Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix 2009

[Ardius]

Wow, amazing race, just amazing to see Ross Brawn, Jenson, Rubens all on the podium and nice to see Trulli complimenting them and everything.
Rubens really screwed up his start, quite a dramatic moment, smashing his way back to 2nd
Amazing drive from Jenson, thats certainly one way to shut the doubters up.

For me the race was as follows:

Big Winners:
Brawn (obviously)
Toyota
Hamilton (lucky mostly)
Buemi (awesome drive, wasn't bothered about any of the drivers around him and successfully outdid his teammate)
Rosberg (even though he didn't finish as high as he might of done, bloody good driving and I hope we see more later in the season)

Big Losers:
BMW Sauber (Heidfeld no where thanks to T1)
Kubica and Vettel
Massa and Raikkonen (lots of mistakes, very much like Aus '08)
Nakajima (driver error or just unlucky, he needs to do better really)

Anonymous Shadows:
Force India (didn't do much, was just there)
Bourdais (he seemed to do well holding off Webber and Heidfeld all race but very disappointing)
Webber (unfortunately seemed to lose all interest in racing thanks to T1)
Renault (Piquet messing up, unsurprisingly...Alonso barely even being mentioned!)

If Rosberg had finished on the podium, he would have got driver of the race but otherwise, I can't decide there were many great drives from:
Button
Buemi
Vettel (before his silly accident)
Trulli
Glock (this man has replaced Hamilton and Alonso as entertaining to watch, driving around everyone)

And I'll finish off with:

SLOW DOWN RUBENS!!!

 

[Antti-san]

I think Kubica simply tried too hard on that turn, I mean, he was on the outside and all; surely there would have been better opportunities to pass Vettel later? But otherwise, a great race, and congratulations to Brawn GP for an excellent weekend! 👍

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Bear in mind that Turn Three was the worst point on he track in terms of visibility because of the setting sun.

 

[nissan tuner]

in german TV , they also are really biased in favour of Kubica, aren't they??

I'd say its 60% vettle's fault but its more of a racing incident

 

[Sureboss]

What is the situation with the Toyota's? They got DQ'd for having flexible parts on the wing, so surely that means they either changed the wing (did they have a different design?) or raced an illegal car.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

They admitted they were in the wrong, and changed the wing overnight. It's unlikely they would have been allowed to race otherwise.

 

[J-PaP]

They modified the wing (which is why they started from the pits).

http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/news/detail/090329112933.shtml

Trulli under investigation.

 

[Bram Turismo]

I saw Trulli going off-track, but I've never seen Hamilton doing an actual pass over Trulli... Damnit, this would ruin Toyota's race

 

[prisonermonkeys]

I hope 2009 doesn't degenerate into a situation where half the passing is done by protesting to the stewards.

 

[Tired Tyres]

I saw Trulli going off-track, but I've never seen Hamilton doing an actual pass over Trulli... Damnit, this would ruin Toyota's race

I did. He's in the background as Trulli went off. Not easy to see though.

It's a shame if he loses 3rd place but it was a stupid mistake for someone with as much experience as Trulli to overestimate the grip of the tyres behind the Safety Car.

 

[senamic]

WHAT.
A.
RACE.
Seriously, they may for once have made the formula close again. Time will tell. Can't wait for Malaysia.

 

[Bram Turismo]

I did. He's in the background as Trulli went off. Not easy to see though.

But he wasn't off with all four wheels, I seem to remember him going off with only 2 wheels. And on that, what makes it suddenly alright for Hamilton to pass Trulli under a yellow flag?

 

[Cap'n Jack]

Lewis Hamilton has been promoted to 3rd place. Either way, Trulli drove great and I'm sure we'll see him on the podium again this year.

Lewis Hamilton has been promoted to third in the Australian Grand Prix following a penalty imposed on the Toyota of Jarno Trulli. The Italian receives the his second penalty of the weekend after being sent to the back of the grid on Saturday, and now finishes the race twelth and out of the points as a result of a 25-second drop.



The Toyota driver's penalty comes as a result of passing Lewis Hamilton under safety car conditions in the final stages of the race; Jarno had held third under losing it by running off the circuit, before then repassing the McLaren with the safety car on track.

This means that Hamilton effectively finished in a podium position having started 18th, and Toro Rosso collects a double points finish in the first race of the season; Sébastien Buemi is now classifiied as seventh on his debut, taking two points in the process.

Source: http://f1.gpupdate.net/en/news/2009/03/29/trulli-penalty-promotes-hamilton-to-third/

 

[Jay]

I feel bad for both Trulli and Toyota

 

[Bram Turismo]

Good to hear Toyota will fight for that 3rd position, and they'll go against Mclaren on that case. I can't see why Hamilton suddenly has the right to overtake Trulli under a yellow flag condition...

 

[Tired Tyres]

Good to hear Toyota will fight for that 3rd position, and they'll go against Mclaren on that case. I can't see why Hamilton suddenly has the right to overtake Trulli under a yellow flag condition...

Trulli was entirely off the track. He is the one in the wrong. It was his mistake. I am a Trulli fan and I can except that.

Vettel looks to have got a $50,000 fine for not stopping his car after the crash and he's also got a 10 place drop on the grid for the next race.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

I can't see why Hamilton suddenly has the right to overtake Trulli under a yellow flag condition...

Because he's the darling of F1? Because if they hadn't revised Trulli's position, there would be another case of Spa on our hands?

 

[Sureboss]

Trulli went for a mystery tour in the outback, Hamilton had no choice but to overtake him. It was Trulli's fault.

 

[Alex.]

Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel has been handed a 10-place grid penalty for next weekend’s Malaysian Grand Prix following an incident in Sunday’s Australian race. Vettel collided with BMW Sauber’s Robert Kubica during the latter stages in Melbourne as the Polish driver attempted to overtake him.



Following a post-race investigation, stewards decided to penalise the young German for 'causing a collision and forcing a driver off the track’. He had been racing in second, behind eventual race victor Jenson Button, with Kubica running a close third.

 

[Racer_LP]

Would be nice to see an on board video from Hamilton's car of that moment.

Other news on a Dutch F1 site:

Vettel got a 10 place grid penalty for the next race in Malaysia for causing the incident with Kubica and a 50 000 dollar fine for driving on with his damaged car.

Edit: nice timing Alex

 

[prisonermonkeys]

That was not the Outback. I don't think any part of Victoria - at least nothing near Melbourne - is considered to the be the Outback.

 

[Scaff]

Good to hear Toyota will fight for that 3rd position, and they'll go against Mclaren on that case. I can't see why Hamilton suddenly has the right to overtake Trulli under a yellow flag condition...

Strictly speaking the FIA Sporting Reg's do.

Section 40.7

All competing cars must then reduce speed and form up in line behind the safety car no more than ten car lengths apart and overtaking, with the following exceptions, is forbidden until the cars reach the Line after the safety car has returned to the pits. Overtaking will be permitted under the following circumstances :

- if a car is signalled to do so from the safety car ;

- under 40.15 below ;

- any car entering the pits may pass another car or the safety car remaining on the track after it has crossed the first safety car line ;

- any car leaving the pits may be overtaken by another car on the track before it crosses the second safety car line ;

- when the safety car is returning to the pits it may be overtaken by cars on the track once it has crossed the first safety car line ;

- any car stopping in its designated garage area whilst the safety car is using the pit lane (see 40.10 below) may be overtaken ;

- if any car slows with an obvious problem.

Given that slowing to allow Trulli to rejoin the track would have been daft and he would have had no idea why Trulli ran wide (slowing down would also put Hamilton at risk of a penalty for the 10 car lengths minimum), Hamilton had little choice but to pass him.

He allowed Trulli to regain the pass and Toyota should have checked to see if a re-pass was OK or not.

I personally don't see that Hamilton did anything wrong here at all, you may disagree with the Stewards result, but that's a different thing.


Regards

Scaff

 

[Sureboss]

That was not the Outback. I don't think any part of Victoria - at least nothing near Melbourne - is considered to the be the Outback.

I know, I was using hyperbole to get my point across.

I'd be interested to see the explosion in here if Brawn get deemed illegal at the appeal, because it will mean Lewis wins the race

 

[prisonermonkeys]

I'd be interested to see the explosion in here if Brawn get deemed illegal at the appeal, because it will mean Lewis wins the race

If they are deemed illegal, does that mean the results get completely overturned? That really sucks; I was under the impression they'd be forced to simplify their diffusers and the team could be stripped of their points, but to completely revoke the victories sounds a bit extreme.

 

[J-PaP]

I thought if it was found illegal it would only affect constructor points at the most?

I honestly think the teams should just ditch the appeal and work on their own diffusers.

 

[Blake]

If they are deemed illegal, does that mean the results get completely overturned?

As I understand it they are not racing under appeal and that whatever the case at the FIA hearing they will retain any results they get before then.

 

[Alex.]

I know, I was using hyperbole to get my point across.

I'd be interested to see the explosion in here if Brawn get deemed illegal at the appeal, because it will mean Lewis wins the race

It will be along the lines of

and thats just me

 

[niky]

Because he's the darling of F1? Because if they hadn't revised Trulli's position, there would be another case of Spa on our hands?

*Sputter* (or at least I would if I were drinking at the moment).

Just because you obviously hate the guy and manage to dredge up arguments to use against him on every single incident even remotely involving him... is no reason to ignore the fact that Hamilton gave the place back to Trulli, like a good boy should, and is the only McLaren-Ferrari driver not to stuff his car in this race. And he was in front of both Ferraris when they (finally) went out.

He may have lucked up two places due to the Vettel Kubica incident, but since Trulli effectively took himself out, it's an impressive drive from 18th to a virtual 5th and an actual 3rd

For all the Hamilton haters out there: eat cake. Starts 18th. One of the slowest cars on the field. Gets points. Ha.Ha.Ha.

EDIT: Illegal parts deemed illegal after they're allowed to race don't affect the points. I seem to remember Renault not losing any points for the mass dampers...

 

[prisonermonkeys]

As I understand it they are not racing under appeal and that whatever the case at the FIA hearing they will retain any results they get before then.

That's good to know. If the results were disavowed, what will probably be one of the most memorable races of all time would probably plummet to being one of the most controversial.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Vettel has been penalised for Malaysia; Much like Kazuki Nakajima last year (who, oddly enough, also hit Kubica), Vettel will take a ten-place grid penalty at Sepang. Red Bull Racing have also been fined fifty thousand dollars or instructing their driver to keep going in spite of the fact that his left-front wheel was damaged beyond repair and not in contact with the road surface.