[wizardofOz]

Originally Posted by GuidoK

But I wonder.... did Yuki make any mistake? Obviously he's not been in the spotlight continously, but did het get off track... go wide etc at any point?

Sure he didn't come in like LEC and HAM, but that's a strategic error from the team, coming in with the next safety car.

The only other driver I think that hasn't made a mistake is I believe RUS.
Sure he wasn't fast enough to play any role in the fight between Max and the McLarens, but I haven't seen him go wide or off track.
I mean even Max made a little mistake where he went wide (but still on track) that one time. A rare sight.
Lando went off track, Oscar obviously but also ANT, LEC HAM...
Don't remember about ALB, STR (of all people....) and HULK...they get little media exposure.

I didn't see if he made a mistake but seeing how the race went, I wouldn't be surprised..It was a dangerous but exciting race nonetheless.

I would say Albon was solid from FP2 to race conclusion which is pleasing..So to summarise, this week has been consistent for him.

Hulk deserves props also and not gonna mention the other guy because he isn't in F1 on merit he will still win the WDC by 100 points though

[GuidoK]

They overturned that unsafe release penalty for ANT. So he's 4th.
(IDK if that was already mentioned).

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by wizardofOz

I saw how it happened to SO and kind of felt bad for him, was wanting to see more but the race was unbelievable and downright absurd, what a start for 2025...

After Yuki was doing so well in qualifying, never could have imagined that he struggled like that..What a mixed bag and not to mention the MB...

As they say 'blame it on the weather'.

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

God Save the Queen

It's time to sleep . Ough!

No worries my friend, he'll get him back in *China , the inters were not that good on the 21 at this track.
BTW it's my Birthday and some of my presents were a fresh 1 hat, this time a larger size that fits me and a RBR fitness waistbag to keep supporting MAX & the team !

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by GuidoK

lets see if both ferrari's can profit from staying out now that there's a sc

looks like not (and lec even made a spin)

The red cars were simply not up to it and with their wet weather set ups too.

[wizardofOz]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

No worries my friend, he'll get him back in Bahrain, the inters were not that good on the 21 at this track.
BTW it's my Birthday and some of my presents were a fresh 1 hat, this time a larger size that fits me and a RBR fitness waistbag to keep supporting MAX & the team !

Happy birthday! M5Rick

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by Mr Pete

The McLaren race pace is just insane. It’s their driver and constructor championships to lose this year.

But who knows, stranger things have happened. Mclaren was on nobody’s radar when last season started

It would look like Lando is just scraping in but by under a second is nothing, lets remember MAX scored no points here last year and still won the championship.

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by wizardofOz

Happy birthday! M5Rick

Cheers Wizard

[HeelToeShift]

Really exciting race but proves the point I made yesterday. Nor and Pia look great when their car is half a second or more per lap ahead of everyone, but when the pace is close or the track is tricky, they arent anything special. They are beholden to the car and the car only. If the race stayed on dry tires Max w Meds would have won. Otherwise, this is just proof that the Mclaren drivers are going to make big mistakes. Nor got lucky while Pia did not. Max did what ONLY he could do in that car.
Really impressive for Kimi - he showed his race pace and in tricky conditions is quite good.

Ferrari - LMFAO. Hamilton left MB and instead of finishing P8 and now finishing P10 behind a rookie, Str (ROFLMFAO), Alb, and even Hul in the Sauber. Ferrari made the mistake of dropping Sai and have a feeling Ham will regret leaving what looks to be a pretty decent MB car so far. So much for setting the car up for the wet LOL

[GuidoK]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

BTW it's my Birthday....

Congratulations!



Another year of wisdom....or not

[Killed by Death]

Great way to welcome Lewis starting the new year with #FerrariThings 🤬

#LeSpin 🤬

[wizardofOz]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

It would look like Lando is just scraping in but by under a second is nothing, lets remember MAX scored no points here last year and still won the championship.

I think you can imagine how hard it must have been to drive when Max even had to box..And tried to tough it out on slicks..

[RichardInCA]

Had to watch delayed, what a race. Norris deserves credit for keeping his head and grabbing the W, he seems to be maturing. Great drive from Antonelli and also Albon - Alex didn’t get much airtime but who’d have thought that from Williams?

Max was solid - it would have been pretty damn hard to go off the dry line and get past Lando, although Oscar’s move on Lewis was quite something!

Day to forget for the Ferraris.

And HBD M5Rick !

[HeelToeShift]

M5Rick Happy birthday!

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

No worries my friend, he'll get him back in Bahrain, the inters were not that good on the 21 at this track.
BTW it's my Birthday and some of my presents were a fresh 1 hat, this time a larger size that fits me and a RBR fitness waistbag to keep supporting MAX & the team !

Happy B-Day my friend . Congrats and enjoy it in good health !

As for me : More coffee please...
I think, I slept like 6-7 hours in the last 2 days ..

Yeah...The sacrifice to watch the race is real. Ough (!)

[RichardInCA]

Gotta say, Anthony Hamilton is a class act

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by HeelToeShift

Really exciting race but proves the point I made yesterday. Nor and Pia look great when their car is half a second ahead of everyone, but when the pace is close or the track is tricky, they arent anything special. They are beholden to the car and the car only. If the race stayed on dry tires Max w Meds would have won. Otherwise, this is just proof that the Mclaren drivers are going to make big mistakes. Nor got lucky while Pia did not. Max did what ONLY he could do in that car.
Really impressive for Kimi - he showed his race pace and in tricky conditions is quite good.

Ferrari - LMFAO. Hamilton left MB to and instead of finishing P8 and now finishing P10 behind a rookie, Yuki, Str (ROFLMFAO, Alb, and even Hul in the Sauber. Ferrari made the mistake of dropping Sai and have a feeling Ham will regret leaving what looks to be a pretty decent MB car so far. So much for setting the car up for the wet LOL

Yeah . LEW is beaten by his own rookie replacement.
Honestly , I'm not surprised

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

Mclarens have a set up that conserves the tyres even cooling them more and outdriving everyone, it's as if they have a different compound to the rest of the field.

Exactly (!)

I think the race was like 3/4 . At that moment the track was drier..
And 'both papaya's pulled a 16-17 sec. gap to MAX in 3-4 laps (!)

It actually looked frightening...

Even more frightening is the fact that the McLaren is faster than the RB21 with DRS.
MAX gave everything that he got from his RB21 with DRS on Lando's tail .
Gap was only 0.4 sec and MAX's DRS was very strong in Lando's slipstream..

But no ! No way to nail Lando (!)

[M3WC]

Originally Posted by RichardInCA

Gotta say, Anthony Hamilton is a class act

Not even through half the first race and he was already annoyed on radio.

[M3WC]

Ferrari pace seemed to be pre-season hopium by the British press. Split by Williams in dry quali, rain didn't help their car either. Lewis stuck behind Williams for 30+ laps.

McLaren are way ahead of anyone. No team is anywhere close on tire wear. One lap maybe, over a stint Mclaren is king right now. They have had the quickest car since middle of last year.

Happy for Williams they have some pace.

[RichardInCA]

Originally Posted by M3WC

Not even through half the first race and he was already annoyed on radio.

Lewis’s dad, not Lewis…was referring to how he consoled Hadjar after his formation lap spinout

[DrFerry]

What a race!?! I just watched the F1 highlights on YT. The circuit leaves a lot to be desired IMO regarding safety - such as multiple run off areas that are GRASS - instead of the FIA high grip safety surface. Slick painted lines on much of the road surface and curbing that seems to upset the balance of all the cars. I realize the circuit was either damp or had standing water, but something seemed off to me regarding the level of traction unavailable from the surface. We'll have to wait and see what the teams have to say, but the damage carnage seemed excessive to me. I've watched F1 since the 1970s and this recent race at Melbourne seemed messed up. We had the "F" team sending drivers out on "hards" when the track had little to no grip! Huh, where were the full wet tires? I don't know about everyone else but just watching the highlights at face value something was off. I expect comments from the FIA too. It was a mess. Sorry. Just one man's two cents. Yes, the race had drama but the highest pinnacle of motorsports should NOT be reduced to an ice rink just because of some rain.
Edit: Put another way, the Melbourne race was a total Mongolian cluster F'". I expect we'll hear from the FIA and/or the Teams in the coming days.