2014 Formula One Australian Grand Prix

Shane Butler · Mar 12, 2014

I love how most people have been using testing as an accurate basis on where each team stands pace-wise this year. Q3 is when the early running order will be revealed, and I expect everyone to be surprised. The first Q3 session is always fascinating to watch every year in F1.

ice_kimi · Mar 12, 2014

there wont have any surprise
faster cars will be always faster than slower cars
Mercedes improved their engine motor
Renault has software issues and their engine motor is weaker
i conclude Mercedes - Ferrari - Renault
i think Mercedes team can take the pole but in race Ferrari is always better
Kimi should win Melbourne, he doesnt care about new rules, new engine, new cars, all this stress from new season...
he drives smoothly and severals former F1 drivers and even notorious world champion's admit 2014 rules advantage Kimi over Alonso
i will bet money on him this week

Shane Butler · Mar 13, 2014

Pure speculation mate. Nobody has any real clue about who is where.. sure a safe bet is Mercedes are up there but everything else.. phew.. I wouldn't have any idea. That's why it's gonna be great this weekend.

Dux · Mar 13, 2014

If the title is decided in the end between Hamilton or Massa, i am cheering up for Massa as i would have been doing it for Schumacher or Vettel

This year it's sad to see how much the engine of a car and not the talent of a driver can steal you one year of the sport.
Vettel i believe will be back very quickly

As for Melbourne, and the rest of the season, if Mercedes are the team to beat, i am for Rosberg

Kjell Eilertsen · Mar 13, 2014

Dusko Avramovski said:
This year it's sad to see how much the engine of a car and not the talent of a driver can steal you one year of the sport.

And how is this different from last year?

Dux · Mar 13, 2014

Kjell Eilertsen said:
And how is this different from last year?

I am wondering how it is not? Why it is called an era? Time has passed and everyone had their time to adapt on the rules or regulations or whatever they have been given from 2009 till 2013. As time goes by everyone gets to their limits both team car and driver performances

2009 won Button with the revolutionary design of BrawnGP etc. Next season you saw more or less equal battles and towards the end of the era you get closer and closer battles due to the equal cars, what Vettel did is just extraordinary.

2014 - New Era, new regulations everything is different. While everyone gets on the same level half of the season might pass. My point is, while someone is playing catch up due to the new regulations someone just because of the car will be on the top and by far this is a season where the car will decide the Champion and not the qualities of the driver. I hope you understood my point.

In each season the car is important, and that is stupid subject to mention all the time, no one won with slow car, but this season, you can put Senna in his top form and he wont have a chance to finish 10 laps.

[edit] Since i watch F1, before new season started there was only one question - speed. Today we find those teams not speaking about speed but reliability or if they could finish 5 10 15 laps. Or if Mercedes would win by 2 laps ahead.

Kjell Eilertsen · Mar 13, 2014

Dusko Avramovski said:
I am wondering how it is not? Why it is called an era?

Vettel won the championship on having a faster car rather than his talent alone?
I know you won't agree to this, but to me it's as much a fact as a opinion.
The guy is talented for sure, but not 1-2 seconds faster per lap more talented than EVERY other driver in the paddock. His championship was won more by Adrian Newey than his own skill imo.

Kjell Eilertsen · Mar 13, 2014

Dusko Avramovski said:
In each season the car is important, and that is stupid subject to mention all the time, no one won with slow car, but this season, you can put Senna in his top form and he wont have a chance to finish 10 laps.

You could put Senna in last years Ferrari, McLaren, Lotus or Mercedes, and he would not beat Vettel. You could put Vettel in any of those cars and he would not be able to keep up with himself.

Dux · Mar 13, 2014

It was Newey or Vettel i cannot tell, i cannot speak for things i haven't seen. What i have seen is Vettel won not Webber. When you apply logic to this, it's not all about the car isn't it ?
Also what i can say about 2014 is that if 2013 car had big influence, this year multiple that by 10

Dux · Mar 13, 2014

First Press of the season

Part 2

Howard · Mar 13, 2014

Max Chilton 6 votes
Seb Vettel 5 votes

Heh.

Jeffry in t Veld · Mar 13, 2014

Just read this on the formula1 site:

There have been minimal changes to the layout of the track since the Formula One fraternity last visited Melbourne - the kerb at the exit of Turn 12 has been replaced, but that’s all.

http://www.formula1.com/news/features/2014/3/15547.html

Howard · Mar 13, 2014

Jeffry in t Veld said:
Just read this on the formula1 site:

There have been minimal changes to the layout of the track since the Formula One fraternity last visited Melbourne - the kerb at the exit of Turn 12 has been replaced, but that’s all.

http://www.formula1.com/news/features/2014/3/15547.html

The only changes we (as in the editorial team) were notified of by the FIA/track authority was this:

The kerb on the exit of Turn 12 has been levelled and renewed (with the same design of kerb).

Nelson Ullinskey · Mar 13, 2014

Oh sweet holy mother everything sane! They changed the kerbing on Turn 12?!?!

This is worse than if all the hairdryers in the world stopped working!! We thought the engines were a problem, this kerb will claim more DNFs than those engines!

What has the FIA done!?

In case no one could tell, I am being funny

Bram Hengeveld · Mar 13, 2014

Wow where does the sudden love for Felipe baby comes from? Almost gets more votes than Lewis

Howard · Mar 13, 2014

Bram Hengeveld said:
Wow where does the sudden love for Felipe baby comes from? Almost gets more votes than Lewis

MARCUS ERICSSON 2K14

Nelson Ullinskey · Mar 13, 2014

I think it has something to do with his car being Mercedes powered (obviously), Williams were impressive in testing, and it might rain and Massa (IMO anyways) is good in the wet stuff.