What driver will take Pole Position in Melbourne?

[Helios]

So who's YOUR favourite driver with Mercedes engine and preferably Mercedes car? No love for Alonso/Ferrari?
Why even vote now, I'll tell you after FP3 in Australia.

[poster above "forgot" Rosberg's problems especially in qualifying/FP except for broken wing that slowed mainly Hamilton (can you believe that?) and team orders; as for "faulty chassis" "no one's fault in Suzuka" "no luck in Hungary" or just about everything else except Silverstone - don't make me laugh, it didn't happen]

I was mentioning Hamilton's problems because the guy above was mentioning Rosberg's problems already. Not my fault if he doesn't mention all of them.

As for the rest of your comment: Care to elaborate any further or is the fact that you like to laugh off things enough?

[lkocev]

I don't want to get into an argument over this, the thread is about who will be on pole anyhow. I just think that Rosberg can be equally as quick, or occasionally quicker than Hamilton, and has a good potential to be on pole for the Australian Grand Prix. I mean, the Mercedes looks both quick and reliable. There in a good position I'd say.

[Gridlock]

Hamilton or Vettel obvious safe bet, even now

Have just started thread on number of finishers, seemed like a nice companion to yours

http://www.f1technical.net/forum/viewto ... =1&t=18281

[Shrieker]

It's 11 to 8 Hamilton vs. Rosberg in quali. Hamilton 3.47 average quali spot, Rosberg 4.26. On average Hamilton was 0.158 seconds faster than Rosberg on Saturdays. I'd say Hamilton's half a nose ahead. He didn't know frick as good as Rosberg did but still beat him in Melbourne last year, though to Nico's credit Hamilton got a bit lucky with the track drying up in q3, Nico had the upper hand before that. Oddly enough, just the opposite happened in the following Saturday in Malaysia's q3 session and Lewis ended up ahead once more.

Source: http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/statistics/2 ... ying-data/

I'd say (and voted) Lewis, but wouldn't be surprised at all to see Nico on pole. Maybe it'll be some car other than the W05 though lol

[ringo]

I think the mclaren is the fastest car this year. So i'd go with magnussen. Otherwise Hamilton is my default pick for qualifying matters.

oh... and i think riciardo is faster than vettel.Vettel has a problem on his hands this year.

[FrukostScones]

HAM,ROS,MAG,BOT,BUT

[daveyrace]

Magnussen, basically because he is meant to be faster than a greased ferret with a rocket up it's bum [-o< .

[Shrieker]

oh... and i think riciardo is faster than vettel.Vettel has a problem on his hands this year.

Why do you think that ? Just a hunch ?

[Polemik]

One of Williams drivers - Bottas or Massa

[ringo]

Just a hunch, i feel Webber was enough of a challenge on his best day, and at Webber's age, he had to be much slower than when he was in his prime. Daniel has proven to be very quick, reaching Q3 a number of times with Torro Rosso. He's young and hungry for success. I think he will pile a lot of pressure on Vettel, who hasn't really been proven yet to be faster than any decent F1 driver in their prime.
Worst that we don't have exhuast blowing, Vettel's adaptation to tat technology wont be of much help to him now. Daniel will take advantage of that.
So yes i feel this year will be very interesting in the redbull camp, and i don't think Horner would mind if Daniel actually beat the 4 time champ this year. That situation would better promote their driver program.

[SectorOne]

Vettel will smash Ricciardo i think. In Qualifying it will be such an eye-opener we will witness the Daniel-smile slowly by surely go away as he turns into a grumpy Webber.

If you are gonna beat Vettel in Qualifying over a year you better bring a phenom. Like Hamilton or Maldonado (on his really good days)

[JimClarkFan]

Vettel will smash Ricciardo i think. In Qualifying it will be such an eye-opener we will witness the Daniel-smile slowly by surely go away as he turns into a grumpy Webber.

If you are gonna beat Vettel in Qualifying over a year you better bring a phenom. Like Hamilton or Maldonado (on his really good days)

I think Rays qualifying championship will be an interesting read, I suspect Vettel won't walk over Riccardo in quali but will in the races

[Juzh]

Just a hunch, i feel Webber was enough of a challenge on his best day, and at Webber's age, he had to be much slower than when he was in his prime. Daniel has proven to be very quick, reaching Q3 a number of times with Torro Rosso. He's young and hungry for success. I think he will pile a lot of pressure on Vettel, who hasn't really been proven yet to be faster than any decent F1 driver in their prime.
Worst that we don't have exhuast blowing, Vettel's adaptation to tat technology wont be of much help to him now. Daniel will take advantage of that.
So yes i feel this year will be very interesting in the redbull camp, and i don't think Horner would mind if Daniel actually beat the 4 time champ this year. That situation would better promote their driver program.

Must be one hell of a hunch you have there. That same webber was putting jaguars on 1st and 2nd row, yet over 5 years as teammates with vettel got destroyed. He also got beat by a very immature vettel in 2009. You say daniel is faster but what exactly has he proven against his teammates more than vettel? He MIGHT trouble vettel in quali on occasions but will fall behind during races. Much as he did against vergne.

[Helios]

Must be one hell of a hunch you have there. That same webber was putting jaguars on 1st and 2nd row, yet over 5 years as teammates with vettel got destroyed. He also got beat by a very immature vettel in 2009. You say daniel is faster but what exactly has he proven against his teammates more than vettel? He MIGHT trouble vettel in quali on occasions but will fall behind during races. Much as he did against vergne.

Webber was excellent from time to time in the days of one lap qualifying, but we shall not forget that he wasn't really racing against high class quality drivers until Vettel joined him at RB.

Alex Yoong, Anthony Davidson, Antonio Pizzonia, Christian Klien, Nick Heidfeld, Nico Rosberg in his rookie season, an aging DC (hell, even if he was 10 years younger he would have been nothing more than a solid driver). Sh*t, I actually had to look up some of those guys again to remember how they looked like.

The only teammate who had serious pace AND the "right" age (not too young but still not over his zenith) was Heidfeld, and their qualifying-duel ended 9-5 with Heidfeld taking Williams' only pole of that year and having to miss the last 5 races of the season.

[LionKing]

Just a hunch, i feel Webber was enough of a challenge on his best day, and at Webber's age, he had to be much slower than when he was in his prime. Daniel has proven to be very quick, reaching Q3 a number of times with Torro Rosso. He's young and hungry for success. I think he will pile a lot of pressure on Vettel, who hasn't really been proven yet to be faster than any decent F1 driver in their prime.
Worst that we don't have exhuast blowing, Vettel's adaptation to tat technology wont be of much help to him now. Daniel will take advantage of that.
So yes i feel this year will be very interesting in the redbull camp, and i don't think Horner would mind if Daniel actually beat the 4 time champ this year. That situation would better promote their driver program.

Even in 2009, their first year as teammates, I believe Vettel beat Webber 15-2 in quali. (There was no EBD etc in that season at all.)

Secondly, Mark Webber was not that old as he is made to be. He retired at the age of 37 (born August 1976).

For perspective: in 2006 Schumi was 37 years old (born Jan 1969). So in his 2006 season, he was 8 months older compared to Webber's last season in 2013. That season based on Q2 times, Micheal was on the average a tad over 5 tenths quicker than Massa (who had edge in quali against Kimi in 2007-2009 period).

Webber was a very good qualifier. However what is said above are just excuses but not very good ones for Vettel-Webber pair. Of course, none of this will be relevant when Vettel and Ricciardo face each other. That we will have to wait and see...