2018 Australian Grand Prix - Melbourne, 22 -25 March

[604gtir]

Singapore, the big fat start crash, Hamilton escaped that in a masterful way, I don't believe that was pure luck.

I hope that's sarcasm

No. Divine intervention.

# blessed

# best fans

[oT v1]

Woooooh!!! time to log back in after reading you, more knowledgable folks, pick apart testing for the last few months here we go!!

Expecting a strong RB showing no matter what Merc does! Should be an epic season.

[TheGkbrk]

For reference:

Japan 2007
Monaco 2008
Britain 2008
Germany 2010
.
.
.

Are the wet races he has won. I think.

Alonso won 2010 German GP after a dry race as far as I remember.

[Restomaniac]

No, I really think he saw it coming, or at the very least kept it in the back of his head the possibility. It wasn’t the first time last season Kimi was overly agressive at the start. he knows Verstappen wont back down to easily and Vettel always thinks he is in the right. Hamilton knows this as well or better then I.

Maybe you should watch the crash scene again. At no point did Hamilton avoid the crash purposely. He was just lucky to have not been in the action upfront.

"Vettel always thinks he is in the right." - How does this even correlate with the crash? If there was a driver in fault, this surely was not Vettel. His line was perfectly normal. Watch the start of US GP to see that Hamilton did the exactly same move.
Kimi wasn't "overly aggressive" either. He just had an extremely good start. All in all, the crash was an unlucky racing incident.

Erm.....Hamilton started 5th on a wet track with a semi-tight left handed turn 1. He stuck himself all out of the way on the far edge of the track. The safest place to be on a racetrack if you get sillyness at the apex. Alonso was unbelievably unlucky that day.
Why you are comparing it to a dry track with a stupidly wide left handed turn 1 in another race I have no idea. I also assume that Hamilton knew he didn't get a poor getaway or I doubt he would have pushed it anyway.

Also look at Hamilton in Malaysia for evidence of Hamilton seeing bigger picture Vs a Max Verstappen with nothing to lose. Vettel decided he wanted to take that risk after he admitted he got a poor getaway.
So your argument that 'His line was perfectly normal' works right until he admitted he got a poor getaway at which point you have to ask questions.

However with all that said. It's totally off topic.

Only just over 2 days to go and all the talking stops.

[FightingHellPhish]

Seen Max and Ham's performance over the last few years in the wet, you cannot argue that these two are a class above the rest. Max has shown incredible skill in the rain with the first lap in China where he just brakes way way later than the guys in front. And you can argue about his fresher tires in Brazil, but it was still an amazing display seen the ease which he did it with. Just more guts and better lines.

Other drivers just relax behind the safety car while Max is looking for different lines. And Hamilton....well...he is just a masterclass on itself in every condition.

The way Max was diving left and right remined me Schumi in the 90s when he was doing the same just to find where the grip was, later on he was capable of braking way later than anyone else. It was pure magic.

It wasnt just where the grip was, it was where he could keep the speed up as well. Like when someone like Larson runs the high line at a track like Michigan in NASCAR.

[bauc]

Atralian GP: Melbourne gets third DRS zone for 2018 F1 opener

Will it work, the question is? #Yoda

[TheGkbrk]

Atralian GP: Melbourne gets third DRS zone for 2018 F1 opener

Will it work, the question is? #Yoda

Which part of the track spesifically?

[ripper]

I have read that FIA will check oil tank weight before and after qualify to check oil consumption. This change was done after RB complaints about this unregulated area.

[bauc]

Atralian GP: Melbourne gets third DRS zone for 2018 F1 opener

Will it work, the question is? #Yoda

Which part of the track spesifically?

The new zone will begin on the exit of that Turn 11-12 complex, potentially allowing drivers to drag past rivals on the run to the tight right at Turn 13.

Source: Autosport

[f1316]

Good news, I can see it just moving the line from impossible to very very hard - as the article says, even if you don’t get past there, it gets you closer for the two zones at the start of the next lap.

[gizmo]

I have read that FIA will check oil tank weight before and after qualify to check oil consumption. This change was done after RB complaints about this unregulated area.

do you have a source for this information? This could have big impact on the qualifying power boost and equalise things a little bit more during Q3.

[marvin78]

I don't think that Mercedes needs this boost. I think their PU has a much higher power output in their highest mode. And that without much oil. For the race they can lower the output by such an amount that they have more power than the others and the engine runs in save mode. That's my theory. Might be very wrong.

[Thunder]

do you have a source for this information? This could have big impact on the qualifying power boost and equalise things a little bit more during Q3.

It's been mentioned here : https://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/for ... lien-2018/

[ripper]

I have read that FIA will check oil tank weight before and after qualify to check oil consumption. This change was done after RB complaints about this unregulated area.

do you have a source for this information? This could have big impact on the qualifying power boost and equalise things a little bit more during Q3.

This tweet is written by one of www.f1analisitecnica.it: Dopo le importanti lamentele della RedBull, la FIA è nuovamente intervenuta sul "giro di vite" riguardante la combustione di olio in CdC: tutte le vetture saranno pesate prima e dopo le qualifiche per evitare furbate sul giro secco. Bel casino
Quick translation: After important RB complaints, FIA opted to act again about oil burning in combustion chamber: Weight check before and after qualify for every car, in order to avoid "smart moves" on single lap performance. Then on one of his replies he explained that oil tank weight will be checked before qualify, then taken out and re checked after qualify

[gizmo]

This tweet is written by one of www.f1analisitecnica.it: Dopo le importanti lamentele della RedBull, la FIA è nuovamente intervenuta sul "giro di vite" riguardante la combustione di olio in CdC: tutte le vetture saranno pesate prima e dopo le qualifiche per evitare furbate sul giro secco. Bel casino
Quick translation: After important RB complaints, FIA opted to act again about oil burning in combustion chamber: Weight check before and after qualify for every car, in order to avoid "smart moves" on single lap performance. Then on one of his replies he explained that oil tank weight will be checked before qualify, then taken out and re checked after qualify

ok, thanks for the information. We will find out soon enough if this will have impact or not. Can't wait until Q3 because that will be the first real indication of where the teams are.