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[LewEngBridewell]

Goodness me, the RBR looks quick!

Ferrari also seem to be setting off on the right foot this time, which will be a relief to them. McLaren look like they have work to do

[LRW]

Goodness me, the RBR looks quick!

Ferrari also seem to be setting off on the right foot this time, which will be a relief to them. McLaren look like they have work to do

Yeah. Not good. Button just said he would be happy with a top 10 quali.

[racechick]

I rather suspected it would be red bull, Ferrari , then a fight for third, I said as much in one of the prediction threads. McLaren do look off the pace and Whitmarsh has said he's worried, but Horner isn't writing them off yet. He said they could be sandbagging( I'm not sure about this at such a late date). But he also said they have the development capacity to get it sorted through the season. So we have to wait and see.
Comments here from whitmarsh and Button
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/21798404

[Hammer278]

Mercedes looks like a threat, oh man THIS IS AWESOME!!!! Can't help getting excited even though its just practice!

[racechick]

I know! I'm trying to keep it down, but it's hard!!

[Hammer278]

I know! I'm trying to keep it down, but it's hard!!

McLaren doesn't have trouble 'keeping it down' on the timesheets though.

[LRW]

I know! I'm trying to keep it down, but it's hard!!

McLaren doesn't have trouble 'keeping it down' on the timesheets though.

See. What's the point in that post? Except to piss off McLaren fans?

I really don't understand you lot sometimes, and can see why us Hamilton fans get the bad rap that we do.

[Frontrunner]

Button looked very downbeat in a interview I'd seen, Mclaren really on the backfoot i think. At this stage i would say the Red Bull and the Ferrari would be the best car of choice to be driving IMO with Mercedes and Lotus next in line with very good pace.

Tomorrow will be very interesting to see the real pace.

[Hammer278]

You're right, it was unnecessary. Should've just kept that satisfaction to myself. Sincere apologies.

[bud]

I know! I'm trying to keep it down, but it's hard!!

McLaren doesn't have trouble 'keeping it down' on the timesheets though.

See. What's the point in that post? Except to piss off McLaren fans?

I really don't understand you lot sometimes, and can see why us Hamilton fans get the bad rap that we do.

Damn straight!

[Hammer278]

Williams seem to be stunned at their pace as well:

Pastor Maldonado admitted he was disappointed after the first day of practice in Melbourne and was also surprised at the lack of pace of his and team-mate Valtteri Bottas' Williams.

"I think we are far away from the top guys today," Maldonado told Autosport. "We need to work very hard, try to understand our problems. The thing is they are clear … we just need to work very hard to solve it and that is it.

"We are a bit surprised by the performance here. But this is not the end; we need to work and that is it. We need to analyse why we are that slow."

He also refused to be drawn into what he felt was achievable on Sunday. "We don't know … [it's] really bad."

He went on to say that the real state of the Williams set-up would only be known after qualifying and the first race. "In the tests you never know against the others. I was never convinced and nobody is convinced until you get to race," he said. "It seems to be we are losing something against them and we need to see again in qualifying and try and find the problems."

___________________________________________

Do these guys have a similar suspension system to McLaren?

[CookinFlat6]

I just dont get why anyone is worried about McLaren. They had the fastest car last year. This car the car is built around Buttons preference and desires. So its a new car thats going to take some time to show its true potential at which point they might have a 3 or 4 second advantage.

Its a calculated choice the team made, and therefore we cant pass judgement till the years end to see if they win the WCC and WDC.

It could be they dont score any points for 7 races then lock out the front for rest of season.

McLaren are a top team with a WC driver, they picked a route having looked at all the variables and just because they are a second off or so doesnt mean its not part of their big picture.

They could even be sandbagging at this stage to prevent the other teams accelerating their development schedules

[bud]

Williams seem to be stunned at their pace as well:

Pastor Maldonado admitted he was disappointed after the first day of practice in Melbourne and was also surprised at the lack of pace of his and team-mate Valtteri Bottas' Williams.

"I think we are far away from the top guys today," Maldonado told Autosport. "We need to work very hard, try to understand our problems. The thing is they are clear … we just need to work very hard to solve it and that is it.

"We are a bit surprised by the performance here. But this is not the end; we need to work and that is it. We need to analyse why we are that slow."

He also refused to be drawn into what he felt was achievable on Sunday. "We don't know … [it's] really bad."

He went on to say that the real state of the Williams set-up would only be known after qualifying and the first race. "In the tests you never know against the others. I was never convinced and nobody is convinced until you get to race," he said. "It seems to be we are losing something against them and we need to see again in qualifying and try and find the problems."

___________________________________________

Do these guys have a similar suspension system to McLaren?

I don't think so, I wasn't expecting miracles straight away seeing as it took Ferrari a while to get ontop of the suspension

[Coronis]

Its going to be a very interesting race. Red Bull just seems to have the edge over the other three teams. McLaren a fair way back at this point. Of course, as Maldonaldo said, we don't really know anything until quali and the race. Its really exciting, but, just a little longer!!!

Anticipation is killing me though.

[Hammer278]

I think Redbull could breeze this. They never show their best in practice and already look comfortable..but everythings up for grabs 3rd place onwards.