Any F1 fans

[Craiglxviii]

It’s because they get hit by golf bats which dent them.

Yup it’s Friday...

 

[LostKiwi]

Oi, you can take your laminar flows and your lifting surface effects and you can...

Does make me wonder why they don't dimple race cars though?
I guess they must have tried it.

 

[Craiglxviii]

Does make me wonder why they don't dimple race cars though?
I guess they must have tried it.

Good question, quite possibly they’ve never thought of it.

 

[LostKiwi]

And the answer...
http://www.formula1-dictionary.net/dimpled_surface_finish.html

 

[C350Carl]

Another pic of the Ferrari has appeared.

 

[bob 6600]

First test started today, some timesheets so far

Timesheet 3 pm:
1) Ricciardo, Red Bull, 84 laps, Medium tyres - 1:20.179;
2) Bottas, Mercedes, 58 laps, Medium tyres - 1:20.349;
3) Raikkonen, Ferrari, 77 laps, Soft tyres - 1:20.506;
4) Hulkenberg, Renault, Medium tyres - 73 laps, 1:20.547;
5) Alonso, McLaren, 31 laps, Supersoft tyres - 1.21.339;
6) Hamilton, Mercedes, 25 laps, Medium tyres - 1:22.327;
7) Hartley, Toro Rosso, 90 laps, Soft tyres - 1:22.371;
8) Stroll, Williams, 46 laps, Soft tyres 1:22.452;
9) Grosjean, Haas, 52 laps, Soft tyres - 1:22.578;
10) Sainz, Renault, 19 laps, 1:22.621;
11) Ericsson, Sauber, 60 laps, 1.23.408;
12) Mazepin, Force India, 22 laps, 1:25.628;
13) Sirotkin, Williams, No time set

 

[JBell]

It appears testing is off today!!!

 

[C350Carl]

Force India have come up with a solution.

 

[Jasandjules]

I think Lewis pretty much wrote "F**k the rest of You" into the circuit today..........

 

[Dell]

Lewis started how he means to go on,hope he can do it tomorrow.

 

[AMGeed]

Fabulous pole lap from LH today. Ferrai had no answer to that.

 

[Jasandjules]

The car just looked like it was on rails, point and squirt and into the apex. Just awesome.

 

[oigle]

It was mentioned that MB now enjoyed a hairbreadth off 1000HP now with the ability to run special mapping for qualifying. Any wonder he is quick. Bottas sure stuffed up.

 

[C350Carl]

Good to see Ferrari are only able to overtake with the aid of the VSC. Hamilton must be gutted!

 

[anglaslt]

Good to see Ferrari are only able to overtake with the aid of the VSC. Hamilton must be gutted!

Agreed. Normal service resumes in Melbourne. Faster cars still cannot overtake and the best car/driver all weekend loses out to the VSC. Very disappointing.

Halos are ugly!

 

[oigle]

I'd suggest that Raikonen deliberately engineered the swituation by pitting early, allowing Vettel to get to the front and hope for a VSC which did appear. Rather well orchestrated. Raikonen drove a very smart race.

 

[C350Carl]

I'd suggest that Raikonen deliberately engineered the swituation by pitting early, allowing Vettel to get to the front and hope for a VSC which did appear. Rather well orchestrated. Raikonen drove a very smart race.

You could go one further and say HAAS were in on it having engines supplied by Ferrari.....

In truth though I doubt that was the strategy as it would be an extreme gamble. Although Aus has a high safety car rate, to gamble on the VSC is a bit much. Also can't understand why they never brought out the safety car straight away.

 

[John Laidlaw]

You could go one further and say HAAS were in on it having engines supplied by Ferrari.....

In truth though I doubt that was the strategy as it would be an extreme gamble. Although Aus has a high safety car rate, to gamble on the VSC is a bit much. Also can't understand why they never brought out the safety car straight away.

An IBF Carl ( intervention by Ferrari for those reading this who don’t know....)

 

[MalcQV]

We shall have to see how the year pans out. Who knows what engine modes are being used. We still have no idea of reliability because it is way too early. Three engines for the whole year is going to be interesting.

I don't think Ferrari gambled on a VSC, but they played it rather well. I do wonder about the Merc because Hamilton although faster struggled when behind the Ferrari As for Bottas, considering it is a fast car.

Hamilton was 5 seconds behind Vettel??? Unfortunately I watched the highlights late and fell asleep at about lap 50. I saw Hamilton lock-up but not much after that.

 

[C350Carl]

We shall have to see how the year pans out. Who knows what engine modes are being used. We still have no idea of reliability because it is way too early. Three engines for the whole year is going to be interesting.

I don't think Ferrari gambled on a VSC, but they played it rather well. I do wonder about the Merc because Hamilton although faster struggled when behind the Ferrari As for Bottas, considering it is a fast car.

Hamilton was 5 seconds behind Vettel??? Unfortunately I watched the highlights late and fell asleep at about lap 50. I saw Hamilton lock-up but not much after that.

Aus is a difficult track to overtake on. Hamilton said in the Press conference that it's statistically the second hardest track.

When I was watching the after show (think it was in Ted's notebook) they said you need a 1.8sec delta to the car in front to be able to overtake. Hamilton said something similar in the press conference too.

The Mercedes was easily able to catch the Ferrari - he was sat at 0.4 secs behind at one point. But the turbulent air off the Ferrari was causing temps to rise which he couldn't sustain. It's the same for the Ferrari. Kimi couldn't sustain sitting on Hamiliton's rear wing as it was affecting his car the same way.

For me they need to change the rules around the VSC. Not sure what they would need to do. But they need to do something that stops someone losing track position to someone who pits.

Easiest way would be to say that no pitstops allowed under VSC unless the car is damaged. If it is then any parts removed are given straight to an FIA Steward so there can be no "oh the telemetry said we had a puncture but looks like it was a glitch".

Either that or during a VSC the pit lane speed is reduced to such an extent it has the same effect as neutralising the speed like it does on the track.

Either way they need to do something as for me it is wrong for a driver to lose the lead of the race (regardless of the team) in such an artificial way.