It's that time of year again. It's looking to be an interesting one. McLaren are talking down their chances, and Ferrari have raised concerns about reliability. Meanwhile, Brawn GP, have come out of nowhere and Jenson Button is currently the bookies favourite to win in Melbourne.

And it's go go go...

I'll be there pulling for Alonso and Kubica! Would be nice to see an underdog team like Brawn GP pull off an upset

I can barely wait for next weekend - a late start to this season has made the wait even more intense.

I wouldn't want to make any calls for this race, as I simply don't know. It could go so many different ways, but after testing of late, you really do wonder if Brawn GP are going to be surprising a few people.

Are Mclaren just playing mind games though - especially with the restricted testing this year. Who knows?

Let's see if Brawn GP can keep up with their hype. The same for Sebastian Vettel after his change to RBR.

Quoting BA757 (Reply 2): Are Mclaren just playing mind games though - especially with the restricted testing this year. Who knows?

Actually a lot of people thinks that McLaren only play mind games. But I for one find it interesting to see how Hamilton will handle the situation if indeed McLaren struggle.


I hope that this season's opening race wont end as bad as last years for Ferrari!

This season appears to be one of the toughest yet, with Ferrari and McLaren apparently not having an obvious domination above the rest .. I can´t wait for next weekend!!!

Forza Ferrari!!!

Quoting BA757 (Reply 2): I wouldn't want to make any calls for this race, as I simply don't know. It could go so many different ways, but after testing of late, you really do wonder if Brawn GP are going to be surprising a few people.

I agree with you there buddy.

But I don't think there will be that much of a difference in regards to the top runners.
As it comes more and more down to driver skills, I am curious to see how Vettel will manage. I am confident he will do very well, but how will he be able to stand up against Hamilton, Kimi, Alonso, Massa? Alonso by the way is a great driver, and I think he will score good from race 1 now as he has experience with slicks, and Renault are a winning team.

Aim for the sky!
Sudden

probably more than any year previously, i cannot wait for this season to start!

There are so many unknowns this year. Is Brawn as good as they seem? Will KERS be a huge advanatage for the ones that are using it? IS mclaren a dog? Will there be 15 damaged front wings?

oh man, i just cannot wait. Q2 in qualifying should be very interesting.

I am going to miss Ron Dennis for sure. I want Hammy MBE to do as good as last year. I bet McLaren are playing down their chances so they won't look bad if they don't make the win in this season's first Grand Prix in Australia. I wish they would win of course but I think all will be open. We just don't know who will be performing and how. It will be interesting.

I just had a vision of a Grand Prix in Honolulu... Don't know how it came to me but who knows? It would be a great place to have a race for sure...

Quoting Sudden (Reply 6): Alonso by the way is a great driver, and I think he will score good from race 1 now as he has experience with slicks

Certainly a fine driver but where did he get all this experience on slicks that the others lack??

Cheers

Quoting StealthZ (Reply 9): but where did he get all this experience on slicks that the others lack??

Nah, I didn't mean that he has more experience then the others, but I think he will have an advantage over a few other drivers due to his overall experience.

Aim for the sky!
Sudden

Barrichello, Fisichella and Trulli are the only drivers who raced on slicks before the introduction of groved 'slicks'. Out of those, Barichello has the most experience on them. Alonso would have last raced on slicks in F3000 back in 2000. Maybe they will suit his driving style.

Quoting Bill142 (Reply 11): Barrichello, Fisichella and Trulli are the only drivers who raced on slicks before the introduction of groved 'slicks'. Out of those, Barichello has the most experience on them. Alonso would have last raced on slicks in F3000 back in 2000. Maybe they will suit his driving style.

Yes, but none of those three are in competitive cars. I'd be very surprised if they became a threat at all this year.

Quoting CXB77L (Reply 12): Yes, but none of those three are in competitive cars

Welcome to Anet, and to the F1 thread(s).
So far Rubens have shown that Brawn GP has a car that actually might be just the opposite to what you/we might think, so lets wait and see where they are after a couple of races.  

Aim for the sky!
Sudden

Quoting CXB77L (Reply 12): Yes, but none of those three are in competitive cars. I'd be very surprised if they became a threat at all this year.

If the testing pace of the Brawn is to be believed, then Rubens is in with a shot.

Anyone know details of the programme and when the F5000s are on?

Seing what the Mclaren people are saying in the Australian Grand Prix preview, I do actually wonder if this is mind games, or if they are saying this now already to not have the media all over them later because of not being among the frontrunners!?   
http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2009/3/9037.html

Aim for the sky!
Sudden

Quoting Tsv (Reply 15): Anyone know details of the programme and when the F5000s are on?

Ah, someone else that wants to see real racing cars!!

Thusday-
Practice 12:50-13:10
Qual. 18:05-18:25
Saturday
Race 1 11:25-11:40
Sunday-
Race 2 11:25-11:40

Sadly we won't arrive until Friday Morning so will miss Practice and qualifying.

Gonna be pretty strange to have events go on into the twilight and be able to sleep in on an AGP weekend.

Further programme details at-- http://www.grandprix.com.au/default.aspx?s=daily_event_programme

Cheers

[Edited 2009-03-23 06:37:11]

Quoting Sudden (Reply 16): Seing what the Mclaren people are saying in the Australian Grand Prix preview, I do actually wonder if this is mind games, or if they are saying this now already to not have the media all over them later because of not being among the frontrunners!? http://www.formula1.com/news/headlin....html

Wow, what they say sounds really bad. I wonder though if it is the truth?

Quoting Sudden (Reply 13): So far Rubens have shown that Brawn GP has a car that actually might be just the opposite to what you/we might think, so lets wait and see where they are after a couple of races.

I tend to think of testing times as somewhat irrelevant to the car's actual performance. Each team's testing agendas are different, it is not a comparison of each car's ultimate performance capabilities.

Sure, Brawn GP's testing times have been fantastic, and I do indeed have complete confidence in Ross Brawn's ability to design a car and run a team, but to say that he is "in with a shot" is exaggerating it a bit. They probably won't be a backmarker. I'd say the teams that they will most likely be competing against will be Red Bull and STR, somewhere in the midfield. That is despite a Ross Brawn designed car and Mercedes engines. Initially, this car was designed to be a Honda, to fit Honda specifications. Little did they know that Honda was going to pull out of F1, and as a result will have to make some modifications to suit the new Mercedes engine they're going to get. It's a powerful unit, sure, but for a car to be competitive, it needs harmony between the chassis and the engine. I'm not sure that there has been enough time for the new car to adapt to running on the Mercedes engine yet.

Quoting CXB77L (Reply 19): I tend to think of testing times as somewhat irrelevant to the car's actual performance. Each team's testing agendas are different, it is not a comparison of each car's ultimate performance capabilities.

I often stretch myself that testing is just that, testing!
But seeing where Brawn GP are after they entered testing so late, and with little mileage under their belt, some of us still see them as the runner up. To fight up front with Ferrari, BMW and Mclaren might be a bit too positive, but Brawn with his experience can do more or less what he wants now. And his days at Ferrari have shown what he's capable of.
It might not come in Melbourne, or in the next few races, or even this season, but they will be playing with the big boys.

Aim for the sky!
Sudden

Melb forecasts, sunny Fri Sat and increasing cloud on Sunday and top temp 24 C on Sunday.

They would be unlucky to get rain bearing in mind the weather of late in the S half of the continent.

Here are the driver numbers for this season:

http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2009/3/9043.html

Quoting CXB77L (Reply 19): Sure, Brawn GP's testing times have been fantastic, and I do indeed have complete confidence in Ross Brawn's ability to design a car and run a team, but to say that he is "in with a shot" is exaggerating it a bit.

I'm also not one to read very much into testing times, but not only has the car generated the times consistently at different tracks under different conditions, the other teams have all admitted that the Brawn car has an advantage. That's not something they do offhand with no knowledge, that's something they do after analyzing the data, seeing that the car is running legally and with equivalent fuel loads to their cars, and impressions from their drivers after running in close company with the Brawn cars around the track. Massa thinks the BGP car is untouchable, Frank Williams was quoted today as saying that the BGP is "absurdly superior" (http://f1.gpupdate.net/en/news/2009/03/24/brawn-car-absurdly-superior-williams/), and many others have come out to say that they honestly think that Button and Barichello have the best shot at the win in Oz. In the past, when teams like Prost and Arrows blitzed pre-season testing, they got a little hype, but they never had team principles and other drivers coming out to say that they think they'll be winnning the first race. This time the hype seems like genuine fear from the other teams, and I couldn't be happier! I've always liked Rubens, and to see him in a car that can get up at the very front again will be great. The only thing I'm concerned about with this team is their reliability, and then their ability to develop the car over the course of the season. They may well be on the podium in Australia, but what about mid season after Mclaren and Ferrari have stretched their developmental muscles? Will they fall off like BMW did last year towards the end of the year, or will they keep pace with the established teams? I hope it's the later scenario.

Quoting CXB77L (Reply 19): Little did they know that Honda was going to pull out of F1, and as a result will have to make some modifications to suit the new Mercedes engine they're going to get. It's a powerful unit, sure, but for a car to be competitive, it needs harmony between the chassis and the engine. I'm not sure that there has been enough time for the new car to adapt to running on the Mercedes engine yet.

This is true that they would have had to make some modifications, but in general the engines today are all very, very similar for obvious reasons. They have nearly identical dimensions and weight, and they probably all have very similar cooling solutions and general packaging, so to me any disadvantages from being forced to adapt to a new engine supplier are outweighed by the superior power and driveability of the Mercedes motor compared to the old Honda.

While I'm at it, let's predict the grid for the season opener! Here's my take on it-

1. Massa
2. Barichello
3. Button
4. Kubica
5. Raikkonen
6. Hamilton
7. Vettel
8. Heidfeld
9. Alonso
10. Trulli
11. Webber
12. Kovalainen
13. Bourdais
14. Piquet
15. Glock
16. Rosberg
17. Fisichella
18. Buemi
19. Sutil
20. Nakajima

Honestly though, if I'm even right about a single grid position I'd be happy, this season is as open as any I can remember, and looking at the grid, I can't really find a single driver that I don't think could win races if given the right car (except webber, because the car would fail if he ever got the lead), they're all very, very good.

Anyway, my predictions of the season's surprises and let downs-
Surprises:
Brawn GP, as mentioned above.
BMW, I think they'll be regular race winners
Massa, I think that he'll have matured even more from his narrow miss last year and I think he'll win the championship
Barichello, I think he'll completely outperform Button yet again and prove that he isn't over the hill yet, and he'll relish his chance to win races again.

Let downs:
Mclaren, though only at first. I don't think they'll have race winning pace until at least 3 or 4 races into the season, but they will still compete for the title.
Renault, I think the form they had at the end of last year will desert them and Alonso will be left with another uncompetitive car. Plus, it's just an ugly duckling so I almost hope it doesn't win!
RBR- Another relatively quiet year from the Newey designed car, it may get a podium here or there but that's about it.

Quoting StealthZ (Reply 17): Ah, someone else that wants to see real racing cars!! Thusday- Practice 12:50-13:10 Qual. 18:05-18:25 Saturday Race 1 11:25-11:40 Sunday- Race 2 11:25-11:40

Yes real racing cars!! Thanks for that.

Quoting Tsv (Reply 25): Yes real racing cars!!

Here you go TSV....

http://www.pbase.com/chrisg/tasman2008

Cheers

Quoting Waterpolodan (Reply 24): While I'm at it, let's predict the grid for the season opener! Here's my take on it

Not disputing anything at all but why:

1. Braun comes from bankrupt shambles of second rate to lead.

2. F and McL fade from super cars to also rans.

3. What has happened to Renault.

Or it is just the new mix of rules makes all previous technology irrelevant. Difficult to believe, but if someone says so.

I guess we will know soon enough, but it would be interesting to add an analysis to the prognostication - perhaps even so they can both be right!!!!

Quoting StealthZ (Reply 26): Here you go TSV.... http://www.pbase.com/chrisg/tasman2008 Cheers

Beautiful   

Quoting Waterpolodan (Reply 24): While I'm at it, let's predict the grid for the season opener! Here's my take on it-

I've never ever been good at predictions, but here you go:


1. Raikkonen
2. Massa
3. Alonso
4. Kubica
5. Hamilton
6. Heidfeld
7. Piquet
8. Kovalainen
9. Trulli
10. Rosberg
11. Webber
12. Vettel
13. Bourdais
14. Nakajima
15. Glock
16. Button
17. Barrichello
18. Buemi
19. Fisichella
20. Sutil

Quoting GrahamHill (Reply 29): I've never ever been good at predictions

Me neither, but it has not stopped me so far.  
However, with current rules and all, I will not even give this a try simply because i don't know.
I don't think there will be much change in regards to the front runners, but I do think that Brawn GP will be competitive. And that they will be able to cause some commotion.

Aim for the sky!
Sudden

Quoting Sudden (Reply 30): but I do think that Brawn GP will be competitive.

One thing concerning Brawn GP. Although I always tend to not trust Winter tests, I will try to believe they will be competitive for the first GPs. After all, they have a Mercedes engine that will be much better than the Honda. And the aero seems to be quite efficient. However:

- Do they have sponsors? Will they have enough money to continue the development of their cars throughout the whole season? Even if they are competitive for the first 3 or 4 races, will they be able to maintain this performance until the end, considering that other teams like Ferrari or McLaren will surely modify their cars for the best (hopefully for them!)?

I hope they will perform well, honestly. Formula one needs teams like Brawn GP.

Quoting GrahamHill (Reply 29): I've never ever been good at predictions, but here you go: 1. Raikkonen 2. Massa

That looks just great  I a one-two win for Ferrari at the season opener would be fantastic  

Quoting Baroque (Reply 27): 1. Braun comes from bankrupt shambles of second rate to lead. 2. F and McL fade from super cars to also rans. 3. What has happened to Renault.

1. I explained my rationale on BGP earlier in the thread, I think their car is legit. They weren't ever bankrupt, they just had the plug pulled by Honda after all the money had already been poured into the development of this year's car, which began early in last season and probably means they had a head start on all the other teams.

2. In my imaginary grid, Ferrari has the pole and Hamilton is in 6th, that doesn't make them also rans, it just means that Mclaren isn't quite as quick as they'd like at the moment.

3. I don't know what you mean by "what happened to renault", because I have them basically in the same sort of positions in which they spent most of last year... Alonso just inside the top 10 and Piquet well back and lucky if he makes it out of Q1. They turned up the wick at the last few races of last season, but to me that was more of Alonso's brilliance than the car suddenly becoming a world beater. They may win races again this year, but I don't think they'll be consistent front runners and any wins will come later in the season.

I have a question for English native speakers, which is a bit off-topic but concerns cars nonetheless:

Do you know what are "skinny tyres"? I looked on the dictionary and the Internet, but I could not find anything.

Quoting Waterpolodan (Reply 33): They turned up the wick at the last few races of last season, but to me that was more of Alonso's brilliance than the car suddenly becoming a world beater.

That was what I had in mind and that is a fair enough answer. But it does suggest that they had something in their car.

Thanks for the answers though. And I will not hold you to any of it, as it seems that nothing much is even as uncertain as it usually is. Presumably folk bet on F1, and it must be close to a dartboard job at this stage.

Skinny tires to me would mean narrow tires, like the kind you get on an economy road car as opposed to f1 slicks...

Quoting GrahamHill (Reply 29): 1. Raikkonen 2. Massa 3. Alonso 4. Kubica 5. Hamilton 6. Heidfeld 7. Piquet 8. Kovalainen 9. Trulli 10. Rosberg 11. Webber 12. Vettel 13. Bourdais 14. Nakajima 15. Glock 16. Button 17. Barrichello 18. Buemi 19. Fisichella 20. Sutil

Here's mine

1. Lewis Hamilton WDC2008
2. Lewis Hamilton MBE
3. Heikki Kovalainen

4. ?
5. ?
6. ?

I'll leave all the others up to fate, luck... whatever
Unfortunately Max and Bernie will still be there.

Let's see what the new season will bring.

Quoting StealthZ (Reply 26): Here you go TSV.... http://www.pbase.com/chrisg/tasman2008 Cheers

Thanks for that. Have you seen?

http://www.f5000.co.nz/





Also just looking at that programme and the transmission times on the TV guide if you guys are still on daylight savings then it looks like they are't televising any of the F5000 races. Bummer.

Quoting Waterpolodan (Reply 36): Skinny tires to me would mean narrow tires, like the kind you get on an economy road car as opposed to f1 slicks...

Thanks Waterpolodan!  

Did I hear in this morning's news (Classic FM UK) that Hammy is threatening McLaren to leave them if they don't provide him with a good car for the coming 2009 season?

Is this for real? This is showing that Ron Dennis is no longer there... I must look on the F1 sites to find out more.

Wish I could be in Melbourne for the tests runs and the race...

  

Go Hammy!!!         

Quoting MadameConcorde (Reply 40): Did I hear in this morning's news (Classic FM UK) that Hammy is threatening McLaren to leave them if they don't provide him with a good car for the coming 2009 season?

I doubt that. Where will he go? Is he going to move to a competitive team everytime the team he is with fails to produce a good enough car to his standards? Besides, Hamilton has a contract with McLaren, and vice versa. I see Hamilton being loyal to McLaren for some time to come, since it was Dennis who gave Hamilton the opportunity in the first place. Sure, most other teams would probably trip over themselves to hire Hamilton if he ever leaves Woking, but it is not likely that he will be able to find another team, aside from Ferrari, that can remain competitive year in, year out.

Quoting MadameConcorde (Reply 40): Is this for real?

Well not according to Hamilton anymore: http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/news/detail/090326090348.shtml

Who are you guys tipping to win the race this weekend? These are the odds at the moment from my online betting company... I'm thinking of putting my money on Button, Hamilton and Barichello.

Jenson Button 7/2
Kimi Raikkonen 9/2
Fernando Alonso 11/2
Felipe Massa 13/2
Rubens Barrichello 7/1
Lewis Hamilton 10/1
Robert Kubica 10/1
Nick Heidfeld 20/1
Sebastian Vettel 25/1
Nico Rosberg 28/1
Jarno Trulli 33/1
Timo Glock 33/1
Heikki Kovalainen 40/1
Mark Webber 50/1
Kazuki Nakajima 66/1
Nelsinho Piquet 100/1
Sebastien Bourdais 250/1
Sebastien Buemi 300/1
Adrian Sutil 500/1
Giancarlo Fisichella 500/1

Virgin will be the new sponsor of Brawn GP:

http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/news/detail/090326164223.shtml

Quoting GrahamHill (Reply 44): Virgin will be the new sponsor of Brawn GP:

Nice!

Imagine how it will look all virgin-ised!

I am eagerly awaiting for this season to start on sunday, and as usual I will be rooting for Ferrari!

MIAspotter

Quoting GrahamHill (Reply 44): Virgin will be the new sponsor of Brawn GP: http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headline...shtml

That is nice.

Quoting MIAspotter (Reply 45): and as usual I will be rooting for Ferrari!

Hehe, the same here 

The FIA has ruled that the rear diffusers of the Braun GP, Toyota and Williams teams are all legal. Not unsurprisingly, the three protesting teams - Ferrari, Red Bull and Renault have lodged an appeal which will not be heard until after the Malaysian GP. BMW Sauber's had also protested, but their protest was rejected because of a paperwork error.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/7965056.stm

Nothing like getting a new season off to an uncontroversial start.      

seriously, f1 would not be the same if it weren't for all the BS on the side.

Quoting Scbriml (Reply 47): The FIA has ruled that the rear diffusers of the Braun GP, Toyota and Williams teams are all legal. Not unsurprisingly, the three protesting teams - Ferrari, Red Bull and Renault have lodged an appeal which will not be heard until after the Malaysian GP. BMW Sauber's had also protested, but their protest was rejected because of a paperwork error. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/7965056.stm Nothing like getting a new season off to an uncontroversial start.

Like Americas cup, F1 always been a place where people do anything to win, part of the sport.