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Post by Dirty Epic on Feb 26, 2018 9:09:39 GMT
Not long now till Melbourne and the season opener of the F1 season for 2018. What with most of the new cars being launched and a season where those at the top, their challengers and teams with past glories having a point to prove looks like it could be a good season if the fight can be taken to the Mercs this year. Can Ferrari and Vettel lick their wounds from 2017 which promised so much and really shouldn’t have ended as disappointingly as it did? Can Red Bull deliver a winning car for promising drivers like Verstappen and Riccardo who easily could be WDC’s if they get this and a lucky break too! Will Hamilton and the Mercs still be top of the pile at the end of the season – surely their dominance has to end/be challenged sooner or later. Also will Bottas do a Rosberg and no longer want to be a number two to Lewis too… hmm don’t see it some how. Can Force India (or whatever they’re going to be called) still be best of the rest in the midfield or will Renault with a good driver line up in Hulkenberg and Sainz bring them back to the front? Then there’s some of the old guard like Williams and particularly McLaren who are looking reassert themselves after a few years in the doldrums. McLaren/Alonso in particular will hope the switch to Renault will rocket them up the grid from years of being an embarrassment with Honda and Williams have taken a big gamble with a rookie paring in Stroll and Sirotkin when smart money might have led them to getting in a more experienced driver in to replace Massa. Also can the likes of Torro Rosso, Haas, Alfa Romeo/Sauber break into this midfield battle too after a few mixed (perhaps disappointing) seasons of not really making much progress too! More importantly lets hope with have some good hard but fair racing, a good title battle and hope politics don’t ruin a great season. Bring on Melbourne.
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Post by Dirty Epic on Feb 26, 2018 13:31:28 GMT
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Del Boy
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Post by Del Boy on Feb 26, 2018 23:13:01 GMT
Thanks for posting a good intro into this forthcoming season Dirty I defo think the sport is going through a fundamental transitionary period what with the normal evolution of rules and cars and the changes in ownership. I hope we have a good one, better than last year. It didn't hold my attention past the Monza race. One things for sure more competition is needed at the top in order to generate interest. The challenge to Mercedes has been weak at times over the last few seasons.
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Post by Dirty Epic on Mar 1, 2018 9:12:21 GMT
The session yesterday got interrupted with rain and snow so can't really get an idea who is looking good for Melbourne at the moment.
www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/formula1/43190406
One nice thing from yesterday Alonso was top of the timesheets albeit because the other runners didn't set any meaningful times and over the last few days it seems as you were from 2017 with the Mercs and Ferrari's at the top but Red Bull snapping at their heels. However Renault could be best of the rest from these early indications and the much lambasted Honda engine seems to have stood up pretty well in the Toro Rosso this year compared to the rather horrific testing schedule Honda had with McLaren over the last 3 years.
Probably today's session will go much the same way think the meaningful stuff will happen at the next week's test but surprised F1 hadn't opted to test somewhere warmer than Barcelona next week?
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Batgirl
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Post by Batgirl on Mar 17, 2018 7:36:39 GMT
They are building the stands ! Looks like the Senna/Prost stands at turn 16.
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Post by Del Boy on Mar 17, 2018 16:42:54 GMT
I do like the Aussie race it's always been a good curtain raiser. It's a great little circuit and certainly one of the very best street tracks .. Can't believe its been on the F1 calendar for 22 years this year
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Batgirl
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Post by Batgirl on Mar 21, 2018 11:49:03 GMT
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Post by Batgirl on Mar 21, 2018 11:50:10 GMT
A lot of advertising on a helmet ! I like the Aussie landmarks on it.
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Post by Dirty Epic on Mar 23, 2018 16:27:50 GMT
Look forward to seeing the race Batgirl and looks like it's going to be a good one too. Have a good one. Here's a bit of a rundown of the action in Q1 & 2. www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/43511285Seems similar to the running in pre-season with perhaps Lewis/Mercedes having the advantage again. Suppose the thing too look forward to in Quali and the race will be whether Ferrari have the upper hand over Red Bull, can either of them take the fight to Mercedes, have Haas as they showed in testing put together a decent package this year to be best of the rest in a tight midfield? Similarly have McLaren come back in again with Renault or is something still missing here and have Force India and Williams gone a bit backwards this season too especially Williams with there rookie line up. Here's to a great season!
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Del Boy
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Post by Del Boy on Mar 23, 2018 17:37:34 GMT
I don't know about anyone else but i really dont like the way these cars look. The way they have been allowed to remove virtually all the rear end bodywork leaving only the floor is ridiculous. Surely an impact in that area would take a lump out of the floor out making it dangerous for debris and performance after the impact ? Look at the section forward of the rear wheel. Its just floor.
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