The 2016 Formula One Thread

[harrybarracuda]

Well Qualifying in Aus was a complete fucking farce. They've come up with some new system to try and make it more exciting, dropping the slowest driver every 90 seconds, etc.

But it turned out to be a complete load of bollocks. Five cars sat in the pits for the last of Q3 because they couldn't see the point of wasting tyres.

For the record, Lewis marches on with Rosberg joining him on the front row.

Lewis Hamilton will start the season-opening Australian Grand Prix from pole position after edging out Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg on Saturday.
After topping all three practice sessions, Hamilton posted an Albert Park circuit record of one minute, 23.837 seconds for a fifth pole position in Melbourne and the 50th of his stellar career.
The defending world Formula One champion will start ahead of Rosberg (+0.360secs) in a Mercedes one-two on the grid.
Ferrari looked like they would challenge the pace set by the German manufacturer but Sebastian Vettel (+0.838secs) and Kimi Raikkonen (+1.196secs) could only managed third and fourth respectively.
However, the new qualifying format did not have the desired effect the FIA were hoping for, with the grid positions already decided with over two minutes remaining in the third and final qualifying session.
A number of teams also appeared to get caught out with their timing, with several drivers in the pits or only halfway through flying laps when they were eliminated.
Max Verstappen (+1.597secs) and Carlos Sainz (+1.745secs) will start from fifth and seventh on the grid, with Williams' Felipe Massa (+1.621secs) sitting in between the Toro Rosso duo.
Australian Daniel Ricciardo (+1.752secs) will begin his home Grand Prix from eighth, while his Red Bull team-mate Daniil Kvyat was eliminated in Q1 and will start from 18th.

1. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) 1:23.837
2. Nico Rosberg (Mercedes) 1:24.197
3. Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) 1:24.675
4. Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari) 1:25.033
5. Max Verstappen (Toro Rosso) 1:25.434
6. Felipe Massa (Williams) 1:25.458
7. Carlos Sainz (Toro Rosso) 1:25.582
8. Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull) 1:25.589
9. Sergio Perez (Force India) 1:25.753
10. Nico Hulkenberg (Force India) 1:25.865

[rickschoppers]

I have to agree that the new qualifying rules are a joke. I predict they will go back to the previous method since everyone is now making jokes about the Australian fiasco.

I look foward to the race tomorrow but expect it to be another Mercedes and Ferrari showing.

[Norton]

new qualifying rules

Watched it all. Utterly confused. "Hamilton takes pole" says the announcer. I sit thinking, wtf. Is it over?

[Bettyboo]

Crap qualifying, but Hamilton did look the fastest.

I doubt they'll do that qualifying again; worst effort I've ever seen in F1.

[aging one]

I really did fall asleep. Even the commentators did not really know what was going on. I hurried home to catch the start of segment two, relaxed happy and did not have a clue. Thanks Bernie, I am glad you got it.

[chassamui]

Mercedes still have over half a second a lap over the Ferrari. Let's hope we see some progress in race craft from all concerned, now that Wolff has given them permission to race.

[rickschoppers]

Well, that didn't take long. Less than 24 hours from the new qualifying fiasco, things go back to the way it was before. Good for F1

F1 team heads agree unanimously to revert to old qualifying format - F1 - Autosport


Formula 1 qualifying is to revert back to the old system from the Bahrain Grand Prix, Autosport can confirm.

The decision comes following a meeting of team principals and managers in the paddock at Melbourne's Albert Park ahead of Sunday's Australian Grand Prix.

The emergency meeting was held after the new style elimination format proved to be an unmitigated disaster after it ran for the first time on Saturday.

Speaking to Autosport, Mercedes motorsport boss Toto Wolff said: "There was a meeting, with a unanimous decision taken to go back to the old format from Bahrain onwards.

"It needs to be ratified by the F1 Commission, but I would like to see who puts his hand up for yesterday's qualifying. It should be done in the next few days."

Asked whether there was any argument against, such as retaining Q1 and Q2 in its current guise, and switching Q3 only to the old format to ensure there would be action throughout, Wolff replied: "There were positive discussions.

"There were some teams who thought Q1 and Q2 would shake up things and would be interesting, but fundamentally common sense prevailed.

"We are now back to something we understand, where we have regulations and not reinvent something new.

"We would like really silly if there was a new compromise for next week, and then again we didn't like it."

As to whether the system is in place for the remainder of the season, Wolff said: "That's what we've decided, and maybe we will look at it again for next year."

Team bosses and drivers throughout the paddock slated the knockout system, with F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone even telling Autosport he felt it was "pretty crap".

The first attempt at running the revamped system led to a lack of time and tyres to allow drivers to react to ending up 'on the bubble' in the 90-second elimination windows, resulting in large periods with no track action.

[armstrong]

i try every year to get into it but end up sleeping through most of it. will watch the QF later and see if I can..

[harrybarracuda]

What a start from Vettel and Lewis overtaken by five cars.

Ferrari 1-2.

Looks like we have a race.

[bsnub]

WOW! Alonso escaped what could have been a very serious injury in a nasty wreck. He took out one of the Haas cars! Go Haas!

[rickschoppers]

Yes, hell of a crash and I am glad Alonso is OK. Red flag destroys a lot of strategies though.

[bsnub]

Red flag destroys a lot of strategies though.

Hamilton gets screwed the worst though. He put on medium tires in the last stop. Looking good for Grosjean who gets a free pit stop! Could team haas finish in the points in their first GP?

[harrybarracuda]

Red flag destroys a lot of strategies though.

Hamilton gets screwed the worst though. He put on medium tires in the last stop. Looking good for Grosjean who gets a free pit stop! Could team haas finish in the points in their first GP?

And yet miraculously Hamilton is now 2nd.

The big question is will these tyres last another 13 laps?

[harrybarracuda]

Yes, hell of a crash and I am glad Alonso is OK. Red flag destroys a lot of strategies though.

I missed it because I was on the way to work. Impressive stuff (until Bernie removes it from Youtube, the midget bastard).

[bsnub]

The big question is will these tyres last another 13 laps?

I hope not. Vettel is gaining a second a lap.

[harrybarracuda]

Right up his jacksy.

Five laps to go.

This should be fun.

[harrybarracuda]

I think Sebastian just used an expletive.

[harrybarracuda]

Mercedes 1-2.

So familiar.

[rickschoppers]

Pretty good race and excellent showing for Haas with a 6th in their first race ever. Good stuff.

[bsnub]

Very happy with Haas today. A fine performance and a good sign for the future.

[aging one]

Ditto on the Haas. Pity to see Vettel go off at the end. I was looking forward to a great finish with he and Lewis.

[harrybarracuda]

They're sticking with this shit qualifying format for Bahrain. I might pop over and take the piss.

Oh and bad news for UK F1 fans which I noticed was announced with little fanfare:

Sky buys exclusive rights to all Formula One
All but one race, the British Grand Prix, will be available to pay-TV subscribers only, under deal running from 2019 until 2024

Sky buys exclusive rights to all Formula One | Sport | The Guardian

[mykthemin]

who cares we live in Thailand, and watch it on Fox.

[bobo746]

McLaren Honda's Spanish driver Fernando Alonso crashes into the wall after colliding with Haas F1 Team's Brazilian driver Esteban Gutierrez during the Formula One Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on March 20, 2016

[chassamui]

Alonso gets a new engine while Bernie papers his mansion with 50 pound notes, the bling bellend.