2009 Formula One Australian Grand Prix

[Ferrer]

The GP isn't over yet apparently...

The Official Formula 1 Website
The Official Formula 1 Website

[faksta]

EDIT: about the KERS, it seemed Ferrari used it every time it was available in the first gears, up to the 5th usually, while McLaren was using it only in the main straight.

Not there only. When Hamilton was shown somewhere in the last turns he didn't have about half of the KERS power on a diagram, and used another half on the main straight. I believe it was that long left curve where he also pushed the button from time to time. I didn't quite get the purpose for him to literally just 'touch' that KERS button going off some corners wasting just around 1/20th of the charge, I'd say - was the generated power enough to help accelerate or did he follow some other purpose?

The race itself was simply amazing. I was hoping for middle field teams to go forward for many years. It first happened to Renault in 2004, then to BMW last year, but it never looked like a complete mix up, having in mind very poor performance from Ferrari and McLaren. I think Hamilton's 4th was more a matetr of luck than something else. Brawn guys were also extremely lucky. I had a feeling that Barrichello's front wing was made of no less than titatium - a number of small collisions, and it nevertheless survived. The final proof of their fortune was a Vettel-Kubica collision (btw, why do most of the English speaking people pronounce him as Kubi'k'a instead of Kubi'ts'a? I guess it's incorrect, isn't it? ). Can't even say whose fault it was. Vettel ran wider, Kubica, in turn, a bit too to the inside... Pity thing is that Vettel stopped later. He would be even more a hero that BGP guys if he completed those 2 laps behind a safety car on three wheels...

And what is the story about Hamilton being now 3rd? I've heard such a thing, but haven't found a proof yet.

EDIT: thanks, Ferrer, you were faster than me. What the hell is that penalty applied to Vettel? It was a pure racing accident IMO. That also answers my question about Vettel's three-legged car.
And, by the way, what are the ideas about Fisichella missing his pits? Problems or just driver's mistake?

[Ferrer]

And what is the story about Hamilton being now 3rd? I've heard such a thing, but haven't found a proof yet.

Just above your post.

[LeonOfTheDead]

The GP isn't over yet apparently...

The Official Formula 1 Website
The Official Formula 1 Website

I'm fine with Vettel paying for driving the damaged car for two laps, but the 10 positions grid penalty for next race sounds excessive. Surely it couldn't avoid Kubica to pass him in the next laps, but at the same time Kubica could have waited a couple of turns instead of rushing to pass him in order to gain the first position too.

I thought Trulli came off track during safety car period, therefore he was allowed to regain is position (afaik).

that's sucks btw, after-race penalties aren't welcomed in such cases.

[faksta]

Just above your post.

Already noticed, thanks.
'Let's collect more money on penalties' politics remain (well, it can be also called 'Let's choose WDC on ourselves').

[Ferrer]

I don't understand Vettel's grid penalty either, to me it looks like racing accident. Altough I agree with the penalty for driving a damaged car, it could've been dangerous.

I didn't see what happened with Trulli in the race.

[Wouter Melissen]

I don't understand Vettel's grid penalty either, to me it looks like racing accident. Altough I agree with the penalty for driving a damaged car, it could've been dangerous.

I agree. Vettel had nowhere to go. If that was worthy of a penalty then Barrichello's push through Raikonen certainly was as well. He simply pushed him out of the way and gained a position.

[Ferrer]

I agree. Vettel had nowhere to go. If that was worthy of a penalty then Barrichello's push through Raikonen certainly was as well. He simply pushed him out of the way and gained a position.

Certainly, Barrichello's "accident" with Raikkonen looked much more intentional than Vettel's and Kubica's crash.

This way they won't encourage overtaking.

[Rockefella]

Not there only. When Hamilton was shown somewhere in the last turns he didn't have about half of the KERS power on a diagram, and used another half on the main straight. I believe it was that long left curve where he also pushed the button from time to time. I didn't quite get the purpose for him to literally just 'touch' that KERS button going off some corners wasting just around 1/20th of the charge, I'd say - was the generated power enough to help accelerate or did he follow some other purpose?

The race itself was simply amazing. I was hoping for middle field teams to go forward for many years. It first happened to Renault in 2004, then to BMW last year, but it never looked like a complete mix up, having in mind very poor performance from Ferrari and McLaren. I think Hamilton's 4th was more a matetr of luck than something else. Brawn guys were also extremely lucky. I had a feeling that Barrichello's front wing was made of no less than titatium - a number of small collisions, and it nevertheless survived. The final proof of their fortune was a Vettel-Kubica collision (btw, why do most of the English speaking people pronounce him as Kubi'k'a instead of Kubi'ts'a? I guess it's incorrect, isn't it? ). Can't even say whose fault it was. Vettel ran wider, Kubica, in turn, a bit too to the inside... Pity thing is that Vettel stopped later. He would be even more a hero that BGP guys if he completed those 2 laps behind a safety car on three wheels...

And what is the story about Hamilton being now 3rd? I've heard such a thing, but haven't found a proof yet.

EDIT: thanks, Ferrer, you were faster than me. What the hell is that penalty applied to Vettel? It was a pure racing accident IMO. That also answers my question about Vettel's three-legged car.
And, by the way, what are the ideas about Fisichella missing his pits? Problems or just driver's mistake?

I think Fisi was blinded by the setting sun and couldn't judge where his pit box was. Add that to the fact that it was the first race of the season and you have that incident.

[LTSmash]

And, by the way, what are the ideas about Fisichella missing his pits? Problems or just driver's mistake?

Giancarlo Fisichella (11th):
“I'm very disappointed with the mistake I made in the pit stop. I was just confused with last year as we were always in the last slot in the pit lane, so I just overshot and had to be pulled back into the pits. I'm really sad about this as I think we could have got a good result. We can take some positives away from this race though - we were able to fight with the others and the car felt good over the race. I'm really looking forward to Malaysia now.”

SOURCE: The Official Formula 1 Website

[faksta]

Merci.

[LeonOfTheDead]

Already noticed, thanks.
'Let's collect more money on penalties' politics remain (well, it can be also called 'Let's choose WDC on ourselves').

I take Bernie. no doubt, hands down.

[Dino Scuderia]

I ended up watching the race because it was storming all night so sleeping was out of the question.

Firstly...any race in which Button is capable of winning is flawed IMO.

Don't know what to think really...the cars look like a lower formula series, not F1. It seems with the loose rear of the 'legal' cars the drivers really had to drive the car again...the Brawn was simply glued to the tarmac.....good on them for getting one over on the rest.

The KERS is a gimmick pure and simple, don't like it...and it didn't prove a damn thing in the race.

The front wing is just lying out their begging to be hit or to hit something and the race was proof of that. Yeah, let's induce rules for closer racing then tack on a wing the size of a battleship to the front. Fix it.

The Vettel/Kubica incident...Kubica deserves the penalty for trying an aggressive outside pass on a car with worn tires. Kubica going off in the next corner after the incident proves he was driving with his foot and not his brain.

So the deck was shuffled, big deal...doing two heats and reversing the grid in the second heat could accomplish the same thing pretty much. I don't see the new rules as an improvement over last year....it created a rules interpretation competition, not much else.

[Chernaudi]

As stupid is it sounds(in part because I'm ripping of the first and last titles of the popular teen/young adult romance/fantasy novels), I have to say that Honda's twilight is now Brawn's breaking dawn.

[LTSmash]

As stupid is it sounds(in part because I'm ripping of the first and last titles of the popular teen/young adult romance/fantasy novels), I have to say that Honda's twilight is now Brawn's breaking dawn.

Mormon Formula 1 fans will love that comparison.