2013 Australian GP - Albert Park

[zorog]

Is it Thursday yet.... [-o< [-o<

one more sleep

I'm booked in for a paddock tour with David Coulthard on Friday morning anybody got any questions they want asked?

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVCC5BlSqEk[/youtube]

[Spacepace]

Is it Thursday yet.... [-o< [-o<

one more sleep

I'm booked in for a paddock tour with David Coulthard on Friday morning anybody got any questions they want asked?

That is awesome man. I hope you enjoy it. Just make sure you ask him questions media don't typically give him or one hes been asked many times before.

[StrikeForceF1]

I think it's interesting that nearly all the predictions on here have Alonso higher up in the race than in qualifying.

Given the changes to the use of DRS and supposed ease of bringing the tyre up to working range, I dont see any reason to assume the Ferrari will be more competitive in the race than in quali; similarly, I'm not sure I completely buy into the idea that Alonso doesn't have the one lap pace of Hamilton/Vettel. So, whilst I can see why people are predicting like this based on recent history, if the Ferrari does have pace I'd expect them to be able to unlock it in quali.

I agree fully.....I think Everyone is looking at last years form in the Ferrari and it was well documented that they had issues with one lap pace therefore the race pace was always much better and Alonso qualified on average I think 5th but most of the time finished higher up. With the new Drs rules, the old rules which did not play into Ferrari's hands, as well as the tires being easier to bring up to temp I would think that Alonso could actually qualify higher and be in a better position to fight for the victories. It seems this year that not only Mercedes have made a sgnificant improvement but I would venture to say that Ferrari has also, although not as much as the Merc granted. To me it seems like Ferrari is starting with a much improved or a better base to work from and the key thing to me was what Alonso alluded to that the car is responding very well and predictable to set up changes which gives me a lot of hope that Ferrari could well qualify on the first 2 rows. Ofcourse we will only know for sure after Q3 but one can be atleast optimistic.

[stefan_]

[Hail22]

[Mr.G]

I think it's interesting that nearly all the predictions on here have Alonso higher up in the race than in qualifying.

Given the changes to the use of DRS and supposed ease of bringing the tyre up to working range, I dont see any reason to assume the Ferrari will be more competitive in the race than in quali; similarly, I'm not sure I completely buy into the idea that Alonso doesn't have the one lap pace of Hamilton/Vettel. So, whilst I can see why people are predicting like this based on recent history, if the Ferrari does have pace I'd expect them to be able to unlock it in quali.

I agree fully.....I think Everyone is looking at last years form in the Ferrari and it was well documented that they had issues with one lap pace therefore the race pace was always much better and Alonso qualified on average I think 5th but most of the time finished higher up. With the new Drs rules, the old rules which did not play into Ferrari's hands, as well as the tires being easier to bring up to temp I would think that Alonso could actually qualify higher and be in a better position to fight for the victories. It seems this year that not only Mercedes have made a sgnificant improvement but I would venture to say that Ferrari has also, although not as much as the Merc granted. To me it seems like Ferrari is starting with a much improved or a better base to work from and the key thing to me was what Alonso alluded to that the car is responding very well and predictable to set up changes which gives me a lot of hope that Ferrari could well qualify on the first 2 rows. Ofcourse we will only know for sure after Q3 but one can be atleast optimistic.

I agree with both of you, but what you describe applies mostly on Q, this is why I put in my prediction Alonso to 2nd position in Q, but the whole year Alonso have had really good starts and he almost always jump at least one position, and this is why I think why he will finish at least one position higher than in Q.

[Guisson]

That Rolex Banner seem to fit in , Love It
The Track almost looks like Wimbledon central court xD

[f1316]

I think it's interesting that nearly all the predictions on here have Alonso higher up in the race than in qualifying.

Given the changes to the use of DRS and supposed ease of bringing the tyre up to working range, I dont see any reason to assume the Ferrari will be more competitive in the race than in quali; similarly, I'm not sure I completely buy into the idea that Alonso doesn't have the one lap pace of Hamilton/Vettel. So, whilst I can see why people are predicting like this based on recent history, if the Ferrari does have pace I'd expect them to be able to unlock it in quali.

Basically I agree with alonso being higher up in the race than in quali. but not because of the car: because of the driver

But that implies that either:

a) the driver isn't as good at qualifying as some
or
b) is better at being consistently at the limit throughout the race.

My point is that I dispute a): I believe that if Hamilton or Vettel are better at qualifying it is extremely marginal (and I'm not sure it's true at all); I take the point some might make about his comparison with Trulli as team-mates, but I believe Trulli was an incredibly good qualifier and unable to sustain that level in races.

I think b) is one of Alonso's major talents, but would still expect - as the two post above seem to concur - that this year the difference between his quali and race results is reduced, simply due to the nature of the rules/cars.

[Vasconia]

I have always thought that Alonso is very similar to Schumacher in this aspect, he is fast in qualy but he is not a specialist, his strongest characteristic is to maintain a great long run pace. Vettel or Hamilton (other good example could be Maldonado) have an explosiveness that the Spaniard does not have. Perhaps the clearest comparison in recent history could be the one lap speed of Senna versus the long run speed and regularity of Prost. (or Montoya vs Schumacher)

[Vasconia]

Rain forecast for Saturday now not Sunday.

Mehh, its always the same, they always predict rain for all the weekend, then only for one day and finally we don’t see a single raindrop. Anyway this race is quite interesting so rain it’s not as indispensable as it happens with Barcelona or another tremendously boring circuit.

[Gerhard Berger]

I have always thought that Alonso is very similar to Schumacher in this aspect, he is fast in qualy but he is not a specialist, his strongest characteristic is to maintain a great long run pace. Vettel or Hamilton (other good example could be Maldonado) have an explosiveness that the Spaniard does not have. Perhaps the clearest comparison in recent history could be the one lap speed of Senna versus the long run speed and regularity of Prost. (or Montoya vs Schumacher)

my opinion is that he (like Schumacher) is just as good on one lap pace compared to anyone. A car's speed can easily influence people's perception of who is fast and who is not.

[Gridlock]

Loving the passenger car sales figures on Merc's stat sheet

[Hail22]

Edit: Nvm promotional video being done.

[CHT]

That Rolex Banner seem to fit in , Love It
The Track almost looks like Wimbledon central court xD

Has rolex replace Hublot?

[Hail22]

That Rolex Banner seem to fit in , Love It
The Track almost looks like Wimbledon central court xD

Has rolex replace Hublot?

Yes mate, Hublot is now the sponsor of Scuderia Ferrari where as Rolex is the Formula 1 World Championship partner/sponsor.

I prefer Rolex as a watch partner...as well as Omega