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[vlad]

I'm only sorry that Liuzzi has to go home, although he was like almost 2 seconds faster than his teammate.

[f1ea]

missed Q... fell asleep.

But after fp3 the cards were pretty much laid out, except for Webber who simply went nowhere. i have a feeling the track temperatures/surface hurt ferrari, so lets see if the race is as edgy as Fernando showed........

Jenson and Lewis are pretty close.... have to say their races will depend on strategy because there is no way to muscle past Vettel unless at the start with kers or something.

Massa.... WTF!!??

Petrov... well done. i've always seen good potential in him. He slammed Heidfeld today, but again the track temperatures must be doing something we dont understand.

The race will be pretty interesting.

[What's Burning?]

Jenson and Lewis are pretty close.... have to say their races will depend on strategy

I don't think 4 tenths is pretty close given the fact that Lewis had no KERS in Q3.

[Hexagram]

That front wing is low, very low.

[spankyham]

Hex & f1ea (and perhaps a few other Tifosi), I think you'd be making a big mistake to get too upset by today's practice and Q. Points come tomorrow.

There are quite a few people who are writing us off already, but I don't think today was a true measure of where we are overall. Yes, we weren't happy on the cold smooth track, but, Melb has not been our happiest hunting ground.

Tomorrow is about where you are after 58 laps, lets see if we can stay out of trouble, settle into our best long run pace, make sure we are there at the end and see who else lasted and what pace they lasted at - I'll be happy if we get some good points.

Be very interesting to see how many stops each team makes.

[What's Burning?]

Hex & f1ea (and perhaps a few other Tifosi), I think you'd be making a big mistake to get too upset by today's practice and Q. Points come tomorrow.

There are quite a few people who are writing us off already, but I don't think today was a true measure of where we are overall. Yes, we weren't happy on the cold smooth track, but, Melb has not been our happiest hunting ground.

Tomorrow is about where you are after 58 laps, lets see if we can stay out of trouble, settle into our best long run pace, make sure we are there at the end and see who else lasted and what pace they lasted at - I'll be happy if we get some good points.

Be very interesting to see how many stops each team makes.

I would never write Ferrari off, and you're right, points come tomorrow. I do have Ferrari and Alonso on my Fantasy teams for a reason... but what I think the Tifosi should worry about is Massa and Ferrari's WCC shot.

[vlad]

I think it's fair to give a warning, not to penalise.

Hamilton, Schumacher, Rosberg escape penalties
Saturday 26th March 2011, 12:02


Lewis Hamilton, Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg have all escaped grid demotions, despite the FIA deeming that they blocked other drivers during qualifying.
The race stewards have the power to demote a driver by five or ten grid spots if they impede another driver during any session. After reviewing the race footage, and hearing the cases against them, the stewards, including Johnny Herbert, decided to issue warnings instead.
Hamilton was accused of blocking Vitaly Petrov during Q2, whilst Nico Rosberg's offence also came during Q2 when he blocked Sergio Perez.
Michael Schumacher's came during the first session, Q1, and involved Nick Heidfeld who failed to progress through to Q2.

[f1ea]

There are quite a few people who are writing us off already, but I don't think today was a true measure of where we are overall. Yes, we weren't happy on the cold smooth track, but, Melb has not been our happiest hunting ground.

Tomorrow is about where you are after 58 laps, lets see if we can stay out of trouble, settle into our best long run pace, make sure we are there at the end and see who else lasted and what pace they lasted at - I'll be happy if we get some good points.

i'm not that upset because i saw the struggle Alonso was dealing with. That was not normal..... so i'm definitely thinking it has more to do with the temperature/track condition than the car's performance. i can see alonso on the podium. But Massa is in deep s*** if he is to carry this much longer.

Jenson and Lewis are pretty close.... have to say their races will depend on strategy

I don't think 4 tenths is pretty close given the fact that Lewis had no KERS in Q3.

Kers and the wing....... are total rubbish.

[spankyham]

Hex & f1ea (and perhaps a few other Tifosi), I think you'd be making a big mistake to get too upset by today's practice and Q. Points come tomorrow.

There are quite a few people who are writing us off already, but I don't think today was a true measure of where we are overall. Yes, we weren't happy on the cold smooth track, but, Melb has not been our happiest hunting ground.

Tomorrow is about where you are after 58 laps, lets see if we can stay out of trouble, settle into our best long run pace, make sure we are there at the end and see who else lasted and what pace they lasted at - I'll be happy if we get some good points.

Be very interesting to see how many stops each team makes.

I would never write Ferrari off, and you're right, points come tomorrow. I do have Ferrari and Alonso on my Fantasy teams for a reason... but what I think the Tifosi should worry about is Massa and Ferrari's WCC shot.

I was really disappointed for Felipe today, but, it's just one day and we know he really doesn't like cold tyres.

[f1ea]

but what I think the Tifosi should worry about is Massa and Ferrari's WCC shot.

even the WDC is dependent on the whole team and teammate thing.......

[spankyham]

I think it's fair to give a warning, not to penalise.

I think they need to be consistent.

[spankyham]

Not sure if anyone's posted this yet...

Seems Red Bull don't use KERS other than for the start. They have a light weight use once system - well that's what they have used here in Melb.

Scarbs has an article on it here.

Red Bull using “start only” KERS?

After qualifying today it became apparent that Red Bull’s drivers did not use KERS during qualifying.

Asked why not, Mark Webber said that the team had internal reasons why not.

But tonight it has emerged that the team may have a lightweight KERS system which is designed for use off the startline only. This is necessary because KERS confers about 7 metres advantage on a car using it over one that isn’t on the start straight.

Without any kind of KERS, the Red Bull would be vulnerable off the startline. Lewis Hamilton in the McLaren starting alongside Sebastian Vettel on the front row and would have the advantage.

This “start only” system would give a gain in terms of weight distribution and packaging because such a system requires only a small battery, which is trickle charged, compared to the 20 kilo system that Red Bull’s rivals use. One of the reasons why the normal KERS batteries are large and heavy is for reasons of rapid charging.

It appears, from investigations, that at least one team currently without KERS is working on a similar system to Red Bull’s.

However, Red Bull may need a full KERS system later in the season, when the other leading teams get close to them on downforce. The 4/10ths it gives will come in useful then.

[What's Burning?]

Jenson and Lewis are pretty close.... have to say their races will depend on strategy

I don't think 4 tenths is pretty close given the fact that Lewis had no KERS in Q3.

Kers and the wing....... are total rubbish.

??? What kind of response is this? Did Alonso not use KERS and the wing in Qualifying?
I know you have a distaste for Lewis, but I'm simply pointing out that the 4 tenths he did get over Button came despite a mechanical issue with his car.

McLaren’s Martin Whitmarsh “Lewis could have gone a bit quicker still, had he not suffered a KERS Hybrid failure,” the Team Principal explained.

“As a result of that failure, he lost not only the performance dividend that KERS Hybrid provides, but also had to cope with compromised brake balance resulting from the absence of KERS Hybrid - a double whammy, if you like.”

[vlad]

Amazing lap!

[stonemonkey]

How is the RB KERS charged for the start?