Qantas Australian Grand Prix 2011

[iceman1]

So that's why RBR didn't use KERS in Qualifying...

After qualifying today it became apparent that Red Bull’s drivers did not use KERS during qualifying.

Asked why not, Mark Webber said that the team had internal reasons why not.

But tonight it has emerged that the team may have a lightweight KERS system which is designed for use off the startline only. This is necessary because KERS confers about 7 metres advantage on a car using it over one that isn’t on the start straight.

Without any kind of KERS, the Red Bull would be vulnerable off the startline. Lewis Hamilton in the McLaren starting alongside Sebastian Vettel on the front row and would have the advantage.

This “start only” system would give a gain in terms of weight distribution and packaging because such a system requires only a small battery, which is trickle charged, compared to the 20 kilo system that Red Bull’s rivals use. One of the reasons why the normal KERS batteries are large and heavy is for reasons of rapid charging.

It appears, from investigations, that at least one team currently without KERS is working on a similar system to Red Bull’s.

However, Red Bull may need a full KERS system later in the season, when the other leading teams get close to them on downforce. The 4/10ths it gives will come in useful then.

[JoostLamers]

As hoped, Hispania Racing has not been allowed to race tomorrow. Therefore 22 cars will take the start.

Good thing, they are c**p.

Btw. Felipe's brother was driving again I suppose?

[phil1993]

No, he just blamed the tyres

[JoostLamers]

No, he just blamed the tyres

Oh what's new . He is out next season for sure, heard his teamboss said 'this was going to be an important year for him'. When a teamboss says so, you know you're screwed.

Olav said Kolles was carrying 50kg of handluggage with all kinds of spare parts.

[swca92]

Observations:

- Vettel was ominously dominant, very scary for the rest of the field. Doesn't mean anything yet though, in 1997 Villeneuve took pole by nearly two seconds then in the race was taken out by Irvine at the first corner after a terrible start. In 1999 and 2000 McLaren dominated qualifying then messed up the race. All's not lost.
- Ferrari struggled but I don't think that was representative of their real pace. In hotter climates and a racetrack that's not as eccentric as Melbourne I think they'll be higher up.
- Sauber have improved, Kobayashi could have got top 6 if he had a set of soft tyres for Q3 and Perez looked promising in Q1 and has been much better here and in testing than Maldonado. Consistent top 10 qualifying displays look achieveable this season.
- Petrov has improved, to qualify 6th was a super effort, especially knowing the pressure was on after Heidfeld's various problems. A podium's not impossible tomorrow.
- Force India have regressed, this time last year they were solid top 10 runners. Now they've been usurped by Sauber and Petrov's Renault. They may go better though at tracks where lots of horsepower gets more reward than it does here.
- Williams have also regressed, Maldonado has been disappointing and Rubens' spin was pathetic really, an amateurish mistake to make.
- HRT, oh dear. Karthikeyan drove as if pressing the throttle would set off a bomb, even on the straights he had so little grip he didn't put his foot down to the max. Not long for this world I'm afraid.

[Mitsuro Sano]

I've just seen again the qualifying session, and a shot showing Glock behind an HRT at the pit straight. Glock was using DRS at the beginning of the straight while the HRT wasn't ( in fact, they don't have this system on the car lol ). It seemed that at that time he was less than a second behind the HRT but didn't manage to be near the HRT to make a move on turn 1. Will the DRS really improve overtaking on a race? I've got doubt now.

[Jari-Matti Fan]

Woo Vettel on pole

[sdutt]

Lotus is also a bit disappointing. I thought they would be close to the midfield but they are 2 seconds off the pace

Mike Gascoyne said on Twitter they were struggling to use the tyres well.

atleast its a better excuse than their rear wing being stuck in customs in Antarctica

[iceman1]

No, he just blamed the tyres

don't blame him, blame the Camera

Q: (Matthew Cochinos - pitpass.com) Mark, how hungry are you going into your home grand prix tomorrow?
SV: You’ll have lunch before, no?
MW: Yeah, Seb said I would have lunch before the race!

[phil1993]

Hamilton's first races of the season: 3rd, 1st, 3rd (DQ after the scandal), 3rd. Time for a 2nd?

[Ali]

don't blame him, blame the Camera

Massa had tested it in Barcelona. Ferrari looking good

[iceman1]

Don't forget to visit the featured article "What to watch out for in the Australian Grand Prix".

http://www.f1zone.net/site/what-to-watc ... prix/6083/

[phil1993]

Grid for the 2011 Qantas Australian Grand Prix:
1. Sebastian Vettel
2. Lewis Hamilton
3. Mark Webber
4. Jenson Button
5. Fernando Alonso
6. Vitaly Petrov
7. Nico Rosberg
8. Felipe Massa
9. Kamui Kobayashi
10. Sebastien Buemi
11. Michael Schumacher
12. Jaime Alguersuari
13. Sergio Perez
14. Paul di Resta
15. Pastor Maldonado
16. Adrian Sutil
17. Rubens Barrichello
18. Nick Heidfeld
19. Heikki Kovalainen
20. Jarno Trulli
21. Timo Glock
22. Jerome D'Ambrosio

The top 10 drivers must start on the same set of tyres which they used for their fastest Q3 time

[iceman1]

Once again Red Bull are up to something..

Horner was reluctant to go into the reasons behind the decision not to run KERS – but said that it was a deliberate tactical move.

"Strategically we elected to not use KERS in the qualifying – it was a team decision," Horner said when asked by AUTOSPORT about the reasons behind the KERS decision. "But I'm not going to tell you what you are fishing for."

When asked if the team would be using KERS in the race itself, Horner again did not wish to disclose anything.

"You will have to wait and see and watch the television," he said. "I am not going to spoil the excitement."

Horner conceded that the time lost by not running KERS may well have cost Webber a spot on the front row, but said that there was a good explanation for why it was doing what it was doing.

"Everything we do has a reason behind it," he said.

[phil1993]

I'm pretty sure it's a 'start only' KERS system