Australian Grand Prix – rate the race
29th March 2009, 8:39 by Keith Collantine 97 Comments »
Plenty to talk about after an historic start to the Australian Grand Prix. Rate the race out of ten and leave your comments below:
Australian Grand Prix - rate the race
- 1 - Terrible (43 Votes)
- 2 - Rubbish (19 Votes)
- 3 - Boring (18 Votes)
- 4 - Often tedious (16 Votes)
- 5 - A bit dull (27 Votes)
- 6 - Not bad (117 Votes)
- 7 - Good (373 Votes)
- 8 - Great (640 Votes)
- 9 - Fantastic (644 Votes)
- 10 - Perfect (239 Votes)
Total Voters: 2,136
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Noelinho said on 29th March 2009, 8:45
The only way it could have been better would have been if it hadn’t finished under the safety car!
Clare msj said on 29th March 2009, 10:35
couldnt agree more! That was the only thing that stopped it from being ‘perfect’!
todd said on 29th March 2009, 12:28
it didn’t the SC pitted!
Noel said on 29th March 2009, 8:49
Fantastic. A great season opener, a great result, a fair amount of close racing, some surprises and no ad breaks!
Bring on KL!
Tom said on 29th March 2009, 8:50
If the appeal goes through, Hamilton wins the Australian Grand Prix. That would be very strange (I’ll be angry if it happens), but I do think that behind Button he was the driver of the day.
Clare msj said on 29th March 2009, 10:37
Serious? I didnt think he did owt special to be honest :S He benefitted from a lot of misfortunes of others to finish in that fourth, rather than a super impressive storming drive – although to give him his credit – if Trulli’s off was a relatively big one then he does deserve to take that third from Trulli
Paige said on 29th March 2009, 11:05
Are you kidding me, Clare? Hamilton easily overtook more drivers on the circuit than anyone. Even after three drivers went out before the first pit stops, Hamilton overtook 6 drivers on track. He proceeded to overtake two more cars on the track, run tons of fast laps in keeping up with Rosberg (who was in a superior car) after the first SC, put enough distant on cars behind him to keep ahead of them through the pit cycles, put together two great laps to overtake Buemi for a points position during pit stops, and kept pace and ran really quick laps on the super softs at the end even as they were going away. And all along the way, he was cool and focused.
Hamilton had easily the best driving performance of the Australian Grand Prix. Anyone who was following the lap times and saw the overtakes he was making would easily have realized this.
todd said on 29th March 2009, 12:36
i can hear paige inflating his hamilton life size doll now… there was plenty of overtaking, the toyotas did an impressive job, as did most of the other drivers. it’s no huge feat to go from the back to mid field – then be gifted a handful of places in the top 10 along the way when you car is faster than the midfield.
rookie bumei finished top 10.
Clare msj said on 29th March 2009, 12:39
He did start 18th though – had people like the Force India ahead of him to pass – and they were easily slower than the Mclaren, plus the Toro Rossos which arent really better than the Mclaren either and arent being driven by a champion. Plus he had KERS off the line which would have helped push him up to that tenth or so he had on the first lap, as well as jumping the several cars which were invlolved in the first lap stuff, but didnt necessarily retire – Heidfeld, Webber, Sutil and others who lost time avoiding it. And plenty of the other guys, including those without the KERS boost to help them, were pulling of multiple overtakes – its expected in the midfield
I appreciate it was a good drive – but he didnt drive better than Button, or, aside from the incident at the end, Kubica or Vettel. I think he was on a level with Rosberg – who was particularly impressive in the first bit before the safety car, and the Toyotas, who also had to come from the back.
Plus, with three laps left to go, he was only sixth – which was really quite a good result for him, but not the great third place that it will show him as having now.
Just my opinion on it anyways – probably why i am not a professional journalist!
Gareth said on 29th March 2009, 8:54
A really great and exciting race. So glad I got up early to watch it!
Good to see some closer racing, the season promises plenty.
Ponzonha said on 29th March 2009, 8:55
The KUB-VET incident was the worst part of the race. They should have played it safe.
Clive said on 29th March 2009, 9:13
Bernie says F1 drivers don’t try to pass each other…
Keith Collantine said on 29th March 2009, 9:27
Clive – LOL! very true.
matt said on 29th March 2009, 21:51
Yeah exactly. A sign that to the drivers, a handful of points is very important. I wonder, had the wins system been in place, would Vettel have defended so much? I doubt it, as he had no chance of catching Button for the win, which would be even more important. And knowing that points wouldn’t matter come the end of the season (presuming he’s challenging for the championship at that point) he may have not bothered resisting Kubica, which would have been dull. After all, who cares about losing points if they have no impact on the champion anyway?
That’s another point. If wins are the only thing that counts next year, might we see title challengers pulling out of races part way if they have no chance of victory, to preserve their engines? I doubt any driver would, but you never know, a calculating team boss might demand it.
YeaMon said on 29th March 2009, 8:55
What a race! Great fighting in the mid pack, and what a ending for 2nd. I can’t believe Kubica or Vettle didn’t lift going into that next turn! This could be because of their inability to see the front wings.
D said on 29th March 2009, 9:04
Great race.! Rated it a 9, but would have rated it a 10 if the VET-KUB incident didnt happen and the race ended basically under safety car
Tomeksan said on 29th March 2009, 9:04
Vettle should be banned for life!!!!
Kubica was first in the turn, and this nobody idiot tries to be special. Kubica would have won the race!!!!!!!!!!!!!
js said on 29th March 2009, 9:28
no.
Keith Collantine said on 29th March 2009, 9:29
It was a racing incident – they went into the corner side by side, they banged wheels, it happens.
Ben said on 29th March 2009, 9:59
no worse (probably more justified actually) than Barrichello’s banzai move on the first corner.
Jonathan said on 29th March 2009, 10:25
Barrichello was nudged from behind by one of the McLarens thus running into Webber.
John H said on 29th March 2009, 10:37
Calling Vettel what you did on this site I’m afraid just makes you look like one yourself.
Yep, Rubens was actually quite unlucky to get tagged from behind by Heiki – but I guess he got punished when Webber ended up taking out his suspension.
More bad luck for Webber though
Clare msj said on 29th March 2009, 10:40
Kubica should have given him more room, but he was ahead so Vettel should have backed off – both drivers relied on the other doing those things and neither did. Complete racing incident
And I am not sure Kubica would have won either – second probably, but catching is one thing, passing is another, i dont reckon he would have got past Button – academic as it is now.
Pete_Firestarter said on 29th March 2009, 11:10
I really do not but the “Kubica should have won the race” from you or BMW! He would have pushed button but not actually won it. I assume Button switched off his Merc engine and if it came to a fight, he would have been on it.
But the most important thing is the order will soon resume! Macca have been given the impetus to push and Ferrari and not going home and accept defeat from “the one they reject as team Principal” – Brawn! Expect things to hot up in Barcelona!!
Very good race and good job from JB! But ithink LH will easily hammer JB! I had to explain this to my son.
todd said on 29th March 2009, 12:38
kubica was flying, could have caught up, would have been a close finish thats for sure.
kubica gave him room but vettel just needed more, no grip on the front of his car at that point. it happens. kubica is aggressive and vettel is young. its all racing, enjoy it.
flotsky said on 29th March 2009, 9:06
Great drives from Button and Hamilton, good from Barrichello bar his start and dodgy first corner, rubbish from Vettle and Kubica spoiling all their good work. Interesting all race seeing the kers/non-kers battles. Good race, well worth getting up for.
Cameron said on 29th March 2009, 9:07
I gave it a 9/10 … It was an amazing Grand Prix. The only thing that stopped me giving it a ten was that it finished under the safety car.
Hamilton is my driver of the day. I think his performance should be enough to keep a few of his critics quiet for awhile. To finish 4th in a car that clearly wasn’t as good as others shows once and for all, that Hamilton has genuine talent.
A shame for Ferrari though. I really expected more from them, and their drivers. I’m sure they will come back stronger though.
And a massive congratulations to Jensen Button. A much deserved, and long awaited, second Grand Prix victory.
I bet Richard Branson is glad he got a Virgin logo plastered on the side of that BrawnGP car right about now
Can’t wait for next week!
Oh yeah, on a side note, it seems Max was right… The racing was so much better!
Derek said on 29th March 2009, 10:13
I never doubted Hamilton’s talent, but I certainly did not expect him to finnish 4th or maby 3rd here. I was surprised to see how good the car was during the race, he did a lot of overtaking. The Kers boost helped him stay in front a few times. Well done to Button and the Brawn GP team, what a fantastic result, and they could well do it again next weekend. But if they loose the apeal Hamilton will get the race win!!
Clare msj said on 29th March 2009, 10:44
He was sixth until Vettel and Kubica went off – and before that there was the Ferraris hitting trouble, and Rosberg having a couple of dramas – it was a solid drive, but I wouldnt classify it as drive of the day – not by a long shot :S
todd said on 29th March 2009, 12:40
exactly, williams had an issue, ferrari had an issue, 2 cars crashed, he was a long way down until he was gifted a half dozen places. i didnt see anything fancy, i saw a lot of bold over taking by other more talented drivers.
Kallan said on 29th March 2009, 9:10
I have conflicted emotions; the action was constant and the change in top performers was great, but I’m also distraught that both my fav drivers took each other out so near to the finish. Argh!!!
TommyB said on 29th March 2009, 9:13
Great drive from Trulli and Hamilton.
Anyone else think the safety car was delayed just enough to allow Button to pit? FIX!
pSynrg said on 29th March 2009, 9:17
Sorry but that’s a load of rubbish.
Keith Collantine said on 29th March 2009, 9:30
It wouldn’t have made any difference if they had brought it out straight away – Button was always going to go into the pits at that point given the safety car had been deployed.
Derek said on 29th March 2009, 10:18
I did note that the safety car was very slow to deploy, I’m sure it was inocent but never the less it was much slower that recent years. I’m told the driver just went for a comfort break at the wrong time….it happens.
John H said on 29th March 2009, 10:40
Indeed. Now the pit-rules have changed under SC periods, this wouldn’t have been an issue.
pSynrg said on 29th March 2009, 9:14
Fabulous start to the season. Fantastic Jenson, brilliant Lewis.
The Vettel/Kubica incident should tarnish both their copy books. Was definitely a racing incident though…
TommyB said on 29th March 2009, 9:20
@pSynrg
Probably but the SC took ages!! It was clearly a safety car and it was delayed and delayed and delayed… Then the safety comes out behind Button after he comes out the pits!
—————————————————-
Mclaren appealing about Trulli 3rd place!!
Keirde said on 29th March 2009, 9:20
Shame for Vettel & Kubica – I agree with Brundle and it looked 50/50. Vettel couldn’t get it slowed down, but Kubica really didn’t give him much room. A big shame for both of them.
Still, that paved the way for the fairytale 1-2. Congrats to them.
The safety car delays, both in deploying it after Nakajima’s crash, and bringing it back in afterwards were a bit strange.