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

[IndyAndy]

Alonso is one lucky boy: That could have been a much worse situation.

Here's how we did:

forty_three, Hank Kingsley & Retroram52: 4 points each - picked Vettel for 3rd; got Hamilton & Rosberg out of position.

IndyAndy: 3 points - got all three podium finishers out of position.

Next Uo: Bahrain, on April 3rd.

 

[Hank Kingsley]

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

He actually mad no official pit stops, and I'm not trying to take anything away from his result.

But the only time he stopped was under the red flag.

The same red flag that hurt Lewis a bit because he had stayed out long on his super softs and had only pitted on his previous lap.

If he had been like Grosjean he may well have been in P2 at the red flag since he was not letting Rosberg by easily and only Vettel and Raikkonen were ahead of him.

 

[Hank Kingsley]

Alonso is one lucky boy: That could have been a much worse situation.

Here's how we did:

forty_three, Hank Kingsley & Retroram52: 4 points each - picked Vettel for 3rd; got Hamilton & Rosberg out of position.

IndyAndy: 3 points - got all three podium finishers out of position.

Next Uo: Bahrain, on April 3rd.

When they first showed the wreck nothing good came to mind, and then there appeared Alonso.....

 

[forty_three]

Stunning that he walked away from that.

Incredible quote:
I am aware that today I spent some of the luck remaining in life

 

[Retroram52]

There was absolutely very little left to that car and the fact that Alonso walked away is a testament to the safety level that driver tub they sit in is presently at in its developmental progression. The fact that he didn't hit his head on anything is also a big factor. The last two deaths in F-1 were massive head injuries.

 

[lakersrule]

There was absolutely very little left to that car and the fact that Alonso walked away is a testament to the safety level that driver tub they sit in is presently at in its developmental progression. The fact that he didn't hit his head on anything is also a big factor. The last two deaths in F-1 were massive head injuries.

Amazing how well engineered and constructed the driver's tub is. That was such a violent crash. I am a little surprised though, that even with him immediately walking away from the crash, that medics were quicker to examine him. I guess they just weren't nearby to accident.

Haas getting good points in their first race. Hopefully they can keep it up.

 

[Hank Kingsley]

Amazing how well engineered and constructed the driver's tub is. That was such a violent crash. I am a little surprised though, that even with him immediately walking away from the crash, that medics were quicker to examine him. I guess they just weren't nearby to accident.

Haas getting good points in their first race. Hopefully they can keep it up.

A lot of it is the bounce.

Greg Moore had a very bad bounce.

Alonso had a good one.

When Dale Earnhardt died it didn't look that brutal initially.

Saw a young guy in NASCAR yesterday have a huge shunt. Walked away.

The luck of the draw.

 

[forty_three]

A lot of it is the bounce.

Greg Moore had a very bad bounce.

Alonso had a good one.

When Dale Earnhardt died it didn't look that brutal initially.

Saw a young guy in NASCAR yesterday have a huge shunt. Walked away.

The luck of the draw.

Nascar safety has come a long way since Earnhardt's death. Likely because of Dale's death.

HANS devices are mandated and the driver's seating position is very much like an Indy Car/F1 seat inside the car. They have a ton more lateral head support as well. Much better side bolsters, etc.

Earnhardt's seat was essentially a plain bucket seat with a 5 point harness.

Conversely, I am not sure there has ever been or ever will be a car that Greg Moore survives in.

 

[Retroram52]

Not with that head-first into the wall bounce Moore took. Same with Dan Wheldon when the car rolled to a position head-first into that catch fence during the airborne flight in Las Vegas.

 

[Hank Kingsley]

Not with that head-first into the wall bounce Moore took. Same with Dan Wheldon when the car rolled to a position head-first into that catch fence during the airborne flight in Las Vegas.

There are some things that you just cannot build into a safety device.

And then there's luck.

Robert Kubica was very lucky not to be an armaco shishkabob....

 

[Retroram52]

Yep, agreed. Same with Alonso.

 

[forty_three]

There are some things that you just cannot build into a safety device.

And then there's luck.

Robert Kubica was very lucky not to be an armaco shishkabob....

By the same token, you can't necessarily build a safety device for every eventuality. Before it happened, who could have predicted the exact set of circumstances that killed Bianchi?

 

[Hank Kingsley]

By the same token, you can't necessarily build a safety device for every eventuality. Before it happened, who could have predicted the exact set of circumstances that killed Bianchi?

I think on that one I still blame the team. Human fuck up. They knew the other car had gone off right behind Bianci the previous lap and it was from water. He should have been told to slow down.....

 

[forty_three]

I think on that one I still blame the team. Human fuck up. They knew the other car had gone off right behind Bianci the previous lap and it was from water. He should have been told to slow down.....

Wasn't the safety car out? I thought he was rushing to catch up with the back of the field.

It was definitely a local yellow. I thought for sure it was full course because of the loader coming out from behind the wall.

 

[Hank Kingsley]

Wasn't the safety car out? I thought he was rushing to catch up with the back of the field.

It was definitely a local yellow. I thought for sure it was full course because of the loader coming out from behind the wall.

He was doing exactly that and going faster than the pack to do so. And it was raining even harder.

His team was remiss in not telling him to watch it and slow down there.