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Post by Wß on Mar 10, 2018 2:38:02 GMT
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Post by London on Mar 12, 2018 16:47:10 GMT
Here my prediction for the quali, Mercedes pole 6 secondes gap to Williams. Stroll will finish last, I didnt put Sauber because they have a good past in Melbourne.
Historically : Gap between pole lap and the slowest time in Q1
Melbourne 2017: 6.1 seconds
Melbourne 2016: 5.8 seconds
Melbourne 2015: 5.7 seconds
Melbourne 2014: -7.2 seconds
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Post by Wß on Mar 12, 2018 17:52:02 GMT
It wold be interesting to see three different color overall on the podium. Melbourne is a heavy fuel utilization circuit being on throttle over 60% of the circuit's length.
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Post by dogued on Mar 13, 2018 6:01:15 GMT
Fun Facts! If Lewis doesn't win either of the 2 opening races to a season, he doesn't win the WDC. Since 2000, we have had a German win 8 times, a Brit 6 times, a Fin twice, and 1 each from Italy and Spain. 4 of the 2018 field have won here (2x Vettel, Hamilton, Raikkonen, and 1x Alonso) Pole+Win has been rare, with just 8 from the last 18 races: Hamilton (2015, 2008), Vettel (2011), Button (2009), Raikkonen (2007), Fisichella (2005), and Schumacher (2004, 2001). Since becoming part of the F1 World Championship, no Australian has ever won the race. Since 2000, a Mercedes powered car has won 8 times, Ferrari power 6 times, and Renault power 4 times. Seen as a great place for also-ran teams to pick up a point, the last few years have seen finish(start): 13(20), 16(22), 11(18), 13(22), 18(22), 13(22), 15(22), 14(24), 12(20), 6(22), 17(22) The 2002 race saw only the top 3 finish on the same lap, with just 8 of the 22 starters being classified finishers.
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Post by Wß on Mar 13, 2018 12:44:57 GMT
There's a potential difference in tire strategy between Ferrari and Mercedes. Some extra spice to the race.
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Post by Hammer on Mar 13, 2018 13:05:54 GMT
Well traditionally in season openers, the teams that opt for a more conservative strategy are the ones who know they might not have the ultimate pace.
Back in those refueling days, I remember McLaren (in early 2000s) always going in with full tanks compared to Ferraris half tanks in a bid to keep up with them later on in the race.
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Post by Wß on Mar 13, 2018 13:08:28 GMT
There were a few times that we heard over the testing days that Mercedes were doing "rolling burnouts" driving through pit lane and I wanted to discuss this since it was never delved deeper into. Now I have a very good idea at what a rolling burnout is, why a team would do that (only Mercedes) is open for debate, but we saw lots and lots of pictures with the Merc's tires absolutely blistered to the brink.
So my thought of what a rolling burnout is; Mercedes in the middle of a stint would pit and then launch through the lane, doing the same kinds of burnout we all grew up as kids doings. Is my interpretation of this off base? In the years I've been following the sport I've never heard is reported of a team doing something like this.
I ask, because the tire choices per driver for Melbourne are released now and the tea leaves are ripe for the reading. I'm thinking we're going to have another 2011, 2013, 2015 type of season on our hands.
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Post by dogued on Mar 14, 2018 4:09:56 GMT
From what I have seen reported, all teams were having blistering issues with the bottom 3 compounds due to the new surface at the track. Nobody was really concerned because they would be using Medium and Hard for the race here anyway. Mercedes though were the only team that seemed to be looking at ways to temper the blistering and control it, so perhaps the burnouts were a way of reducing rubber to clear blisters or to heat up the tyre and cause blisters the following few laps? Either way, this is Mercedes; everything they do is for a reason that might not seem clear now, but will make sense somewhere in the season.
On another note, it's going to be interesting if Haas really have pulled themselves up to a top 4/5 team. There will be plenty of speculation all through the paddock about the amount of Ferrari parts and intel Haas use and just how blurred the line is getting on customer cars.
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Post by London on Mar 14, 2018 20:03:18 GMT
AMuS suggested that they were trying to explore the thermal limits of the softer compounds. Vettel suggested that they were trying to influence Pirelli to get them in the direction that suits their car best. Bottas said that they had issues with blistering on the softer compounds.
Whether this was for testing or political reasons, to put pressure on Pirelli and to obligate them to bring more harder compounds in race week, is something only them will know at the moment. After all and historically Mercedes is known for having problem with the softer compounds.
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Post by London on Mar 14, 2018 20:08:22 GMT
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Post by Hammer on Mar 15, 2018 3:23:13 GMT
So who is this?
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Post by London on Mar 15, 2018 17:12:47 GMT
Jenna-Louise Coleman
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Post by Wß on Mar 15, 2018 17:26:26 GMT
Jenna-Louise Coleman Hammer You might recognize her better in this pic.
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Post by Wß on Mar 15, 2018 23:20:39 GMT
Australians don't have much in the way of luck getting their guys on the podium here. Will Ricciardo finally get in there?
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Post by London on Mar 16, 2018 19:31:26 GMT
Usually I would say no but there is too many unknow at this stage to me. It will depend about his qualifying performance mainly as usual, If he's in the top 4 on saturday, he will have a good chance as he knows how to raise his game on sunday. If we have a wet qualifying/race, you can put him on the podium, 100% sure on this side.
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Post by Frontrunner on Mar 19, 2018 0:02:09 GMT
Australians don't have much in the way of luck getting their guys on the podium here. Will Ricciardo finally get in there? Seems Mark Webber used up all the luck back in 2002 for that 5th finish for Minardi, ever since then the Oz GP hasn't been too good for the Aussie driver's. Also watch for Brendon Hartley, Kiwis perform very well Aussie soil, just look at all the multiple beatings they give us in rugby.
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Post by Wß on Mar 19, 2018 0:16:43 GMT
Australians don't have much in the way of luck getting their guys on the podium here. Will Ricciardo finally get in there? Seems Mark Webber used up all the luck back in 2002 for that 5th finish for Minardi, ever since then the Oz GP hasn't been too good for the Aussie driver's. Also watch for Brendon Hartley, Kiwis perform very well Aussie soil, just look at all the multiple beatings they give us in rugby. I was going to like this but I didn't want to rub salt on the wound.
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Post by Frontrunner on Mar 19, 2018 1:11:15 GMT
Seems Mark Webber used up all the luck back in 2002 for that 5th finish for Minardi, ever since then the Oz GP hasn't been too good for the Aussie driver's. Also watch for Brendon Hartley, Kiwis perform very well Aussie soil, just look at all the multiple beatings they give us in rugby. I was going to like this but I didn't want to rub salt on the wound. Its normal for us. When it comes to Rugby its a foregone conclusion.
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Post by dogued on Mar 19, 2018 10:37:35 GMT
Australians don't have much in the way of luck getting their guys on the podium here. Will Ricciardo finally get in there? Seems Mark Webber used up all the luck back in 2002 for that 5th finish for Minardi, ever since then the Oz GP hasn't been too good for the Aussie driver's. Also watch for Brendon Hartley, Kiwis perform very well Aussie soil. And Lewis Hamilton, for the same reson, just look at all the multiple beatings NZ and ENG give us in rugby. Fixed it for you
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Post by Wß on Mar 21, 2018 14:04:37 GMT
This engaging new and younger viewers thing of Liberty Media has gone too far.
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