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Grand Prix thread The GP Down Under

Discussion in 'Formula 1' started by ched999uk, Apr 7, 2022.

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Who will finish first?

Poll closed Apr 9, 2022.
  1. Charles Leclerc

    30.0%
  2. Carlos Sainz

    30.0%
  3. Max Verstappen

    30.0%
  4. Sergio Perez

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  5. Lewis Hamilton

    10.0%
  6. George Russell

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  7. Daniel Ricciardo

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  8. Lando Norris

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  9. Fernando Alonso

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  10. Any Other

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  1. ched999uk

    ched999uk Well-Known Member

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    So after 2 years finally F1 is back at the revised Albert Park!!!

    HEINEKEN AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX 2022
    58 laps of the 5.278-kilometre Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit

    08th April Practice 1 04:00 - 05:00
    08th April Practice 2 07:00 - 08:00
    09th April Practice 3 04:00 - 05:00
    09th April Qualifying 07:00 - 08:00
    10th April Race 06:00 - 08:00

    All times are UK times

    Poll closes during Quali.

    please log in to view this image

    Thanks to TopClass for the above image.
     
    #1
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  2. SgtBhaji

    SgtBhaji Well-Known Member

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    Think it has to be Max again here. Certainly not going to jinx the Scuderia by whacking a vote there.

    Been busy af lately. And word on Merc updates anywhere?
     
    #2
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  3. TopClass

    TopClass Well-Known Member

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    Think Red Bull might be tough to beat here but hoping Carlos Sainz can grab that first win and release that pressure he’s putting on himself. Cracking driver and has performed very well against Verstappen, Norris and Le Clerc - not a bad CV he is building and hope he gets in the title fight.
     
    #3
  4. moreinjuredthanowen

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    I'm going ferrari.

    I think the new track design and some of the corners will lend themselves to the ferrari traction out of corners.

    The flowing 6 to 11 may favour red bull but jeddah showed ferrari were simply way better through that one slow section at turn 1/2. I feel there's enough here for ferrari to use that traction and better cornering to get pole.

    The 4 Dr's zones and the fact turn 11 is now set up as a Dr's passing fest might make this a verstappen sitting duck race for ferrari but I'll back le clerc here.
     
    #4
  5. Mark Blow

    Mark Blow Well-Known Member

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    Interesting first practice.

    026F1C5E-78C4-4806-B545-3441E3487296.png
     
    #5
  6. TopClass

    TopClass Well-Known Member

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    Ferrari look like they’ve got excellent traction again and such a good sharp front end.

    Red Bull are closer than it looks on times- should be close tomorrow for pole.

    Alpine had a decent session to be fair - they look good.
     
    #6
  7. moreinjuredthanowen

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    P2 gives me full confidence in my choice.

    This is not suddenly a low downforce dragstrip. It is still a high downforces good traction and cornering track.

    Ferrari easy win imo.
     
    #7
  8. El_Bando

    El_Bando Can't remember, where was I?
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    Are Alpine possibly ahead of mercedes for this race? They were pretty close in the last one
     
    #8
  9. SgtBhaji

    SgtBhaji Well-Known Member

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    Hard to say, but if Merc haven't managed to bring any serious updates, they seem unlikely to go forward here, and possibly backwards.
     
    #9
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  10. SgtBhaji

    SgtBhaji Well-Known Member

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  11. Justjazz

    Justjazz Well-Known Member

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    I agree with the choice of Ferrari. Merc, I think do their own thing in practice and if they have upgrades they will be analysing rather than testing performance. In any event I don't see them catching up anytime soon. At best it will be some time yet, possibly late May, before they will be challenging for the lead, if in fact they do at all. There many issues to be addressed by them. I don't want Redbull to dominate so def with go with a Ferrari, not sure which one yet.
     
    #11
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  12. moreinjuredthanowen

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    It seems merc have not brought anything here deliberately. They could have written off the long haul away trip here cos 5th and 6th is best top hope for and bigger package of changes part sis coming
     
    #12
  13. Big Ern

    Big Ern Lord, Master, Guru & Emperor

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    McLaren seem to have made a step in the right direction, could they get both cars into Q3?
     
    #13
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  14. moreinjuredthanowen

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    Who knows.

    Tbh I was unkind thinking their p1 time was just indication the other cars had massive time in the bag.

    Quali tells all I suppose.
     
    #14
  15. TopClass

    TopClass Well-Known Member

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    Under Seidl McLaren have usually been very methodical and sensible on Fridays and had time in hand through the PU turning up on a Saturday.

    With the new E10 fuel and Merc powered cars being a bit down on top speed, I’m unsure if we will see them improve tomorrow or drop back a bit, it’s a bit odd whilst we understand the Merc PU a bit more.

    I hope they do but let’s see!
     
    #15
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  16. ched999uk

    ched999uk Well-Known Member

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    I believe PU and fuel is now homologated so no changes unless it's reliability and then approved. I do wonder if Merc just got the fuel wrong, i.e. the others have found legal additives that somehow compensate for the E10?
    I think only physical changes they can make are MHUK, energy store and maybe control electronics but that's only one design change and before August I think.
    Definitely seems like all Merc powered teams are suffering, so logically it's PU and the fuel? Hope they can find some mapping that gives them a boost.
     
    #16
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  17. moreinjuredthanowen

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    I dont know but the speed trap times at jeddah were not disastrous so I do think there's a lot of time in the cars if they can get the stability.
     
    #17
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  18. SgtBhaji

    SgtBhaji Well-Known Member

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    Poor Vettel is having no manner of luck at all this season.
     
    #18
  19. SgtBhaji

    SgtBhaji Well-Known Member

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    Is there anything positive to say about the Merc other than it has small sidepods?
     
    #19
  20. SgtBhaji

    SgtBhaji Well-Known Member

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    Could be worse.. could be Aston Martin
     
    #20

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