2018 F1 Championship - Round 1 Melbourne (25th March)

[happy_eagle]

F1 is back for another season !!!!!

Whilst most local attention will be drawn towards the opening round of the AFL season this weekend, Its also the return of Formula One for 2018. With some new ugly halo's and fancier faster tyres, all the drivers will be doing their best to dethrone Lewis Hamilton. From last years lineup there are a few new faces, and no Massa, Kyvatt, Wehrlein (harsh call) and Palmer (fair call)

Unfortunately if Pre Season Testing taught us anything its that Mercedes still have a very strong car, and Lewis Hamilton will once again be the driver to beat. Ferrari and Red Bull seem to be the closest challengers yet again, but it remains to be seen just how close they can get to the Silver Arrow. Other main takeaways from testing

• McLaren will have a competitive car if they can get over their constant mechanical issues
• Honda seem to have improved their engine reliability, and should provide Torro Rosso with decent power
• Haas have shown significant improvement and may have some good battles with Force India, McLaren and Renault in midfield.
• Sauber are still likely to be the slowest car

The Team Lineups for This Year
Mercedes - Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas
Red Bull - Daniel Ricciardo and Max Versttappen
Ferrari - Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen
Force India - Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon
Renault - Carlos Sainz and Nico Hulkenberg
Haas - Roman Grojsean and Kevin Magnussen
McLaren - Fernando Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne
Williams - Lance Stroll and Sergey Sirotkin
Torro Rosso - Piere Gasly and Brendon Hartley
Sauber - Marcus Ericsson and Charles Leclerc

In terms of the Race itself

Laps: 58
Time: Qualifying Sat 5pm EST
Race Sun 4pm EST
Tyres: UltraSoft (Purple), SuperSoft (Red), Soft (Yellow)
(Australia is usually at least a 2 stop Race for most drivers I'm pretty sure)


Conditions: Bit of Rain should spice things up

Track Schedule for the Weekend
(thanks to NSWCROW )

https://www.grandprix.com.au/event/track-schedule#

 

[Dockerjonz]

I've read online on the weekend that this race will be on f.t.a don't know how true this is but I hope it is

 

[happy_eagle]

I've read online on the weekend that this race will be on f.t.a don't know how true this is but I hope it is

The Aussie GP is part of the anti-siphoning laws so it will always be live on FTA.
I don't know if Channel 10 supply their own race callers these days, but their pre and post race stuff will be done by Mark Howard, Adam Gilchrist, Mark Webber and others.
Unfortunately part of this law means that those of us that watch it on Fox, will be subject to ads during the race (I guarantee you despite this being well known for a few years now, we will still get complaints in this thread about it on race day).

 

[Jatz]

Can't wait for this. Always feels like it takes so long for this to roll around each year.

 

[NMFCMUFC]

will be going on Saturday, tossing up about the Sunday, but wet race days are fairly horrid to attend, always nicer to go Friday and Saturday experience the new cars then follow it at home on Sunday

 

[GCStormie]

Looking forward to the start of the season, Hopefully a better performance from Enstone (Renault) this year now that we've ditched the witches hat (Palmer).

I'm pretty sure the channel 10 use the same Skysports coverage as Fox use. except with more 'sports experts' that dont know much about F1 and are just there to focus on Daniel Ricciardo and flogging other channel 10 IP. (the only other commonly used english language coverage is the British Channel 4?, but i don't think we get that)

I watch the Skysports coverage on nowtv.com Ad free. approx $250 for the season.

 

[imadodgyumpire]

I honestly can't see how the halo is the long term solution to whatever they're trying to achieve. The remind me of the extra wings we'd see on the engine cover back in 98. Even though there's a safety factor, it just doesn't look right.

 

[juice t]

I honestly can't see how the halo is the long term solution to whatever they're trying to achieve. The remind me of the extra wings we'd see on the engine cover back in 98. Even though there's a safety factor, it just doesn't look right.

Or the tower wings

Looked like a pair of flags

 

[mr bagcroft]

will be going on Saturday, tossing up about the Sunday, but wet race days are fairly horrid to attend, always nicer to go Friday and Saturday experience the new cars then follow it at home on Sunday

Exactly what Ill be doing. I dont attend Sundays...without the TV you have no idea whats going on in the race.

 

[NSWCROW]

Unfortunately part of this law means that those of us that watch it on Fox, will be subject to ads during the race.

FOX Motorsport
No split screen this year... no ad breaks from light out to chequered flag same as every other race. Enjoy...

 

[NSWCROW]

https://www.speedcafe.com/2018/03/21/new-drs-zone-added-albert-park-f1-circuit/

The Australian Grand Prix will feature three DRS zones in a bid to improve overtaking at this year’s Formula 1 season opener.

The FIA has added a new zone between the fast Turn 11-12 chicane on the Albert Park circuit ahead of this weekend’s race.

 

[happy_eagle]

FOX Motorsport
No split screen this year... no ad breaks from light out to chequered flag same as every other race. Enjoy...

Good news

https://www.speedcafe.com/2018/03/21/new-drs-zone-added-albert-park-f1-circuit/

Interesting
Albert Park isn't exactly known as a strong overtaking track so hopefully this creates a few more moves in sector 3

 

[imadodgyumpire]

I'm also going to go on the Saturday, but not Sunday. I wonder if it'll be obvious to figure out who mr bagcroft from his behaviour, considering how much he's torn BF apart?

 

[NMFCMUFC]

Exactly what Ill be doing. I dont attend Sundays...without the TV you have no idea whats going on in the race.

Even from the grandstands the track commentary is rubbish and not even they have any idea what’s going on with strategies, let alone compared to the excellent Croft and Brundle

 

[NMFCMUFC]

Good news


Interesting
Albert Park isn't exactly known as a strong overtaking track so hopefully this creates a few more moves in sector 3

Turn 13 is a relatively high speed right handed too, potential to dive in for an overtake

However the prospect of rain on race day means we might not even see it

 

[imadodgyumpire]

Croft is not excellent. In fact, he's immensely s**t.

 

[NMFCMUFC]

Croft is not excellent. In fact, he's immensely s**t.

who do would you prefer?

 

[imadodgyumpire]

Do you know of David Addison? He's one off the top of my head. I'll come back later with more nominations.

 

[NMFCMUFC]

Do you know of David Addison? He's one off the top of my head. I'll come back later with more nominations.

Has he done f1 before?

 

[darth_timon]

I’m looking forward to practice - chance to see the cars show their true performance.

 

[GCStormie]

I’m looking forward to practice - chance to see the cars show their true performance.

i think we'll still see leading teams sandbagging till Q2. especially Ferrari, they're pretty big on that, no idea not like the other teams can do anything about it at this point

 

[Temploar]

Still can't believe I am going to my first GP ever!

So much nervous energy.
Can't wait until fp1

Go Dan!

 

[Temploar]

FOX Motorsport
No split screen this year... no ad breaks from light out to chequered flag same as every other race. Enjoy...

Do you know if Foxtel play (foxtel now) or whatever it's called now will broadcast the f1 in HD?

Might look into getting that as streams are very hard to come by these days especially since the FIA closed down the best one .

 

[happy_eagle]

How can anyone not like Ricciardo (Galaxie77 )

 

[happy_eagle]

Well I can see this going down well with "certain types" of people

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...rks-race-row-ahead-Australian-Grand-Prix.html

Lewis Hamilton has sparked a race row by accusing Formula One of being a largely white-only preserve.

The four-time world champion put up a video on his Instagram account showing the Melbourne paddock, with the accompanying words: 'There is barely any diversity in Formula One.

'Still nothing's changed in 11 years I've been here. Kids, people, there are so many jobs in this sport in which anybody, no matter their ethnicity or background, can make it and fit in. #diversity #ucandoit.'

I would imagine that Lewis would have the power to get a more diverse range of mechanics if he went to Mercedes and demanded it.