Will ANYONE finish R1 Melbourne?

[wdave0]

Originally Posted by fourWheelDrift

Which is kind of the point really, the new rules mean building an F1 car that complies with the regulations, is reasonably quick and makes it to the end of the race is an interesting challenge once again instead of being taken for granted with the competitive edge coming from minute differences. In many ways that's a return to the F1 I knew in my youth and I'm looking forward to it.

Of course it may not be like that for long, maybe just the first few races.

There were also those additional elements of driver skill to go fast without breaking the fragile car and to nurse a partly broken one.

[NaBUru38]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

Reminiscent of the 1982 Monaco GP?

Wow, I had never heard of that race finish! That was funny.

[Tucky]

Nearly everyone thinks someone will finish the race, but I reckon there's quite a high probability that one or two of the cars won't complete the formation lap (thinking one of the renault engine cars)

[fourWheelDrift]

Originally Posted by Tucky

Nearly everyone thinks someone will finish the race, but I reckon there's quite a high probability that one or two of the cars won't complete the formation lap (thinking one of the renault engine cars)

Quite likely I'd say, far more likely than having no finishers, it's happened many times before as have cars expiring after the formation lap and before the start or at the precise moment of dropping the clutch. Peugeot engines anybody?

[qwertyuiop]

Qualifying should be fun as well!

[Alfaholic]

With the problems some of the teams were having in testing, some may have trouble making it to the start line, let alone the finish.

I expect there to be less than 10 cars running at the end although the official results may show more than that as classified finishers.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Alfaholic

With the problems some of the teams were having in testing, some may have trouble making it to the start line, let alone the finish.

I expect there to be less than 10 cars running at the end although the official results may show more than that as classified finishers.

I'd love to see an attritional race.

[Tucky]

The way things are going, you're going to see 20 attritional races

[Richard C]

Originally Posted by qwertyuiop

Qualifying should be fun as well!

I was thinking the same. Practice and qualifying should be interesting. It could be a very entertaining season! I can't wait for the first race.

Richard

[Marbot]

Horner reckons that Mercedes will lap the entire field - twice!

http://www1.skysports.com/f1/news/12...-australian-gp

That's got to be worth watching, even if you don't like F1!

[aki13]

I honestly think between 6-10 cars will finish.

Could be less, could be more.

Not long to wait though. Practice might give us more of a clue. If cars are stopping all over the place and having to return to the pits every 10-20 laps, then we could be in for some carnage.

[vodka]

But the sad thing will be qualification later in the season, as half of the field will definately be used their engines and gearboxes available. There will be 5-10 grid penalties all over the place.

[Richard C]

Originally Posted by vodka

But the sad thing will be qualification later in the season, as half of the field will definitely be used their engines and gearboxes available. There will be 5-10 grid penalties all over the place.

I agree. And it will be interesting if in general the Renault teams have a horrible start of the season, but then get their act together mid-season, but have to then deal with exceeding drive-train allocations.

I can already see how someone (Vettel) might actually start putting in top qualifying performances in the second half of the season, but then get pushed back due to allocation penalties. It will be an entirely new thing for everyone to *****, complain and shout about how unfair it is (as if everyone didn't understand the implications of reliability and allocations going into the season).

Richard

PS: Looking forward to the standard Melbourne race thread!

[miatanut]

Originally Posted by Marbot

Horner reckons that Mercedes will lap the entire field - twice!

http://www1.skysports.com/f1/news/12...-australian-gp

That's got to be worth watching, even if you don't like F1!

From Engine Controversy thread:

Originally Posted by Marbot

Most engineers, even the ones at Mercedes, are saying that engine/ERS cooling will be the main concern for next season. So, a 100bhp advantage isn't of much use if the thing boils like a kettle halfway through the race. That 100bhp advantage may be completely knocked on the head if the Mercedes engined cars have to run more cooling and therefore more drag.

The other thing, of course, is that higher outright power is not good for fuel economy. I also have a feeling that these messages are put out in order to make other engine manufacturers believe that they are working on the wrong thing.

Renault lacking both reliability and pace. Maybe Mercedes has done a better job getting more useful energy out of the petrol?

[wnut]

Originally Posted by miatanut

From Engine Controversy thread:


Renault lacking both reliability and pace. Maybe Mercedes has done a better job getting more useful energy out of the petrol?

At this point RBR must be tempted to scrap the KERS system and turn the engine down to low boost and try an economy run and a war of attrition! The fuel usage without KERS shouldn't be difficult to map.

Perhaps this is what Newey means about Merc finishing two laps ahead!

So I guess, yes someone will definitely finish!

[321Go]

Charlie Whiting: “First of all I’d like to say that I think a lot of these Doomsday scenarios are quite unlikely, knowing F1 teams and how efficient they actually are."

“But if it came to the situation where no cars were running we’d just simply stop the race, because there wouldn’t be much of one, would there?"

"But being serious I think that would be the only option. If the race couldn’t be restarted, as the rules say, then the results would be declared at the lap prior to the one during which the race was stopped, and whoever was running at that time would be the winner."

"If it became clear that there wasn’t a race any more, because there were no cars on the track, I think we would stop the race, because there wouldn’t be much else to do, really. It’s not something that’s foreseen by the rules, and obviously it’s something that we hope doesn’t happen.”

“I’m not sure we should really be talking about this, I stress I think it’s highly unlikely, knowing the professionalism of the teams! But once they started dropping like flies I think the ones that thought they’d stopped – because they don’t have to officially retire of course, they can come back out again – they might think hang on minute, I might get something here, let’s get this old girl going again and get back out there…”

[miatanut]

Originally Posted by 321Go

Charlie Whiting:
“I’m not sure we should really be talking about this, I stress I think it’s highly unlikely, knowing the professionalism of the teams! But once they started dropping like flies I think the ones that thought they’d stopped – because they don’t have to officially retire of course, they can come back out again – they might think hang on minute, I might get something here, let’s get this old girl going again and get back out there…”

Endurance racing attitude in F1!

[aki13]

Starting to think more and more that 10-15 will finish.

I agree that I just cant imagine the teams not getting things together.

[Adam43]

Basically Charlie Whiting went *sigh* and then thought I guess I best humour this simpleton.

[TrapezeArtist]

I see 40-50% of cars finishing, but some will have the wick turned well down. Performance is going to be spread much wider than in previous years, though not as bad as appeared in testing.

For the first few races I will find the issues of reliability and speed v economy a perfectly entertaining way to spend a Sunday afternoon. If it drags on to later in the season I will probably get fed up with it and wish for some proper, close, balls-out racing.

[Tucky]

One interesting point would be how many laps down will the last running car be? I reckon it'll remain at 2 laps, but could easily be more

[321Go]

Well, apparently Charlie is wrong, and the race cannot be stopped if there's no cars running. It must reach the minimum time of 2 hours before it can be stopped. Interesting.

Looks like it could be a race for the team mechanics to see who can get their cars repaired and back out on track.

[wnut]

Hamilton broken down without completing a lap at turn 9 in free practice 1!

[F1Pete]

http://www.f1reader.com/news/race-to...squs_container

[marc sproule]

as i said on another forum in response to a "countdown to melbourne" thread, perhaps it should be referred to as the "meltdown in melbourne".

obviously things will get better as the season progresses, but until then it will probably be rather ugly for a lot of people.

discussion on american tv about the amount of time it takes to effect changes/fixes on the new cars.

in the meantime "le mans" the movie is just in its final stages on the turner movie channel.

nice to have something to fill in the time when there's nothing happening on
track in melbourne.

and just as i was going to post this ricciardo completed the first timed lap of all the cars.

how ironic.