2018 Rolex Australian Grand PrixFormula 1

[PzR Slim]

I dunno - the way Hamilton was well off the pace in the last few laps Vettel may well have taken it anyway.

He turned the engine all the way done from mode 14 to mode 8 to save the engine because he knew in Formula aero there was no chance of getting past. After he made his mistake he caught him at 7 tenths per lap.

 

[SagarisGTB]

A strange race. I can't help but feel that if a VSC is meant to neutralise a race then a driver shouldn't be able to pass for a win during that period. Very strange.

Nobody passed anyone (besides Verstappen-Alonso, who got the place back) during the VSC period. I'm not sure what you are referring to. Vettel was leading before the VSC and retained the lead through the VSC period despite his stop because the pit delta is much lower when cars are circulating more slowly on track.

 

[PzR Slim]

Nobody passed anyone (besides Verstappen-Alonso, who got the place back) during the VSC period. I'm not sure what you are referring to.

He effectively passed Hamilton and Raikonnen by not losing as much time in his pit stop compared to those two because he pitted under the VSC.

 

[niky]

I dunno - the way Hamilton was well off the pace in the last few laps Vettel may well have taken it anyway.

As @PzR Slim says, he turned it waaaay down. No way he was getting past with older tires that he'd flatspotted and grained.

Make no mistake... going by what we saw in the race, the Merc is still a much faster car.

Only for the win? This has been happening for years and no one seems to have cared until it was for the win.

Yeah, this isn't the first time someone has taken advantage of a VSC to jump places (virtually) in the pits.

 

[Peter.]

Congratulations Lewis Hamilton on winning the 2018 Rolex Australian Grand Prix.

Oops.

 

[LumpiestFish]

How do you gather that? Vettel was only stationary for 2-3 seconds for his stop but he lost a lot more than that to Hamilton during his pit lane transit.

I thought Vettel was behind Hamilton before the VSC but I could be wrong.

 

[Jezza819]

Kimi wearing shades on the podium.

 

[Slapped]

He turned the engine all the way done from mode 14 to mode 8 to save the engine because he knew in Formula aero there was no chance of getting past. After he made his mistake he caught him at 7 tenths per lap.

Good point - I tend to forget that they need to preserve the car throughout the season these days.

 

[TenEightyOne]

Nobody passed anyone (besides Verstappen-Alonso, who got the place back) during the VSC period. I'm not sure what you are referring to. Vettel was leading before the VSC and retained the lead through the VSC period despite his stop because the pit delta is much lower when cars are circulating more slowly on track.

To be clear: Vettel was able to travel faster than any on-track car during the pit stop. In that sense he passed the position in which a neutralising VSC should have held him. As several commentators (and posters here) are pointing out a lap is faster if one travels through the pits rather than down the start/finish straight. That needs looking at.

It's not simply a case of "the pit delta is lower", the lap is actually faster.

 

[-Fred-]

Both McLarens survived with good results in the circumstances!

 

[PzR Slim]

Good point - I tend to forget that they need to preserve the car throughout the season these days.

Yeah no more 100% from lights to flag anymore in F1, it’s why they sound like they have been out for a leisurely drive after the race instead of being absolutely drained.

 

[PzR Slim]

To be clear: Vettel was able to travel faster than any on-track car during the pit stop. In that sense he passed the position in which a neutralising VSC should have held him. As several commentators (and posters here) are pointing out a lap is faster if one travels through the pits rather than down the start/finish straight. That needs looking at.

It's not simply a case of "the pit delta is lower", the lap is actually faster.

It’ll be interesting to see if every single driver drives through the pits on the next VSC. F1 teams are not stupid and will look to gain every advantage which is clearly is.

 

[GTPorsche]

Congratulations Lewis Hamilton on winning the 2018 Rolex Australian Grand Prix.

This aged well.

 

[Peter.]

Thoughts:
-Throw the VSC away
-Ferrari a better car in the race than in qualifying again
-Nail biting wondering if and when the McLaren's were going to break down, forgetting that they aren't Hondas anymore
-Renault strong but their customers are stronger
-Haas are fast but their pit crew are asses
-Dark times ahead for Williams

 

[ECGadget]

Congratulations to Vettel for a good, albeit lucky, win. And driver of the day for Alonso, I assume for managing to hold Verstappen back for all those laps. But I think the biggest question is, what happened to Lastname and Lastname?!

Also, the VSC was a bit of bother.

 

[niky]

To be clear: Vettel was able to travel faster than any on-track car during the pit stop. In that sense he passed the position in which a neutralising VSC should have held him. As several commentators (and posters here) are pointing out a lap is faster if one travels through the pits rather than down the start/finish straight. That needs looking at.

It's not simply a case of "the pit delta is lower", the lap is actually faster.

Vettel lost around ten to eleven seconds to Lewis in the pits. He got out ahead because he had a thirteen second lead.

 

[GTracer38]

To be clear: Vettel was able to travel faster than any on-track car during the pit stop. In that sense he passed the position in which a neutralising VSC should have held him. As several commentators (and posters here) are pointing out a lap is faster if one travels through the pits rather than down the start/finish straight. That needs looking at.

It's not simply a case of "the pit delta is lower", the lap is actually faster.

The pit lane would be slower then staying out on track even under VSC.

Vettel stayed ahead of Lewis because of VSC, for sure but touring the pit lane under VSC will still cost you time.

 

[Oswald07]

I dunno - the way Hamilton was well off the pace in the last few laps Vettel may well have taken it anyway.

Not even close. Hamilton was closing the gap. Vettel would have been 23 sec back in third with a normal pit.

 

[adb]

With Hamilton being as confident as he was before the race, wanting to hurt rivals at their best, wiping Vettel's smile off, it just had to happen

 

[SagarisGTB]

He effectively passed Hamilton and Raikonnen by not losing as much time in his pit stop compared to those two because he pitted under the VSC.

That is part and parcel of racing. Drivers have been gaining and losing places during safety cars and VSCs since they were first instituted.

I thought Vettel was behind Hamilton before the VSC but I could be wrong.

Vettel was ahead by roughly 10 or 11 seconds, having not made a pit stop yet at that point.

To be clear: Vettel was able to travel faster than any on-track car during the pit stop. In that sense he passed the position in which a neutralising VSC should have held him. As several commentators (and posters here) are pointing out a lap is faster if one travels through the pits rather than down the start/finish straight. That needs looking at.

It's not simply a case of "the pit delta is lower", the lap is actually faster.

I believe you are mistaken. Vettel had a 10+ second lead prior to the VSC and emerged just ahead of Hamilton. He only lost 3 seconds or so of that gap through his stop, the remainder was lost by transiting the pit lane rather than staying on track.

 

[Oswald07]

Vettel lost around ten to eleven seconds to Lewis in the pits. He got out ahead because he had a thirteen second lead.

Before the vsc he had a 3second lead.

 

[TenEightyOne]

I believe you are mistaken. Vettel had a 10+ second lead prior to the VSC and emerged just ahead of Hamilton. He only lost 3 seconds or so of that gap through his stop, the remainder was lost by transiting the pit lane rather than staying on track.

I thought his lead was in the order of 3-to-4 seconds?

I guess we'll need to wait. Several former F1 drivers are making the observation that it seems to be quicker through the pit lane - we'll have to see what Vettel's entry-to-exit pit lane timing was compared to that of the on-track cars running to the VSC minimum times. The fact stands that cars outside the pit-speed lines but within the entry/exit lines are not speed limited under a VSC.

 

[niky]

Before the vsc he had a 3second lead.

The previous lap, he had a 13 second lead. Lewis was NOT that close when he dived into the pits.

As we could plainly see during the race, Lewis came from far back up the main straight while Vettel was at the pit exit, only to end up a few car lengths off his tail.

 

[PzR Slim]

The pit lane would be slower then staying out on track even under VSC.

Vettel stayed ahead of Lewis because of VSC, for sure but touring the pit lane under VSC will still cost you time.

Not if the pit entry is long. You can drive as fast as you want on pit entry, as Vettel did, and if it's long enough then you could effectively be faster driving through the pits without stopping rather than staying on track at VSC speed.

And Vettel had a 10 second lead at racing speed. At VSC speed his lead was much bigger and he was able to extend that lead on pit entry hence why he lost so little time comparatively in his pit stop. At racing speed a 10 second lead would have resulted in him being about 10 seconds behind after his pit stop. So he effectively gained about 11 seconds (at racing speed) of an advantage by pitting during the VSC. Which if you think about it is an incredible amount of time in F1 terms. This has happened before and I moaned about it then. Needs to be looked at because as others have pointed out a VSC is supposed to neutralise the race.

 

[Tajima]

He turned the engine all the way done from mode 14 to mode 8 to save the engine because he knew in Formula aero there was no chance of getting past. After he made his mistake he caught him at 7 tenths per lap.

Probably your analysis is correct but at the same time it shows the total failiure of these FIA regulations.

 

[Oswald07]

I'm not sure that Vettel had to adhere to vsc. speeds on track as stopping in the pit lane would nullify his lap time. And he misses the start stop line by being in the pit lane.

 

[Lizard]

So that was entertaining.

Haas.. Seriously that was like when Dave comes and offers to do your car servicing on mates rates. They were on for a good finish too with both cars.

I don't think there is anything wrong with Hamilton/Vettel. If MB hadn't brought it up I doubt there would be a debate at all. Pitting under VSC/SC is advantageous and it always will be.

McLaren did well.

Danny ric, I am gutted he didn't get that podium, but Kimi drove well today and should have taken second if it wasn't for the SC. Kimi had the advantage over Vettel all weekend.

Max, I am a fan of his but he wasn't great today. Too hot headed and pushing too hard. I know what it feels like. Sometimes you just have to tell yourself to relax.

Honda back to usual it seems.

Poor Sainz, his drinks pump stopped having an off switch so he was just gulping water all the time. I am sure most of us have had the feeling when we just neck a litre of water and it hurts. I am surprised he didn't spew tbh. I bet there was a quick dash to the toilet at the end.


The new graphics, I don't like them at all. They make it feel like a baseball game.


And who, like me forgot the grid girls weren't there? Shows how much they mattered despite the outcry.

 

[Dennisch]

Max, I am a fan of his but he wasn't great today. Too hot headed and pushing too hard. I know what it feels

He had a problem with his car, something broke in the floor causing oversteer.

 

[SestoScudo]

Ferrari is back to where it is which is winning!!

 

[Tajima]

To be clear: Vettel was able to travel faster than any on-track car during the pit stop. In that sense he passed the position in which a neutralising VSC should have held him. As several commentators (and posters here) are pointing out a lap is faster if one travels through the pits rather than down the start/finish straight. That needs looking at.

It's not simply a case of "the pit delta is lower", the lap is actually faster.

Let's be honest, there has been situations where Mercedes GP took advantage from VSC, expecially in 2017 Chinese and Spanish Grand Prix. Now I hate VSC and I'm the first to question its logic but if FIA will change something right after a non-Mercedes win, it wouldn't be a wise move for the credibility of this "sport".
Just my two cents.