Comments on: A giant step into the unknown (Australian Grand Prix preview)

By: Block

Block — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 14:57:36 +0000

Just been reading into that KERS thing and it looks like renault and ferreri are the only two teams going to use it this weekend. So where does this leave the rest of them? are they going to be allowed to run at different weights or not??? was 605kg but dont know if this has changed.
Oh yes, one other thing! no adverts, no adverts, no adverts…get in.

By: Pink Peril

Pink Peril — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 11:26:28 +0000

None of the drivers interviewed today would confirm if they will use KERS this weekend or not. Sounds like some are going to run with & without during friday practice & then decide.

By: Jonathan

Jonathan — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 10:59:16 +0000

Can drives use KERS off the start line?

Makes me wonder if the drivers will be trying to charge their KERS in the formation lap – will we see them breaking heavily to do this?

By: Adrian

Adrian — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 08:23:41 +0000

It also seems that the team protesting the loudest, Red Bull, wouldn’t be able to implement such a design due to the way they mount their rear wing and their pull-rod rear suspension… Sour grapes anyone??

On a completely unrelated note, does anyone know what the parts shown in this picture are?

By: Pink Peril

Pink Peril — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 04:35:36 +0000

Weather prediction for sunday 24 degrees, no rain. Of course, this being Melbourne it’s really anyones guess as to what the weather might do.

Just about to leave work & head over to the track now, so I’ll see what I can suss out about the diffuser row, KERS, and the boycott rumour & report back. Any other controversies I’ve forgotten about?

Sheesh, season hasn’t even started yet and already there are dramas. Is it too much to ask that we have a season of just pure racing & no 3 ring circus?

By: Jay Menon

Jay Menon — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 00:57:10 +0000

Yeah, about the wiring to the front wings. I don’t think it would be a problem. If the system is setup based on basic wired controls, with little motors or electro-magnets moving the wings, the connections to the nose cone should just be a standard electronic coupling.

That is of course if the wiring is lined on the body of the nose cone, which means it could fit onto the main body via means of a location pin and locking mechanism. Based on what I’ve seen during front wing changesm it looks to be something like this. So I don’t think the wiring will be a problem.

By: teamorders

teamorders — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 22:55:38 +0000

I think Brawn is going to wipe the floor with the others, so I predict

1. Jenson
2. Rubens
3. Kubica

Lewis won’t make Q3 or past 10 laps of the race, he’ll crash pushing too hard in his slow car.

By: Keith Collantine

Keith Collantine — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 22:45:20 +0000

You still get that on Friday. Still not sure when I’m going to sleep then. I’m going to be nocturnal this weekend…

By: Clare msj

Clare msj — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 22:44:49 +0000

My logic may be a little off, and my knowledge of diffusers may be ever so slightly limited – but the fact that three cars have interpreted the rule in roughly the same way suggests to me that it was a ‘loophole’ there to be used. Its just the other teams who didnt spot the ‘loophole’ that are annoyed because they might have a performance disdvantage because of it. I have read somewhere that a couple of the other teams might be working on making a similar one to the three up for debate – so surely they cant think it is illegal if they are trying to mimic it.

Most irritating about it all though is the time its taking to sort it – it would be much better if they had declared it either way and if it was illegal then the teams could sort it before Melbourne, rather than risk being disqualified – wont be a good start to the season if six cars are removed from the first race result – as if F1 needs anything else to make it look like a joke at the minute!

Aside from all that though, I really cant wait for the new season, its the most excited i have been about it for quite a while – think its because i cant predict whatsoever who is going to do well! Hopefully itll be right close all year!

By: Clare msj

Clare msj — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 22:37:46 +0000

I’ll miss it – I quite liked getting up at 2 or 3 am – gave it more of a sense of occasion I thought.