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-   -   Australian Grand Prix 2011 (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/intl-motorsport/98129-australian-grand-prix-2011-a.html)

Melbourne Hosts the inaugural GP this year (after Bahrain has been cancelled or postponed ) on march 25,26 and 27

The Circuit map




The previous years winners

2010 - Jenson Button
2009 - Jenson Button
2008 - Lewis Hamilton
2007 - Kimi Raikkönen
2006 - Fernando Alonso
2005 - Giancarlo Fisichella
2004 - Michael Schumacher
2003 - David Coulthard
2002 - Michael Schumacher
2001- Michael Schumacher
2000 - Michael Schumacher


My predictions for the order this year

REDBULL
Ferrari
Mercedes/Renault
Torro rosso
Sauber
Williams
Lotus/Force India
Virgin
HRT


Seeing the testing times looks like Force India have fallen behind the other midfield runners in terms of speed and innovation, guess losing key people in key positions is hurting FIF1

Hope Andy green, TD. wakes up and does some good to the team

Best of luck to Sutil and Di Resta

PS. Barring 2010, 2005, 2003 other winners who have won Aus G.p have gone and won the championship

What about Mclaren.

One thing for sure is that, the pecking order cannot be determined until atleast the australian qualifying is done with.

Personally I believe Mclaren will struggle to fight it out with Redbull's, it may only be able trade places with Ferrari. And I do really wish that, I am wrong here.

I was wondering the same thing!!
I think its been clubbed with mercedes near the top.

Here's hoping for a mclaren streak.....
:)

Ahh yes the F1 season about to begin. Cant wait! I was lucky enough to have attended the australian GP a number of times during my student days there in 2005 and 2006. One of the reasons i chose to do my higher studies in Melbourne was to attend the f1 GP :D. Could not afford grand stand tickets (A$ 250+ per day) so used to buy the ground pass for 4 days (thu-sun). I preferred sitting at turn 4 where u could hear the deceleration of the cars and then sudden acceleration.

The sound of the cars gets your heart racing big time and the sound of the gear change bleep is fantastic.

Also one of the great things about the melbourne circuit is that it is actually a temporary track. Few days after the GP you can actually take your private car and do a lap of the circuit as the crew work around the track to dismantle the barricades and hoardings. of course is a two-way street so u cannot follow the racing line and the cops know guys go there so there are speed cameras littered all over the place but still doing 50kmph on a piece of road where f1 gp cars were racing just a few days ago with 80% of the hoardings, grandstands barricades still in place is still quite an experience for an f1 fan :).

the countdown to the 25th is getting agonizing...thoughts of the sights and the sounds of those purpose built track missiles fired up and racing round the track have already begun upping my pulse.

as far as personal faves go, i'm going to be rooting for Schumi to make it 5 in a row, can't really explain but his driving skills are still pretty high up there...

Sorry for the error


REDBULL
Ferrari
Mercedes/Renault
Torro rosso/ Mclaren
Sauber
Williams
Lotus/Force India
Virgin
HRT


This is purely based on Barcelona testing numbers, which might be a little vague but also we cant have any better reference, can we?

Mclaren shown really bad form over the winter. They failed to complete any successful race simulation through the winter testing. Keep your fingers crossed Mclaren folks :D

True.
Mclaren have NEVER shown the form , the blow-everyone-away aura since hakki's days.
but, the heart desires what the heart desires, eh?

I will be going, but just on Sunday, this time. Last time around, the excitement of watching a race for the first time and the opportunity to watch Schumi racing made me buy a grandstand ticket(Jones) and my wallet still has holes from that.

Hope for a Mercedes or a Ferrari win.

The Melbourne crowd goes berserk for Webber, last time there were loud cries/boos when Vettel had issues.

You really cannot make any kind of prediction till the Qualifying is complete.:D

Guys, please put the race timings.

I am already worried sick over the time for the First F1 of this season.:Frustrati

On the race day i will be at Shimla, and i really really hope Holiday Home-HPTDC Shimla, has Star Sports / ESPN telacast.

I'm having the perfect situation of "So near yet so far" for this year's Australian GP. Traveling all the way to Australia tomorrow night, would still be in Oz during the race weekend but would have to be working on the race day in a different city! :deadhorse

Always had wanted to be in Australia for the GP ( have been to Melbourne a couple of times for work, even drove at the Albert Park) but now that I'll be in Australia, wouldn't be able to watch it on TV also forget about watching it live track-side! :Frustrati

One lucky chap indeed :). So which corner will you be watching the race from? I am hoping for a ferrari win myslef.

By the way while i was in melbourne there was serious talk of not holding the f1gp for too long due to the huge costs involved, so whats the story on that front?

Race Timing:

Practice 1 Fri 07:00 HRS
Practice 2 Fri 11:00 HRS
Practice 3 Sat 08:30 HRS
Qualifying Sat 11:30 HRS
Race Sun 11:30 HRS

Have been never-say-die fan mclaren since hakkinen drove it....
Still back them to the hilt, occassionally get into verbal duels at pebble street

but backing mclaren is like having a girlfriend you are completely enamored by, but is moody like anything, aint it...

lets see what hamilton bhaiyya pulls this time.

All the drivers have mentioned that there is a dramatic drop off in pace once tires have crossed their limit.
This alone will result in exciting racing and a lot of overtaking.

Comments suggest teams will be adding 2 stops to 2010 levels
(i.e a 2 stopper in 2010 will be a 4 stopper in 2011)