.:: 2011 Australian GP - 25-26-27 March ::.

.:: 2011 QANTAS AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX ::.

Welcome to the 2011 Australian GP Thread. cjek and mjk1 will keep the thread updated with the latest times as they happen.

RANDOM FACT

Sebastian Vettel is still yet to even finish a Grand Prix in Australia.

CIRCUIT STATS

2011 Race Number: 1
Circuit Event Number: 16
Circuit Length: 3.295 miles
Number of Laps: 58
Lap Record: 1:24.125 (M.Schumacher, 2004)

2010 Podium:
1. Jenson Button (McLaren)
2. Robert Kubica (Renault)
3. Felipe Massa (Ferrari)

POINTS OF DISCUSSION

1. A little later than usual, Formula One returns for 2011 - do you feel it's better that the season starts in Australia?
2. Pirelli step in for the new season as the tyre suppliers - with their much quicker graining tyres, do you expect some strange results during the races or will normal service resume, just with more pit stops?
3. The 107% qualifying rule returns, however very rarely did any of the new teams actually fail to complete this last year - will anyone fall foul of the rule?
4. There has been a lot of talk recently about the Australian GP potentially being lost in the near future - right or wrong move?
5. There were some rather impressive performances over winter testing by the likes of Sauber, Williams and Toro Rosso - could any of these teams look to impress in the constructors battle this year?
6. McLaren's winter testing has been somewhat mired with problems - how long do you think it will take for them to be fighting at the front?
7. Which of the new drivers are you expecting the most from: Pastor Maldonado (Williams), Paul di Resta (Force India), Sergio Perez (Sauber) or Jerome D'Ambrosio (Virgin)?
8. With a fresh start, can Felipe Massa shake off the "number two" tagline he gained last year?
9. Five World Champions on the grid... can any add another title to their name, or will a sixth man join the group?

SCHEDULE FOR WEEKEND (All times UK)

Friday 25 March: Practice one - 0130-0300; Practice two - 0530-0700

Saturday 26 March: Practice three - 0300-0400; Qualifying - 0600-0700

Sunday 27 March: Race - 0700

WEEKEND WEATHER

FRIDAY: Cloudy, Max. 16 deg. cent.
SATURDAY: Cloudy, Max. 16 deg. cent.
SUNDAY: Cloudy, Max. 16 deg. cent.

PRESS CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

THURSDAY:Fernando Alonso (Ferrari), Narain Karthikeyan (HRT), Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber), Pastor Maldonado (Williams), Mark Webber (Red Bull).

FRIDAY:Nick Heidfeld (Renault), Sergio Perez (Sauber), Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull), Paul di Resta (Force India), Jerome D'Ambrosio (Virgin).

QUALIFYING:Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull), Lewis Hamilton (McLaren), Mark Webber (Red Bull).

RACE:Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull), Lewis Hamilton (McLaren), Vitaly Petrov (Renault).

BBC PRESENTS: 2011 Australian Grand Prix

PREVIOUS SESSIONS
FP1
FP2
Quali
Race
Forum

I hope Sauber can do something this year, the second driver needs to give Kobayashi some support in getting the points. Exciting times potentially ahead for this team if they can get a decent car package together and the tactics about right. Toro Roso are a team I feel needs to pick up the pace as will Red Bull back them if they keep slipping backwards?

Hispania are the team I expect will struggle to qualify for every race but here is hoping they do. I really want this team to make the end of the season but again they are the team I have my doubts about. Virgin and Lotus have picked up better cars and seem to be improving. Hispania need to stop the revolving door with drivers and need a decent backer and then maybe some progress can be made. No testing again is a problem presumably, even more so with parts being stuck at customs as an excuse.

1. A little later than usual, Formula One returns for 2011 - do you feel it's better that the season starts in Australia?
   Australia brings a far more exciting race into the mix. The track is quite low grip and offers plenty of challenge to the teams and drivers. For these reasons I am happy that the season opener is back in Aussie.
   
2. Pirelli step in for the new season as the tyre suppliers - with their much quicker graining tyres, do you expect some strange results during the races or will normal service resume, just with more pit stops?
   Kobayashi has made use of some very strange pit stop tactics last year and he may be able to work his magic again. Everyone has the same tyres given to them so it's down to the teams and drivers how to best make use of them.
   
3. The 107% qualifying rule returns, however very rarely did any of the new teams actually fail to complete this last year - will anyone fall foul of the rule?
   The untested Hispania may well fall foul... it'll be intersting to watch the situation unfold.
   
4. There has been a lot of talk recently about the Australian GP potentially being lost in the near future - right or wrong move?
   Wrong move times infinity. It'd be great if a good purpose built circuit was available but I do love Melbourne's race as is, it just needs to be more financially viable.
   
5. There were some rather impressive performances over winter testing by the likes of Sauber, Williams and Toro Rosso - could any of these teams look to impress in the constructors battle this year?
   Likely to be glory runs. Sauber ran underweight last year to attract sponsors.... maybe again? Toro Rosso has brought back an old Ferrari aerodynamic idea from the 80's the "double floor". Toro Rosso might have made a step forward. Williams I think will be a solid mid-fielder once again, their development pace mid-year seems to be their archilles heel in years gone by. Everyone wants to see more action at the front of the field so if these guys were closer to the front it'd only make things better.
    
6. McLaren's winter testing has been somewhat mired with problems - how long do you think it will take for them to be fighting at the front?
   If they're as hindered as some think it will be another 2009 for McLaren. A car dogged with problems but truckloads of potential. It will be interesting to see how they go. I'm thinking it wont be until the start of the european season that they will come back. IF that is they are off the pace.
   
7. Which of the new drivers are you expecting the most from: Pastor Maldonado (Williams), Paul di Resta (Force India), Sergio Perez (Sauber) or Jerome D'Ambrosio (Virgin)?
   di Resta has be vying for a seat for a long time and done well in DTM, is he what everyone believes? I think he has the most weight on his shoulders. I too expect him to do well and if he falls short.... The other three drivers are less proven in my opinion.
   
8. With a fresh start, can Felipe Massa shake off the "number two" tagline he gained last year?
   No. I don't think Massa will ever hold a clear number 1 status in any team. He doesn't have a strong enough mentality to pull it off in my opinion. He may race somewhere after Ferrari but if he does I don't think he will enforce himself as a number 1. He might be quicker than his teammate but he's not the personality for it.
   
9. Five World Champions on the grid... can any add another title to their name, or will a sixth man join the group?
   In my opinion only Massa, Rosberg and Webber are in cars potentially capable of winning a title. It just so happens they all have world champion teammates...

I usually lurk in this union; part because I fail next to you guys when comparing knowledge about F1 in general, but mostly because I like the informed disscussions you guys have.

I was really busy during the off-season with college and couldn't get all the info about testing. All I know is McLaren not as fast as the Red Bull or the Ferrari. 

Can someone please give me a quick run-down the new drivers?

Can someone please give me a quick run-down the new drivers?janti_hakouz

I thought I'd done my driver profiles on here. Whoopsy. Anywhoos, you can find them here.

I usually lurk in this union; part because I fail next to you guys when comparing knowledge about F1 in general, but mostly because I like the informed disscussions you guys have.

I was really busy during the off-season with college and couldn't get all the info about testing. All I know is McLaren not as fast as the Red Bull or the Ferrari. 

Can someone please give me a quick run-down the new drivers?

janti_hakouz

I think the most we (by that I mean me :D) can conclude from winter testing is this:

Red Bull are quickest and reliable.
Ferrari are also quick and reliable and have racked up the most mileage.

After the top two things get messy.

Mecedes and Renault are, in my opinion, next quickest pace wise but have had reliability troubles as well as problems with getting the performance out of the car.

Williams, Toro Rosso, Sauber and McLaren are, in my opinion, in a group that will fight in the midfield (based on their winter pace - should teams bring updates to Melbourne things may well change.) McLaren of this lot have had the least mileage and ONLY ahead of Virgin, Lotus and Hispania in the mileage stakes and this may cause them trouble - especially if they continue to try radical solutions with their exhausts. Williams, Toro Rosso and Sauber have all had flashes of speed and all have different and quite novel technical solutions so there may be some surprises here.

Force India and Team Lotus are next up. Force India have been quite a bit more reliable than the Lotuses.

Virgin and Hispania will once again bring up the rear only we have no idea how the Hispania will perform.

Thank you Redders for the link, but it links to the Bahrain GP and it's broken.

Thanks KimisApprentice!

What about the KERS system? Do all the teams use it now? Anyone had problems with it like Ferrari in 2009?

Thank you Redders for the link, but it links to the Bahrain GP and it's broken.

Thanks KimisApprentice!

What about the KERS system? Do all the teams use it now? Anyone had problems with it like Ferrari in 2009?

janti_hakouz

KERS is used (I think) on all teams running Renault, Ferrari and Mercedes engines with Williams running KERS on the Cosworth. However I'm not 100% sure whether Team Lotus will running KERS yet.

2011 Australian Grand Prix - Practice One

2011 Australian Grand Prix - Practice Two

Wait.. what.. McLaren?

I am sure this is just a glorious way of allowing the oposition to be lulled into a false sense of security, then like a panther, they will strike at Hispania?

Right? Guys.....? Am I right? Guys..................?

Well either Red Bull and Ferrari were sandbagging or those McLaren tweaks have done the trick. Maybe they were sandbagging in the testing :lol: I know you can't read too much into the practice times but the season is suddenly looking a whole lot more hopeful from a McLaren and Hamilton fans perspective :DSadPSPAddict

If the 107% rule was in practice...

Practice 1 - Eliminated
Jerome D'Ambrosio (Virgin)
Timo Glock (Virgin)
Narain Karthikeyan (HRT)
Vitantonio Liuzzi (HRT)

*Karun Chandhok is not a race driver.

Practice 2 - Eliminated
Jerome D'Ambrosio (Virgin)
Timo Glock (Virgin)
Narain Karthikeyan (HRT)
Vitantonio Liuzzi (HRT)

Practice 3 - Eliminated
Pastor Maldonado (Williams)
Jerome D'Ambrosio (Virgin)
Narain Karthikeyan (HRT)
Vitantonio Liuzzi (HRT)

DNQ:

Narain Karthikeyan (HRT)
Vitantonio Liuzzi (HRT)

Ok, is anybody else her getting a feeling Hispania are going to be the next Lola Mastercard?

I want this team to work out but their lack of car testing and a DNQ on the opening race is not going to get sponsors wanting to invest cash into the team. They need to sort something out but I think we will see sponsorship pull out soon if they can not get their car to the grid for the race. if Tata pull out of the team they are probably looking at not making the next race even. :sad:

HISPANIA NOT ALLOWED TO RACE

Vitantonio Liuzzi and Narain Karthikeyan will not be allowed to race in the Australian Grand Prix after the FIA refused a request from HRT to let them race.

Neither driver managed to get within 107 per cent of Sebastian Vettel's fastest time from Q1, which meant they did not officially qualify.

However, HRT lodged a request with the FIA to be allowed to take part because of 'exceptional circumstances'.

Following deliberation by the stewards on Saturday night, the FIA decided not to allow the cars in.

HRT has had a difficult weekend, with Liuzzi's car only being readied for an installation lap on Friday and Karthikeyan only getting out in the closing stages of third practice.

In Q1, the 107% time was 1m31.266s - with Liuzzi managing just a 1m32.978s lap and Karthikeyan setting a 1m34.293s lap.

SOURCE: Autosport

But they have been, when on track, nothing but moving chicanes to be fair.

Feeling bad for Garfield, wombat and SadPS3Addict - already on -30 points. Ouch!

Yes that is true but they have been unable to test (which is their fault, I know) but I just feel like the team has the potential if they could get the car to get some pace. I mean they didnt do too bad last year with reliability, if they could make the end of races they could get a cheeky point here and there like Minardi did. I don't expect them to be a Red Bull, but I wanted a Minardi like team and none of the new teams have given me that. I loved Minardi for their defiant attitude which I am gettting similar vibes from Hispania (given how they have not got a major sponsor partner or manufacturer backing like Lotus and Virgin have).

Speaking of disapointing, Team Lotus have been pretty poor. I expected them to make the next qualifying session but it seems they are going to be the best of the rest again with Virgin being along with them in the also rans.

I am not sure why Martin Brundle is hating on Hispania already, what he said has some level of fairness but I do hope the team can continue on. The car needs some major work it seems but maybe the pace is there if they actually got around to testing the car.

RED BULL COY ON START-ONLY KERS TALK

Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner has refused to be drawn on speculation that his team has a start-only KERS on its car - but insists there is a good explanation for his drivers not using the power boost in qualifying.

The Albert Park paddock was full of talk on Saturday night about the reasons why neither Sebastian Vettel nor Mark Webber used their KERS during the battle for the top grid positions on Saturday.

Many rival teams were left baffled about the benefits of not taking advantage of the half tenth boost that KERS can bring on a qualifying lap - with talk that the decision was forced on the team through reliability fears, or that there was a strategic element based on gear ratios or tyre strategy.

One idea put forward was that Red Bull Racing was using a unique start-only KERS - which would be lighter and smaller than normal systems as it did not need to feature any on-board cooling or recharging elements.

The start-only system could in theory be charged in the pits before the race, therefore ensuring the drivers had use of the boost for the run down to the first corner.

Yet, even if the team does have a start-only system, it still does not explain why the team did not use it for its single use in qualifying.

Horner was reluctant to go into the reasons behind the decision not to run KERS - but said that it was a deliberate tactical move.

"Strategically we elected to not use KERS in the qualifying - it was a team decision," Horner said when asked by AUTOSPORT about the reasons behind the KERS decision. "But I'm not going to tell you what you are fishing for."

When asked if the team would be using KERS in the race itself, Horner again did not wish to disclose anything.

"You will have to wait and see and watch the television," he said. "I am not going to spoil the excitement."

Horner conceded that the time lost by not running KERS may well have cost Webber a spot on the front row, but said that there was a good explanation for why it was doing what it was doing.

"Everything we do has a reason behind it," he said.

SOURCE: Autosport

Oh great. 3/4 of my drivers out in the space of 5 minutes.

Maybe not. Glock's back out, apparently.

You can vote for your Driver of the Day and Star of the Day until 6:30PM BST tomorrow.

DotD: Perez. Knew he was something good watching him in GP2, but wowza, what a start.

SotD: Petrov. Completely impressed all weekend, and building on Abu Dhabi. Also, he was inspired after meeting me.

I take it that Hispania is the worst team (in the Predictions, I mean)?XSamFisherX

That'll only be for cars participating in the race. As with issues such as Ferrari in Hungary, if only one car competes then again, the team cannot be entered for worst team.

DotD: Perez, very impresive debut from him.

SotD: Petrov, he has shown the critics today why he is in F1.

Honorable mention to Vettel for once again having a good race and keeping himself ahead of the pack.

Sorry - need to copy :lol:

DotD: Perez - great debut and only one stop! WOW

SotD: Petrov - Come of age and showing what he can do. I predict he will win a race this season

Honourable mentions to McLaren and in particular Hamilton for being so competitive and hanging on to second despite the problem with the floor. It looked like Vettel's tyres went off quicker than Hamilton's which might make for closer racers at circuits that are harder on the tyres which can only be a good thing.

Also, as the BBC mentioned, having 3 different constructors on the podium with no obvious retirements/problems ( other than McLaren not telling Button to let Massa back straight away ) I think bodes well for the season.

Not a classic, but better than the season opener last year!!

DotD: Petrov

SotD: New regulations - they seemed to work well but not too well so.....

I must echo the others' sentiments,

DotD: Perez, a 1 stop on the tyres people thought would only ever last a 3rd of the way on the best of days so well done for making them last and holding on as well as he did.

SotD: Petrov, no doubt the greatest 1st race of the season up and down the paddock. Real pace and maturity from the young Russian.

Shame for Sauber after such a good race, especially Perez. I wonder how the rear wings passed scrutineering in the first place if they're illegal?

On another note, this puts Di Resta into the points :)

What cjek is talking about is...

SAUBER DISQUALIFIED FROM AUSTRALIAN GP

Sauber drivers Sergio Perez and Kamui Kobayashi have been disqualified from the Australian Grand Prix over a technical infringement.

Perez, making his grand prix debut, had finished in a strong seventh position, one place ahead of his Japanese team-mate Kobayashi.

After the race, however, the race stewards excluded both cars over the infringement of technical rules 3.10.1 and 3.10.2.

The infringement occurred in the uppermost rear wing element.

Article 3.10.1 reads: "Any bodywork more than 150mm behind the rear wheel centre line which is between 150mm and 730mm above the reference plane, and between 75mm and 355mm from the car centre line, must lie in an area when viewed from the side of the car that is situated between 150mm and 350mm behind the rear wheel centre line and between 300mm and 400mm above the reference plane. When viewed from the side of the car no longitudinal cross section may have more than one section in this area.

"Furthermore, no part of this section in contact with the external air stream may have a local concave radius of curvature smaller than 100mm.

"Once this section is defined, 'gurney' type trim tabs may be fitted to the trailing edge. When measured in any longitudinal cross section no dimension of any such trim tab may exceed 20mm."

3.10.2 states: "Other than the bodywork defined in Article 3.10.9, any bodywork behind a point lying 50mm forward of the rear wheel centre line which is more than 730mm above the reference plane, and less than 355mm from the car centre line, must lie in an area when viewed from the side of the car that is situated between the rear wheel centre line and a point 350mm behind it."

The exclusion of the Sauber drivers means Ferrari's Felipe Massa is elevated to seventh, ahead of Toro Rosso's Sebastien Buemi, and Force India duo Adrian Sutil and Paul di Resta.

SOURCE: Autosport

SAUBER LODGES NOTIFICATION TO APPEAL

The Sauber team has signalled its intention to appeal its disqualification from the Australian Grand Prix.

The Swiss squad's drivers Sergio Perez and Kamui Kobayashi were excluded from the Melbourne race after the stewards found the car was in breach of the technical regulations.

More specifically, the infringement occurred in the uppermost rear wing element of the car.

Sauber confirmed on Sunday evening that it had lodged a statement of intent to appeal its exclusion from the race.

"This is a very surprising and disappointing result," said technical director James Key.

"It appears that there is a question over the top surface of the uppermost rear wing element, this area is not the working surface of the component and therefore relatively unimportant to its function.

"Certainly this has not led to any performance advantage. We are checking the design of the parts now to better understand the situation and we intend to appeal the decision made by the stewards."

SOURCE: Autosport

SAUBER SEEKS ANSWERS ON WING DESIGN

Sauber will conduct a detailed investigation at its factory into how its rear wing failed to comply with the technical regulations at the Australian Grand Prix, before it decides whether to keep pressing ahead with its appeal.

The Swiss-based team has submitted its intention to appeal against the disqualifications of Sergio Perez and Kamui Kobayashi from the Melbourne event for a rear wing breach.

The rear wings did not comply with Articles 3.10.1 and 3.10.2 of the F1 Technical Regulations that demands wing parts do not have 'a local concave radius of curvature smaller than 100mm.'

This addition to the F1 regulations was introduced this year to prevent teams from running F-duct type systems. Its compliance is tested by the FIA using a 100mm ball template - which must remain in contact with the wing at all points.

Should the wing be too curved, as the Sauber design used in the race appeared to be, then the ball will have a gap between it and the wing.

Sauber technical director James Key said that he was seeking answers from the team's Hinwil factory as to why the design used in Melbourne had not passed the test.

"We didn't know anything about it until after the race," said Key in Melbourne. "It's possibly an oversight, certainly not intentional, and is nothing to do with F-ducts or anything else that circumvents the regulations. It is also not performance enhancing, as what happens on top of the element is incidental.

"How it has arisen needs to be investigated internally, and that is the process that we now need to go through."

Key added that other design specifications of wings that Sauber had available were all checked after the race and did comply with the rules.

SOURCE: Autosport

What a race from both Petrov and Perez.

Perez racing more than half the race on soft tyres! Crazy!!

and what a turnaround by the Mclarens!

Red Bull are in a league of their own. Record time without using the KERS! 

I look forward to using my predictions again to see if I can achieve the negative points score.

That aside, it will be interesting to see what happens in the next race and even if this rear wing thing can be done at any point of the race rather than only one part of the circuit which kind of makes the other seats seem less valuable.

SAUBER WILL NOT APPEAL STEWARDS' DECISION

The Sauber team has decided not to go ahead with its appeal against the decision to be excluded from the Australian Grand Prix.

Both Sergio Perez and Kamui Kobayashi - seventh and eighth in the race - were disqualified from the Melbourne event for infringements relating to the rear wings of their cars.

A radius on the upper rear wing element on the cars contravened the regulations by a few millimetres.

The team had lodged a statement of intent to appeal, but announced on Tuesday it will accept the decision by the stewards, even though it believes the infringement did not mean any performance advantage.

"It did not bring us any performance advantage, but the fact is that it was a deviation from the regulations. We take note of the stewards' decision," said technical director James Key.

"We have since found that there was an error in the checking process for the relevant dimension on this component. We have already put measures in place to ensure that nothing of this kind occurs again in the future."

Team boss Peter Sauber added: "Both Sergio and Kamui put in a tremendous performance on Sunday. They gained no advantage from the inaccurate rear wing.

"They both fought hard to secure their finishing places and had really earned their points. Notwithstanding the disappointment, we have shown that we have a fast car and two highly talented drivers. It makes me optimistic for this season."

SOURCE: Autosport