Pick the Podium: F-1 - Rolex Australian Grand Prix, 2016

[Retroram52]

The F-1 season kicks-off this week-end with the race in Melbourne, Aussie-land. Should be interesting to see if Vettel and Ferrari can unseat that Mercedes juggernaut this year. May be we will see the emergence of a dark-horse and it will be interesting to see how Gene Haas does with his debut entries.

 

[Hank Kingsley]

I guess I should just bend over and take it now?

I think the Rosberg-Hamilton spat could get very heated very quickly.

There could be blood....

I assume we have till after qualifying to make our picks?

 

[Retroram52]

Yep Hank. the picks are due in until right before the green flag which is early Sunday morning usually. Best time si after qualifying and most submit their picks like Saturday night. So you have some time.

 

[forty_three]

Race is in OZ, so it will be a bit earlier than we are used to in the States. Midnight Sun (Saturday Night) green flag, I believe.


GO TEAM BANANA

)not really, screw you Renault)

 

[Hank Kingsley]

10 PM Sat night here.

I should be able to do it live this time.

 

[Retroram52]

Hamilton appears to have picked up where he left off last year as he is fastest in practice so far with the nasty weather invading down under. Rosberg wrecked already. Dumbass again.

 

[Retroram52]

Top three from practice three: Same as last year. Hamilton, Rosberg, and Vettel.

 

[Retroram52]

This new qualifying system is definitely cut-throat. Get your butt out the track ASAP and hope you don't get eliminated in the first 90 seconds.

 

[Retroram52]

But also the new qualifying system forces teams to turn into clock-watchers and not many cars are out on the track. Looks like it is still Hamilton, Rosberg, and Vettel.

 

[Retroram52]

Hamilton takes the pole by nearly default. Rosberg gave up and there were no cars on the track in qualifying with 2:00 minutes left in the session. Crazy new system! That's Hamilton's 50th pole.

 

[forty_three]

What a shit show. essentially hands the pole to the already dominant team and punishes drivers with no control over their own situation (Ricciardo laid down his lap, was fifth with plenty of time and before he could blink he was 8th and out with no time to make it up).

I get the spirit of it, mix up the field, but all it did was guarantee MAMG another pole and put a lot of good cars way down in the field with the spazzes. McLaren SHOULD have been in Q3. They need to fix this quick.


Anyway, new season, new qualifying rules, same three names picked for the podium as every race last year, and we have to rely on attrition to put anyone else on the podium. My picks:

HAM
ROS
VET

And if Ricci had started 5th, I'd have to say he has a shot at the podium. Be he has to get through Crazy Max? no way.

 

[forty_three]

Damon Hill:

"Lewis was out of the car with enough time to wave his own checkered flag"

LOL

 

[Hank Kingsley]

That sucked balls. If they leave that in for even one more race it will be a huge mistake.

Lewis
Rosberg
Vettel

 

[Retroram52]

Yea, it really is a competition killer and everyone including the fans hates this new qualifying format. Just ridiculous. I'll take Hamilton, Rosberg, Vettel.

 

[IndyAndy]

Bernie vows to scrap new qualy format immediately

Just to mix things up, I'll take:

Hamilton
Vettel
Rosberg

 

[Hank Kingsley]

Bernie vows to scrap new qualy format immediately

Just to mix things up, I'll take:

Hamilton
Vettel
Rosberg

Too early for Plan B but I considered it.

Rosberg was the guy who consistently put a foot wrong today.

No reason he won't continue in the race.

 

[Retroram52]

Apparently there has been a massive crash that has stopped the race.

 

[Hank Kingsley]

It was a crash and a half for sure.

Nice recovery by Lewis and Little Max V is an ass...

 

[Retroram52]

Wow. The crash with Alonso actually helped Rosberg take the win. Hamilton came in second and Vettel took third. That was a surprise.

 

[Retroram52]

Looks as though Haas is not buying the convention of serving his "apprenticeship" in the back of the field. Hell no! We're Americans! Grosjeans finished sixth and secured points with some excellent tire strategy. We may eventually see Haas on the podium and may be even a win.

Haas team takes points in impressive F1 debut