[Race] 2014 Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix

[Knowlesy]

Oh dear Lewis.

[JustGav]

Numbers on the cars are really hard to find! Any worse than last year?

[rob28]

Live timing doesn't have times any more - just coloured dots to show sector status. White, green, purple etc. Not ideal.
And not ideal for LH either. A Red Bull currently fastest and the first failure is a Merc - who'd have thought it.

[wnut]

Originally Posted by JustGav

Hamilton already stopped on circuit

Floor pan is off Vettel's RBR!

[wnut]

Really like the way that the cars are moving around with less downforce!

[Hawkwood]

Originally Posted by wnut

Really like the way that the cars are moving around with less downforce!

+1
Finally it seems the 'best drivers in the world' will have difficult cars to drive.
Should be entertaining

[wnut]

Originally Posted by Hawkwood

+1
Finally it seems the 'best drivers in the world' will have difficult cars to drive.
Should be entertaining

The bumps in the circuit seem to be doing their work too!

[JustGav]

So looking at the in car of Button - he was only pulling about 11000 RPM on a flying lap. Would this be true? Rev limit is set at 15000 and they are turbo cars. How much are they holding back?

[flor]

There is no point in revving higher, since the fuel flow is limited

[Knowlesy]

Revs will be much lower with these engines.

You can certainly see the reduced downforce. Understeer and oversteer all over the place.

[wnut]

Originally Posted by JustGav

So looking at the in car of Button - he was only pulling about 11000 RPM on a flying lap. Would this be true? Rev limit is set at 15000 and they are turbo cars. How much are they holding back?

The Mercedes guys reckoned they would be using a maximum of 12000 rpm.

[321Go]

FP1 results. Alonso tops the time sheets!




FP1 review, by Autosport.com.

[andy_b]

2014 F1 Spotter Guide is up by the way

www.spotterguides.com

[321Go]

Well that was short lived. Red Bull Racing are back!

[Armco Bender]

he was only pulling about 11000 RPM

My Gran gets 11000 rpm in first gear when she's going to the shop.

[TheNo1F1Fan]

Originally Posted by andy_b

2014 F1 Spotter Guide is up by the way

www.spotterguides.com

[Armco Bender]

The cars sound like DFV's and I think I saw a powerslide...............'70s flashback.

[NinnyMan]

Originally Posted by wnut

Really like the way that the cars are moving around with less downforce!

Now if we can just get them to sound like F1 cars again....all will be right with the world : )
Pretty embarrassing when the celebrity cars almost sound louder then the F1's.

But seriously they certainly don't have that sound that made them unique. More like a sports car sound.

[Moneyseeker]

The shots from onboard cameras sounded like the Hybrid LMP1 cars.

[321Go]

The sound was awesome at the track today. I love it. Yes, it's not as 'loud' as it was last year, but I actually like the engine sounds the cars make. Especially the Mercedes engine cars. The note is very modern, but still a throwback to the V6 turbo days from the 70's.

I think if the FIA changed the regulations so that the engine volume could be turned up in 2015, it should make the rednecks a little happier. There was a few people there today with a missing tooth or two carrying on about the lack of engine note. Last seen on horse back riding into the sunset.

[321Go]

Autosport review of FP2. Lewis makes a comeback. And the Red Bull's surprised everyone.

[wolfhound]

While we might have an idea about how fast and reliable the different cars are we don't have much information on how the power to fuel consumption ratio's are. That is going to be one of the more interesting aspects to the first few races. Evan cars with the same engine could be quite different due different aero and chassis setup.
I suspect it will take a few races to figure out who has done the best job in relation to fuel consumption.
Also Melbourne has a habit of not being an accurate guide to the seasons form book as sometimes teams who are strong there may not be quite so strong on the Tilke tracks.

[aki13]

It looks remarkably like Red Bull have gotten over their problems and are quite fast. So much for that then.

As for the others it seems as though most have solved the issues.

I think there was a lot of dooms day scenarios perhaps which actually have been overcome.

What do you guys think? Is it going to be a lot more normal than we thought?

[wolfhound]

Originally Posted by aki13

It looks remarkably like Red Bull have gotten over their problems and are quite fast. So much for that then.

As for the others it seems as though most have solved the issues.

I think there was a lot of dooms day scenarios perhaps which actually have been overcome.

What do you guys think? Is it going to be a lot more normal than we thought?

I always suspect the RB would be fast when held together. I suspect we will see only about half the cars finishing in Australia if you look at free practice there are still lots of reliability issues around.

[Marbot]

Originally Posted by 321Go

And the Red Bull's surprised everyone.

Except for themselves, probably.

All it needed was for Renault to get their act together (they usually do) and Red Bull find themselves with a car that, given its lack of running in winter testing, is not a million miles away from Mercedes.

'Do not attempt to adjust your TV. Normal service will be resumed as soon as possible.'

Of course, the 'proof of the pudding' will be how far one of these cars can go on 100 Kgs of fuel without having to resort to coasting downhill in neutral.