OK the season’s started, Shumi wins the Australian Grand Prix, first of this year’s season…

We had a great group of enthusiast last year on this board. I’m open for all predictions and talk about the cars, teams and drivers. Let’s get it on.

I’ve been a F-1 fan for 40 plus years so I have the basic understanding of the sport.. Did anyone see the race last night? I was racing myself and didn’t get in until midnight so I missed it.

 

Ferrari is phenomenal! MS and RB basically ran away and hid. Rubens was close until he was held up. Alonso made a killer start to slot into 3rd. Remember traction control is outlawed this year. Macs and Williams were never on Ferrari pace.

Kimi had a waterpump failure to drop out before the halfway point.

Williams and MacLaren cannot be sleeping well tonight!

OTOH, Renault is fantastic. Alonso is an amazing driver as well.

My hope is that Fisi will break thru in the Sauber. He will need to qualify better in Malaysia to avoid getting held up by back markers.

It's nice having Varsha back at SPEEDTV. A new wrinkle in the coverage was following the top three drvers from parce ferme up to the podium. Got to see the final weighing of the drivers with their equipment. Cool.

 

I thought it was the launch control, not the trac control that got outlawed?

I caught the second half of the race after the Sopranos on Sunday. It seemed pretty uneventful. Ferrari absolutely dominated the race. Nice to see Renault finish 3rd, tho.

 

yes, Launch Control is banned, however Traction control is still allowed.

Ferrari certainly showed everyone how it was done this weekend! One of my favorite tracks!

 

Being a Melbourne boy and now living in the US it was heart breaking seeing my beloved Ferrari come 1-2 and i was unable to be there, all the talk that the other teams were going to catch up with Ferrari was thrown out the window. One of the few years that half the field finished the race, usually the reliabilty is poor in Melbourne since the teams don't seem to be ready, kudos to MS, RB and Scuderia Ferrari on a great first up race.

Keep an eye on Alonso, he could be the next big thing and maybe even replace Schumi when he retires at Ferrari

 

Launch control is banned and traction control is restricted. I believe traction control is limited to speeds over 100 kph. The new qualifying format has been razzed by pretty much everyone .... the rumor mill says they're considering a change as early as next race (Malaysia).

 

Only thing keeping most of us awake in F1 is qualifying. sure hope this is NOT another romp throughthe tulips for Schummi and Ferrari. Love the cars, dislike the driver (vain, pompous, filthy rich and drives better than me, the bastard) but seriously, I long for some passing (other than lapped cars that is). Last years USGP was awesome!! It only gets exciting when it rains ..what is UP with THAT!!

 

As a diehard Schumi fanatic, I've been holding back on my comments on the Australian GP. I obviously savored another win (what's that make it 71?) yet somehow the Aussie GP was a bit of a letdown. From my other posts, y'all know that Fernando Alonso is also one of my favorite drivers (got his autograph at the USGP last September - God how I loved Thursday's paddock access during the GP), so Renault's performance was also a welcomed one. Too bad for Jacques Villeneuve, BAR finally gets it together with a decent Honda powerplant, and the man who spent 98 - 03 leading that team is history, Grrr. McLaren however just dropped the ball. From the unsorted chassis to the Ilmor / Mercedes engine debacle I was very underwhelmed by their performance. Toyota also disappointed big time, as did Sauber. Williams has got to discipline its drivers a bit more, there was no excuse for JP Montoya's blowing it at the first corner, except brain fade, and Ralf needs to have a fire lit under his *** to get moving. I hope that Barrichello isn't going to have to follow team orders all season, as being second fiddle to Schumacher has got to be just about the most frustrating thing on the track. Remember the good old days of Prost and Senna at McLaren? Nothing like a little intra-team rivalry to get the blood up. Oh well Malaysia is just a fortnight away, so maybe we'll see some sort of McLaren resurrection.

 

I think (and hope) that the lower race temperatures played into Ferrari's hands a bit. In low fuel qualifying, Montoya was fastest, so that shows that the new Williams has Ferrari speed. All of the Michelin runners complained of heavy graining on the front tires.

I think tires will be the determining factor again this year. Ferrari, having their own tire supplier, obviously has the upper hand there. At the tracks that the Michelins are superior, 3 or 4 teams will be fighting for the top spot, but when the Bridgestones are better, Ferrari is unchallenged.

 

A dollah Ferrari kicks *** and AGAIN finishes one-two......and I will fall asleep after the sixth lap when Schumi laps the first stone......

 

Malaysian Grand Prix Saturday/Sunday on Speedvision 2 AM EST.

Just watched the qualifying and guess whose Ferrari is on the pole. You only get two.


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>>Malaysian Grand Prix Saturday/Sunday on Speedvision 2 AM EST.
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>>Just watched the qualifying and guess whose Ferrari is on the pole. You only get two.
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What, no post race reports yet? Was Malaysia that dull? How about Kimi's shoving of the track marshal? JP Montoya's drive to tha podium or Button's first ever podium and a coup for the Honda powered BAR? Just because Schumi chalked up numero 72 in the win file doesn't mean that all is lost for non-tifosi. Come on, let's sound off!

 

Very happy to see Honda make the podium...and Montoya in second. I tell you what though, the track was a little unpredictable at the beginning eh?

 

I missed the race because I had to work so I can’t really make any comments. Jenson’s my boy though. I’ve been saying for the last two seasons’ he’s going to be a force to contend with, just get him in a first rate car and stand back.

 

Williams had better get that new chassis dialed in. A couple of other teams had said the weight from those "tusks" was going to be a problem and throw off the front/rear ratio. I don't know if that's what is going on but power is not an issue.

 

They're Heeeeere!

Opened my mailbox yesterday afternoon, and the traditional scotch tape sealed cafe au lait colored envelope from Speedway, IN was sitting pretty. Woo Hooo! June 20, 2004 you are still over two months away! This year there will be another pit lane walkabout on the Thursday before the race, the 17th. It's definately worth the effort, to get to see the cars, crews and drivers. Last year we got autographs from Fernando Alonso and Allan McNish. Whose will we get in '04?

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BLUBELLE - 9/02 production 2003 MCS IB /W Premium, Sport, Cold pkgs, Lapis blue interior, Magnecor wires, Alta Pulley, Moss Skid Plate, Chrome Trim Interior. Motoring since 10/18/02. I V-1 do you?

 

If you're into F1 history, you might want to check out the next F1 Decade on Speed Channel (2 & 3 Apr). It's the 1994 San Marino GP....two drivers died that race weekend; one during either practice or qualifying (can't remember his name) and Senna who died during the race. I'm not one of those guys who watches to see crashes and other mayhem, but this was a historic event and a turning point. It kick-started efforts to try to make the sport safer.

 

I love F1...its really the only sport I have any interest in. Don't get to see many races though...usually just try to keep up through the web. I sincerely love seeing new faces on the podium but IMO Ferrari earns what they get...the cars have been just rock solid!!! And when Schumi is in the zone he simply is the best. I have to give him that. I have other favorites every year, but still haven't tired of Ferrari's dominance....they seem a legitimately hard working and very focused team!

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'03 IB/W Cooper

 

If we paint it, they will come...



from Paul Ricard tests...this week.

 

I am a huge F1 fan. I have seen this thread a few times, but I didnt watch the race at Sepang so I didnt want anyone to spoil, but now... count me in on the F1 discussion....

 

If you don't know the Bahrane (sp) GP has just started.

 

Rats!!! I guess I will catch it on the replay as I did Sepang.......got suspension to work on....after I goof off here....

 

Well kiddies if you missed it… It’s a new season at a new track and loads of jostling around at the corners… Great start. Commercials over back to the race.

 

I got nothing...damn cable company!