2012 Formula One Australian Grand Prix

[Victor Ivanov]

Well I have some thoughts after this race:
1. Button was out of other's league. We saw it in the first laps and after the SC.
2. These SC rules really start to annoy me. They pull out the SC for every small reason they can imagine. Dust - SC, some carbon fiber - SC, dead bird - SC, dark clouds - SC, drunk man on the crowds - SC, SC all the time. Stupid.
3. Hamilton looked like he had a duty in his pants after the race. It was totally his fault. He made a poor start and after that he coulnd't match Jenson's pace
4. Alonso is a class. I don't like him but he is.
5. Vettel - this is one lucky b**tard! His car didn't have the pace of the McLarens but still 2nd. Lucky, lucky, lucky!
6. Webber hmmm he might be playing the second violine this year again.
7. Mercs - crazy Q and again as it was last two years. They just forgot the pace in the garage.
8. The Williams - niceeeee except Senna and the last lap. But they showed something.
9. Lotus - nice too. It looked like Romain couldn't handle the pressure at the start but after that he was good before the accident which I'd call his fault.
10. Massa.... ahhhh Massa. I don't know why but I think he's leaving before the European season.
11. Last but not least - DRS was useless today. Despite the two DRS zones none of the front runners could overtake a car on pretty equal conditions. The gap was 0.7 before the two DRS zones and 0.5 after them. I think FIA will nail the right DRS lenght in 2013 Last year it was a joke, this year - useless

 

[Hampus Andersson]

You are missing a big thing with SC incident.
When SC comes out you can't go full on, there's certain time you have to be within.

This did not gain Hamilton in any way shape or form.
He was the only one losing a position of the three.

For Peter,

 

[Adam Hartwell]

Our Dutch commentator didn't have an answer for the strange steering-wheel issue of Rosberg. Anybody know what exactly happened with him during the last lap of the race?

He had a collision with one of the Saubers, and got a puncture which is why everyone streamed past, and why a Sauber was blocking like 5 cars out of the points coming over the line, shame for him really because it was in the last few corners, the Sauber was able to block Ricciardo and co. i -think-.

Really dissapointed, Schumacher was holding his own up in the top 4, He's got the car, he can drive it fast, and then it breaks down, he's not lost his skill, he's lost his luck :I

 

[My993C2]

Button was out of other's league.

Agreed

These SC rules really start to annoy me. They pull out the SC for every small reason they can imagine. Dust - SC, some carbon fiber - SC, dead bird - SC, dark clouds - SC, drunk man on the crowds - SC, SC all the time. Stupid.

Yes safety cars are annoying, but carbon fiber on the track can cause punctures and a puncture at the wrong time can cause a car to go into a wall and if you know anything about this sport, you know that people can and have died because they hit a wall.

Vettel - this is one lucky b**tard! His car didn't have the pace of the McLarens but still 2nd. Lucky, lucky, lucky

The haters just have to show the world how much pure unadulterated hate they have in their heads. Let's try this instead. Vettel did not have Button's pace. Button was the clear winner. But Vettel was catching Hamilton. If you'll remember Hamilton had a 10 second lead on Vettel around the time of the first pit stops and this lead was cut to only a second or so by the time the 2nd pit stops and the SC came out. Could Vettel have passed Hamilton without the SC? In this race we will never know. But it appears that both Button and Vettel are better tire managers than Hamilton is. That is not luck.

Webber hmmm he might be playing the second violine this year again.

If Webber found himself behind Vettel again Webber has only himself to blame for yet another poor race start. However other than Mark's less than ideal start, he did drive a good race and finished where he should have finished.

 

[Kennett Ylitalo]

@Victor Ivanov : You don't think a car stopping in the middle of the mainstraight is not enough reason for safety car?

I don't think Grosjean accident was totally his fault... Maldonado had the inside line but he did go straight from the inside to the outside curb like that car in the outside line just vanishes.. He claimed that line pretty late and Grosjean had no where to go. All thou, more experienced driver would've probably backed off but Maldo didn't give any room. When i saw that i initially saw it totally Pastors fault, fater the replay it was more clear. You don't have to give your line up when your wheel to wheel.. Otherwise there would be no wheel to wheel action at all... If Romain would've turned in, then it would've been 100% his fault but he did give room and tried to just stay on track.

 

[Victor Ivanov]

I don't hate him but he was lucky! After the first stops Hamilton was stuck behind a Sauber which was 2-3 seconds per lap slower than Button. Hamilton was 4 seconds behind BUtton before first stops and when he cleared the Sauber he was like 12 seconds behind. And the SC worked for Vettel as well. I'm not saying he is a bad driver. I'm just saying that despite the good race today he had the luck. Schumi went off the track and broke his car which didn't happen when Vettel was off. The SC helped him to take 2nd and once again I'm pointing the useless DRS today.

@Kennett - years ago we've see cars stopped at very unusuall places but no SC was deployed.

 

[Péter Bártfai]

Vettel had to pass Perez as well, and he did it without the DRS in a car that is about 10km/h slower than the McLaren in straight line.

 

[Josh Barton]

I don't hate him but he was lucky! After the first stops Hamilton was stuck behind a Sauber which was 2-3 seconds per lap slower than Button. Hamilton was 4 seconds behind BUtton before first stops and when he cleared the Sauber he was like 12 seconds behind. And the SC worked for Vettel as well. I'm not saying he is a bad driver. I'm just saying that despite the good race today he had the luck. Schumi went off the track and broke his car which didn't happen when Vettel was off. The SC helped him to take 2nd and once again I'm pointing the useless DRS today.

@Kennett - years ago we've see cars stopped at very unusuall places but no SC was deployed.

I just want to clarify a few things.

1) Schumi's car went off cause it was already broken, gearbox.
2) Vettel also was behind Perez, but passed him with no problems.
3) Hamilton put himself in the position for this to happen with the SC. He shouldnt have let Button get him off the line by spinning his tyres, he shouldnt have let Button get away so quickly. Vettel was behind traffic in the pack at the start, Hamilton was not. That was his opportunity to pull away but he didnt, or rather couldnt, so when things happen on track it wasnt so much luck that let him down. There was an element of luck, but really you make your own luck....

 

[Kennett Ylitalo]

Years ago the safety was not in the same state as it is now.. I can't remember any races from the last 10 years where a car stopping in the track wouldn't cause a safety car, i could be wrong.. I do agree that if a car has stopped outside the track there's no need for a SC in most cases. And in case of "shrapnel", i think if the part is large enough or is located in the middle of a high speed corner it needs to be removed before someone gets hurt.

They have deployed SC many times way too soon, that's given.. Safety first, race comes second, that's how we live today and i'm glad they do so. No sport is worthy of deadly injuries anymore, no one deserves to get hurt for my enjoyment.. It's not nannying as much as a real respect of human life.

 

[Eckhart von Glan]

Button did a "Vettel" today but everyone thinks he was great (he was) but if Vettel won today in the same way, everyone would be criticising him.

spot on, some of the talk before the race in this thread was just childish, cmon guys, grow up!

 

[Bruno Sousa Ferreira]

REally bad day for Mercedes, was really hoping that they would join the top 3 teams, sadly it was only qualy pace they seem to have.

 

[EIF]

Mercedes are becoming just another Toyota, BMW Sauber, Honda etc

 

[Alberto Casado]

If what they are commenting about the mercedes "front wing drs" is true, we can expect them to qualify much better than perform in the race (since DRS can be used anytime in Q, much much less in R). On top of that, tyre management.

Unless that changes radically, I expect them to qualify nicely, but lose a few places after the first pit stop every race.

 

[Adam Hartwell]

Mercedes have another feature which is assisting them, plus their immense straight line speed, Schumacher was holding his own against Vettel with wank tires when his car broke, Merc just need to sort the degredation problems.

 

[Hampus Andersson]

I just want to clarify a few things.

1) Schumi's car went off cause it was already broken, gearbox.
2) Vettel also was behind Perez, but passed him with no problems.
3) Hamilton put himself in the position for this to happen with the SC. He shouldnt have let Button get him off the line by spinning his tyres, he shouldnt have let Button get away so quickly. Vettel was behind traffic in the pack at the start, Hamilton was not. That was his opportunity to pull away but he didnt, or rather couldnt, so when things happen on track it wasnt so much luck that let him down. There was an element of luck, but really you make your own luck....

Yea that was how it was... Hamilton "let" Button take first in the start....

 

[Hampus Andersson]

Mercedes are becoming just another Toyota, BMW Sauber, Honda etc

None of the above has never led a championship halfway through as BMW.
Toyota has never won a race, Honda has never won a 1-2.
New Mercedes has never won a race.

Bmw is above these teams. Compare time vs sucess with Mercedes and see for yourself.

 

[Diego Lopez]

I don't hate him but he was lucky! After the first stops Hamilton was stuck behind a Sauber which was 2-3 seconds per lap slower than Button. Hamilton was 4 seconds behind BUtton before first stops and when he cleared the Sauber he was like 12 seconds behind. And the SC worked for Vettel as well. I'm not saying he is a bad driver. I'm just saying that despite the good race today he had the luck. Schumi went off the track and broke his car which didn't happen when Vettel was off. The SC helped him to take 2nd and once again I'm pointing the useless DRS today.

@Kennett - years ago we've see cars stopped at very unusuall places but no SC was deployed.

Dude ur dealing with an RB fan, let him go, I agree with you he was lucky, lucky because if it wasnt for the SC he would of been waaaaaaaaay back. Luck had him, buts its melbourne, Jenson dominated Vettel like the kid he is. Its ok, Usually the winner of the 1st race becomes WC.

"The haters just have to show the world how much pure unadulterated hate they have in their heads"

really, lol its a forum and people have emotions, especially after a race, and they are able to display it within the limits of regulations of the conduct rules for this forums. really, loosen up a bit or are u the conservatist type. wow. unbelivable.

Anyways Vic its ok dude Mclaren still showed pace and Q pace by miles towards the Red Bulls, and that ought to shut them up about the Mercs F-Duct stuff...but I still see a dominant Mclaren followed by SC lucks.

Lewis Hamilton's attitude at the post-race press conference was typical again. Where Jenson and Seb praised the work of their teams and congratulated each other after giving a detailed impression how their race went, Lewis was sitting there like a little baby who's toy was taking away from him. Is it really that hard to give a normal explanation of things after a disappointing race?

Our Dutch commentator didn't have an answer for the strange steering-wheel issue of Rosberg. Anybody know what exactly happened with him during the last lap of the race?

He is a racing driver, who we all know is sensitive to losing P1, give hima break, dont judge him so quick, he is allowed to show frustration or anger or whatever emotions are running thru him, there are no regulations saying you cant be a human being with feelings and emotions.....even if they are against ur team-mate.

e.g: might be a bit off topic, I remember other drivers being just as pissed and blah blah blah towards others at the end of a race, even previous World Champions, I even remember Vettels crying attitude @ Hungary in 2010, but he knew it was his fault for the penalty, he showed emotions....

Lets give drivers a chance to be humans and not fake smile for cameras, plus Lewis goal was to destroy Vettel, no wonder he was seen that way, and I dont blame the guy one bit.

 

[DavidA]

Difference is that he does not have a superior car in race trim. Running at the front is always 10 times easier then sitting behind a car for lap after lap.

But today, Button was running at the front and the Mclaren appeared to be the fastest car.

 

[EIF]

None of the above has never led a championship halfway through as BMW.
Toyota has never won a race, Honda has never won a 1-2.
New Mercedes has never won a race.

Bmw is above these teams. Compare time vs sucess with Mercedes and see for yourself.

Above the other maybe but still in the same group of big manufacturers with lots of resources. 1 win (thanks to Hamilton brain fade) in 4 seasons is hardy a success story. New Mercedes are heading the same way.

 

[Diego Lopez]

oh by the way just to back up my previous post a little bit lets hear it from a former F1 driver ...not sim driver (jk)

"Meanwhile, 1992 world champion Nigel Mansell commented on Twitter about Lewis Hamilton's subdued reaction to his third place: "The reason Lewis is looking so down is because he's a winner. Third place isn't good enough for some people"