The Official 2014 Australian GP Chat and Predictions

Just imagine...

Williams resurgence + Massa rejuvenation combined with Mercedes being as good as it seems and Red-Bull out of the equation.

We could end up with a year where Massa and Hamilton are in a year long fight for the championship that culminates with Hamilton pulling off an overtake on the last lap of the last lap of the last race to win the championship even though Massa wins the race.

 

pfft, like that will ever happen, sounds more like movie plot

 

[video=youtube;pJY5delMQmQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJY5delMQmQ&list=PLRxrbCE1Aqj_1b4nDDOK4O_9 6iSPx5N64&index=2[/video]

 

Edited.

 

Some would view that as sweet payback

 

Formula 1.com reporting that the Ferrari is a second a lap behind the Mercedes and 0.7 behind the Williams.


"The feeling within Ferrari right now is that the F14 T lacks grip and isn’t yet a match for the Mercedes or maybe even the Williams, but that there is more performance to extract. After a relatively slow start, Fernando Alonso began pushing for more speed, while every time Kimi Raikkonen climbed aboard the new car - named after a poll of the Scuderia’s fans - it seemed to break on him. Thus while Alonso was desperate to see where they fit in relative to their rivals in the final Bahrain test, Raikkonen was looking for his first race simulation. Both drivers have managed this, but even allowing for the usual testing caveats regarding fuel loads - plus the new ones of turbo boost and ERS mapping - it seems that the latest Prancing Horse is close to a second off the pace of the Mercedes and around seven-tenths slower than the Williams."


Force India and McLaren won't be 0.7 slower than a Williams.

 

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Massa+Raikkonen
Alonso+Raikkonen

Both seeing over the driver that nicks the title from under their feet?

 

THE moments before the start of the Australian Grand Prix are not given to reflection. For drivers, pit crews, teams owners and fans alike, everything is focused on what lies ahead; the first corner, a new race, a new season shimmering in the haze of idling engines.

Sunday’s race will be different. Shortly before the start, a simple message for a celebrated and critically ill champion will flash on to the big screens around the Albert Park circuit; a tribute to Michael Schumacher and message of support for this family

 

Yay F1 starts this week

 

Whose cars will go pop? I honestly can't wait for this race, it's going to be epic. I predict at least one of the Red Bulls will expire in qualifying. You heard it here first.

 

I expect both to!

 

Everyone has talked about how many cars will not finish the race, I wonder how many won't qualify at all, either due to failures or lack of pace. Could be a very much reduced field that takes the start.

 

If Red bull don't make the 107% pace in qualifying (and in free practice) do you think the FIA will allow them on the grid?

 

They shouldn't, but it wouldn't surprise me. If they do and then don't do the same for everyone it will stink. I wonder if they might be tempted if there only 10 cars on the grid.

Given their lack of pace and reliability though, I don't know that they would get far anyway. I think Red Bull will recover in time, I don't see why they should be given any favours if they are struggling early on, especially if they are back at the front later in the season.

 

In the past they've not let HRT in for being so slow and showing no pace in practice so there is a chance if a team is god awful. That said, the likes of Red Bull are a big name so they'd probably be allowed in if they are remotely passable. I think its down to the teams to decide if they let others race anyways.

 

I'm expecting a very uninteresting racing, with all teams using the whole weekend as an extra testing session; the only objective being to complete the distance without actually racing. If any teams do fail it will probably be through over-confidence. "You heard it here first", (or maybe not).

 

You may well be right that teams will be very cautious, but the fact is that in the test sessions we have already had, some teams have shown themselves to be in the order of 4 seconds a lap faster than others, and that they can complete race distances. So even if everybody turns it down to 80-90% maximum performance there will still be clear winners and losers.

You can't rule out reliability issues for any of the teams yet of course, but if they happen I'm not sure over-confidence will have been to blame.

 

I hope it doesn't rain on race day. I want a dry race!

 

Usually I love the wet (but not to wet, full wet tyres means red flag these days), but I just want some dry races to start this year.

 

I wouldn't mind a wet Bahrain race...