Australian Grand Prix 2011 - Race Thread

[Hermann]

Fernando didn't say that at all. What he said was that he wasn't that worried about Petrov being in front of him in the first race.

[Katu]

On a side note....anyone seen how much RB wings are flexing again?

hard not to notice

[F2007]

I wonder why Massa wasn´t using different strategy than Alonso. Or was he?? What tires he used in first stint??

If he was on harder tires, why he took 3 stops?? Maybe the Button fight destroyed his tires!?!?

[Hermann]

hard not to notice

[crewskas]

Can we find a Ferrari image???
Last year we were the best on flexing, behind Red Bull...

Now McCheaters and Merc are flexing too...
I wonder if we still do...

[Meiga]

Having a look at the FIA Pit Stop analysis from (http://www.fia.com/en-GB/mediacentre...es/timing.aspx) I discovered that we are losing a hell of a lot of time in our pit stops, as well.
Taking the time spent in the first 2 pit stops compined for Vettel and Hamilton, compared to Massa and Alonso the results are not very well.

Alonso lost 1.345 to Vettel and 1.558 to Hamilton
Massa lost 1.703 to Vettel and 1.916 to Hamilton

Attachment 4175

Come on Ferrari, we must imporve in all aspects.

I was a bit surprised too when I saw a 5.1 secs stop, versus the very fast ones of last year - but that happened a few times during the race, and not just for Ferrari. Is there something different that explains the increased pit-stop times?

[Hornet]

I wonder why Massa wasn´t using different strategy than Alonso. Or was he?? What tires he used in first stint??

If he was on harder tires, why he took 3 stops?? Maybe the Button fight destroyed his tires!?!?

IIRC, Massa qualified on soft so it has to start with soft. Cannot change them between qualifying and race.

Judging from how late Massa's stop were compared to Alonso, and that he took on the hards in the 2nd pit, I'd say the plan was for Massa to go on a 2 stopper. Somehow the hards was not working for Massa, and Ferrari probably calculated that Massa would lose out more had he stayed on the hards. Button already passed him and Kobi was all over his back before the 2nd stop, so he was losing a lot of time on those hards.

[alex1s]

Massa did damage a set of soft tyres in qualifying Q2. Could he have used those in the race for the last stint and his times were compromised? Or Could he have opted to put them on for the start of the race and along with the fight with Button the tyres died completely?

[F2007]

OK, thank you! If the hards worked only 15 or so laps then softs worked pretty much the same. I thought 2011 tires were meant to be a lot different between compounds. I think Pirelli has done a lousy job. No different strategies in coming races then.

[Rob]

well, what a race. Havent had time to get on here over weekend. Getting bits ready for my little girls 1st birthday

Fernando and Felipe had good race, considering. Its the first race so lets see where this goes and get behind the team. It bit grrrrr when all of the sudden we havent that great pace we thought we had. The tyres, not what i was expecting. Felipe had his elbows out at first. Pace dropped and got fastest lap later on after pitting. Plenty of time to catch RBR and Mccheats.

Red Bulls, why no KERS? sorry if this has been touched on. Im sure they said they would use it. Read today that it was taken off due to reliability issues, im not buying that. Newey doesnt like the idea, and plus it would ruin his tight body packaging.Aso, more more wing flexing from the RBRs. Everyone watching, apart from FIA can see that ruddy thing flex that much!!! now Mccheats and Silver skips (Mercs) are running flexing wings. Didnt see much of ours flexing. Think it very clever carbon laying and how it is woven

Forza Ferrari.

[brembo man]

Good drive by Alonso, Massa good at times but poor at others.
Found it disturbing how Massa fought with Button for 20 laps and held him then LEAPT out of the way for alonso instantly. not a good sign but I'll say no more. Petrov was impressive.
:/

Massa pushed Button wide when he tried to pass him at turn11. Button used an escape road instead of giving him back the place. Ferrari then made a slick move putting Alonso ahead of Massa, Button would then have to let them both by. Our cars came in after that and Button was blessed with a drive thru.

[Nova]

Well I hope she has a great 1st birthday..congats..

[Rob]

Well I hope she has a great 1st birthday..congats..

thankyou mate its Wednesday, and will post up few pictures.

[Rob]

Massa pushed Button wide when he tried to pass him at turn11. Button used an escape road instead of giving him back the place. Ferrari then made a slick move putting Alonso ahead of Massa, Button would then have to let them both by. Our cars came in after that and Button was blessed with a drive thru.

that was a good move both by Felipe and then the team to get Fernando past.

[Nova]

Looking at the vid of the front wings flex..the thing is they are so big, probably heavier
due to their girth, that your going to get flex no matter...
Mabey Ferrari just needs to be a bit more "flexible" ???
Sorry, couldnt resist..

[vcs316]

Horner jokes after Mercedes' Melbourne struggle

Monday 28 March at 08:31 : Mar.28 (GMM) Christian Horner poked fun at Mercedes after the German team's bad start to the 2011 season.

As the paddock took shape last week in Melbourne, Michael Schumacher predicted the W02 car might be Red Bull's closest challenger this year.

But the Brackley-built car was in fact two seconds off the pace in qualifying before the seven time world champion retired "for safety reasons" with a damaged floor.

"The team said 'stop, it makes no sense, it's too dangerous'," Schumacher told Bild newspaper.

Teammate Nico Rosberg also stopped after being struck by Rubens Barrichello's Williams.

"Mercedes was lucky to have failed cars, so that nobody could see how slow they were," Red Bull team boss Horner joked to the German newspaper.

Schumacher admitted that Mercedes lacked speed in Melbourne.

"I can't tell you how good we would have been in the race because my car was damaged in the third corner. But it definitely would not have been easy.

"After the encouraging winter tests we came here with very different expectations," he said.

Mercedes also had problems with its KERS units in Australia, but competition director Norbert Haug urged calm.

"To panic or to rush would be the ideal recipe for failure," Welt newspaper quotes him as saying.
--------

Real classy Horner, real classy

[Afalej]

Horner jokes after Mercedes' Melbourne struggle

Monday 28 March at 08:31 : Mar.28 (GMM) Christian Horner poked fun at Mercedes after the German team's bad start to the 2011 season.

As the paddock took shape last week in Melbourne, Michael Schumacher predicted the W02 car might be Red Bull's closest challenger this year.

But the Brackley-built car was in fact two seconds off the pace in qualifying before the seven time world champion retired "for safety reasons" with a damaged floor.

"The team said 'stop, it makes no sense, it's too dangerous'," Schumacher told Bild newspaper.

Teammate Nico Rosberg also stopped after being struck by Rubens Barrichello's Williams.

"Mercedes was lucky to have failed cars, so that nobody could see how slow they were," Red Bull team boss Horner joked to the German newspaper.

Schumacher admitted that Mercedes lacked speed in Melbourne.

"I can't tell you how good we would have been in the race because my car was damaged in the third corner. But it definitely would not have been easy.

"After the encouraging winter tests we came here with very different expectations," he said.

Mercedes also had problems with its KERS units in Australia, but competition director Norbert Haug urged calm.

"To panic or to rush would be the ideal recipe for failure," Welt newspaper quotes him as saying.
--------

Real classy Horner, real classy

They where way to slow, Horner is not the first to mock other teams

[Katu]

thankyou mate its Wednesday, and will post up few pictures.

what a lovely date for b'day. i should know it in first hand