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Post by Frontrunner on Mar 24, 2017 6:55:43 GMT
Dare I say it, Bottas already looking like an easier teammate for Lewis to deal with than Rosberg. I expected the difference of maybe 2 tenths for the first few races of the season, but I didn't expect half a second! He'll slowly improve and get closer. Still early days, although I do expect Lewis to have Valtteri covered thru the season. IMO Bottas isn't at Nico's level but he won't be pushover like Heikki Kovalainen was in 2008-09. After FP2, Merc got the edge on Ferrari but a possibility Bottas could be in danger to the Ferrari's, Red Bull are a bit off as expected to be but Red Bull are capability to hopefully catch up to the top 2 during the season.
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Post by RyRy on Mar 24, 2017 6:59:33 GMT
Well, Hamilton still holding a gap by half a second... Can it continue this tomorrow in P3 and in qualli? :O Still early days, although I do expect Lewis to have Valtteri covered thru the season. IMO Bottas isn't at Nico's level but he won't be pushover like Heikki Kovalainen was in 2008-09. Likewise I expect that and of course Bottas isn't at Nico's level yet because he hasn't had someone push him to his limits like Rosberg had. Give him time. After FP2, Merc got the edge on Ferrari but a possibility Bottas could be in danger to the Ferrari's, Red Bull are a bit off as expected to be but Red Bull are capability to hopefully catch up to the top 2 during the season. Red Bull look really quite alone in 3rd place, they'll bring some aero developments and be in a much better position when we get to spain and beyond. If Ferrari aren't sandbagging then Bottas needs to really up his game otherwise he will have a hard time with the Ferrari's.
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Post by Frontrunner on Mar 24, 2017 7:07:22 GMT
See that big smirk on Toto's face during FP2, that is a worrying sign I thought.
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Post by Hammer on Mar 24, 2017 8:04:19 GMT
Mercedes already looking dangerous. And no way is this close to what they're capable of, I'd say another half a second at least in hand for both cars.
1:23:600 in Fp2 means a mid 1:22s is on the cards.
I'd hazard a guess of 1:22:650 for Lewis' pole time.
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Post by racechick on Mar 24, 2017 9:27:51 GMT
I thought the times they were doing in FP1 and FP2 were waaaaaaay faster than this point last year. But 1.22 ish is only about a second faster than last years pole. Have I got something wrong?
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Post by Hammer on Mar 24, 2017 10:29:40 GMT
No, you make a lot of sense. As I was typing that I was thinking as well....wait that's just a second faster than last year. But am just going by typical progression from FP2 to Qualifying.
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Post by Wß on Mar 24, 2017 12:16:40 GMT
So interesting chess game going on? I think that Red Bull is under powered and they've got every trick in the book to try and make the cars fast. Like Frontrunner mentioned/feared they are "twitchy" they simply don't feel planted at speed. Ferrari seem to have once again been the WDC of the test season, but now that the season starts, they have to put more fuel in the car which is hurting their performance. The rest of the grid however is super tight. I'm thinking though that the race to the bottom will be between Sauber and Haas because they won't have McLaren and there's no Manor down there to kick around any longer.
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Post by Frontrunner on Mar 24, 2017 13:06:15 GMT
I think Max has summed it pretty well, "Red Bull just a bit slow"
Their not really in the fight but not too far off, unless of course Merc and or Ferrari pull something big tomorrow and blow RB away.
Even before the Saturday its hard to look pass anything but a Hamilton win. Although behind Lewis there looks to be some close battles.
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Post by dogued on Mar 24, 2017 13:18:03 GMT
I thought the times they were doing in FP1 and FP2 were waaaaaaay faster than this point last year. But 1.22 ish is only about a second faster than last years pole. Have I got something wrong? MUCH faster than previous years at the same point. Put it this way; Massa clocked a 1:26.331 to go P14 during FP2 today, that would have had him missing pole in 2016 by 0.004s. And he had issues! 2017 - FP1 - 1:24.220 2017 - FP2 - 1:23.620 2016 - FP1 - 1:29.725 2016 - FP2 - 1:38.841 *WET* 2016 - FP3 - 1:25.624 2016 - POLE - 1:23.837 2015 - FP1 - 1:29.557 2015 - FP2 - 1:27.697 2015 - FP3 - 1:27.9 2015 - POLE - 1:26.327
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Post by dogued on Mar 24, 2017 13:29:57 GMT
The only question remains "How much faster can they go?" Normal progression would mean a lap around 1:20. But Melbourne is NOT a typical track, it's probably the bumpiest on the calendar. And thanks to the Melbourne weather, it looks like a partially wet Qualifying period.
6 am - Showers (19°c) 9 am - Sunny (20°c) 11 am - Showers (22°c) 2 pm (FP3) - Sunny (23°c) 5 pm (Q1) - showers (24°) 6 pm - Sunny (23°c)
Good news is that it should be around 27°C from 2pm till 6pm on Sunday, so we will see a nice dry race.
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Post by Wß on Mar 24, 2017 13:58:58 GMT
I'm hoping for a dry qualifying, I want to see what they're capable right off the bat. China tends to always find a way to be wet. If it's dry, I'm thinking mid 1:21. But it's all still a guess, you're right dogued that the track is supremely bumpy and that just scrubs speed like crazy.
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Post by Frontrunner on Mar 24, 2017 14:02:22 GMT
The city with 4 seasons in 1 day. Anything could happen in Melbourne.
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Post by Hammer on Mar 24, 2017 17:40:00 GMT
I'm a bit in the clouds right now so it might just be the stuff talking. But I found this intv interesting in looking at each of their personalities.
Do you guys get the same impression:
Toto - A guy who feels he's overachieved and is trying his best to sound smart all the time and think 2 steps ahead to try and seem like a visionary/etc....but actually his words don't mean much at all.
Horner - Genuinely an intelligent character and listens and gives feedback very well
Boullier - An intelligent guy but still someone who feels he doesn't belong so much in his current role. Like some puppet thrust into a burning house to put it out.
Paddy - The yes-man who is happy being a yes-man for life and is just looking forward to retirement after serving out at Williams
Maurizio - The guy who is thinking 10 things at a time, and isn't really present. And when he tries to sound smart he falls flat on his face.
Lol
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Post by racechick on Mar 24, 2017 18:38:21 GMT
I've not watched the video yet. But knowing what I know of the guys, and looking at their poses ........ Paddy " hello, hello, I'm here, it's me, Paddy, hello! Er, I just wanted to say.........hello , hello, can you hear me? can you see me?" Toto " if I grip my hands under my chin and scowl a bit, I'll convince them I know stuff. Stuff like engineering, and strategy, really important stuff!" Bouillier " oh, I'm on tele, I'm on tele. Look alert. Look alert! Maurizio " shit, I'm bored with this. What's on the menu tonight? What vintage are we drinking with the meal? That little blonde waitress, hope she's serving.Jesus Christ did Hamilton really do that time? Why the fuck isn't he in our cars? Horner. " are these dudes for real? ?? "
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Post by Frontrunner on Mar 25, 2017 1:42:06 GMT
Pascal Wehrlein is out for the rest of the weekend, seems like is off season injury is effecting him, Antonio Giovinazzi, Ferrari's 3rd driver will take his seat and make his debut in Melbourne.
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Post by Wß on Mar 25, 2017 1:50:55 GMT
Big gaps between him and Ericsson I was thinking that he's either hurt or that's he's shocked he's getting bitch slapped. If he's hurt he's got a couple more weeks rest I guess.
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Post by Wß on Mar 25, 2017 1:54:56 GMT
racechick Qualifying prediction flight check, just preparing for the inter league. I'm going to go with 1.22.227 if it's dry. Who's next?
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Post by dogued on Mar 25, 2017 2:32:00 GMT
Good news! Showers havent turned up yet and it's currently 27 degrees about 20mins north of the track! There are clouds around but nothing ominous, so hopefully a dry qualifying.
My pole guess is a 1:21.892 as long as it stays this warm and dry.
*ETA*
Ok, that guess may be a bit off.... not seeing the increase I thought, so a mid to high 1:22 is more realistic. I also think Mercedes should do Q2 on SS tyres as they will easily make top 10 and have a better race tyre.
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Post by dogued on Mar 25, 2017 3:40:55 GMT
And the first record falls.... Sebastian Vettel 1:23.382 new fastest lap at Melbourne.
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Post by RyRy on Mar 25, 2017 3:43:16 GMT
That's a stonker of a lap from Vettel... I think they released the sandbags. Ferrari do indeed look strong. I think the testing ferrari hype might well have been correct.
Damn, both Mercedes cars only able to do 1:23.8 which is slower than yesterday's time. Qualli is going to be interesting.
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