2009 Formula One Australian Grand Prix

[Zytek_Fan]

Originally Posted by Rockefella

I think Kubica was more at fault since Vettel couldn't move over any further but it was a mistake on both if their parts. I think they both would agree.

From above it looked like it was more of Vettel's fault, but they both went out, so the issue can be put to rest.


Congratulations to Ross Brawn, Jenson Button, and Rubens Barrichello on a fantastic debut. On Speed they said something interesting; every team that has finished 1-2 in Australia in however many years, the driver who finishes first takes the driver's championship, and the team takes the constructor's.

[Rockefella]

I'd like to throw trulli some credit as well considering his start from the rear and a podium finish.

[RacingManiac]

I thought KERS did make some difference, it certainly helped Ferrari off the line despite no real position gained. The new tire complexion is making something interesting in the strategy side, since the 2 compounds are so different, Kubica could have had a real run at Button if he had passed Vettel. And it does seem they were able to race wheel to wheel more. Though the track helped in that respect, street-ish circuit is not true indication of what the new rule supposed to do, a real track like Sepang will tell if the aero package can allow cars to run close in high speed corners.

Not sure what happened to Ferrari's race, at one point they seem to be doing basically the same as what Kubica was doing, and they should've been right there, but for some reason after a few laps after the 2nd stop they seem to be a lot further back, then obviously Massa's car broke and Kimi decided to do some ballet with his car. Ferrari don't like Melborne it seems, even in Schumacher days it wasn't unusual for them to have horrid race there....

I guess the pace advantage Brawn has should remain largely intact til European swing. The real race tracks in the next few races will help the others catch up I think and the gap will possibly be smaller. I think in race trim Brawn is not THAT much faster, and their pitwork still need polishing. The development race for the 'have' team will start in ernest and the advantage of the Williams and Brawn will probably shrink. I hope though the rule will uphold the diffuser deal. I think if you take that away from them it'll be a big blow to their development....

Not a fan of Button, so I hope Rubens step up. Not liking Button's whole "my car sucks so I stop trying" attitude, now they hand him the good car on a silver platter and he is all smiling....

[RacingManiac]

Originally Posted by Zytek_Fan

On Speed they said something interesting; every team that has finished 1-2 in Australia in however many years, the driver who finishes first takes the driver's championship, and the team takes the constructor's.

Ahh stats, you can use it to show whatever you want...

BTW I thought Lewis had a good race, lots of good passing and generally racing very clean....

[LeonOfTheDead]

Adrian Newey (which I truly respect as a designer) said he doubt the diffusers are legal, because they would create a discontinuity in the under body of the car, even if in the rules is only stated that looking the car "from below" the under body has to follow a certain profile, so without considering a discontinuity or presumed "hole".
Usually he was one of those taking the rules to an extreme interpretation, still it could just be pissed for missing such a good idea.

Now about the fact that those cars weren't "that faster" than those equipped with the usual diffuser, I would disagree.
Besides being usually faster, even if by a small margin, they were considerably faster with super soft tires.
My idea/two cents: with slick tires the dynamic of the car is moved to the front which has been mainly affected by the major surface of grip and the whole new aero package. You could see this in Piquet's mistake, when the rear tires blocked during heavy breaking due to both a low temperature and a lack of grip compared to last year's situation. Now with a better working diffuser, you could regain that downforce at he back perhaps not allowing for the perfect balance, but surely for a solution more similar to what all the teams were used to. Considering the BrawnGP did only the last tests, I could expect them to be quite happy to have to deal with something more familiar. Still they made an excellent job. Showing some fast laps was relatively easy, but winning a race hands down wasn't definitely. Perhaps if Brawn himself carries on his efforts and they get the money they need, if not this year, they could be serious contenders for next years, as McLaren did in 1997 before of winning in 1998.

[LTSmash]

Originally Posted by Rockefella

I'd like to throw trulli some credit as well considering his start from the rear and a podium finish.

Same for Hamilton.

[Ferrer]

Originally Posted by LTSmash

Same for Hamilton.

Except that he didn't start from the pits and didn't end on the podium.

[LTSmash]

Originally Posted by Ferrer

Except that he didn't start from the pits and didn't end on the podium.

You know what I mean.

[Badsight]

poor vettal , he had the corner going in

kubicas responsibility being on the outside isnt to move inwards so the inside guy ramms you is it

vettal obviously had problems those 2 preceding corners . so the thing to do when overtaking people in this position is to not give him any room at all . obviously

[Wouter Melissen]

That was a highly entertaining race. They should change the rules more often! Great drive from Button, although it would have gotten very close down to end had Kubica kept it together. That left me a little ambivalent about the tire regulations. Sure it added most of the excitement to this race, it just does not seem very Formula 1 to force teams to drive on inferior rubber.

What I certainly did not enjoy was the KERS and the way it has been incorporated. It is basically a push-to-pass button with a fancy name. Push-to-pass is too much of an artificial gimmick to be included in Formula 1. Additionally I have been told that the systems are far from safe. My insider friend has great concerns about the safety of the crews, drivers and also corner workers after an accident. The FIA does not seem to be worried about a 605 kg machine carrying high voltage devices and rather toxic batteries (in the case of the teams that actually use batteries unlike BMW).

[LeonOfTheDead]

Originally Posted by Wouter Melissen

That was a highly entertaining race. They should change the rules more often! Great drive from Button, although it would have gotten very close down to end had Kubica kept it together. That left me a little ambivalent about the tire regulations. Sure it added most of the excitement to this race, it just does not seem very Formula 1 to force teams to drive on inferior rubber.

What I certainly did not enjoy was the KERS and the way it has been incorporated. It is basically a push-to-pass button with a fancy name. Push-to-pass is too much of an artificial gimmick to be included in Formula 1. Additionally I have been told that the systems are far from safe. My insider friend has great concerns about the safety of the crews, drivers and also corner workers after an accident. The FIA does not seem to be worried about a 605 kg machine carrying high voltage devices and rather toxic batteries (in the case of the teams that actually use batteries unlike BMW).

I would be worried also of the high speed rotating flywheel of the BMW too if it wasn't for the very thick construction, so perhaps the same regards the batteries.
The system is reportedly disengaged (so I would assume the energy is discarded) when pitting in, but in the case of an accident?
The energy could be cut off in the same way the fuel is cut off in a road car, and maybe the actually do that, discharging the energy to the ground. Just a guess.

I completely agree on the tires issue btw, it's completely unfair after designers, engineers and the driver too put their best efforts in gaining even the last tenth and than has to face a 10-laps lasting tire. Completely pointless. And the same when the medium compound tire needs about 30 °C track surface temperature to work properly.
Especially when there is only one company providing a component, being the tire or the ECU, it should be simply failure-proof even if not providing the best performance otherwise achievable.

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.

[Wouter Melissen]

Originally Posted by LeonOfTheDead

I would be worried also of the high speed rotating flywheel of the BMW too if it wasn't for the very thick construction, so perhaps the same regards the batteries.

I don't think BMW uses a flywheel, as it was deemed too dangerous. They are using capacitors as far as I know.

[LeonOfTheDead]

Originally Posted by Wouter Melissen

I don't think BMW uses a flywheel, as it was deemed too dangerous. They are using capacitors as far as I know.

thanks for the correction, I assumed they were using it because you said there weren't batteries on their cars, and I stupidly thought there were only batteries or flywheels as options.

[Wouter Melissen]

Originally Posted by LeonOfTheDead

thanks for the correction, I assumed they were using it because you said there weren't batteries on their cars, and I stupidly thought there were only batteries or flywheels as options.

No worries. What they should have done is, include the KERS as an integral system without a button. It's not like a Prius has a push to pass button.

[Ferrer]

Originally Posted by Wouter Melissen

No worries. What they should have done is, include the KERS as an integral system without a button. It's not like a Prius has a push to pass button.

A Prius doesn't have such a button because it can't actually pass anything.