2016 Australian Grand Prix

Post by **Miguel98** » 08 Mar 2016, 14:49

We have the first bit off news regarding the 2016 Australian GP, regarding tyre choices for drivers!

Really curious stats, specially considering Manor choosing 4 set of medium tyres!

Jan Magnussen · Post by **Rob Dylan** » 08 Mar 2016, 16:12

It gives some variation, I'll give it that. The more variation (sensible, mind) the better, usually.

DanielPT · Post by **DanielPT** » 08 Mar 2016, 16:42

Given that the mandatory tyres are medium and soft, those who only have one available set of mediums will take a gamble in going into race without having at least tried the set in practice. I guess they have high confidence in their simulations.

Post by **mario** » 08 Mar 2016, 21:57

Miguel98 wrote:Really curious stats, specially considering Manor choosing 4 set of medium tyres!

In the case of Manor, it seems that they have simply gone with the default number of tyres (where the tyre allocation is equally split between all three compounds).

DanielPT wrote:Given that the mandatory tyres are medium and soft, those who only have one available set of mediums will take a gamble in going into race without having at least tried the set in practice. I guess they have high confidence in their simulations.

There seems to be a suggestion that the drivers only need to have at least one set of each of the nominated compounds by Pirelli, but do not necessarily have to use both the medium and the soft tyres during the race (i.e. so long as they use two different compounds, they only have to use one of the two nominated compounds by Pirelli).

If that is correct, it would suggest those who have taken just one set of the medium tyres seem to have done this solely to satisfy the requirement to have a minimum of one set of medium tyres available to use in the race if they so chose.

In reality, I guess that most teams are looking to use the soft tyres as their preferred race tyre and the supersoft mostly for qualifying, with the mediums mainly being brought along just because they need to. Mercedes, for example, have basically admitted that they've given Rosberg an extra set of mediums and Hamilton an extra set of soft tyres just for the purpose of cross comparing the two compounds in practise, suggesting they are probably planning on using the soft tyre as their preferred race tyre.

Dj_bereta · Post by **Dj_bereta** » 08 Mar 2016, 22:03

Looks like Manor will be the only team to take a risk going with Mediums in the race.

Waris · Post by **Waris** » 08 Mar 2016, 22:16

Manor going for the longue durée I see. Could be interesting. Maybe we could see a one-stop?

Peteroli34 · Post by **Peteroli34** » 08 Mar 2016, 23:34

If Pirelli have 2 nominated Tyres for the race but you dont have to use them why not just nominate one compound.

Manor seem to have gone conservative with the tyres Medium and Soft were the compounds last year. the tyres having been chosen before the cars even turned a wheel so perhaps they just went with what worked last year.

DanielPT · Post by **DanielPT** » 09 Mar 2016, 09:43

mario wrote:There seems to be a suggestion that the drivers only need to have at least one set of each of the nominated compounds by Pirelli, but do not necessarily have to use both the medium and the soft tyres during the race (i.e. so long as they use two different compounds, they only have to use one of the two nominated compounds by Pirelli).

If that is correct, it would suggest those who have taken just one set of the medium tyres seem to have done this solely to satisfy the requirement to have a minimum of one set of medium tyres available to use in the race if they so chose.

In reality, I guess that most teams are looking to use the soft tyres as their preferred race tyre and the supersoft mostly for qualifying, with the mediums mainly being brought along just because they need to. Mercedes, for example, have basically admitted that they've given Rosberg an extra set of mediums and Hamilton an extra set of soft tyres just for the purpose of cross comparing the two compounds in practise, suggesting they are probably planning on using the soft tyre as their preferred race tyre.

I see. Indeed in the rules they say that the teams must use at least one of the "mandatory" sets Pirelli has chosen. I guess the mandatory part gave me a wrong interpretation where ever I saw this explained. In this case I guess the hard compound will barely be used then...

AxelP800 · Post by **AxelP800** » 17 Mar 2016, 01:44

http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/fia-w ... wn-679928/

It goes too far now

DanielPT · Post by **DanielPT** » 17 Mar 2016, 10:27

AxelP800 wrote:http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/fia-widens-scope-of-formula-1-radio-clampdown-679928/

It goes too far now

And what if the part in question doesn't fail while the team rightly believes it could be about to fail? Is that a penalty?
As for the other stuff, an argument could even be made that a sneeze during a radio communication might mean a certain plan/mixture/time. Listening/reading transcriptions to radio communications to find coded messages could be a new hobby for a F1 fan.

golic_2004 · Post by **golic_2004** » 17 Mar 2016, 11:40

http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/aston ... ll-679986/

Jan Magnussen · Post by **Rob Dylan** » 17 Mar 2016, 12:34

Possibly unpopular, but I'm entirely for this. The drivers appear to have a lot more work on their hands, especially in terms of strategies in the sessions that count

Tyre strategies, when they reckon other people are going to come in, it will be much more at the discretion of the driver as to how they go about the race.

It's been a while since I've said that I fully back a motion by the FIA.

AndreaModa · Post by **AndreaModa** » 17 Mar 2016, 13:23

Rob Dylan wrote:Possibly unpopular, but I'm entirely for this. The drivers appear to have a lot more work on their hands, especially in terms of strategies in the sessions that count Tyre strategies, when they reckon other people are going to come in, it will be much more at the discretion of the driver as to how they go about the race.

It's been a while since I've said that I fully back a motion by the FIA.

Agreed. There was the whole discussion circa 1993 about whether electronic driver aids were turning the drivers into mere passengers, but they were still ultimately driving the car.

With all of the information being spewed from the pit wall to the driver, any serious decision making has been removed from the driver. In my mind, it's at this point they become a passenger, merely doing what the team tells them to do and when.

Really, they should just ban radios entirely. MotoGP seems to manage just fine without them and a catastrophic part failure in that series will lead to far worse consequences than if they were sat buried in an F1 car. Look at Loris Baz's accident at Sepang in testing the Michelin tyres.

DanielPT · Post by **DanielPT** » 17 Mar 2016, 14:44

AndreaModa wrote:
Agreed. There was the whole discussion circa 1993 about whether electronic driver aids were turning the drivers into mere passengers, but they were still ultimately driving the car.

And before 08 when they banned traction control.

AndreaModa wrote:With all of the information being spewed from the pit wall to the driver, any serious decision making has been removed from the driver. In my mind, it's at this point they become a passenger, merely doing what the team tells them to do and when.

Really, they should just ban radios entirely. MotoGP seems to manage just fine without them and a catastrophic part failure in that series will lead to far worse consequences than if they were sat buried in an F1 car. Look at Loris Baz's accident at Sepang in testing the Michelin tyres.

I just think that it is a bit daft trying to police such a thing. I mean, even saying the weather can encapsulate some hidden message to the driver involving mixtures and stuff if everything is pre-arranged in the team before the race. Either they allow radio or ban the thing. The middle term is the worst option for me.

AndreaModa · Post by **AndreaModa** » 17 Mar 2016, 16:15

Yep trying to police it will be a nightmare. They should just ban team to driver radio completely, only allowing the driver to message in with comments on tyre wear, etc and to inform them when he's coming in to pit.

F1000X · Post by **F1000X** » 17 Mar 2016, 19:45

There are some brilliant ideas to skirt around a total communications ban that could arise. Someone is going to design a helmet with a heads up display that can receive line-of-sight IR transmissions, and every time a driver comes down the pit straight, they will have a new message flash up on their visor. Just you wait.

CaptainGetz12 · Post by **CaptainGetz12** » 18 Mar 2016, 01:45

F1000X wrote:There are some brilliant ideas to skirt around a total communications ban that could arise. Someone is going to design a helmet with a heads up display that can receive line-of-sight IR transmissions, and every time a driver comes down the pit straight, they will have a new message flash up on their visor. Just you wait.

Would sign language still be allowed? That could be an interesting way around it

Aguaman · Post by **Aguaman** » 18 Mar 2016, 02:41

Already Crofty irks.

"A number of you have asked why Di Resta doesn't have a drive. He's too good not to have one."

No one asks that Crofty. Go Home and bathplug off.

RonDenisDeletraz · Post by **RonDenisDeletraz** » 18 Mar 2016, 02:49

Verstappen becomes the first person to spin this season, didn't hit anything though

CoopsII · Post by **CoopsII** » 18 Mar 2016, 07:58

Aguaman wrote:Already Crofty irks.

"A number of you have asked why Di Resta doesn't have a drive. He's too good not to have one."

No one asks that Crofty. Go Home and bathplug off.

Unless it's di Resta and his Mum trolling Sky?

Post by **Bobby Doorknobs** » 18 Mar 2016, 10:42

CaptainGetz12 wrote:
F1000X wrote:There are some brilliant ideas to skirt around a total communications ban that could arise. Someone is going to design a helmet with a heads up display that can receive line-of-sight IR transmissions, and every time a driver comes down the pit straight, they will have a new message flash up on their visor. Just you wait.

Would sign language still be allowed? That could be an interesting way around it

How about semaphore?

DanielPT · Post by **DanielPT** » 18 Mar 2016, 10:55

Simtek wrote:
CaptainGetz12 wrote:
F1000X wrote:There are some brilliant ideas to skirt around a total communications ban that could arise. Someone is going to design a helmet with a heads up display that can receive line-of-sight IR transmissions, and every time a driver comes down the pit straight, they will have a new message flash up on their visor. Just you wait.

Would sign language still be allowed? That could be an interesting way around it

How about semaphore?

Nah, this is F1. I say electrodes in the helmet. Discuss previously all possible driver actions before while finding out where in the brain these are stored. Then, what ever is needed during the race the electrodes will stimulate the area associated with that idea. Drivers will then suddenly 'picture' what he is supposed to do at the right time.

AustralianStig · Post by **AustralianStig** » 18 Mar 2016, 11:34

DanielPT wrote:Nah, this is F1. I say electrodes in the helmet. Discuss previously all possible driver actions before while finding out where in the brain these are stored. Then, what ever is needed during the race the electrodes will stimulate the area associated with that idea. Drivers will then suddenly 'picture' what he is supposed to do at the right time.

Activate electrode for 'Box box box!
"WHY ARE YOU SHOWING ME A PICTURE OF A CARDBOARD BOX???"

dr-baker · Post by **dr-baker** » 18 Mar 2016, 11:41

CaptainGetz12 wrote:
F1000X wrote:There are some brilliant ideas to skirt around a total communications ban that could arise. Someone is going to design a helmet with a heads up display that can receive line-of-sight IR transmissions, and every time a driver comes down the pit straight, they will have a new message flash up on their visor. Just you wait.

Would sign language still be allowed? That could be an interesting way around it

Already happens albeit between drivers

Benetton · Post by **Benetton** » 18 Mar 2016, 13:29

Will be a really interesting race on Sunday. What's the weather forecast?

AxelP800 · Post by **AxelP800** » 18 Mar 2016, 13:57

Benetton wrote:Will be a really interesting race on Sunday. What's the weather forecast?

Desert-like weather

Backmarker · Post by **Backmarker** » 18 Mar 2016, 15:14

I've struggled to keep up, is the new qualifying system happening in Australia?

DanielPT · Post by **DanielPT** » 18 Mar 2016, 15:29

Yes. The new qualification format will be used in Australia.

Backmarker · Post by **Backmarker** » 18 Mar 2016, 16:04

DanielPT wrote:Yes. The new qualification format will be used in Australia.

Cool, I'll have a watch because that offers the potential for madness.

WeirdKerr · Post by **WeirdKerr** » 18 Mar 2016, 18:48

Backmarker wrote:
DanielPT wrote:Yes. The new qualification format will be used in Australia.

Cool, I'll have a watch because that offers the potential for madness.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dc3AovUZgvo

solarcold · Post by **solarcold** » 18 Mar 2016, 18:52

Oh, speaking of which... We used to have prediction threads didn't we?

I predict pole for Hulkenberg, victory for Palmer, points for HRT (finally!) and also a Q2 for Carmen Jordà.
Even if I'm wrong, would be an awesome race to watch.

UncreativeUsername37 · Post by **UncreativeUsername37** » 18 Mar 2016, 20:36

solarcold wrote:Oh, speaking of which... We used to have prediction threads didn't we?

I predict pole for Hulkenberg, victory for Palmer, points for HRT (finally!) and also a Q2 for Carmen Jordà.
Even if I'm wrong, would be an awesome race to watch.

If you start it, you have to add up the scores, and no one wants that!

Aguaman · Post by **Aguaman** » 19 Mar 2016, 01:33

Good old Andrea Montermini won a race in Albert Park in a Ferrari GT Car.

I'm still not used to Adam Gilchrist hosting F1.

Aguaman · Post by **Aguaman** » 19 Mar 2016, 03:01

Rio ran into hit Grosjean in FP3 in the pits.

Geez.

Meatwad · Post by **Meatwad** » 19 Mar 2016, 05:37

Aguaman wrote:Rio ran into hit Grosjean in FP3 in the pits.

Geez.

He is starting to look like the new Yuji Ide.

I really hope he improves, otherwise I can see him getting a race ban at some point.

sswishbone · Post by **sswishbone** » 19 Mar 2016, 06:02

Romain Grosjean you absolute legend!

Aguaman · Post by **Aguaman** » 19 Mar 2016, 06:07

RIO ISN'T LAST.

Hooray

Aguaman · Post by **Aguaman** » 19 Mar 2016, 06:12

Ummm did Kvyat just give up?

sswishbone · Post by **sswishbone** » 19 Mar 2016, 06:13

Early vote for reject of the race, Red Bull, Sauber and Haas pitwalls for not sending their drivers out to meet the clock to set a time!

AxelP800 · Post by **AxelP800** » 19 Mar 2016, 06:19

Good mimi chaos to startvthe new system. Rio isn't last, but will start last due to 3 grid penalty