Quote from 5haz :

Jesus man, all he implied was that the Mclaren is a rubbish car, which going by current performance, is true I'm afraid.

I know its a shit car, i think its pretty obivous. However, evertyhing seems to revolve around Hamilton. If it would of been another driver in that pic i very doubt the joke would of been made.

Anyway, dont bother replying and commenting 'cos I see no point in further discussion about it. If you do feel like telling me something, PM is the way

Zeugnimod - No, I'm waiting for Toki to join in xD

Quote from ATC Quicksilver :

If the regulations required drivers to wear wedding dresses, and drive bright pink tractors, I wouldn't say it looked great just because everyone followed the rules and went quite fast.

perhaps not, but it would give a whole new meaning to the term 'drag queen'.

I honestly will not be surprised to see Hamilton crash this race, the car looks that unstable.

Considering Hamilton's preference to chuck the car about, add in an unstable car and sit him near the 'monkeys' at the back...all mixed in a pressure bowl in Australia the net result could be a DNF for Hamilton

The dark horse for this one seems to heading towards Kimi. There has been a fair shift in money onto Kimi over the past couple of hours and his price is coming down on Betfair. If anyone wishes to fill me in on that one then cheers, because honestly I can't see it

Kimi looked really good during practice, it's not so much the pace of the car, but his attitude and how he is driving, he just seems happier with the car than he was the previous 2 years.

It's weird though, watching hamilton in second practice on bbc i player, it just seems like he isn't really pushing at all?

He comes out of the last corner to start a "fast" lap, it's like he's not even trying to go fast. Goes nowhere near the kerb on the exit, he's virtually in the middle of the track. He weaves around on straights a few times during laps aswell. .

I'm still skeptical about mclaren, unsure wether we'll see them around the same positions in qualifying

Quote from DejaVu :

It's weird though, watching hamilton in second practice on bbc i player, it just seems like he isn't really pushing at all?

He comes out of the last corner to start a "fast" lap, it's like he's not even trying to go fast. Goes nowhere near the kerb on the exit, he's virtually in the middle of the track. He weaves around on straights a few times during laps aswell. .

I'm still skeptical about mclaren, unsure wether we'll see them around the same positions in qualifying

I think Hamilton was working on a setup or some other issue, Kovalainens pace is probably more representative because he was a couple of seconds faster than Hammy in FP1.

Quote from DejaVu :

It's weird though, watching hamilton in second practice on bbc i player, it just seems like he isn't really pushing at all?

He comes out of the last corner to start a "fast" lap, it's like he's not even trying to go fast. Goes nowhere near the kerb on the exit, he's virtually in the middle of the track. He weaves around on straights a few times during laps aswell. .

I'm still skeptical about mclaren, unsure wether we'll see them around the same positions in qualifying

this is what Mclaren did all through winter testing from the videos I saw. A miz of FP1 madness, and then FP2 coasting. Very odd.

I can't figure out what they are doing. We'll found out in the morning if they can pull a BMW (last year BMW were 2 seconds off the pace in Friday). But this time I can't see it... but maybe

Ahh, i see Quicksilver. I agree with your above comment about kimi - his lapped looked more like the kimi we're used to seeing.

Hoping the race is exciting, will we see much overtaking though? Cars are too fast?! Balls to small?!

Quote from evilgeek :

You could not be more wrong. Getting rid of the winglets does indeed make them look more like traditional race cars and less like space ships.

As for the the "correct" proportions, they are set out in the regulations, which have changed this year. A race car's purpose is to be as fast as possible within the regulations, so the only way it could possibly look "stupid" is if it a) doesn't follow the regs, or b) isn't fast.

The cars look clumsy, disproportioned, and stupid! And IMO they don't look liek traditional race cars. They look like over regualted nonsence. Even the narrow rear tyres look awful!

A race cars purpose is to be 'as fast as possible'? Since the 80's all the governing bodies have done is make sure F1 cars don't go as fast as possible as a result we get this disaster of asthetics

A proper race car is something that has limited regulations and has scope to shoot for the stars. Unfortunately that era of motorsport has ended because technology has now gone so far that if we did it drivers would be extinct. What we are left with is an apologetic set of rules that make the grid look wrong!

Whether this is right or wrong is another question!

Btw where is our promised Fuel information....? Or did the FIA cut off the idea?

Traditionally, single seaters are 'dart shaped', with a narrower front end and wider rear, but this look has gone out of fashion over the years and now the cars do look rather odd having such a big wide front wing and a tiny, tapering rear end.

They should make the cars closer to 2 metres wide again.

Quote from Intrepid :

The cars look clumsy, disproportioned! *snip*

Hell, i could probably manage to just about bare the rear wing and slicks - if they just sort out the retarded looking front bumpers. The BMW especially, it looks like a bloody plaster board

The BMW looks like someone got some scissors and a shoe box and was told - build an F1 car lol

To be fair the actual mid sections of the cars look fantastic. The curves and sculpture is superb. The Ferrari especially! everything else is pap!

Quote from Intrepid :

Even the narrow rear tyres look awful!

the 2009 rear tires are the same size as 2008.

i could say your mum looks awful and it would add about as much value to the thread as you've done.

Quote from evilgeek :

the 2009 rear tires are the same size as 2008.

i could say your mum looks awful and it would add about as much value to the thread as you've done.

lol the rear tyre in 08 were worse. DIdn't say they look good

Quote from Intrepid :

Also consider Button/Rubens. Last two years absolutely NO WHERE. In your assesement that makes them BAD development drivers. Suddenly they have probably the best car by far! Now correlate that?!?!!?!?

The Brawn car has been in development since halfway last season though

McLaren is so rubbish because they kept developing 08 for so long to win the championship and started on this car so late, this is what Kovalainen said as the reason why the car is so bad.

I think usually Ferrari has been better making their car over the season, but last year Mac had to win and they are now paying the price. Hard to say how it's going to be this year as most testing is banned the whole season. But I guess team with the most fanciest computers can get their new pieces designed.

And Kimi, it just seems that the tail happy cars suit him well. That terrible understeer is gone with the slick tires and smaller downforce at the back.

Quote from Jertje :

The Brawn car has been in development since halfway last season though

I was reacting to comments made about Hamilton's development abilities and comparing that to how Button and Rubens have found themselve with a WDC possible car after 2 years of being back markers. Basically putting emphasis on the engineers way over the drivers. But of course driver can help improve a car over a season, and provide an engineer with the correct driving style.

In fact a misconception by many is that the best drivers are the ones that can 'drive round problems'. Speaking to an ex-F1 boss recently was rather revealing. In fact quite a lot of engineers prefer a driver that can highlight the problems rather than hide them. Hence why de la rosa has been a member of McLaren for so long

The perfect driver of course is one that can highlight the problems, and when it's showtime get round everything and drive to the max. Senna and Alonso are good examples.

But still in the end a driver can't make THAT much difference. A good car is a good car!

Hamilton and ALonso last year were superb at correct development driving but it only made a difference of 1 or 2 places on average. But 1 position when your fighting for the title is a lot h

Quote from Intrepid :

Hamilton and ALonso last year were superb at correct development driving but it only made a difference of 1 or 2 places on average. But 1 position when your fighting for the title is a lot h

does everyone in your family have the ability to talk out of their ass?

Nah, he had to develop that technique himself. Talking out your ass unfortunately isn't passed down via jeens.

Quote from evilgeek :

does everyone in your family have the ability to talk out of their ass?

What part of my statement do you disagree with or are you the type of forumer who just reacts to people's opinions with an attempt at being funny to try and get forum brownie points?

If they made all the teams paint the end sections of the front wings black (the bits that stick out past the front wheels) then the cars would all look much better on TV .

I thought the new regulations were rather useless in the beginning, however it has put quite a lot of teams off the rails while some smaller teams ended up in the front. I believe that the other teams that dropped behind compared to last season will catch up quickly and thus we will see a shift in balance over the course of the year, which could very well lead to an incredible championship.
E.g. Button will likely be gone and away at Australia and comfortably lead the race, but I don't think BrawnGP can maintain such a dominating position for the whole season. Thus we'll likely see several teams at the top at some point of time during the season. If we're lucky the first WDC with the race-wins system might be wide open until the last few races because no one managed to get more than 3 racewins.
Though I personally wish a swift and painfull demise to the new WDC system and the guy who thought of it.

Vain

Well, Brawn are hardly in a dominating position to begin with it seems.

Yet again, another closely matched year?

Thought id give a quick update on in person feedback.

The laptimes look pretty legit. I still think the Mclarens and ferraris will bounce back on top, but Both teams look abit rough all over the place on the track, while nico and the brawns actually do look quick. Ive been around Turns 1, 2 , 11, 12. today ill be all around 3-7. Nico is looking smooth all around the track, so im guessing he is comfortable in his car. Same with Jenson.

Im hoping for Massa to bounce up today, but i just dont see it.

I could be wrong though. :P

Thats just a brief rap up.