Australian GP 2011 - Albert Park, 24-27 March

[Formula None]

I honestly do not understand why they allow the drivers to use the DRS in the quali at all It was introduce to help overtaking, not as a tool to make cars faster....

+1

I am with you on that one...Maybe FIA will re-consider the free use of the DRS system in quali to avoid examples such as Sutil's.

Yeah, who wants faster cars in F1? They should focus more on the driver's twitter feeds.

The DRS increases chances of overtaking primarily by increasing the speed of the car. And active aero is a necessary feature that a more efficient F1 car will have in the future, so better get used to it if the FIA actually seriously moves in that direction.

[vall]

I honestly do not understand why they allow the drivers to use the DRS in the quali at all It was introduce to help overtaking, not as a tool to make cars faster....

+1

I am with you on that one...Maybe FIA will re-consider the free use of the DRS system in quali to avoid examples such as Sutil's.

Yeah, who wants faster cars in F1? They should focus more on the driver's twitter feeds.

The DRS increases chances of overtaking primarily by increasing the speed of the car. And active aero is a necessary feature that a more efficient F1 car will have in the future, so better get used to it if the FIA actually seriously moves in that direction.

cars are fast enough. This is not the problem. We want more close wheel-to-wheel battles. We wants cars that are controlled by the driver and the driver abilities to make the difference, not movable wings etc. Of course if you have active suspension (remember Willims 1993?), active aero, TC, etc,etc, the cars will be faster.

[alvinkhorfire]

BBC F1 Analysis by Ted Kravitz

Equally, as the system (KERS) relies on the rear wheels to provide its charge, it can increase tyre wear in races because it unsettles the handling of the car.

That is a potentially key advantage in a year when the new Pirelli tyres have been designed to degrade more quickly than the Bridgestones F1 used in the last few years.

If tyre wear during the race is quite significant, it will favour the Red Bulls who surely will not use full 20 kg KERS. As both Mclarens and Ferraris are trying so hard to close down the gap to Red Bull, by using KERS during the race, it will hurt their tyres more and more.

Based on this genius idea by Red Bull, the only feasible condition to use full 20 kg KERS is when:
a. the track has many long straights.
b. tyre wear is not significant even when KERS is constantly being used.

It appears that Red Bulls are in prime position to win the race, with huge advantage over rivals. =D>

[Formula None]

cars are fast enough.

Never.

We want more close wheel-to-wheel battles.

By what means though? F1 is not Mario Kart. (as someone on autosport wisely quipped)

We wants cars that are controlled by the driver and the driver abilities to make the difference, not movable wings etc.

The driver does control the movable wing. Its already rumored Vettel is simply using the DRS to greater effect than the other drivers. He's gaming the new Mario Kart rules, if so, and good on him should it be the case.

[Tamburello]

Pole position times @ Albert Park:

2011 Sebastian Vettel 1:23.529
2010 Sebastian Vettel 1:23.919

Good to see times are still faster without the DDD and reduced single diffuser height. Is this due to new tires and the ARW? Has anyone seen top speeds for qualifying?

DRS and clawing back the downforce through other means, and in the case of some teams, KERS as well...

[segedunum]

Based on this genius idea by Red Bull, the only feasible condition is to use full 20 kg KERS is when:
a. the track has many long straights.
b. tyre wear is not significant even when KERS is constantly being used.

Indeed. I think they've thought long and hard about what advantage it really does give and where rather than just throwing it on to the car. It's a probably given that they will have a full KERS system for places like Spa and Monza, but that will allow them a lot more development time as they see what actually happens in races and make adjustments accordingly. A little like what they did with the F-duct.

[Tamburello]

Vettel was apparently 17kph faster than Hamilton through the 11-12 chicane...

[Sean H]

Vettel may never get to use his DRS during the race except for lappers. That should slow him down some.

[raymondu999]

Really? I heard you could unlap yourself with DRS, but not lap people using DRS. But technically people who are lapped are 1lap+1s behind, not 1s behind. And to lap, you're 1lap-1s behind, not 1s. Also, why should using DRS to lap people slow you down?

[raymondu999]

Anyone know what Karthikeyan last raced? I was watching qually again and noticed that he's not very brave. Watching his laps, he leaves maybe a meter or two on the outside of the corner when he turns in, and he doesn't touch the exit kerb, forcing his line to use a much tighter circle, carrying less speed. He was thrashed by F1's previous captain slow too

[spinmastermic]

Anyone know what Karthikeyan last raced? I was watching qually again and noticed that he's not very brave. Watching his laps, he leaves maybe a meter or two on the outside of the corner when he turns in, and he doesn't touch the exit kerb, forcing his line to use a much tighter circle, carrying less speed. He was thrashed by F1's previous captain slow too

Give him a break. The two of them where basically doing fast installation laps. The team dealt the drivers a crap hand. But it was right not to let them run.

[kalinka]

PM me for live race stream. I've got BBC working right now. During the race I can't guarantee to look at my messages

[Sawtooth-spike]

Just a thought.

Did red bull remove the kers system before quali as this would give them better handling and less ware?

[myurr]

Anyone else having problems getting live timing up and running? I can't believe that with all of FOM's resources they're still doing such a poor job on hosting that live timing feed.

[tc9604]

Anyone else having problems getting live timing up and running? I can't believe that with all of FOM's resources they're still doing such a poor job on hosting that live timing feed.

It's fine for me. The times will only show up once the race begins.