2012 Australian GP predictions

[raymondu999]

Hill was Faster

Ralf was catching him at 3s a lap IIRC. If Hill was ahead AND faster - he would be pulling away; and we wouldn't need this discussion.

Alonso was faster

Agreed - he was 1 or 2 tenths faster. Sort of faster; but just under the borderline of being able to overtake on track.

Hamilton was Faster

Well faster doesn't matter much in this situation - both were told to drive to a target laptime after the radio communications - faster doesn't matter much when you're told to not go as fast as possible

guess what so was Webber... He had far greater pace but the golden child didn't want to move regardless of being slow?

Webber was AHEAD, not BEHIND... If he was ahead+faster he would be pulling away. Webber in 2009 had track position due to a better strategy; but Vettel was catching him towards the end. If you counted down the laps; Vettel's laptime advantage wouldn't have been enough to get within 2 or 3 seconds of Mark. In 2010 Webber was ahead and told the team to have Seb back off.

Don't wear your Vettel glasses when driving you may hit a pedestrian and say it was a ripple strip/kerb.

I'll pass the message on to my chauffeur. Thanks for your concern


In any case. Happy days - the season is upon us!

[yace]

Quali

1 - Vettel
2 - Hamilton +0.1
3 - Webber +0.15
4 - Rosberg: +0.25
5 - Button: +0.30
6 - Schumacher: +0.50
7 - Raikkonen: +0.60
8 - Grosjean: +0.65
9 - Perez: +0.70
10- Alonso: +0.8

Race:

1 - Rosberg
2 - Vettel
3 - Button
4 - Webber
5 - Schumacher
6 - Raikkonen
7 - Alonso
8 - Kobayashi
9 - Hulkenberg
10- Perez

[raymondu999]

Oh b*ll*cks. I just realized I hadn't made a prediction!

Quali
1 - Vettel
2 - Hamilton
3 - Button
4 - Webber
5 - Alonso
6 - Raikkonen
7 - Rosberg
8 - Schumacher
9 - Massa
10 - Hulkenberg
11 - Grosjean
12 - Perez
13 - Di Resta
14 - Vergne
15 - Senna
16 - Kobayashi
17 - Ricciardo
18 - Kovalainen
19 - Maldonado
20 - Glock
21 - Pic
22 - Petrov
23/24 - Too close to call!

I haven't made my mind up about the race though

[mahesh248]

I am going to go with Red Bulls and Mclaren going for the win , and between 4th and 8th its between , Ferrari , Mercedes and Lotus .

[spadeflush]

Quali:
1:HAM
2:VET
3:WEB
4:BUT
5:ROS
6:MSC
7:ALO
8:RAI
9:MAS
10:DIR

[Darknight]

Quali:

1.Ros
2.MSC
then everybody else

Race:

1.MSC
2.Ros
then everybody else

[blokkie]

Quali:

1.Ros
2.MSC
then everybody else

Race:

1.MSC
2.Ros
then everybody else

Do we have a biased Merc fan in our midst

I go for

Qualy
1) Vettel
2) Button
3) Hamilton

Race
1) Button
2) Vettel
3) Rosberg
4) Webber

[beelsebob]

I gave my expected team order earlier, I'll give my expected driver order now as that seems to have become the popular thing to do:

Qualy:
1) Vettel
2) Hamilton
3) Button
4) Rosberg
5) Webber
6) nenokxkonen

Race:
1) Hamilton
2) Button
3) Vettel
4) nenokxkonen
5) Webber
6) Alonso

[Mr.S]

My Prediction -

Qualy

1 Vettel
2 Webber
3 Rosberg
4 Button
5 Hulkenberg
6 Schumacher
7 Hamilton
8 Di Resta
9 Alonso
10 Senna

Race -

1 Vettel
2 Webber
3 Button
4 Schumacher
5 Rosberg
6 Di Resta
7 Hamilton
8 Kimi
9 Hulkenberg
10 Kobayashi

[beelsebob]

I'm quite surprised by the number of people predicting Button outqualifying Hamilton – history doesn't seem to support this guess.

[Mr.G]

Just not to be the same

Qualy:

ALO
HAM
VET

RACE:

ALO
BUT
WEB

Crazy I know, but newermind!

[Phillyred]

Quali:
1) Vettel
2) Hamilton
3) Button

Race:
1) Vettel
2) Button
3) Raikkonen

[dren]

Hmmm...

Q:
1. Hamilton
2. Rosberg
3. Vettel
4. Button
5. Webber
6. Schumacher
7. Alonso
8. Kimi
9. Hulkenberg
10. Kobayashi

Race:
1. Rosberg
2. Button
3. Webber
4. Schumacher
5. Hulkenberg
6. Di Resta
7. Kimi
8. Kobayashi
9. Ricciardo
10. Perez

Hamilton will crash out with a fight from Vettel. The two Ferraris will not last. Kimi will have an incident (perhaps a drive thru) that allows both FIs to pass him. Grosjean will crash out. Caterham will finish just outside the points in 11th.

[scarlet]

Hmmm...

Q:
1. Hamilton
2. Rosberg
3. Vettel
4. Button
5. Webber
6. Schumacher
7. Alonso
8. Kimi
9. Hulkenberg
10. Kobayashi

Race:
1. Rosberg
2. Button
3. Webber
4. Schumacher
5. Hulkenberg
6. Di Resta
7. Kimi
8. Kobayashi
9. Ricciardo
10. Perez

Interesting. Hamilton and Vettel to take each other out (while lapping Massa maybe)?

[dren]

Interesting. Hamilton and Vettel to take each other out (while lapping Massa maybe)?

You beat me to it...I just updated my original post while you were posting that!

Here's what I added:

Hamilton will crash out with a fight from Vettel. The two Ferraris will not last. Kimi will have an incident (perhaps a drive thru) that allows both FIs to pass him. Grosjean will crash out. Caterham will finish just outside the points in 11th.

Also, I think there will be a gap of less than 1s between pole and Kimi (who I think will qualify as the last of the fast cars). Then it'll be the midfielders that follow.