Australian GP 2008

[Conceptual]

Looks like we could have a three make championship this year: McL, Ferrari, BMW (in that order). Given good development programs, Renault (probably) and Red Bull (possibily) could challenge by mid-season. Does Williams have the resources (tech, budget, and driver strength) to move into that group? The Formula Japan group (Honda, Toyota) could present us with some good mid-field scraps.

[Late add in light of manchild's post: Ferrari, imho, just seems to be a bit stretched. They have gotten lots of aggro and too little praise for the job they did last year in being very competitive in spite of a huge turnover in personnel. The likes of Brawn, Schumacher, Byrne, et al are simply not replaceable in the near term. If true, the 18K rev limit is a sign of incredibly faulty design work.

Manchild is right, limit the threads.

Renault will be back - or gone. Ghosn will not spend money on F1 unless he gets results.

Toyota has to be wondering about their F1 involvement. They are having LOTS of success in US NASCAR, with a far smaller investment. They have cut back production of their trucks and large SUVs, so even they are feeling the impact of the sinking economy.]

Hamilton was quite impressive and HK in the second McL validates its competitiveness. HOWEVER, I am already tired of the adulation shown Hamilton by the Speed TV (US cable) broadcasters. The cult of Saint Lewis is already on the march - and this before the first race begins.

To listen to the Speed TV crew, Hamilton was created in a McLaren lab by combining the DNA of Jimmy Clark, Ayrton Senna, and Michael Schumacher.

Would love to see BMW win tomorrow, but I think Hamilton's speed and McLaren's professionalism will pull it off.

Peter Windsors man/boy love for Hamilton is painfully obvious on SpeedTV.

I think we are going to see a non-McLaren/Ferrari winner however. It is all going to come down to consistancy, and who puts a tire into the grass under braking.

Chris

[Ray]

To listen to the Speed TV crew, Hamilton was created in a McLaren lab by combining the DNA of Jimmy Clark, Ayrton Senna, and Michael Schumacher.

Peter Windsors man/boy love for Hamilton is painfully obvious on SpeedTV.

I think we are going to see a non-McLaren/Ferrari winner however. It is all going to come down to consistancy, and who puts a tire into the grass under braking.

I think the Hamilton love is mostly limited to that hack Peter Windsor. I immediately tune him out when he comes on air. If there were ever a more laughably biased moron than Peter Windsor, I'd love to meet them. The SpeedTV crew is much much better than the loverboys on ITV. They talk like Lewis is the only one on track, while the whole time bad mouthing everyone else. But, everyone is biased in some way I guess.

And Hamilton's pace wasn't all that great. If, and a big if, Kubica had a similar fuel load to him, then Kubica is blindingly fast. Unless he's got a light fuel load, and I doubt it, then I'm more impressed with him than anybody else.

Fernando, while I'm a huge fan, is an idiot for leaving McLaren. He's a midfielder at best now.

I wish Webber had better luck.

Vettel is a worthy investment for ANY teams future.

[freedom_honda]

any thoughts on Honda and Button?

[donskar]

RE: Peter Windsor and Lewis Hamilton adoration:

"Dyvid Obbs" (David Hobbs) and Bob Varsha are also over the top in their adoration for Hamilton, and never miss an opportunity to zing Ferrari (I am a Ferrari fan, thus biased).

Anyone hear Speed TV refer to Alonso moving to Ferrari in 2009?

Here's hoping that BMW, Renault, Williams, and Red Bull get in there and mix it up with the Big Two.

[DaveKillens]

It's hard not to be a fan of Hamilton. Let's face it, what were the odds on him two weeks ago? Today, despite it all, he's on the pole. And his teammate, Heikki has been doing all the talking with his lap times. From his traumatic floundering from just one year ago, Heikki has really improved a lot. Massa looks like he's uncomfortable, and Piquet looks like he's in the deep end of the pool and forgot how to swim.
And watching so many cars slipping, sliding, and squirming without traction control. As a fan I'm very grateful and appreciate of the removal of this system in racing, because holy cow, is this ever cool..... I love how the cars react without traction control.

[mika vs michael]

Don't forget that last year BMW bet on a safety car in the early laps and they fuelled Kubica less than normally. This year with no refuelling for the first 10 drivers after the end of Q3, it means that the ones with less fuel will have a more serious advantage of speed in q3 than last year. BMW surprised me positively since I think that they produce the best roadcars but I am not sure that they are match for the Mp4/23. Even if they are, Kubica or Heidfeld are no match for Hamilton...

Ferrari have the same problems as last year. Too many cooling grills and reliability issues.

[donskar]

RE: DaveKillens and TC -

Generally agree: Removing TC will add to the overall entertainment value, accentuate driver control, increase spectacle, etc. AND it should help bring out the best of the best: Mahilton, Kimi, and some of the young lions. Mostly positive.

But it's hard to justify F1 as the pinnacle of auto engineering when many lowly roadcars have traction control, AWD, (an admittedly primitive version of) VSC (vehicle stability control), etc. Even common everyday Toyotas have vehicle stability control, electronic brake distribution, auto-adjustable sway bars, (and multi-path intake and exhaust systems) etc -- for prices in the $20,000 - $35,000 range (I guess that's about 100 - 200 Euros at today's rate?)

[bar555]

Did anyone noticed that Kubica took a nap during Q2 I could not find a photo yet but i will keep looking for one

[P_O_L]

To listen to the Speed TV crew, Hamilton was created in a McLaren lab by combining the DNA of Jimmy Clark, Ayrton Senna, and Michael Schumacher.

Peter Windsors man/boy love for Hamilton is painfully obvious on SpeedTV.

I think we are going to see a non-McLaren/Ferrari winner however. It is all going to come down to consistancy, and who puts a tire into the grass under braking.

I think the Hamilton love is mostly limited to that hack Peter Windsor. I immediately tune him out when he comes on air. If there were ever a more laughably biased moron than Peter Windsor, I'd love to meet them. The SpeedTV crew is much much better than the loverboys on ITV. They talk like Lewis is the only one on track, while the whole time bad mouthing everyone else. But, everyone is biased in some way I guess.

And Hamilton's pace wasn't all that great. If, and a big if, Kubica had a similar fuel load to him, then Kubica is blindingly fast. Unless he's got a light fuel load, and I doubt it, then I'm more impressed with him than anybody else.

Fernando, while I'm a huge fan, is an idiot for leaving McLaren. He's a midfielder at best now.

I wish Webber had better luck.

Vettel is a worthy investment for ANY teams future.

Webber will win a few races this year. ANd alonso will be king of the hill when he does win the championship.

And belatti, its unacceptable to hear baldiserri mumble that it was apparent from winter testing ferrari where gonna have problems over a single lap in regard to the tyres. This was the problem in 2007 and also in 2006!!! WHATS THE HELL ARE THESE GUYS DOING THERE IN MARRANELLO!! In respect to Enzo and the Ferrari heritage i demand big sweeping changes if tonights race gives anything less than a stonking 1-2 for the boys in red. Embarrassing.

[Conceptual]

any thoughts on Honda and Button?

Possible dark horse if there are some bobbles ahead of him.

Remember, in a season where every single point counts, it is quite possible that a Honda can steal a few and make the chase at the front just a bit tighter...

[LewisHamitlonFan2008]

1.Hamilton
2.Kovolainen
3.Kubica

The Both McLarens Are On the Clean Side Of The Grid, The BMW Will Have Less Traction!

[fenix4life]

most likely to be

1. Hamilton
2. Massa
3. Kovalainen

[djones]

Hamilton Crashes.

Massa Crashes (possibly with Hamilton).

1. Kovalainen
2. Kubica
3. Heidfeld
4. Kimi


Maybe

[donskar]

With the 2008 season just over 5 hours away, it's interesting (to me at least!) to look back to the 1998 season. How things have changed, and haven't, in 10 years.

Teams included:
Winfield Williams - Mecachrome V10 - Villeneuve and Frentzen (Montoya test driver)
Ferrari Marlboro - V10 - Schumacher and Irvine
Mild Seven Benetton - "Playlife" V10 - Fisichella and Wirz
West McLaren Mercededs - Mercedes V10 - Coulthard and Hakkinen
Benson & Hedges Jordan - Mugen-Honda V10 - Hill and Ralf Schumacher
Gauloises Prost - Peugeot V10 - Panis and Trulli
Red Bull Sauber Petronas - "Petronas" V10 - Alesi and Herbert
Danka Zepter Arrows - Arrows V10 - Diniz and Salo
Stewart Ford - Ford V10 - Magnussen and Verstappen
Tyrrell - Ford V10 - Rosset and Takagi
Fondmetal Minardi - Ford V10 - Nakano and Tuero

Villeneuve, Schumacher, Hakkinen, Hill: 4 past or future world champions.
Seven different engines.
No Toyota. Very little Honda presence.
Tobacco sponsorship everywhere.
Tyrell and Arrows fading away (though Arrows had their own engine and John Barnard!).
McLaren won the championship 9-6 (Jordan took the one lone win outisde the McL Ferrari dominance.)

[P_O_L]

ahh, Jean Alesi. I remember him fighting with Mansell on a wet Suzuka..big balls stuff. He later on refused to use traction control as he thought it took away his touch. True racer, he is/was.