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Round 1 of the 2011 F1 Circus is upon us!!

wombat666

wombat666

Administrator
Well, at least the season begins in the right country!!
I'm not that fussed about the whole nine yards but the Classic Car lot have finally convinced me to take the 911RS along for their show.
Free 'everything' and at least I'll catch up with some old friends again.

We might even have a look at the new F1 Devices (I can't really call them 'cars') just for a laugh!!
All joking aside, I will be interested to see the latest (mis) interpretation of the regulations.

I have to take the car down to the 'Park' this Friday morning (early!) but we get a straight run into the circuit and there won't be too much traffic around at that time of the day.

One of the 'Classics' I'm really looking forward to having a good look at is a 'scratch built' 1959 Fantuzi bodied Ferrari 246 'Dino', one of the last and the better looking front engined GP cars.
The crazed enthusiast built it around a 246 Dino block, modified almost to Grand Prix levels, then built almost everything else himself.
I say almost because several specialist helped out, things like wheels, a replica drive train and some beautiful body panels, but in essence, the car started of as a bundle of Chrome Moly tube and a welding torch!!
:jump::jump::jump:
 
Can't wait for the 2011 season to begin! :jump:

Enough talk, time for some action and at a great track I might add!
 
Looking damp to wet Friday and Saturday, but fine and dry (but cool) on Sunday.
Of course, Monday and Tuesday should be warm, sunny and around 25C.
:173go1:

Weather update:02:00 Friday and it is raining steadily. I don't really care who gets annoyed but I'm not driving my 911 in it. Too much time (and $$$) invested and I'm not really finished.
 
Results of the second practice session of Friday (First session was wet):

<TABLE class=raceResults cellSpacing=0 summary="" cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR><TH>Pos</TH><TH>No</TH><TH>Driver</TH><TH>Team</TH><TH>Time/Retired</TH><TH>Gap</TH><TH>Laps</TH></TR><TR><TD>1</TD><TD>4</TD><TD noWrap>Jenson Button</TD><TD noWrap>McLaren-Mercedes</TD><TD>1:25.854</TD><TD></TD><TD>32</TD></TR><TR><TD>2</TD><TD>3</TD><TD noWrap>Lewis Hamilton</TD><TD noWrap>McLaren-Mercedes</TD><TD>1:25.986</TD><TD>0.132 </TD><TD>31</TD></TR><TR><TD>3</TD><TD>5</TD><TD noWrap>Fernando Alonso</TD><TD noWrap>Ferrari</TD><TD>1:26.001</TD><TD>0.147</TD><TD>28</TD></TR><TR><TD>4</TD><TD>1</TD><TD noWrap>Sebastian Vettel</TD><TD noWrap>RBR-Renault</TD><TD>1:26.014</TD><TD>0.160</TD><TD>35</TD></TR><TR><TD>5</TD><TD>2</TD><TD noWrap>Mark Webber</TD><TD noWrap>RBR-Renault</TD><TD>1:26.283</TD><TD>0.429</TD><TD>33</TD></TR><TR><TD>6</TD><TD>7</TD><TD noWrap>Michael Schumacher</TD><TD noWrap>Mercedes GP</TD><TD>1:26.590</TD><TD>0.736</TD><TD>31</TD></TR><TR><TD>7</TD><TD>6</TD><TD noWrap>Felipe Massa</TD><TD noWrap>Ferrari</TD><TD>1:26.789</TD><TD>0.935</TD><TD>34</TD></TR><TR><TD>8</TD><TD>17</TD><TD noWrap>Sergio Perez</TD><TD noWrap>Sauber-Ferrari</TD><TD>1:27.101</TD><TD>1.247</TD><TD>39</TD></TR><TR><TD>9</TD><TD>11</TD><TD noWrap>Rubens Barrichello</TD><TD noWrap>Williams-Cosworth</TD><TD>1:27.280</TD><TD>1.426</TD><TD>34</TD></TR><TR><TD>10</TD><TD>8</TD><TD noWrap>Nico Rosberg</TD><TD noWrap>Mercedes GP</TD><TD>1:27.448</TD><TD>1.594</TD><TD>23</TD></TR><TR><TD>11</TD><TD>19</TD><TD noWrap>Jaime Alguersuari</TD><TD noWrap>STR-Ferrari</TD><TD>1:27.525</TD><TD>1.671</TD><TD>31</TD></TR><TR><TD>12</TD><TD>10</TD><TD noWrap>Vitaly Petrov</TD><TD noWrap>Renault</TD><TD>1:27.528</TD><TD>1.674</TD><TD>29</TD></TR><TR><TD>13</TD><TD>9</TD><TD noWrap>Nick Heidfeld</TD><TD noWrap>Renault</TD><TD>1:27.536</TD><TD>1.682</TD><TD>22</TD></TR><TR><TD>14</TD><TD>18</TD><TD noWrap>Sebastien Buemi</TD><TD noWrap>STR-Ferrari</TD><TD>1:27.697</TD><TD>1.843</TD><TD>30</TD></TR><TR><TD>15</TD><TD>16</TD><TD noWrap>Kamui Kobayashi</TD><TD noWrap>Sauber-Ferrari</TD><TD>1:28.095</TD><TD>2.241</TD><TD>35</TD></TR><TR><TD>16</TD><TD>15</TD><TD noWrap>Paul di Resta</TD><TD noWrap>Force India-Mercedes</TD><TD>1:28.376</TD><TD>2.522</TD><TD>33</TD></TR><TR><TD>17</TD><TD>14</TD><TD noWrap>Adrian Sutil</TD><TD noWrap>Force India-Mercedes</TD><TD>1:28.583</TD><TD>2.729</TD><TD>31</TD></TR><TR><TD>18</TD><TD>12</TD><TD noWrap>Pastor Maldonado</TD><TD noWrap>Williams-Cosworth</TD><TD>1:29.386</TD><TD>3.532</TD><TD>29</TD></TR><TR><TD>19</TD><TD>20</TD><TD noWrap>Heikki Kovalainen</TD><TD noWrap>Lotus-Renault</TD><TD>1:30.829</TD><TD>4.975</TD><TD>22</TD></TR><TR><TD>20</TD><TD>21</TD><TD noWrap>Jarno Trulli</TD><TD noWrap>Lotus-Renault</TD><TD>1:30.912</TD><TD>5.058</TD><TD>23</TD></TR><TR><TD>21</TD><TD>25</TD><TD noWrap>Jerome d'Ambrosio</TD><TD noWrap>Virgin-Cosworth</TD><TD>1:32.106</TD><TD>6.252</TD><TD>36</TD></TR><TR><TD>22</TD><TD>24</TD><TD noWrap>Timo Glock</TD><TD noWrap>Virgin-Cosworth</TD><TD>1:32.135</TD><TD>6.281</TD><TD>30</TD></TR><TR><TD>23</TD><TD>23</TD><TD noWrap>Vitantonio Liuzzi</TD><TD noWrap>HRT-Cosworth</TD><TD>No time</TD><TD></TD><TD>1</TD></TR><TR><TD>24</TD><TD>22</TD><TD noWrap>Narain Karthikeyan</TD><TD noWrap>HRT-Cosworth</TD><TD>No time</TD><TD></TD><TD>0</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
 
Well if Vettel looked strong last year, this year he seems in a world of his own.
Pole position by 0.8 of a second off Hamilton, 0.9 over #3 Webber, 1.2 over Button, and a second and a half over #5 Alonso.
Tragic that Kubica is injured; the Renault has never looked stronger, with Petrov in sixth!
Sauber also looking strong with Kobayashi a creditable 9th.

Also-rans: Schumacher, Barrichello and Sutil.
I liked the look of newcomers Paul di Resta and Sergio Perez, though.

There will be lots of overtaking presumably, with tyres that only last a few laps, and lots of pit stops.
Plus rear wings that can flatten by the most complicated electronic trickery, and in only certain conditions...this is right on the edge of rigging the sport as a spectacle.
I guess the fans demand it.
Not sure what the return to KERS is all about though, there's no advantage to any individual, really, and it's not all that Green either.
 
Thank heavens, Nascar is just so much less interesting, unless you live circles.......
Uh oh now I'm in trouble. :wiggle:
 
I'd love to just shove one in Burnie's ear at the moment....."you know all that whinging you do about the Aussie GP each year, well we are way past civil wars in this country and the F1 show can continue. You know what TV recorders are for...well we use them all the time."
 
Full results:

<TABLE class=raceResults cellSpacing=0 summary="" cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR><TH>Pos</TH><TH>No</TH><TH>Driver</TH><TH>Team</TH><TH>Q1</TH><TH>Q2</TH><TH>Q3</TH><TH>Laps</TH></TR><TR><TD>1</TD><TD>1</TD><TD noWrap>Sebastian Vettel</TD><TD noWrap>RBR-Renault</TD><TD>1:25.296 </TD><TD>1:24.090 </TD><TD>1:23.529 </TD><TD>16</TD></TR><TR><TD>2</TD><TD>3</TD><TD noWrap>Lewis Hamilton</TD><TD noWrap>McLaren-Mercedes</TD><TD>1:25.384</TD><TD>1:24.595</TD><TD>1:24.307</TD><TD>19</TD></TR><TR><TD>3</TD><TD>2</TD><TD noWrap>Mark Webber</TD><TD noWrap>RBR-Renault</TD><TD>1:25.900</TD><TD>1:24.658</TD><TD>1:24.395</TD><TD>15</TD></TR><TR><TD>4</TD><TD>4</TD><TD noWrap>Jenson Button</TD><TD noWrap>McLaren-Mercedes</TD><TD>1:25.886</TD><TD>1:24.957</TD><TD>1:24.779</TD><TD>18</TD></TR><TR><TD>5</TD><TD>5</TD><TD noWrap>Fernando Alonso</TD><TD noWrap>Ferrari</TD><TD>1:25.707</TD><TD>1:25.242</TD><TD>1:24.974</TD><TD>19</TD></TR><TR><TD>6</TD><TD>10</TD><TD noWrap>Vitaly Petrov</TD><TD noWrap>Renault</TD><TD>1:25.543</TD><TD>1:25.582</TD><TD>1:25.247</TD><TD>18</TD></TR><TR><TD>7</TD><TD>8</TD><TD noWrap>Nico Rosberg</TD><TD noWrap>Mercedes GP</TD><TD>1:25.856</TD><TD>1:25.606</TD><TD>1:25.421</TD><TD>17</TD></TR><TR><TD>8</TD><TD>6</TD><TD noWrap>Felipe Massa</TD><TD noWrap>Ferrari</TD><TD>1:26.031</TD><TD>1:25.611</TD><TD>1:25.599</TD><TD>18</TD></TR><TR><TD>9</TD><TD>16</TD><TD noWrap>Kamui Kobayashi</TD><TD noWrap>Sauber-Ferrari</TD><TD>1:25.717</TD><TD>1:25.405</TD><TD>1:25.626</TD><TD>17</TD></TR><TR><TD>10</TD><TD>18</TD><TD noWrap>Sebastien Buemi</TD><TD noWrap>STR-Ferrari</TD><TD>1:26.232</TD><TD>1:25.882</TD><TD>1:27.066</TD><TD>15</TD></TR><TR><TD>11</TD><TD>7</TD><TD noWrap>Michael Schumacher</TD><TD noWrap>Mercedes GP</TD><TD>1:25.962</TD><TD>1:25.971</TD><TD></TD><TD>13</TD></TR><TR><TD>12</TD><TD>19</TD><TD noWrap>Jaime Alguersuari</TD><TD noWrap>STR-Ferrari</TD><TD>1:26.620</TD><TD>1:26.103</TD><TD></TD><TD>11</TD></TR><TR><TD>13</TD><TD>17</TD><TD noWrap>Sergio Perez</TD><TD noWrap>Sauber-Ferrari</TD><TD>1:25.812</TD><TD>1:26.108</TD><TD></TD><TD>9</TD></TR><TR><TD>14</TD><TD>15</TD><TD noWrap>Paul di Resta</TD><TD noWrap>Force India-Mercedes</TD><TD>1:27.222</TD><TD>1:26.739</TD><TD></TD><TD>16</TD></TR><TR><TD>15</TD><TD>12</TD><TD noWrap>Pastor Maldonado</TD><TD noWrap>Williams-Cosworth</TD><TD>1:26.298</TD><TD>1:26.768</TD><TD></TD><TD>17</TD></TR><TR><TD>16</TD><TD>14</TD><TD noWrap>Adrian Sutil</TD><TD noWrap>Force India-Mercedes</TD><TD>1:26.245</TD><TD>1:31.407</TD><TD></TD><TD>15</TD></TR><TR><TD>17</TD><TD>11</TD><TD noWrap>Rubens Barrichello</TD><TD noWrap>Williams-Cosworth</TD><TD>1:26.270</TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD>12</TD></TR><TR><TD>18</TD><TD>9</TD><TD noWrap>Nick Heidfeld</TD><TD noWrap>Renault</TD><TD>1:27.239</TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD>10</TD></TR><TR><TD>19</TD><TD>20</TD><TD noWrap>Heikki Kovalainen</TD><TD noWrap>Lotus-Renault</TD><TD>1:29.254</TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD>10</TD></TR><TR><TD>20</TD><TD>21</TD><TD noWrap>Jarno Trulli</TD><TD noWrap>Lotus-Renault</TD><TD>1:29.342</TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD>12</TD></TR><TR><TD>21</TD><TD>24</TD><TD noWrap>Timo Glock</TD><TD noWrap>Virgin-Cosworth</TD><TD>1:29.858</TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD>10</TD></TR><TR><TD>22</TD><TD>25</TD><TD noWrap>Jerome d'Ambrosio</TD><TD noWrap>Virgin-Cosworth</TD><TD>1:30.822</TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD>8</TD></TR><TR><TD>23</TD><TD>23</TD><TD noWrap>Vitantonio Liuzzi</TD><TD noWrap>HRT-Cosworth</TD><TD>1:32.978</TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD>11</TD></TR><TR><TD>24</TD><TD>22</TD><TD noWrap>Narain Karthikeyan</TD><TD noWrap>HRT-Cosworth</TD><TD>1:34.293</TD><TD></TD><TD></TD><TD>11</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Liuzzi and Karthikeyan did not qualify after failing to meet the Q1 107 percent time of 1:31.266.
 
They been trying to slow down F1 cars for decades now, and from a safety point I can understand why, but the engines have been cut down from the Turbo's of the eighties to the 3.5 liters, 3.0 liter V10 and now to the 2.4 liter V8, but the cars keep going faster almost every season!

Of course this year we have the movable rear wing, KERS and the new Pirelli tires. The tires wear faster, giving more grip for the first few laps. Tomorrow we'll see a lot more pitstops compared to last year and probably a few different stategies.

As for Vettel: Yes he was quick, but he never finished a race in Australia!
 
Slowing down the cars is in part, why INDYCAR is so boring now....When they were 900hp turbocharged monsters, they began to rival F1 in popularity...Now, Indycar is 650hp laughing stock....

I'd hate to see F1 get to the point where drivers are just flat-footing it around the track...
 
Cosworths...not any time soon.
Nice to see the Lotus name on the podium though - what a stunning drive into third by Petrov!
Hamilton a creditable second.

But that young man in the front Red Bull made it look all too easy...lapped the 10th-place car.
He looks every inch the World Champion, very relaxed, very in control of the situation.
The car just dances for him.

Bit surprised the fancy "overtaking aids" didn't really feature, maybe other tracks are more suited.
 
Full results:

<TABLE class=raceResults cellSpacing=0 summary="" cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR><TH>Pos</TH><TH>No</TH><TH>Driver</TH><TH>Team</TH><TH> Laps</TH><TH>Time/Retired</TH><TH> Grid </TH><TH title=Points>Pts</TH></TR><TR><TD>1</TD><TD>1</TD><TD noWrap>Sebastian Vettel</TD><TD noWrap>RBR-Renault</TD><TD>58</TD><TD>1:29:30.259</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>25</TD></TR><TR><TD>2</TD><TD>3</TD><TD noWrap>Lewis Hamilton</TD><TD noWrap>McLaren-Mercedes</TD><TD>58</TD><TD>+22.2 secs</TD><TD>2</TD><TD>18</TD></TR><TR><TD>3</TD><TD>10</TD><TD noWrap>Vitaly Petrov</TD><TD noWrap>Renault</TD><TD>58</TD><TD>+30.5 secs</TD><TD>6</TD><TD>15</TD></TR><TR><TD>4</TD><TD>5</TD><TD noWrap>Fernando Alonso</TD><TD noWrap>Ferrari</TD><TD>58</TD><TD>+31.7 secs</TD><TD>5</TD><TD>12</TD></TR><TR><TD>5</TD><TD>2</TD><TD noWrap>Mark Webber</TD><TD noWrap>RBR-Renault</TD><TD>58</TD><TD>+38.1 secs</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>10</TD></TR><TR><TD>6</TD><TD>4</TD><TD noWrap>Jenson Button</TD><TD noWrap>McLaren-Mercedes</TD><TD>58</TD><TD>+54.3 secs</TD><TD>4</TD><TD>8</TD></TR><TR><TD>7</TD><TD>17</TD><TD noWrap>Sergio Perez</TD><TD noWrap>Sauber-Ferrari</TD><TD>58</TD><TD>+65.8 secs</TD><TD>13</TD><TD>6</TD></TR><TR><TD>8</TD><TD>16</TD><TD noWrap>Kamui Kobayashi</TD><TD noWrap>Sauber-Ferrari</TD><TD>58</TD><TD>+76.8 secs</TD><TD>9</TD><TD>4</TD></TR><TR><TD>9</TD><TD>6</TD><TD noWrap>Felipe Massa</TD><TD noWrap>Ferrari</TD><TD>58</TD><TD>+85.1 secs</TD><TD>8</TD><TD>2</TD></TR><TR><TD>10</TD><TD>18</TD><TD noWrap>Sebastien Buemi</TD><TD noWrap>STR-Ferrari</TD><TD>57</TD><TD>+1 Lap</TD><TD>10</TD><TD>1</TD></TR><TR><TD>11</TD><TD>14</TD><TD noWrap>Adrian Sutil</TD><TD noWrap>Force India-Mercedes</TD><TD>57</TD><TD>+1 Lap</TD><TD>16</TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD>12</TD><TD>15</TD><TD noWrap>Paul di Resta</TD><TD noWrap>Force India-Mercedes</TD><TD>57</TD><TD>+1 Lap</TD><TD>14</TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD>13</TD><TD>19</TD><TD noWrap>Jaime Alguersuari</TD><TD noWrap>STR-Ferrari</TD><TD>57</TD><TD>+1 Lap</TD><TD>12</TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD>14</TD><TD>9</TD><TD noWrap>Nick Heidfeld</TD><TD noWrap>Renault</TD><TD>57</TD><TD>+1 Lap</TD><TD>18</TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD>15</TD><TD>21</TD><TD noWrap>Jarno Trulli</TD><TD noWrap>Lotus-Renault</TD><TD>56</TD><TD>+2 Laps</TD><TD>20</TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD>16</TD><TD>25</TD><TD noWrap>Jerome d'Ambrosio</TD><TD noWrap>Virgin-Cosworth</TD><TD>54</TD><TD>+4 Laps</TD><TD>22</TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD>Ret</TD><TD>24</TD><TD noWrap>Timo Glock</TD><TD noWrap>Virgin-Cosworth</TD><TD>49</TD><TD>Mechanical</TD><TD>21</TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD>Ret</TD><TD>11</TD><TD noWrap>Rubens Barrichello</TD><TD noWrap>Williams-Cosworth</TD><TD>48</TD><TD>Transmission</TD><TD>17</TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD>Ret</TD><TD>8</TD><TD noWrap>Nico Rosberg</TD><TD noWrap>Mercedes GP</TD><TD>22</TD><TD>Accident damage</TD><TD>7</TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD>Ret</TD><TD>20</TD><TD noWrap>Heikki Kovalainen</TD><TD noWrap>Lotus-Renault</TD><TD>19</TD><TD>Water leak</TD><TD>19</TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD>Ret</TD><TD>7</TD><TD noWrap>Michael Schumacher</TD><TD noWrap>Mercedes GP</TD><TD>19</TD><TD>Puncture damage</TD><TD>11</TD><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD>Ret</TD><TD>12</TD><TD noWrap>Pastor Maldonado</TD><TD noWrap>Williams-Cosworth</TD><TD>9</TD><TD>Transmission</TD><TD>15</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
 
Wing_Z said:
Cosworths...not any time soon..
Click to expand...

The only team that could score some points would be Williams, but their tiny new gearbox seems way too fragile at the moment.

Wing_Z said:
Nice to see the Lotus name on the podium though - what a stunning drive into third by Petrov!
Hamilton a creditable second.
Click to expand...

Good drive by Petrov; makes you wonder what Kubica could have done? Not sure if the Pirelli tires would fit his agressive driving style though.
Hamilton and Button did well; after some bad tests they tossed some 'too revolutionary' stuff overboard, and with a more conventional car they've gained a lot of time.

Wing_Z said:
But that young man in the front Red Bull made it look all too easy...lapped the 10th-place car.
Click to expand...

..And they didn't even use the KERS system! :monkies:

Wing_Z said:
Bit surprised the fancy "overtaking aids" didn't really feature, maybe other tracks are more suited.
Click to expand...

It was fun to watch Button and Massa; Jenson trying to overtake with his rear wing, and Massa defending with his KERS system.

Mercedes was quite unlucky with both cars suffering damage and retiring.
Great job by Sauber; how they've managed to get Perez to the finish with only one pitstop is beyond me! Overall the rookies left quite a good impression this weekend.
 
Driver of the weekend in F1, Vitaly Petrov, even if his car is a Faux Lotus!!
Smooth and consistently fast all weekend.
Sergio Perez and Paul di Resta might be 'new boys' but they look like the real deal, di Resta reminded me of Dario Franchitti.
And while it is sad that Kubica is out of it, let us not forget Petrov finished last year ahead of the Fonz and started this season in the same way.

Epic Fails: KERS, DRS, Nick Heidfeld, Rubens Barrichello and Pastor Maldonado.

Driver of the weekend in V8 Supercars, Jason Richards, despite undergoing intensive chemotherapy for Stomach Cancer ( Jason has six months I believe) he drove with all his usual commitment.
:ernae:
Time has just gone 22:40 and I'm rooted, off to get a solid nights sleep.
 
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