2015 Australian GP Discussion Thread

Wallio · Post by **Wallio** » 14 Mar 2015, 19:17

UgncreativeUsergname wrote:
sswishbone wrote:BBC have reported a rumour that Sauber's ownership is at stake and Colin Kolles is in the background... Is this the most rejectful season start in the last two decades?

No. MC Lola can never be beaten.

Oh I don't know. Sauber is definitely in the top three with Lola and Andrea Moda. Can they the the gold? I say yes, Monisha is pretty much trying to run the team into the ground. Unretire Pete!

sswishbone · Post by **sswishbone** » 14 Mar 2015, 19:19

UgncreativeUsergname wrote:
sswishbone wrote:BBC have reported a rumour that Sauber's ownership is at stake and Colin Kolles is in the background... Is this the most rejectful season start in the last two decades?

No. MC Lola can never be beaten.

For one team undoubtedly but I mean the whole circus. Sauber's legal issues, Mclaren's pathetic chassis, Alonso crash, Bottas potential injury, Marussia DNQ... This whole weekend has been a total and utter farce

Paul Hayes · Post by **Paul Hayes** » 14 Mar 2015, 19:24

One thing McLaren do have going for them is the Esso logo they now sport on the drivers' overalls, etc - it looks splendidly retro!

Julien · Post by **Julien** » 14 Mar 2015, 19:39

The Aus GP had shown clearly the fundamental issues of current F1.
1) Any radical rule change, combined with he notorious ban of any testing or midseason development means that one team gonna dominate the sport until the next radical rule change. Now it's Mercedes, but it was Red Bull, McLaren, Renault and Ferrari again if you're walking backwards in time.
2) The economic model of current F1 is unmaintainable. Of the 10 teams, 4 has dire financial problems. Manor barely exists, Sauber puts paychecks into their cars, Force India completely depends on a company group that may go bankrupt overnight at any time and McLaren is unable to find a main sponsor for the third year now.
3) The sport became so artificial that the drivers became more like engineers rather than the heroes. All the gadgets, the adjustments etc. mean that F1 is now 80% about the car and 20% about the drivers. Don't tell me that Vettel and Raikkonen are 1 second slower than Hamilton and Rosberg, or that Button couldn't do better than 17th on the grid...

Barbazza · Post by **Barbazza** » 14 Mar 2015, 20:41

So, let me get this right. We could potentially have 17 cars on the grid tomorrow, of which we know that 2 almost certainly won't finish (McLarens), and that 2 will probably drive off into the distance.

I think that, for the first time ever, I may be watching most of a race that I've recorded - I very rarely get up early to watch the non-European races - on fast forward.....

pablo_h · Post by **pablo_h** » 14 Mar 2015, 21:25

And unfortunately as I live in Australia myself, not shown at the right time to fall gracefully asleep to if it's a bore.

Post by **mario** » 14 Mar 2015, 22:09

Barbazza wrote:So, let me get this right. We could potentially have 17 cars on the grid tomorrow, of which we know that 2 almost certainly won't finish (McLarens), and that 2 will probably drive off into the distance.

I think that, for the first time ever, I may be watching most of a race that I've recorded - I very rarely get up early to watch the non-European races - on fast forward.....

The outcome of Bottas's medical exam is yet to be confirmed, but that is a distinct possibility.

However, there is at least one point of interest, and that is the fact that Ferrari and Williams seem to have fairly evenly matched cars. If Bottas is fit to race, there is a prospect of a four way battle between the two Ferrari and Williams drivers, which will probably prove to be one of the focal points of the race.

LukeB · Post by **LukeB** » 15 Mar 2015, 00:12

Julien wrote:The Aus GP had shown clearly the fundamental issues of current F1.
1) Any radical rule change, combined with he notorious ban of any testing or midseason development means that one team gonna dominate the sport until the next radical rule change. Now it's Mercedes, but it was Red Bull, McLaren, Renault and Ferrari again if you're walking backwards in time.
2) The economic model of current F1 is unmaintainable. Of the 10 teams, 4 has dire financial problems. Manor barely exists, Sauber puts paychecks into their cars, Force India completely depends on a company group that may go bankrupt overnight at any time and McLaren is unable to find a main sponsor for the third year now.
3) The sport became so artificial that the drivers became more like engineers rather than the heroes. All the gadgets, the adjustments etc. mean that F1 is now 80% about the car and 20% about the drivers. Don't tell me that Vettel and Raikkonen are 1 second slower than Hamilton and Rosberg, or that Button couldn't do better than 17th on the grid...

I by no means disagree, but these have all been problems to a greater and lesser extant since I started regularly watching F1 (1997) and almost certainly before then too. Fundamental problems maybe, but if so these are fundamental problems with F1 over the long term rather then specific issues with F1 currently.
If the doomsayers are right this time and the whole rotten edifice is finally about to come tumbling down the question isn't what caused it now but how did it last so long in the first place.

Klon · Post by **Klon** » 15 Mar 2015, 02:36

Julien wrote:All the gadgets, the adjustments etc. mean that F1 is now 80% about the car and 20% about the drivers.

You mean the way it has literally been since ... ever?

It's a shame that that point undermines the rest of the post, because I fully agree with the rest, although I do not consider 1) a failure of the system but a reality of modern motorsport.

Post by **Bobby Doorknobs** » 15 Mar 2015, 03:26

Klon wrote:
Julien wrote:All the gadgets, the adjustments etc. mean that F1 is now 80% about the car and 20% about the drivers.

You mean the way it has literally been since ... ever?

It's a shame that that point undermines the rest of the post, because I fully agree with the rest, although I do not consider 1) a failure of the system but a reality of modern motorsport.

In fact, it's the reason motorsport was invented in the first place - to build the best car and prove its superiority.

Press_Play2002 · Post by **Press_Play2002** » 15 Mar 2015, 03:50

All things considered thus far I'm amazed that this season is relatively "meh" considering the legal faracas with van der Garde and Kalterborn, McLaren-Honda's underwhelming and excuse-less quali run; Manor's stillborn re-debut and little to no change in the front row. Yes there's still a race to start but surprisingly this year's not terrible and there's a whole season to look forward too.

Post by **Bobby Doorknobs** » 15 Mar 2015, 04:13

It's been confirmed that Bottas will unfortunately be missing the race: http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2015/03/15/b ... rand-prix/

3 down, 17 to go...

Paul Hayes · Post by **Paul Hayes** » 15 Mar 2015, 04:14

So with no Bottas as well, this must surely be one of the smallest "normal" grids (i.e. with no protest or safety pull outs) ever?

Post by **Bobby Doorknobs** » 15 Mar 2015, 04:17

Paul Hayes wrote:So with no Bottas as well, this must surely be one of the smallest "normal" grids (i.e. with no protest or safety pull outs) ever?

The 1969 Mexican Grand Prix is (unless I'm very much mistaken) the last time there was a grid this small, also at 17 cars, which was itself reduced to 16 when Bruce McLaren had a fuel injection problem.

good_Ralf · Post by **good_Ralf** » 15 Mar 2015, 04:34

Now we have 16 left! Kevin is out! McLaren are in for a pointless season.

DOSBoot · Post by **DOSBoot** » 15 Mar 2015, 04:35

Kevin's engine blows already.

sswishbone · Post by **sswishbone** » 15 Mar 2015, 04:36

That just sums up how rejectful this whole weekend has been! Kyvat also out!!

AdrianBelmonte_ · Post by **AdrianBelmonte_** » 15 Mar 2015, 04:36

So, ROTR will be for the Honda engine of Kevin Magnussen...

DOSBoot · Post by **DOSBoot** » 15 Mar 2015, 04:37

Kvyat having trouble too. Oh the madness!

good_Ralf · Post by **good_Ralf** » 15 Mar 2015, 04:37

Is Kvyat out too?!?!?!?!

Why doesn't this lunacy happen more often, eh?

AdrianBelmonte_ · Post by **AdrianBelmonte_** » 15 Mar 2015, 04:38

LET THE MANORS RUN

sswishbone · Post by **sswishbone** » 15 Mar 2015, 04:39

Dj_bereta · Post by **Dj_bereta** » 15 Mar 2015, 04:39

Sauber have a great opportunity to end their pointless streak today with Nasr.

DOSBoot · Post by **DOSBoot** » 15 Mar 2015, 04:39

good_Ralf wrote:Is Kvyat out too?!?!?!?!

Why doesn't this lunacy happen more often, eh?

I would be saying it if I hadn't seen it.

UncreativeUsername37 · Post by **UncreativeUsername37** » 15 Mar 2015, 04:44

10 points positions for 20 entrants and 15 starters

sswishbone · Post by **sswishbone** » 15 Mar 2015, 04:50

Button to overcome the odds and get a point

Martin Brundle has just said we saw a great race between the ferraris when only six cars on the grid in Indianapolis 2005... What race was he watching?

Post by **Bobby Doorknobs** » 15 Mar 2015, 04:59

Come to think of it, this is exactly what people were predicting would happen in 2014. :lol:

EDIT: And going back to the Mexico '69 comment, I was wrong. I forgot about Imola 1982.

sswishbone · Post by **sswishbone** » 15 Mar 2015, 05:04

and Maldonado out!! Safety car, Button also past Grosjean!

UncreativeUsername37 · Post by **UncreativeUsername37** » 15 Mar 2015, 05:05

Whenever Maldonado spins, I feel like it's figurative karma. I have serious issues feeling sorry for him.

DOSBoot · Post by **DOSBoot** » 15 Mar 2015, 05:05

Maldonado back to his usual form. (Correction: Nasr hit him.)

Post by **Londoner** » 15 Mar 2015, 05:06

Maldonado out already. Thanks a bunch Massa and Raikkonen.

14 cars left. I got up at 4:50 for this? :/

EDIT: Both Lotuses out after 1 lap.

DOSBoot · Post by **DOSBoot** » 15 Mar 2015, 05:06

Grojean in the garage already!

sswishbone · Post by **sswishbone** » 15 Mar 2015, 05:07

Getting rid of the mediums already... Sochi-esque degredation? And Grosjean out!!!

Post by **Bobby Doorknobs** » 15 Mar 2015, 05:07

I'm calling it: This will be a repeat of Monaco '96: Nasr will win. A blue car won in Monaco so it's impeccable logic. 13 left as I write this.

AdrianBelmonte_ · Post by **AdrianBelmonte_** » 15 Mar 2015, 05:07

GROSJEAN OUT, 13 cars remaining

sswishbone · Post by **sswishbone** » 15 Mar 2015, 05:09

Simtek wrote:I'm calling it: This will be a repeat of Monaco '96: Nasr will win. A blue car won in Monaco so it's impeccable logic. 13 left as I write this.

2001 Australia I think, 6 cars finishing

Post by **Bobby Doorknobs** » 15 Mar 2015, 05:11

sswishbone wrote:
Simtek wrote:I'm calling it: This will be a repeat of Monaco '96: Nasr will win. A blue car won in Monaco so it's impeccable logic. 13 left as I write this.

2001 Australia I think, 6 cars finishing

Er, 14 cars finished in 2001? Do you mean 2002, where 8 cars finished?

sswishbone · Post by **sswishbone** » 15 Mar 2015, 05:12

Rejectful from Perez, overtaking under safety car, great from Nasr though, really punching above his weight

Post by **Londoner** » 15 Mar 2015, 05:12

OK, if Nasr can score a podium and Verstappen retires, then it's all worth it.

DOSBoot · Post by **DOSBoot** » 15 Mar 2015, 05:14

Riccardo up to 6th.