Australian GP 2010 - Melbourne

[roost89]

This bit is worthy of note:
Button called the pit-stop for tyres. Not the team.

[ringo]

They were all managing the pace to make the tyres last, if they had pushed harder they would have worn out. The big question was would a new set of tyres be faster to the finish line than a managed worn set. We all know the answer.

On paper a new set was probably faster which is why McLaren made the call.

But hey you clearly know more than me, so when is your next race?

No No i can't possibly know what you know to guage what i know I am just going by Alonso's stop, which was what before 15 laps? He was pushing the whole race.
Yes on paper a new set would be better. I guess track position was the problem. It takes time to pass, and i guess it's a little hard for the teams to factor in the difficulty to pass.

My next race is next week in front of the TV with my laptop.

[WhiteBlue]

Webber was driving like a rookie today - I'd argue he does most days!

The Red Bull is the same old same old - fast but just can't do the distance.

Alonso hearing about hamilton on the radio made me laugh "please, i don't want to know!"

Great race!

What must poor Seb Vettel do to win a race? This time it was a wheel coming loose probably due to a bearing or other component failure.

Alonso could have left a bit more room in turn one but it was really Button who could have made a big difference by braking as he should have. As it went Michael was the victim of that tussle. Alonso did a great job to recover from the end of the field and it was interesting to see that 0.7 s more race pace saw him cut through the back markers like a hot knife. Schumacher really struggled without sufficient speed to overtake Alguersuari.

Alonso had his own problems having to race his team mate. Massa made several mistakes which reminded me of Silverstone in the wet some years ago.

Webber was full of mistakes. He should have won this race and screwed it up so badly he ended on P9. Horner must be seriously considering to call on Kimi next year. The worst about Webber is that he did not even realize all his mistakes.

Nico had a very bad start and profited from the mistakes other people made in front of him. The Mercedes is simply too slow.

Button was lucky to survive his optimistic first corner move and again by surviving aquaplaning in the pitlane on slicks and going off in turn 3. The following stint was a masterly demonstration what race craft can achieve under the new rules. So the fundation was lucky but the victory was earned by his ability to emulate the professor Prost in looking after his tyres.

Kubica was sensational to finish on a well earned second place due to not making any mistakes and his team running the right strategy. Petrov showed how good Kubica was by spinning off far behind him.

Hamilton lost two places because he and his race engineer over estimated the overtaking opportunities with relative small speed differential. As we saw with Schumacher you have to have a good second in hand to pass. Hamilton didn't have that when he had run down the Ferraris. He was one of the victims of Webber's chaotic driving.

Chandhok finshed a race, well done. De la Rosa looked old and off the pace. Sauber need to revise their front wings. The collision with Hülkenberg could have been very serious.

[i70q7m7ghw]

Button was lucky to survive his optimistic first corner move and again by surviving aquaplaning in the pitlane on slicks and going off in turn 3. The following stint was a masterly demonstration what race craft can achieve under the new rules. So the fundation was lucky but the victory was earned by his ability to emulate the professor Prost in looking after his tyres.

Alonso made the error in Turn 1, Button could not just stand on the brake, who knows what carnage that would have unleashed behind.

It was most likely the 'silly mirrors' that cause the Alonso-Button incident - DC talked about a blind spot on the side of the car which is probably where Button was.

At the end of the day it was a racing incident and the stewards decided on that nice and early.

[raymondu999]

Don't forget that Button is exceptionally smooth with driving, and his driving wears tyres less.

[ringo]

Hamilton mass raped the field today, Button was the only one that escaped. Kubica was lucky as well.

Hamilton passed Button just before Button pitted... it was nasty too... Hamilton passed so many diffeent drivers in so many different ways it was rediculous. And real cars(Webber, Massa, Rosberg) not backmarkers like Aonso was passing.

It was more raping that the vatican scandals. (no offense to Catholics)
Left right and centre.
This highlight reel is going to be very long. He is a beast on the grid!! I am convinced. Whitmarsh just took the muzzle off and let the guy run rampant, they should start him from 11th all the time. jk

Shumacher is next, he escaped as well. Next time Shumacher !!!

Alonso was good as well. I also think he and Hamiton have too much respect for each other on the track. Hamilton would not take any stylish moves on Alonso, he know Alonso's not having it. That's why he took so long to pass. When he finaly had his chance, Webber had to crash the party.

[freedom_honda]

Webber was driving like a rookie today - I'd argue he does most days!

The Red Bull is the same old same old - fast but just can't do the distance.

Alonso hearing about hamilton on the radio made me laugh "please, i don't want to know!"

Great race!

Button was lucky to survive his optimistic first corner move and again by surviving aquaplaning in the pitlane on slicks and going off in turn 3. The following stint was a masterly demonstration what race craft can achieve under the new rules. So the fundation was lucky but the victory was earned by his ability to emulate the professor Prost in looking after his tyres.

How could that possibly be Button's fault? Button had the line and Alonso turned in on him. Even Martin said during the race it was 0% Button's fault.

It continues to amazes me people always disregard Button's driving/effort no matter how well he does.

[ringo]

Button was not at fault. he made a good call. His ten years experience is worth something. Hamilton could learn to be more decisive in the future, but i guess that comes with age and experience. He did good to pass the champ though, would have been a nicer race if the team kept him out.

[fausto cedros]

Next race we'll have the proof:if they stand to their opponents the way dhey did today, then we'll record bahrein as an unlucky day only.

[Raftaar]

Hello everyone!
It was an eventful race, with not perticularly the most suitable outcome. I was watching the race on television, and have some points to make.
First of all, in my opinion, Button won the race because of three things;

First (and this the first thing of all) , Vettel's retirement; from the start of the race until he had the problem, he was in command of the race; With the gap he had, he had no one to bother him, it was his race to lose, " just like in Bahrain". (I am sure it would have been worth a mention in the press conference [-X )
Second, YES, he drove a good race, he didn't have the easiest of strategies, but he managed his tyres quite well to make them last that long, so much for his "smooth driving style".
Third, it was a good call at the end to have changed the tyres at the time that he did. It didn't count for much overall, but it still was a gamble, and it paid off. (In the press conference, when asked he said it was his call, but we know how true that is )

It was a good race from Button and McLaren, but they certainly had some fortune on their side.

[WhiteBlue]

Webber was driving like a rookie today - I'd argue he does most days!

The Red Bull is the same old same old - fast but just can't do the distance.

Alonso hearing about hamilton on the radio made me laugh "please, i don't want to know!"

Great race!

Button was lucky to survive his optimistic first corner move and again by surviving aquaplaning in the pitlane on slicks and going off in turn 3. The following stint was a masterly demonstration what race craft can achieve under the new rules. So the fundation was lucky but the victory was earned by his ability to emulate the professor Prost in looking after his tyres.

How could that possibly be Button's fault? Button had the line and Alonso turned in on him. Even Martin said during the race it was 0% Button's fault.

It continues to amazes me people always disregard Button's driving/effort no matter how well he does.

You need to watch that scene again. Button was half a car length behind Alonso. So how can he have a racing line there? If anybody was to blame at least percentage wise it was Button. Alonso had practically no room to give up. All in all I agree with the stewards that it was a racing accident. It just bugs me that the guy who had the biggest part in bringing it on was the luckiest in avoiding consequences.

[i70q7m7ghw]

You need to watch that scene again. Button was half a car length behind Alonso. So how can he have a racing line there? If anybody was to blame at least percentage wise it was Button. Alonso had practically no room to give up. All in all I agree with the stewards that it was a racing accident. It just bugs me that the guy who had the biggest part in bringing it on was the luckiest in avoiding consequences.

Go speak to some ex drivers, they all disagree with you.

[timbo]

Hamilton mass raped the field today, Button was the only one that escaped. Kubica was lucky as well.

Hamilton passed Button just before Button pitted... it was nasty too... Hamilton passed so many diffeent drivers in so many different ways it was rediculous. And real cars(Webber, Massa, Rosberg) not backmarkers like Aonso was passing.

Killing two sets of tyres in process.
And already complaining that team set him on wrong strategy. How he planned finishing on single set? On rims?

[i70q7m7ghw]

You need to watch that scene again. Button was half a car length behind Alonso. So how can he have a racing line there? If anybody was to blame at least percentage wise it was Button. Alonso had practically no room to give up. All in all I agree with the stewards that it was a racing accident. It just bugs me that the guy who had the biggest part in bringing it on was the luckiest in avoiding consequences.

Go speak to some ex drivers, they all disagree with you.

And also - he didn't benefit from the incident?

[Tim.Wright]

Just a thought on the red bull ride height subject.

If the pushrods contained a spring/damper with extremely high rebound damping at certain parts of the stroke, then after one lap the downforce would push the car down and the rebound damping would keep it there. That would explain why it creeps up very high in parc ferme.

This also would work like a ratchet which Whitmarsh has suggested RB might be using.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/82461

To make the car run at different heights from saturday to sunday, I think it would need to be adjustable by a driver or someone else.

Tim