Australian GP - Free Practice discussion

F1Oz · Post by **F1Oz** » Wed Mar 16, 2016 2:31 am

Can't see one and so I'll set up my first ever official race element thread (someone always beats me to it normally)

The weather looks like it's going to make life a bit more uncertain.

Currently, we have forecast days in the low 30 degrees C for Wednesday / Thursday - then rain easing Friday (20) and morning shower Saturday (19) - followed by sunny - and 23 for Sunday

Given practice and qualifying are going to be in different conditions to raceday - (although a fine race won't hold as many demons) - this may make set up and rubbering in the track difficult and mean the tyres won't last as well.

Probably will be a fine if cool qualifying now though it seems.

Drivers with better handling cars (who drive well in Melbourne) may be able to get better results - and hopefully this includes Dan Ric - but may help the Williams and McLaren teams as well (all drivers)

Aussie Grit · Post by **Aussie Grit** » Wed Mar 16, 2016 7:43 am

Ahh, love this time of year... Also, find it weird that there is no Melbourne picture thread..
No one has any pics?

Mercedes-Benz · Post by **Mercedes-Benz** » Wed Mar 16, 2016 9:37 am

It has begun. Probably arrived a day early to get used to timings
http://www.gpupdate.net/en/f1-news/3367 ... own-under/

It is good that it is in Australia and not normal European race times

Jenson's Understeer · Post by **Jenson's Understeer** » Wed Mar 16, 2016 9:53 am

I really want to be awake for FP1 but working on Friday is going to make that a challenge. So I'll probably end up just getting up for 5:30 to watch FP2 and certainly waking up Sunday morning to watch the race live. Not sure about quali as I don't think my GF will appreciate me getting up for 5:30am, 6am and then 5am on Friday, Saturday and Sunday respectively!

Balibari · Post by **Balibari** » Wed Mar 16, 2016 10:37 am

Wow, I completely lost track of time. I thought there were still a few weeks to go but practice is the day after tomorrow!!!!

Black_Flag_11 · Post by **Black_Flag_11** » Wed Mar 16, 2016 11:37 am

First FP thread of the year

http://m.imgur.com/43HwiCh?r

stevey · Post by **stevey** » Wed Mar 16, 2016 2:32 pm

best gif ever, awesome black flag ^

pokerman · Post by **pokerman** » Wed Mar 16, 2016 4:52 pm

stevey wrote:best gif ever, awesome black flag ^

Yeah it's a good one, seen it before

Lt. Drebin · Post by **Lt. Drebin** » Wed Mar 16, 2016 8:49 pm

Is this practice legal?

[Unsourced image removed]

Aussie Grit · Post by **Aussie Grit** » Thu Mar 17, 2016 4:15 am

Lol at that gif, haven't seen the f1 version before

Blackhander · Post by **Blackhander** » Thu Mar 17, 2016 5:22 am

Probably the best spot to drop this I guess. Little pre race fun from RBR.

http://www.redbullracing.com/article/enter-sandman

Come to think of it we probably could have started a thread leading up to opening of all the little promo videos the teams put out.

UnlikeUday · Post by **UnlikeUday** » Thu Mar 17, 2016 10:25 am

The 1st 2 practice sessions will shed much more light about where everyone stands when compared to the 8 days of testing.

Blackhander · Post by **Blackhander** » Thu Mar 17, 2016 10:37 am

Not sure if it's been reported overseas or not, but Ricciardo has promised on live national TV that if he wins this race he will do a nudie run of the entire circuit. Practically zero chance that it will happen, but it sure would go down in the folklore of the sport if it did.

cm97 · Post by **cm97** » Thu Mar 17, 2016 11:26 am

Absolutely beautiful day in the great city of Melbourne today...and tomorrow they are expecting 10-25 mm of rain and strong winds.
May throw up a very interesting race if they get no dry running tomorrow.

DarkoA · Post by **DarkoA** » Thu Mar 17, 2016 12:14 pm

So excited I'm going to get up at 3:30AM to watch the practice.

Alex53 · Post by **Alex53** » Thu Mar 17, 2016 2:51 pm

DarkoA wrote:So excited I'm going to get up at 3:30AM to watch the practice.

I'm considering it. I'm also considering that I have to work tomorrow!

TypingChicane · Post by **TypingChicane** » Thu Mar 17, 2016 4:07 pm

I will be getting up 1 hour earlier than normal to watch FP2 before going to work. I hope it will be dry or we won't be much wiser.

Jenson's Understeer · Post by **Jenson's Understeer** » Thu Mar 17, 2016 5:03 pm

The prospect of rain in FP1, combined with the decision I'd already made to get up to watch FP2, definitely means I won't be awake for FP1. For those who are getting up in the middle of the night, I can only hope the weather stays kind, or that if it does rain, the teams are keen to get out on track all the same!

Fountoukos13 · Post by **Fountoukos13** » Thu Mar 17, 2016 7:17 pm

College student here, so i can watch FP1 and FP2 and then go to sleep!

Schumacher forever#1 · Thu Mar 17, 2016 8:22 pm

Fountoukos13 wrote:College student here, so i can watch FP1 and FP2 and then go to sleep!

Same, day off today for St. Patrick's day as well so I'm all prepped! I don't think I'll bother with FP2 though, I'd just be dead watching it not taking anything in!

Took the decision to not go out like every Irish person will be doing today partly because I'd know I wouldn't make it back in time for free practice

RaggedMan · Post by **RaggedMan** » Thu Mar 17, 2016 10:38 pm

FP1 starts at 21:30 for me so that's not a problem. Although I haven't checked yet to see if it's being aired here.

FP2 is another story since it starts at 1:30 Friday.

F1Oz · Post by **F1Oz** » Thu Mar 17, 2016 10:51 pm

Hate to tell you guys - but after two fine and sunny days in the low 30s - today has been steady rain and only due to get to 20 odd - so anticipate wet free practice sessions - with at least intermittent showers

paulsf1fix · Post by **paulsf1fix** » Thu Mar 17, 2016 11:57 pm

F1Oz wrote:Hate to tell you guys - but after two fine and sunny days in the low 30s - today has been steady rain and only due to get to 20 odd - so anticipate wet free practice sessions - with at least intermittent showers

If we had a wet race it would liven things up a bit!!

specdecible · Post by **specdecible** » Fri Mar 18, 2016 1:03 am

Just saw on TV, FP1 will be in intermediate conditions.

SDLRob · Post by **SDLRob** » Fri Mar 18, 2016 1:04 am

Welcome to sunny Australia.... Oh...

Schumacher forever#1 · Fri Mar 18, 2016 1:08 am

I see Sky Sports still have that annoying introduction and still revolve around Hamilton! Can't wait to see what Channel 4 is like, I'm kind of gone off Sky.

specdecible · Post by **specdecible** » Fri Mar 18, 2016 1:11 am

Schumacher forever#1 wrote:I see Sky Sports still have that annoying introduction and still revolve around Hamilton! Can't wait to see what Channel 4 is like, I'm kind of gone off Sky.

That's one of the main reasons I want Ferrari to do well, so it's no longer the media being so focused on Mercedes and any little tiny insignificant thing that pops up between Nico and Lewis.

Schumacher forever#1 · Fri Mar 18, 2016 1:14 am

specdecible wrote:
Schumacher forever#1 wrote:I see Sky Sports still have that annoying introduction and still revolve around Hamilton! Can't wait to see what Channel 4 is like, I'm kind of gone off Sky.
That's one of the main reasons I want Ferrari to do well, so it's no longer the media being so focused on Mercedes and any little tiny insignificant thing that pops up between Nico and Lewis.

Yeah I enjoyed it for one year, 2015 got really frustrating towards the end however. It's like propaganda you see on a news programme such as Fox or whatever. Colouring the background in blue and red to symbolise power, but in F1 the background is silver with some conventional filter on the lens with Hamilton walking in slow motion. I can't handle watching that over and over for another year!

SDLRob · Post by **SDLRob** » Fri Mar 18, 2016 1:26 am

So... Who's gonna be the first out?

Invade · Post by **Invade** » Fri Mar 18, 2016 1:30 am

SDLRob wrote:So... Who's gonna be the first out?

Hopefully not Rio Haryanto.

Vettel first out!

SDLRob · Post by **SDLRob** » Fri Mar 18, 2016 1:30 am

Seb and his pizza first... Interesting

RaggedMan · Post by **RaggedMan** » Fri Mar 18, 2016 1:36 am

NBC had a half hour program following the Haas team through testing. Interesting if not brilliant, but Gutierrez came off pretty poorly during the debrief after the second test where he was complaining about the car having problems for his 2 days with the car.

SDLRob · Post by **SDLRob** » Fri Mar 18, 2016 1:47 am

As much as I'm not a fan of dark liveries... I really like the RBR's look

Rubb. · Post by **Rubb.** » Fri Mar 18, 2016 1:48 am

I like Webber's commentary, he knows what he's talking about, but doesn't come off like a know-it-all like Coulthard and some others do.

Blackhander · Post by **Blackhander** » Fri Mar 18, 2016 2:01 am

Rubb. wrote:I like Webber's commentary, he knows what he's talking about, but doesn't come off like a know-it-all like Coulthard and some others do.

Agree on that. Webber has always been a straight talker and tells it how it is without any corporate swing. He suits the job well.

SDLRob · Post by **SDLRob** » Fri Mar 18, 2016 2:11 am

Not sure we'll see much more in this session.

thegamer23 · Post by **thegamer23** » Fri Mar 18, 2016 2:11 am

specdecible · Post by **specdecible** » Fri Mar 18, 2016 2:13 am

Blackhander wrote:
Rubb. wrote:I like Webber's commentary, he knows what he's talking about, but doesn't come off like a know-it-all like Coulthard and some others do.
Agree on that. Webber has always been a straight talker and tells it how it is without any corporate swing. He suits the job well.

There also seems to be good chemistry between Webber and James Allen

sandman1347 · Post by **sandman1347** » Fri Mar 18, 2016 2:33 am

Well we've learned absolutely nothing from this session...

ShaneM · Post by **ShaneM** » Fri Mar 18, 2016 2:33 am

Black_Flag_11 wrote:First FP thread of the year

http://m.imgur.com/43HwiCh?r

Feel the same way, especially as I am at work watching FP1 while getting paid.