The Official 2016 Australian Grand Prix Thread **Spoilers**
Discussion
It's the start of another Formula 1 season. Get your predictions in. Whilst there is a lot of anticipation regarding this race to finally help us know where everyone stands, there couldn't be a more unreliable race to predict how the season may turn out than this one.
Dates: Friday 18 – Sunday 20 March 2016
Race weekend timings (local time)
UK timings
These are timings when the session starts, so if you want to catch the build up, tune in a little earlier than the times below.
Sky F1 (Live):
Channel 4 (Highlights show only):
If you're interested, there is a season preview coming on C4, on the Saturday 0730 - 0800.
Circuit:
Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit
2015 race stats:
Pole: 1:26.327 (L. Hamilton, Mercedes AMG F1)
Fastest race lap: 1:30.947 (L50; L. Hamilton, Mercedes AMG F1)
Weather forecast:
http://www.accuweather.com/en/au/melbourne/26216/d...
Due to this place having a lake, it is said that this circuit has its own microclimate, so take the forecast with caution.
Friday: A brief shower or two (19C/12C)
Saturday: Cloudy and cool with a shower (17C/11C)
Sunday: Pleasant and warmer (22C/11C)
Live timing for all sessions are available here:
http://www.formula1.com/content/fom-website/en/f1-...
Tyre choices available: Medium, Soft and Super Soft.
Pirelli have released the tyre allocations requested by each team:
FIA Stewards for the GP: Gerd Ennser, Enzo Spanno, Martin Donnelly and Steve Chopping.
New regulations for this season includes the expansion of tyre compounds available per event to 3 and allowing the driver to choose which of those compounds to run in the race. Here's a link that explains this rule:
http://www.f1technical.net/features/20221
Also, qualifying has been agreed to run in the following format (based on 22 cars taking part):
Q1 (16 minutes)
Qualifying and Race classification to follow after the event.
FP1 Classification:
FP2 Classification:
FP3 Classification:
Qualifying Classification:
Lewis Hamilton's Pole time was only 0.308s slower than the fastest an F1 car had ever been around this track since 1996, when the Australian GP had been at the Albert Park circuit. The honour of the fastest ever goes to Sebastian Vettel, who took his RB7 around in 1:23.529, when he took pole at the 2011 Grand Prix.
Race Classification:
Dates: Friday 18 – Sunday 20 March 2016
Race weekend timings (local time)
| Practice 1 | Fri | 1230 – 1400 |
| Practice 2 | Fri | 1630 – 1800 |
| Practice 3 | Sat | 1400 – 1500 |
| Qualifying | Sat | 1700 – 1800 |
| Race | Sun | 1600 – 1800 |
UK timings
These are timings when the session starts, so if you want to catch the build up, tune in a little earlier than the times below.
Sky F1 (Live):
| Practice 1 | Fri | 0130 |
| Practice 2 | Fri | 0530 |
| Practice 3 | Sat | 0300 |
| Qualifying | Sat | 0600 |
| Race | Sun | 0500 |
Channel 4 (Highlights show only):
| Qualifying | Sat | 1230 - 1415 |
| Race | Sun | 1330 - 1600 |
If you're interested, there is a season preview coming on C4, on the Saturday 0730 - 0800.
Circuit:
Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit
| No. of laps | 58 |
| Length of a lap | 5.303 km |
| Race distance | 307.574 km |
| Race lap record | 1:24.125 (L29; M. Schumacher, 2004) |
2015 race stats:
| P1 | L. Hamilton | Mercedes AMG F1 | 1:31:54.067 |
| P2 | N. Rosberg | Mercedes AMG F1 | +1.360 |
| P3 | S. Vettel | Scuderia Ferrari | +34.523 |
Pole: 1:26.327 (L. Hamilton, Mercedes AMG F1)
Fastest race lap: 1:30.947 (L50; L. Hamilton, Mercedes AMG F1)
Weather forecast:
http://www.accuweather.com/en/au/melbourne/26216/d...
Due to this place having a lake, it is said that this circuit has its own microclimate, so take the forecast with caution.
Friday: A brief shower or two (19C/12C)
Saturday: Cloudy and cool with a shower (17C/11C)
Sunday: Pleasant and warmer (22C/11C)
Live timing for all sessions are available here:
http://www.formula1.com/content/fom-website/en/f1-...
Tyre choices available: Medium, Soft and Super Soft.
Pirelli have released the tyre allocations requested by each team:
FIA Stewards for the GP: Gerd Ennser, Enzo Spanno, Martin Donnelly and Steve Chopping.
New regulations for this season includes the expansion of tyre compounds available per event to 3 and allowing the driver to choose which of those compounds to run in the race. Here's a link that explains this rule:
http://www.f1technical.net/features/20221
Also, qualifying has been agreed to run in the following format (based on 22 cars taking part):
Q1 (16 minutes)
- After 7 minutes, the slowest driver is eliminated
- Slowest driver eliminated every 1 minute 30 seconds thereafter until the chequered flag
- 7 drivers eliminated, 15 progress to Q2.
- After 6 minutes, slowest driver eliminated
- Slowest driver eliminated every 1 minute 30 seconds thereafter until the chequered flag
- 7 drivers eliminated, 8 progress to Q3.
- After 5 minutes, slowest driver eliminated
- Slowest driver eliminated every 1 minute 30 seconds thereafter until the chequered flag
- 2 drivers left in final 1 minute 30 seconds.
Qualifying and Race classification to follow after the event.
FP1 Classification:
FP2 Classification:
FP3 Classification:
Qualifying Classification:
Lewis Hamilton's Pole time was only 0.308s slower than the fastest an F1 car had ever been around this track since 1996, when the Australian GP had been at the Albert Park circuit. The honour of the fastest ever goes to Sebastian Vettel, who took his RB7 around in 1:23.529, when he took pole at the 2011 Grand Prix.
Race Classification:
Edited by Dr Z on Sunday 20th March 12:42
ETA: Didn't realise the drivers could pick whatever tyre compound they liked this year!!
Could the tyre choice point to where the teams feel confident or not? Both Ferraris have gone for 2 medium tyre sets while Hamilton has only gone for one. Ferrari like their long stint pace or planning to outlast Hamilton perhaps?
Could the tyre choice point to where the teams feel confident or not? Both Ferraris have gone for 2 medium tyre sets while Hamilton has only gone for one. Ferrari like their long stint pace or planning to outlast Hamilton perhaps?
confucuis said:
ETA: Didn't realise the drivers could pick whatever tyre compound they liked this year!!
Could the tyre choice point to where the teams feel confident or not? Both Ferraris have gone for 2 medium tyre sets while Hamilton has only gone for one. Ferrari like their long stint pace or planning to outlast Hamilton perhaps?
they can't, all they can do is pick how many of the selected tyres.Could the tyre choice point to where the teams feel confident or not? Both Ferraris have gone for 2 medium tyre sets while Hamilton has only gone for one. Ferrari like their long stint pace or planning to outlast Hamilton perhaps?
Well I think it's a do or die season for Rosberg. If he loses to Hamilton again I'm not sure where that would leave him.
I'm not a Rosberg fan, but I do hope he can continue the form he showed at the end of last season;
a) To give us a more exciting season, and b) because I've just had a little (each way) bet on him to win the championship this year.
I think Ferrari will be closer, but I still expect Mercedes to have the edge by 0.2 - 0.3 seconds when they really go for it.
I'm not a Rosberg fan, but I do hope he can continue the form he showed at the end of last season;
a) To give us a more exciting season, and b) because I've just had a little (each way) bet on him to win the championship this year.
I think Ferrari will be closer, but I still expect Mercedes to have the edge by 0.2 - 0.3 seconds when they really go for it.
Following the style of the thread, I'm going to go for this order, assuming no DNFs, 
Wonder what odds I would get from a bookie for it being correct?!
1. Hamilton
2. Rosberg
3. Vettel
4. Bottas
5. Kimi
6. Massa
7. Ricciardo
8. Verstappen
9. Kvyat
10. Sainz
11. Hülkenberg
12. Perez
13. Magnussen
14. Palmer
15. Alonso
16. Button
17. Nasr
18. Ericsson
19. Grosjean
20. Gutiérrez
21. Wehrlein
22. Haryanto
Wonder what odds I would get from a bookie for it being correct?!1. Hamilton
2. Rosberg
3. Vettel
4. Bottas
5. Kimi
6. Massa
7. Ricciardo
8. Verstappen
9. Kvyat
10. Sainz
11. Hülkenberg
12. Perez
13. Magnussen
14. Palmer
15. Alonso
16. Button
17. Nasr
18. Ericsson
19. Grosjean
20. Gutiérrez
21. Wehrlein
22. Haryanto
What a great thread opening post.
All the details we need in one place.
I`m not sure about the Qualifying. Do they still have to start on the best Q2 set if they make Q3 ? If so and they are supposed to be going round all the time, will they set a banzai lap straight away, then come in and fit a used set that they trundle round on to meet the regs, so the Race Start set have the minimum use but the other set are `burners` ?
I can`t see how else they`d do it. They won`t want to stay on the race set any longer than necessary. We`ll probably have most go out and do a quick lap then get in the way of the rest in Q2.
Unless Honda do something amazing in this 2 weeks gap, I just don`t see the McLarens having the pace to keep up with the front runners.
All the details we need in one place.
I`m not sure about the Qualifying. Do they still have to start on the best Q2 set if they make Q3 ? If so and they are supposed to be going round all the time, will they set a banzai lap straight away, then come in and fit a used set that they trundle round on to meet the regs, so the Race Start set have the minimum use but the other set are `burners` ?
I can`t see how else they`d do it. They won`t want to stay on the race set any longer than necessary. We`ll probably have most go out and do a quick lap then get in the way of the rest in Q2.
Unless Honda do something amazing in this 2 weeks gap, I just don`t see the McLarens having the pace to keep up with the front runners.
civicduty said:
Dr Z I hope you are going to be the OP for all Grand Prix this season, cracking opening post for the thread.
Teppic said:
civicduty said:
Dr Z I hope you are going to be the OP for all Grand Prix this season, cracking opening post for the thread.
This. The bar has been raised.Wh00sher said:
What a great thread opening post.
All the details we need in one place.
As above! Great opening post!All the details we need in one place.
:beers: to all F1 Forumistas for 2016
Scuffers said:
confucuis said:
ETA: Didn't realise the drivers could pick whatever tyre compound they liked this year!!
Could the tyre choice point to where the teams feel confident or not? Both Ferraris have gone for 2 medium tyre sets while Hamilton has only gone for one. Ferrari like their long stint pace or planning to outlast Hamilton perhaps?
they can't, all they can do is pick how many of the selected tyres.Could the tyre choice point to where the teams feel confident or not? Both Ferraris have gone for 2 medium tyre sets while Hamilton has only gone for one. Ferrari like their long stint pace or planning to outlast Hamilton perhaps?
LaurasOtherHalf said:
civicduty said:
Dr Z I hope you are going to be the OP for all Grand Prix this season, cracking opening post for the thread.
Teppic said:
civicduty said:
Dr Z I hope you are going to be the OP for all Grand Prix this season, cracking opening post for the thread.
This. The bar has been raised.Wh00sher said:
What a great thread opening post.
All the details we need in one place.
As above! Great opening post!All the details we need in one place.
:beers: to all F1 Forumistas for 2016
One aims to please. As per PH tradition, will start future GP threads on Monday evenings before the race weekend or if two/more weeks break, 10 days before (if no one beats me to it!).The tyre choices are showing some split strategy already employed by Merc and other teams. Those teams having 7 super soft sets likely believe that they might need an extra set for a qualifying run, just in case. Outlier is Manor, I wonder what their thinking is.
As for the actual format of the qualifying, who knows it might yet change! Welcome to 2016 F1.
Wh00sher said:
What a great thread opening post.
All the details we need in one place.
I`m not sure about the Qualifying. Do they still have to start on the best Q2 set if they make Q3 ? If so and they are supposed to be going round all the time, will they set a banzai lap straight away, then come in and fit a used set that they trundle round on to meet the regs, so the Race Start set have the minimum use but the other set are `burners` ?
I can`t see how else they`d do it. They won`t want to stay on the race set any longer than necessary. We`ll probably have most go out and do a quick lap then get in the way of the rest in Q2.
Unless Honda do something amazing in this 2 weeks gap, I just don`t see the McLarens having the pace to keep up with the front runners.
They wouldn't have to stay out the whole qualifying. If they have a fast enough lap at the start they could just stay in.All the details we need in one place.
I`m not sure about the Qualifying. Do they still have to start on the best Q2 set if they make Q3 ? If so and they are supposed to be going round all the time, will they set a banzai lap straight away, then come in and fit a used set that they trundle round on to meet the regs, so the Race Start set have the minimum use but the other set are `burners` ?
I can`t see how else they`d do it. They won`t want to stay on the race set any longer than necessary. We`ll probably have most go out and do a quick lap then get in the way of the rest in Q2.
Unless Honda do something amazing in this 2 weeks gap, I just don`t see the McLarens having the pace to keep up with the front runners.
All that's change is last year they would do a lap at the start and a lap at the end of quali. Usually the track gets faster so last man out is fastest.
On th new set up if they cock the first lap up (which Hamilton did alot) they wouldn't be able to leave it until the last go. They would have to come out in the middle and possibly the end if the track gets faster. Therefor more running time for us to see.
amgmcqueen said:
f
k me....the 2004 car's were 6-7 seconds a lap faster than todays stty leaf blowers!?
I live pretty close to the Albert Park circuit and I can hear the V8 supercars from my house, but the F1 cars are almost silent in comparison. I watched the race live last year but I will be watching it on TV this time.k me....the 2004 car's were 6-7 seconds a lap faster than todays stty leaf blowers!?They look and sound slow live, it is like watching a Formula Ford race. Strangely enough, it looks a lot better when watching it on TV!
Button's car sounded horrible last year, like a cement mixer full of bricks when accelerating out of the corners.
LaurasOtherHalf said:
civicduty said:
Dr Z I hope you are going to be the OP for all Grand Prix this season, cracking opening post for the thread.
Teppic said:
civicduty said:
Dr Z I hope you are going to be the OP for all Grand Prix this season, cracking opening post for the thread.
This. The bar has been raised.Wh00sher said:
What a great thread opening post.
All the details we need in one place.
As above! Great opening post!All the details we need in one place.
:beers: to all F1 Forumistas for 2016
I, for one, welcome our new F1 thread opening overlords So, the tyres, do they have to choose at least one set of each type? Because nobody chose to have no mediums in that list.
Edited by ajprice on Wednesday 9th March 09:24
Zoobeef said:
They wouldn't have to stay out the whole qualifying. If they have a fast enough lap at the start they could just stay in.
All that's change is last year they would do a lap at the start and a lap at the end of quali. Usually the track gets faster so last man out is fastest.
On th new set up if they cock the first lap up (which Hamilton did alot) they wouldn't be able to leave it until the last go. They would have to come out in the middle and possibly the end if the track gets faster. Therefor more running time for us to see.
AH, I thought I`d read somewhere that they had to be on track during the whole session rather than sitting in the pits.All that's change is last year they would do a lap at the start and a lap at the end of quali. Usually the track gets faster so last man out is fastest.
On th new set up if they cock the first lap up (which Hamilton did alot) they wouldn't be able to leave it until the last go. They would have to come out in the middle and possibly the end if the track gets faster. Therefor more running time for us to see.
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