F1 2007: ING Australian Grand Prix, Albert Park

[torque55]

I dont care who wins or who does what, i just want to see the season getting started

[Coventrysucks]

Cov, did you like listening to Murray Walker's commentary? I agree with your comment in relation to James Allen.

Murray Walker is a genius - i was looking at some old touring car clips on youtube the other day, and there was a bit of a tussle between two of the drivers, and with the onboard camera one of the drivers signalled his displeasure at being squeezed with a one-fingered salute.

Without missing a beat, Walker simply says "'I'm going for first' Says Allum" (IIRC, it may have been another driver).

James "The Cock" Allen would probably just titter like a school girl and make some gut-wrenchingly trite comment.

It is true that Walker was prone to the odd gaff, but the rest of the time he was providing first class commentary.

The only time Allen provides first class commentary is when he shuts up.

[derekthetree]

For those unaware of the changes this season, a quick rundown can be found here: http://www.formula1.com/news/5738.html

interesting reading, cheers

but I was reading this bit

Drivers will also have to use both compounds during a race

So drivers are forced to use unsuitable (to a degree) tyres. hmm, safe

[Vaigra]

Murray Walker is a genius - i was looking at some old touring car clips on youtube the other day, and there was a bit of a tussle between two of the drivers, and with the onboard camera one of the drivers signalled his displeasure at being squeezed with a one-fingered salute.

Without missing a beat, Walker simply says "'I'm going for first' Says Allum" (IIRC, it may have been another driver).

James "The Cock" Allen would probably just titter like a school girl and make some gut-wrenchingly trite comment.

It is true that Walker was prone to the odd gaff, but the rest of the time he was providing first class commentary.

The only time Allen provides first class commentary is when he shuts up.

Also those gaffs were part of what made him great. I love reading Murrayisms to remind me of the good old days

[fpv_gtho]

So drivers are forced to use unsuitable (to a degree) tyres. hmm, safe

Unless its a wet race of course, but that still generally has to follow the rule.

The tyres will all be lacking grip, and it looks like the softer tyres are being designated the "option" tyre. The harder tyres though IMO will just have less grip again. All the operating temperatures etc are pretty much the same, and have been widened significantly over last years tyres, which probably needed to work within a window of 5 degrees.

[Jack_Bauer]

1. Alonso - 1.29.214
2. Massa - 1.30.707
3. Vettel - 1.30.857
4. Hamilton - 1.30.878
5. Button - 1.31.162
6. Nakajima - 1.31.461
7. Coulthard - 1.31.528
8. Kovalainen - 1.31.571
9. Webber - 1.31.661
10. Barrichello - 1.31.737

That's the top ten from the first practice session. Sadly it doesn't really say an awful lot as it was a wet Melbourne morning with the track drying up as the session went on. Big names like Raikkonen didn't bother setting times later on in the session so remained down in 19th, he just put in a few installation laps in the wet. If it stays dry for the second session of the day we should get a much better idea of what the genuine pace of the teams is.

[Kitdy]

Thanks for the update J_B, I await tommorow at around this time with trepidation. Anyone know the forecast for qualy / raceday?

[Cyco]

You should have included 11th J_B T.Sato in the highest spot we may see the Super Aguri all year

[Jack_Bauer]

Friday Practice #2

1. Massa 1.27.3
2. Raikkonen 1.27.7
3. Hamilton 1.27.8
4. Fisichella 1.27.9
5. Heidfeld 1.27.9
6. Wurz 1.27.9
7. Alonso 1.28.0
8. Rosberg 1.28.0
9. Kubica 1.28.2
10. Coulthard 1.28.4
11. Davidson 1.28.7
12. Trulli 1.28.9
13. Sato 1.29.0
14. Button 1.29.0
15. Barrichello 1.29.5
16. Schumacher 1.29.5
17. Webber 1.29.8
18. Kovalainen 1.30.0
19. Speed 1.30.3
20. Sutil 1.30.7
21. Albers 1.31.1
22. Liuzzi 1.31.6

As expected the Ferraris are the cars to beat in Melbourne. Flippy Massa pipped Kimi to P1 but Kimi had actually set the fastest two sectors of the day on his final lap before running into traffic, so they look pretty even on raw pace. It was a great first day as a full-time GP driver for Hamilton taking P3, and Fisi will have answered a few of his critics putting the Renault P4. Heidfeld proved that all the hype about BMW's pace wasn't just rumour, the BMWs look pretty level with the Renaults at this point.

The two Williams' will have raised a few eyebrows by taking 6th and 8th as they look to bounce back from a dreadful 2006. They were split by Alonso who wasn't quite on the pace of the Ferraris and his teammate in this session.

Elsewhere the biggest story has to be both Super Aguris beating both Hondas. It seems at this point that last year's Honda chassis is quicker than this year's! There will be some very red faces at Honda HQ. Barrichello didn't complete the session as he spun out halfway through and brought out a red flag. Simultaneously Kovalainen stopped out on track with a problem of some sort and he didn't complete the session. The other driver not to put in a full shift was Webber who was atruggling with gearbox gremlins. He had the whole second half of the session to sit, watch and wonder what might have been had he not deserted Williams for RBR. As expected the STRs and the Spykers battled it out for bottom spot, with Liuzzi taking that 'honour' this time round. Spyker will be heartened by the fact that they aren't quite as cut adrift from the pack as pre-season testing had suggested they might.

[Vaigra]

OK, Jack, time for bed now me thinks. I swear you never sleep.

[Jack_Bauer]

Hey, leave me alone, I'm excited!

Five long months with no Grand Prixs to watch, I'm hardly gonna miss the first sessions of the new season.

[Cyco]

The fastest 2 sectors by Kimi were actually post checkered flag, not on the final lap.

[Coventrysucks]

Seven cars separated by 0.3 of a second... could it actually be a season of *shock, horror* close racing?!

The FIA will need to do something about that, sharpish.

[magracer]

Massa on top, yes! Hamilton 3rd.. wow. And the Super Aguris beat a bunch of "factory" pilots. Alonso's positions makes me wonder about a new theory: "slow cars are quick in the wet"

Let's just wait for the qualy to really see who's fast and who isn't...

[Kitdy]

About 2 hours away from qualification now. I still stand by Kimi despite Kimi, Felipe, Ross, and everyone else saying that they are equal. I think Kimi will dig deep and really lay down a solid hot lap to edge out Massa FTP (For The Pole FTW!). Psyched!

Saturday Free Practice Times

1. K. Räikkönen 1:26.064
2. G. Fisichella 1:26.454
3. L. Hamilton 1:26.467
4. A. Davidson 1:26.491
5. F. Massa 1:26.547
6. N. Heidfeld 1:26.753
7. F. Alonso 1:26.786
8. H. Kovalainen 1:26.937
9. T. Sato 1:27.266
10. A. Wurz 1:27.322
11. M. Webber 1:27.390
12. R. Kubica 1:27.753
13. R. Schumacher 1:27.887
14. J. Trulli 1:28.897
15. R. Barrichello 1:28.039
16. N. Rosberg 1:28.061
17. J. Button 1:28.119
18. D. Coulthard 1:28.208
19. V. Liuzzi 1:28.332
20. S. Speed 1:28.485
21. A. Sutil 1:28.678
22. C. Albers 1:30.547

Looks like they've gone faster in what I assume is the dry. Surprising to see how high the SA's are doing. I will leave the 'splaining to J_B as he is wiser!