who doesn't believe Ferrari are sand bagging just because it's now free practice at Melbourne have another thing coming...
For the first few years of the V6T.H. era Mercedes' engine advantage was such that they were managing their pace down season after season so as not to reveal the true extent of what they had in the bag.
Bold words Anybody who doesn't believe Ferrari are sand bagging just because it's now free practice at Melbourne have another thing coming...
For the first few years of the V6T.H. era Mercedes' engine advantage was such that they were managing their pace down season after season so as not to reveal the true extent of what they had in the bag.
I do believe sand bagging is effectively over at this stage but will know for sure very soon If I am wrong..
TheDeuce said:
HustleRussell said:
And that's the nub of it. The only reason they'd do that is inter-team mind games. If they showed better pace in P2 than everybody was expecting the other teams are going to revise down their targets but there's basically nothing they can do about it this weekend...
Anybody who doesn't believe Ferrari are sand bagging just because it's now free practice at Melbourne have another thing coming...
For the first few years of the V6T.H. era Mercedes' engine advantage was such that they were managing their pace down season after season so as not to reveal the true extent of what they had in the bag.
Bold words Anybody who doesn't believe Ferrari are sand bagging just because it's now free practice at Melbourne have another thing coming...
For the first few years of the V6T.H. era Mercedes' engine advantage was such that they were managing their pace down season after season so as not to reveal the true extent of what they had in the bag.
I do believe sand bagging is effectively over at this stage but will know for sure very soon If I am wrong..
AllyBassman said:
Bold words indeed!
Fingers crossed that it's close tomorrow.
i was quite excited by the promise of this season and, whilst I've got nothing against Lewis or Ierc, I was hoping that Ferrari might be leading by a tenth or two with Merc having to fight to keep up.Fingers crossed that it's close tomorrow.
I'm a wee bit apprehensive after these times. There is always the hope the Ferrari problem might be minor.
HustleRussell said:
TheDeuce said:
HustleRussell said:
And that's the nub of it. The only reason they'd do that is inter-team mind games. If they showed better pace in P2 than everybody was expecting the other teams are going to revise down their targets but there's basically nothing they can do about it this weekend...
Anybody who doesn't believe Ferrari are sand bagging just because it's now free practice at Melbourne have another thing coming...
For the first few years of the V6T.H. era Mercedes' engine advantage was such that they were managing their pace down season after season so as not to reveal the true extent of what they had in the bag.
Bold words Anybody who doesn't believe Ferrari are sand bagging just because it's now free practice at Melbourne have another thing coming...
For the first few years of the V6T.H. era Mercedes' engine advantage was such that they were managing their pace down season after season so as not to reveal the true extent of what they had in the bag.
I do believe sand bagging is effectively over at this stage but will know for sure very soon If I am wrong..
I mean 'red'*
We also need to remember that this is race 1.
Quite possibly the Mercedes will be the dominant car around Albert Park.
Rest of the season? Who knows!
By the start of the European seanson we will have a better idea, and hopefully it will be more of the same from last year with two or even 3 teams fighting it out.
Quite possibly the Mercedes will be the dominant car around Albert Park.
Rest of the season? Who knows!
By the start of the European seanson we will have a better idea, and hopefully it will be more of the same from last year with two or even 3 teams fighting it out.
AllyBassman said:
We also need to remember that this is race 1.
Quite possibly the Mercedes will be the dominant car around Albert Park.
Rest of the season? Who knows!
By the start of the European seanson we will have a better idea, and hopefully it will be more of the same from last year with two or even 3 teams fighting it out.
Whatever happens I'm sure there will be some 3 way battles. With how tight the top and middle appear to be, Monaco should be pretty special - they say you can't overtake, but in the end all sandwiched up they will try..Quite possibly the Mercedes will be the dominant car around Albert Park.
Rest of the season? Who knows!
By the start of the European seanson we will have a better idea, and hopefully it will be more of the same from last year with two or even 3 teams fighting it out.
I agree by Europe we will have a clearer picture, and as last year, after the summer break there could be some shifts. Hopefully not Ferrari shifting into reverse this year though. That was annoying last year!
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