2017 Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand PrixFormula 1

[Peter.]

I'm picturing Max dancing around in the braking zone as he does so well, but now with a DRS flap wide open that he forgot to shut down before dashing across the braking zone to prepare to defend his position. It doesn't end well in my head.

Also if everyone has DRS, then does anyone really have DRS?

 

[zed300]

Higher corner speeds lead to less time on the straights. Wider tyres allow the braking zones to be pretty much as they were last year. Inevitably this means less overtakes on the straights eventuate.

Could harder less grip tyres(more wheel spin and sliding putting onus on the driver not the car) with mandatory stops, at randomly chosen pit intervals say across a 5 lap period twice in a race. I don't have the answers, but this could bring back passing just about anywhere.

 

[Jimlaad43]

Blue Flags should not be removed, and they should stay as mandatory in F1, but what needs to change is how long the drivers have. Currently, they have to get out of the way after 3 flags are passed. The way to fix that is say that you have 1 or 2 laps to let them through, so if the driver being lapped wants, they can wait until the DRS zone. Anyone saying Blue Flags ruins battles needs to see that the driver being lapped hasn't done their job. Look at Verstappen at Monaco in 2015, using Vettel to make his overtakes. If you're lapped, up your pace that lap to stay behind the leader and pass your opponent when they let them through.

 

[sems4arsenal]

You can't have innovation and expect their to be close racing or a team that isn't far beyond the others.

That's a good point. You can't really do anything about the performance deficit part, it's up to the teams.

However if last year the top 3 teams were close performance wise, there would be good racing. This year it doesn't look like this will happen.

 

[Peter.]

I'm torn on the new tyres. Vettel could follow Hamilton without destroying his tyres because they're a bit more durable this year, but they are so tough that one stop is the only answer, so we dont see the variation in tyre strategy like we did last year that helped produced some pretty good on track action.

I'd like to believe it can only get better from here. If Pirelli bring softer tyres than they normally would to each race we might see some more of that. Then there's the fact that the cars actually seem to be a bit better at following each other because the grip level is more consistent. It's all about finding tyres durable enough to not be destroyed in traffic, but soft enough to not just have one stop races.

That said I don't expect the overetaking figures to be as high as they once were, but certainly not 2004 all over again like people seem to expect.

 

[IforceV8]

James Allen. https://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2017...istening-to-f1-drivers-is-bad-for-the-racing/

 

[Pezzarinho17]

I'd like to believe it can only get better from here. If Pirelli bring softer tyres than they normally would to each race we might see some more of that.

For Australia 2017 Pirelli brought each compound down a grade and brought the ultra soft rather than the medium. As you say, they then also only required 1 stop rather than 2 or 3 as last year. The tyres are much harder currently, something Pirelli have already commented on, saying it was at the request of the FIA but against their wishes. Pirelli do have the capability of switching to reserve compounds, which they say are 2016 compounds at 2017 sizes, all ready for the FIA to hit the button.

 

[DesertPenguin09]

Wow that's just stubborn. It doesn't matter what you want, you're under contract and you do what they tell you.

 

[Peter.]

I should have clarified. I expect if anything, Pirelli may bring the tyres down a grade at every track. I figured that as Melbourne isn't a track that's tough on the tyres to begin with, bringing them down a grade wouldn't have the drastic effect it would at another track.

Wow that's just stubborn. It doesn't matter what you want, you're under contract and you do what they tell you.

They did it, though. They just knew it wasn't a good move in terms of the spectacle They have the right to have a say, because when Pirelli make tyres however the FIA wants them, they get all the flak if the fans don't like it.

 

[Pezzarinho17]

I agree, and obviously they couldn't go any more aggressive in Australia. I don't know if you read the article before posting (I hadn't) but pre-season testing indicates we could run ultra soft / super soft / soft at every race without any issue, and 1 stop strategies. It also confirms what I said yesterday in that the loss of the sport (entertainment / strategy) is a poor compromise that allows the drivers to push every lap rather than doing any tyre management. Something needs to change over the duration of the race, and not just this site.

 

[United6694]

But then F1 drivers wouldn't bother to move aside - especially if they're gradually closing on another opponent for position. That's why the rule mandates that they do... although in actuality they often slow close to the racing line and make the faster car do the departing.



It would simply negate the effect of DRS, surely? We'd certainly see more accidents with some drivers (not necessarily Jolyon Palmer) being tempted to use it for a little too long into the braking zones. That's not so much of a problem in free practices but with cars running close it could be a nightmare.

I'm picturing Max dancing around in the braking zone as he does so well, but now with a DRS flap wide open that he forgot to shut down before dashing across the braking zone to prepare to defend his position. It doesn't end well in my head.

Also if everyone has DRS, then does anyone really have DRS?

Everyone BUT the leader, everywhere like quali used to be. I think that would work

If he forgets to close it thats on him.

 

[Spurgy 777]

Everyone BUT the leader, everywhere like quali used to be. I think that would work

If he forgets to close it thats on him.

It really wouldn't work, you might as well not have it.

 

[TenEightyOne]

Everyone BUT the leader, everywhere like quali used to be. I think that would work

So only the leader can be overtaken with DRS, basically?

If he forgets to close it thats on him.

Of course. Stray debris/cars never hurt anybody, right?

 

[Famine]

DRS, the new blue shell.

 

[United6694]

So only the leader can be overtaken with DRS, basically?



Of course. Stray debris/cars never hurt anybody, right?

In effect, yep, surely if nothing else, it'd keep the pack closer to an extent? Leader always a bit slower down the straights

To play devils advocate (or whatever i'm not of the right term)
Say a driver moves about in the wet conditions, same thing could happen no? Any x what if statements...

Of course I'm not suggesting that come on.

If it was going to happen you could mandate that it closes x meters before the braking zone, but it wouldn't be open anyway because it closes on brakes now so that part is no different to today?

 

[TheElbows]

Bit of a snooze fest for a race. Sad for Ricciardo. Good for Vettel.

 

[ukfan758]

I had this idea last season regarding DRS, how would this work out?

-The leader can never use DRS
-As long as cars 2nd through 20th are not within 1 second of the next car/position, they can use DRS.
-DRS could be used 2011-2012 practice/qualifying style (can be used at all times) or keep the standard zone format.


In my mind, this would keep the field closer together and encourage more natural overtaking. Would it actually make it easier to pass or would it make "Trulli trains"?

 

[prisonermonkeys]

An investigation into the track invasion has concluded that the course car was deployed too early, which is usually the sign that the circuit is clear and spectators are free to enter the perimeter:

http://www.speedcafe.com/2017/03/29/course-car-centre-agp-crowd-invasion-probe/

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

That's a good point. You can't really do anything about the performance deficit part, it's up to the teams.

However if last year the top 3 teams were close performance wise, there would be good racing. This year it doesn't look like this will happen.

But they weren't close performance wise, and this year so far only two of them seem close. The third one has two drivers claiming that supposedly the team pulled a Williams with the car, and went for lower drag and less downforce for straight line speed. This hurt the overall balance and made the car hard to drive.

There are always a few races where you expect the track to become the equalizer of it all Monaco, Belgium, Singapore. The rest of the races are up to team strategy, car performance and/or luck. Every other track the best car shows the pecking order and it has always been that way in F1.

I had this idea last season regarding DRS, how would this work out?

-The leader can never use DRS
-As long as cars 2nd through 20th are not within 1 second of the next car/position, they can use DRS.
-DRS could be used 2011-2012 practice/qualifying style (can be used at all times) or keep the standard zone format.


In my mind, this would keep the field closer together and encourage more natural overtaking. Would it actually make it easier to pass or would it make "Trulli trains"?

While a nice idea, at times I feel that DRS being used every where especially on certain tracks is a safety issue. Especially with the cornering speeds of the new cars. If you're on the DRS too long and you enter a high speed corner or can't slow down fast enough for a hairpin, and a major accident happens then people will call for a return to designated DRS zones.

 

[Liquid]

It's been one race. Even if your predictions do turn out to be true we won't know how competitive the field is until 3-4 races in.

Mercedes-Benz might come out and destroy Ferrsri again. Or not. We'll just have to wait and see for now.

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

It's been one race. Even if your predictions do turn out to be true we won't know how competitive the field is until 3-4 races in.

Mercedes-Benz might come out and destroy Ferrsri again. Or not. We'll just have to wait and see for now.

What predictions, no where do I say this is the order or make a prediction, I'm saying that last year was not close, this year we only have one race to go off, we don't know the true pace of the RBR cause it wasn't set up right. So essentially I'm saying the same as you.

My point is, not matter what the order smaller tracks with lower average speeds are a chance for anyone to win no matter the pecking order. Monaco, Belgium, Singapore sort of, and maybe Austria.

 

[ScottPuss20]

Something unrelated:
I thought the Channel 10 coverage of the Australian GP was awful. I cringed so much because it felt so commercialised, and the hosts were piss poor. Except for Mark Webber. The music... UGH, I felt as though I was listening to Nova 100, the pop music station here in Melbourne. I also hate it when people act like they know what they're talking about. Example: whilst one of the female presenters was in the Historic Paddock, the fella she interviewed said that his favourite car was the Lister Monzanopolis. This thing:

He said that it used to race at Monza on the old banked track, and she said "Oh wow" Now, I'm like, "what would she know about that track?" Really, really cringe worthy material right there. Being at the event for real is so much better than watching the TV.

Something related:
I don't like the way F1 drivers nowadays run to a certain lap time in order to conserve fuel. They should go all out in the race, and not have to worry about the numbers. The fans want competition and drivers to put their bodies and cars on the line. Don't focus soo much on strategy, we want to see who's the best with their craft.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

I don't like the way F1 drivers nowadays run to a certain lap time in order to conserve fuel. They should go all out in the race, and not have to worry about the numbers. The fans want competition and drivers to put their bodies and cars on the line. Don't focus soo much on strategy, we want to see who's the best with their craft.

If they carried enough fuel to be able to do fifty-eight qualifying laps in a row, they'd be so heavy that you'd be complaining that the lap times are ridiculously slow. If the sport re-introduced refuelling, you'd complain that the races were reduced to glorified timetrials, with the drivers aiming for a pre-determined laptime and making no attempt to pass.

Fuel management has always been a part of the sport. If you carry more fuel, you can push harder and for longer, but your car will be heavier and slower. Conversely, if you carry less fuel, you'll be lighter and faster, but you'll have to manage your fuel more. And so strategy is a question of what trade-off you're willing to make.

 

[ScottPuss20]

If they carried enough fuel to be able to do fifty-eight qualifying laps in a row, they'd be so heavy that you'd be complaining that the lap times are ridiculously slow. If the sport re-introduced refuelling, you'd complain that the races were reduced to glorified timetrials, with the drivers aiming for a pre-determined laptime and making no attempt to pass.

Fuel management has always been a part of the sport. If you carry more fuel, you can push harder and for longer, but your car will be heavier and slower. Conversely, if you carry less fuel, you'll be lighter and faster, but you'll have to manage your fuel more. And so strategy is a question of what trade-off you're willing to make.

I just want drivers to race hard...

 

[prisonermonkeys]

I just want drivers to race hard...

And they do. But racing hard has its drawbacks. Stick your nose too far up the inside, and you're likely to shear the endplate off. Get too ambitious on entry and you'll run wide or pitch into a spin. Push too hard for too long, and you'll burn up all the fuel and have to aggressively save fuel, leaving yourself vulnerable to the drivers behind you. It's a question of risk versus reward.

 

[sems4arsenal]

But they weren't close performance wise, and this year so far only two of them seem close. The third one has two drivers claiming that supposedly the team pulled a Williams with the car, and went for lower drag and less downforce for straight line speed. This hurt the overall balance and made the car hard to drive.

There are always a few races where you expect the track to become the equalizer of it all Monaco, Belgium, Singapore. The rest of the races are up to team strategy, car performance and/or luck. Every other track the best car shows the pecking order and it has always been that way in F1.

You misunderstood, I'm saying that if last year the top 3 teams were close, than we would've gotten close racing.

If this year RBR catch up and we have 3 equally-ish matched teams, I don't think we will get close racing at all.

 

[Liquid]

What predictions, no where do I say this is the order or make a prediction, I'm saying that last year was not close, this year we only have one race to go off, we don't know the true pace of the RBR cause it wasn't set up right. So essentially I'm saying the same as you.

My post was in general and not addressed to you specifically.

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

You misunderstood, I'm saying that if last year the top 3 teams were close, than we would've gotten close racing.

If this year RBR catch up and we have 3 equally-ish matched teams, I don't think we will get close racing at all.

You could have said that for the last 7 years, 2010 and 2012 barring.

My post was in general and not addressed to you specifically.

That's fine, sorry just seemed like it.

 

[05XR8]

McLaren aren't even looking like Minardi or Jaguar Racing. I think I've given them enough of my interest.
I'm just about to switch to Ferrari, only for the Shell sponsorship.

 

[shoemaker]

An investigation into the track invasion has concluded that the course car was deployed too early, which is usually the sign that the circuit is clear and spectators are free to enter the perimeter:

http://www.speedcafe.com/2017/03/29/course-car-centre-agp-crowd-invasion-probe/

Like the good old days. It was great to see.They should do it at every race.