[Usendyduexy]

Personally as a guy who dislikes the current Macca team immensely (I liked very much Hakkinen in the 90ies and early 00s, though), I NEVER thought that they will be last on Melbourne. I was sure and I am sure that they will enter Q2 and have a good shot on Q3. However, I hope and my hope I think is not vain, that they are slower than Ferrari and BMW and maybe Renault and Williams. About Brawn GP, I don't know, but I will be delighted if they really are the team to beat. It will be a faerie tale come true.

[Karinochka]

Well my ideal situation would be Brawn to be leading, McLaren very close behind and the others very close behind them. After all we want the cars to be very close in performance as that's what makes it interesting!

[h0ldem]

Well my ideal situation would be Brawn to be leading, McLaren very close behind and the others very close behind them. After all we want the cars to be very close in performance as that's what makes it interesting!

I'd rather have Williams as 2nd best team and McLaren together with the big teams playing catch-up.
But I doubt that Brawn will be up front.

[Aozozbag]

But I doubt that Brawn will be up front.

Not long now until we see

[adesseridopaw]

I think Melbourne will tell us the true state of things... Nakajima posted a fastest lap of 1:17.494 with Mclaren 1:17.946, so they are within half a second of the fastest recorded time. I think they have made significant progress so we'll have to see...

[adesseridopaw]

This forum doesn't like copy and paste lol

[Angry White American]

"Team to beat?"????? I certainly don't think so. But I do believe they could surprise a few in the season opener.

"Team to beat" was most likely said in relation to "general expectations". But I think it's worth to take them into consideration in fighting for high results in Australia.

Based on current evidence I'd say that if I start watching the Australian Grand Prix qualifying, I'd expect Jarno, Robert and Felipe to fight out the pole position with probably Jenson and Rubens having their say too.

As for quick laptimes, then didn't McLaren smash a lap record during pre-season testing back in 2004 too? Despite that they weren't higher than midfield in Oz. So to rate a laptime as a relevant indicator of good performance, other top competitors are needed too on the same day for a comparison. The only advantage I see for Williams and McLaren is that unlike the top group they have had some extra test days at the end pre-season testing period. But I still expect them to be a bit behind the Top4.

[Usendyduexy]

What I want to see is Brawn GP at front, followed by Ferrari and Renault. I can't predict what will happen, though.

[Justlovemy]

Lewis Hamilton: “There is no better place to begin the FIA Formula 1 World Championship than in Australia. The weather is fantastic, the facilities are excellent and the people of Melbourne make us all feel extremely welcome. Most importantly, everyone arrives with an air of enthusiasm and expectation. Despite weeks of winter testing, it’s still difficult to know exactly who has the best package, and finding out over the weekend in Albert Park is always fascinating. Perhaps Vodafone McLaren Mercedes doesn’t come to Melbourne with the same prospects to challenge at the front that we experienced in both 2007 and ’08, but the whole team will be working tirelessly to help us move back to the front.”

Heikki Kovalainen: “I had a great race in Melbourne last year on my debut for Vodafone McLaren Mercedes. It’s a track I love – a circuit that you really have to attack with a lot of enthusiasm if you are to get the best from the car. The fast esses at the back of the circuit are probably the most demanding corners – getting it just right is a hugely satisfying feeling. Elsewhere, I enjoy the ‘back to school’ feeling of the new season – you meet up with everybody, share your stories from the winter and look forward to another good season. Everybody in our team is really motivated and, while we probably won’t start the season as favourites, we will work around the clock to get back there.”

Martin Whitmarsh, team principal, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes: “We go into the start of the 2009 season fully aware that we do not yet have the technical package that will allow our drivers to fight at the front. In Formula 1, there is nowhere to hide: that’s what makes our sport so demanding and yet so endlessly fascinating. And as a team that goes grand prix racing with the expectation of winning races and challenging for world championships, we therefore go to Melbourne with realistic expectations. Nonetheless, we begin our season with huge determination to re-assert ourselves at the front and we will not rest for a moment until we have done that. Most importantly, we haven’t forgotten how to win.”

Norbert Haug, Vice-president, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport: "Melbourne is the city where – 12 years ago – McLaren-Mercedes achieved their first of 58 grand prix wins since then. After a total of four victories at Albert Park, this time it may not be possible to repeat Lewis’s success of last year. Considering our test results we will not be as competitive at the season opener as we intend to be, and so I do not expect a qualifying result at the front of the grid. However, we will all work hard to return to the front as soon as possible and in Melbourne everybody in the team is fully motivated to do everything to achieve the best possible result."



Sounds like either a verbal sandbag , or they really are in deep doo doo .

[Michmant]

Lewis Hamilton: “There is no better place to begin the FIA Formula 1 World Championship than in Australia. The weather is fantastic, the facilities are excellent and the people of Melbourne make us all feel extremely welcome. Most importantly, everyone arrives with an air of enthusiasm and expectation. .

has anyone seen Happly Gilmour - is Lewis starting to sound like Shooter McGavin?

i seriously expect him to come out with such pearls as;

"you guys must be putting something in the water, everytime i'm here its gets harder to leave" and

"seriously though the real winner is the City of ........"

[Guaranano]

"...
Based on current evidence I'd say that if I start watching the Australian Grand Prix qualifying, I'd expect Jarno, Robert and Felipe to fight out the pole position with probably Jenson and Rubens having their say too.

....

Jarno?

I'd agree with Robert and Felipe, and would add Kimi, Nick, and Fernando to the mix.

[Angry White American]

Jarno?

I'd agree with Robert and Felipe, and would add Kimi, Nick, and Fernando to the mix.

What's wrong with Jarno? Toyota is quick and JT is a well-known qualifying expert. I didn't add KR or NH, because I mentioned the better qualifiers of the Top3 teams. Fernando I doubt - I think he'll be stronger in the race, but won't fight for the win.

[Illirmpipse]

How about the Red Bull Boys? Will the be charging?

[Angry White American]

How about the Red Bull Boys? Will the be charging?

Red Bull has been a bit in the shadow in recent tests, but in the earlier phases of winter testing it looked like RB5 could have at least some serious one-lap pace, although overall consistency in longer stints and reliability are a bit unclear. Considering that both Webber and Vettel (6th in Q2 in '08) are quick at Albert Park, I'd expect both drivers to reach Q3.

[h0ldem]

Red Bull has been a bit in the shadow in recent tests, but in the earlier phases of winter testing it looked like RB5 could have at least some serious one-lap pace, although overall consistency in longer stints and reliability are a bit unclear. Considering that both Webber and Vettel (6th in Q2 in '08) are quick at Albert Park, I'd expect both drivers to reach Q3.

The whole testing was unclear, and just because journos cherry picked a few fast laps out of the bag it doesn't mean squat.
Keep your expectations low and you might find yourself thrilled in one weeks time!

[Illirmpipse]

The whole testing was unclear, and just because journos cherry picked a few fast laps out of the bag it doesn't mean squat.
Keep your expectations low and you might find yourself thrilled in one weeks time!

I think that cars with KERS and the resultant higher CG as a result may in the beginning have a slight disadvantage over the guys using well placed ballast during quals. BUT in a race where overtaking can be difficult, cars with KERS might have the advantage in keeping ballast cars behind, then accelerating away from them out of corners using KERS. I know next to nothing about KERS or the advantages from using it, but I suppose once the drivers get used to them during races, we may see where they come into the fore.

[h0ldem]

That seems logic to me!

[VXHLrsO1]

I've given up paying attention to pre-season since realising that Honda were always quick in it but then turned up in Oz with a complete dog

hehehehe

It's funny. Last couple years when your'e at the track.... you can always hear the Honda coming cause it sounds like it's f***ed and should be looking for pit lane!