F1 2023 Season

Don’t think pole is going to the fastest car today, depends on well you time this before the rain comes, that’s if it arrives.
 
Mercedes are the one team on the grid that I'd have any faith in improving and challenging red bull, so let's hope they can develop their car for the rest of the season because having Russell and Hamilton up there with Max would be brilliant to watch.
 
I'm not reading too much into the qually results. Its been one of those weekends where the teams havent dialled in the cars and the long runs have been interrupted by various factors.

What it does, is give abit more credance to stefano dommocali remarks about reducing number of practise sessions. Go down to one 60min practise and then qually next day. Teams wont have time to fit in all the required sim work, getting the car dialled in and testing new parts. Which should in theory lead to a more inteteresting and unpredictable race.
 
Getting past the AMs will be tough, mercs need a good start otherwise could be a frustrating race. The cornering speeds of the AM will make it difficult to stay in DRS window if your following behind i reckon.

 
goalscholes said:
Any ideas why the Merc is faster here? Damp conditions?
Click to expand...
Track temps are lower than expected, which means mercs are getting their cars into optimal tyre window quicker. Not sure if temps are due to stay same for tomorrow or will go up.
 
Australian GP Qualifying Timesheet
Australian GP Qualifying Timesheet
DriverTeamTime
1) Max VerstappenRed Bull1:16.732
2) George RussellMercedes+0.236
3) Lewis HamiltonMercedes+0.372
4) Fernando AlonsoAston Martin+0.407
5) Carlos SainzFerrari+0.538
6) Lance StrollAston Martin+0.576
7) Charles LeclercFerrari+0.637
8) Alex AlbonWilliams+0.877
9) Pierre GaslyAlpine+0.943
10) Nico HulkenbergHaas+1.003
Out in Q2
11) Esteban OconAlpine1:17.768
12) Yuki TsunodaAlphaTauri1:18.099
13) Lando NorrisMcLaren1:18.119
14) Kevin MagnussenHaas1:18.129
15) Nyck de VriesAlphaTauri1:18.335
Out in Q1
16) Oscar PiastriMcLaren1:18.517
17) Zhou GuanyuAlfa Romeo1:18.540
18) Logan SargeantWilliams1:18.557
19) Valtteri BottasAlfa Romeo1:18.714
20) Sergio PerezRed Bullno time
 
It was interesting qualifiers until Verstappen actually decided to push.

Looks like Ferrari decided again to run on diesel mode this race for some reason. What's the problem now, too far away from home and they are scared engine might give up because of that?
 
Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas will both be starting today’s Australian Grand Prix from the pit lane, after opting to change their cars under parc ferme regulations.

Perez failed to set a time in qualifying after beaching his car in the gravel trap down at Turn 3, something that initially looked to be driver error but that Team Principal Christian Horner later revealed might have been caused by an engine braking issue.

He had been cleared to race despite not setting a time within 107% as per the regulations, but given he was lining up 20th, Red Bull opted to fit his RB19 with a raft of new PU components, including a new Energy Store and Control Electronics unit.

That means he’ll have those components in his pool of parts for the rest of the season, but does have to start today’s race from the pit lane. Joining him there will be Valtteri Bottas. The Finn qualified 19th, but a written request was later submitted by Alfa Romeo to change the set-up of his suspension.

This was granted by the FIA, but still requires him to start from the pit lane. His team mate Zhou Guanyu and Williams’ Logan Sagreant will now share what becomes the back row of the grid in 17th and 18th, while Perez’s team mate Max Verstappen lines up on pole.
 
Everyone on Mediums apart from

Gasly Softs
Ocon Softs
De Vries Hards
Zhou Softs
Sargeant Hards
Bottas Softs
Perez Hards
 
Well we have a race on our hands. Move by Hamilton was on the edge but I thought fair. Merced clearly had a lot more grip than the Red Bull
 
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