Australian GP 2011 - Albert Park, 24-27 March

[747heavy]

if someone is interested to see the weather/rain fall radar for the area, it can be found here:

http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDR024.loop.shtml#skip

St.Kilda is app. where the track is on this map

btw:
I don´t think RC would need/use two way telemetry to activate/deactivate the DRS.
An impulse triggered by the timing loops under the track seems to be more suited/likely/simpler.
But I don´t know for sure, just my opinion

[jztemple]

if someone is interested to see the weather/rain fall radar for the area, it can be found here:

http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDR024.loop.shtml#skip

Very cool, thanks for the link. Sadly, here on the East Coast of the United States, qualifying and the race are in the middle of the night and my advanced age prohibits me from being able to stay awake to watch them. I will check the radar before going to bed so that I can dream about Melbourne, maybe in the rain, with KERS and DRS and new cars and all the wonderful things that can go bump in the night, err, daylight.

[Mr Alcatraz]

If I had to predict the pecking order this weekend?

1. Red Bull
2. Ferrari
3. McLaren
4. Mercedes

Beyond that it's still not quite clear. McLaren seem to have found performance from this new update, but I doubt it's put them near Red Bull or Ferrari over a race distance, Qualifying could be interesting though.

It should be very interesting how the pit stops play out. Earlier I thought this would play into Mike's hand, because of his notoriety of doing very rapid in, and out laps. It may still be a factor. But will it be worth much?
BTW I think you have the pecking order right. I do think the races are going to be closer than most people are projecting.IMHO

[ringo]

Posting the streams in the open is not wise!

I'm well aware of the issue, but P1 started at 02:30 local time, and P2 6:30 local here, so I didn't feel the confidence that I can PM the links to everyone how would request And I was right, because I couldn't stay on
Beside both links worked to the end...I wake up just in time to see the end 5-6 minutes of both sessions
It was a hard days's night

In future as always, just PM me for the links. I'll try to get prepared with more coffee

I have my very reliable link, that has served me well for major sporting events.

[nacho]

Just seen a recording of FP1....Why did Chandhok crash? Any info on that topic?

Driver error.

[ringo]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9DBlGpn ... r_embedded[/youtube]

Great ad, showing that mercedes is aiming for red bull

Utter disrespect, immature. There not just a drinks company!!

Merceds look good in Nico's hands. Micheal is showing some glimmer here and there. Q1 is going to be a mess, the cars are too closely matched.

[Tamburello]

How many laps will they able to do on a set of options, 2 or 3 max? So still only one set per each qualy session for everyone but the slowest who may have to use more sets. But it starts rubbering in and the slow runners going for a second run on new rubber suddenly find pace it might make the rest of the field come out. This should be interesting if the rain stays away

[Gerhard Berger]

I'm sure it would still be pretty interesting if the rain did come.

[Gaara]

Australian GP – Friday analysis

http://www.f1zone.net/site/2011/03/25/a ... -analysis/

[2011F1]

Australian GP Friday Practice 2 vs Practice 1 Analysis



More Analysis is there, Interesting and user friendly

Australian GP Friday Practice 1 Analysis

2011 Australian GP Friday Practice 2 Analysis

[chepoi]

i love the sound of the renault.... it's rough... it's roar sounds good!!! sounds like a V12 or V10 engine.....

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

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vc2sq34GdBI[/youtube]




McLaren surprise with quickest Melbourne pace

McLaren clouded the predicted pecking-order in Melbourne on Friday by topping the times.

It had been the Red Bulls suitably ahead of the field in inital practice for the Australian grand prix, before Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton went quicker in the late session.

McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh had flagged a major step forward after the scrapping of an overly-complex exhaust dubbed by the media as 'octopus'.

German reports said the MP4-26's revised layout was similar to the one seen on the Red Bull.

"The new exhaust has definitely brought performance to the car -- it feels much better," said Button late on Friday.

However, rumours filled the Albert Park paddock that Red Bull may have deliberated throttled back in the final session, perhaps by not using the adjustable rear wing on the best timed laps.

And Mark Webber said: "McLaren look quick, but with Ferrari you can never tell, as they always run a bit more fuel on a Friday."

His teammate Sebastian Vettel added: "I am pleased that we are among them, but yes, it is a bit of a surprise that McLaren have obviously found their way back to the top in a very short period of time."
-taken from:
http://www.f1zone.net/site/mclaren-surp ... -pace/6063

[andrew]

The Renault cetrainly produces a nice sound. Bit of grunt to it rather than just the high pitched scream of the McLaren and the Ferrari.

[bot6]

Just seen a recording of FP1....Why did Chandhok crash? Any info on that topic?

Driver error.

Yup, they made an error choosing the driver...

Sorry, cheap shot.

Love that Mercedes commercial, with Mika coming in for god measure! Remainds me of the good old days...

[godlameroso]

How many pit stops for this race? I predict three, most teams will go soft hard hard, some brave souls will go hard hard soft, and if someone really has guts hard soft soft, anything else is too impractical.

[Tamburello]

P3 was usually when the fastest teams showed their hand in the last 3rd of 2010, i.e. started doing qualifying setup work. Let's see what happens this morning...