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Aussie GP is March 15, 2015. Can I assume that whoever manages our group at F1FRL.com will do so again this year?

This season is shaping up to be fun!

Hopefully McLaren figures out their reliability issues. Ferrari's performance is impressive, though I do wonder about fuel load and engine mapping. IIRC, they did well in pre-race practice near the end of last season, but that didn't always carry over to qualifying. I'm not sure Renault did enough to close the gap in performance. RBR and Toro Rosso have been looking a bit less than impressive so far.

I'm rooting for Button and McLaren again this season, but the first practice session is 3 days in and it's woeful for them at least - They managed 17 laps with the new car in total, as it keeps breaking down one way or another.

I really hope they get their act together in 2 months. This season looks to be another good one.

Uh oh, f1frl.com is down and an ISP parking page is in its place.

Sorry lads, looks like it's no more.

Results from Australia
That wasn't an auspicious start for McLaren-Honda. Magnussen exploded an engine leaving the pits on the leisurely drive to the starting grid and Button finished two laps down in last (11th) place. That's a far cry from their dominance in the late '80s (when drivers like Senna, Prost and Piquet gave Honda-powered teams six consecutive F1 constructor titles and five consecutive driver's championships). The announcers were very upbeat, as Button's sighting lap + 56 race laps + cooldown = 58 laps without breaking the car shattered the team's previous best run of 12 laps during three testing sessions and during practice this season.

JustAnEngineer wrote:

That wasn't an auspicious start for McLaren-Honda.

Captain Ned wrote:

Sorry lads, looks like it's no more.

Gotta feel for Jenson Button, 11th could easily be his best result this season - and being the only finisher outside the points is pretty harsh whenever it happens.

Also, Alonso ... how bad will it be? It can't be his worst year in F1, as there are not enough teams for his position in the drivers' to be lower than in '01 with Minardi, but I'm unconviced he'll definitely better '09 this year

That was a stunning result from Malaysia. Ferrari's two-stop strategy for Vettel was smarter than Mercedes' and he was quick enough on the track to make it stick. Meanwhile, Alonso's Honda engine expired after just 21 laps.

http://scores.nbcsports.msnbc.com/racin ... ries=FORM1
Driver's point standings after two races:
43 Lewis Hamilton - Mercedes
40 Sebastian Vettel - Ferrari
33 Nico Rosberg - Mercedes
20 Felipe Massa - Williams/Mercedes
12 Kimi Raikkonen - Ferrari
10 Felipe Nasr - Sauber/Ferrari
10 Valtteri Bottas - Williams/Mercedes
9 Daniel Ricciardo - Red Bull/Renault
6 Nico Hulkenberg - Force India/Mercedes
6 Max Verstappen - Toro Rosso/Renault
6 Carlos Sainz Jr. - Toro Rosso/Renault
4 Marcus Ericsson - Sauber/Ferrari
2 Daniil Kvyat - Red Bull/Renault
1 Sergio Perez - Force India/Mercedes
0 Romain Grosjean - Lotus/Mercedes
0 Jenson Button - McLaren/Honda
0 Roberto Merhi - Manor/Ferrari
0 Pastor Maldonado - Lotus/Mercedes
0 Kevin Magnussen - McLaren/Honda
0 Fernando Alonso - McLaren/Honda
0 Will Stevens - Manor/Ferrari

Mehri in a Manor Marussia finished the race, the two McLarens did not. Does that mean that Manor Marussia have a better car than McLaren? And who wants to pose that question to Ron?

Sadly enough, the one or two year old Ferrari engine in the Manor (when they can figure out the software) is more reliable than the brand-new Honda engine powering the McLaren cars. Worse still, the McLaren is slower than everything else on the track except the Manor.
http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2015/03/29/m ... t-ferrari/

According to Steve Matchett's math, McLaren-Honda could return to dominance by halfway through the season. In Australia, they were 4 seconds per lap slower than the mid-tier teams. In Malaysia, they were 3 seconds slower. In China, they were "only" 2 seconds slower than the mid-tier teams.
http://www.results.co.uk/formula-1/cons ... ampionship

I'm excited to see how McLaren develops. Their pace wasn't exactly impressive, but they've seen some big reliability gains (they finished! unlike 1/2 the Renault cars...) while also gaining pace. Judging by Kvyat and Riccardio's little spat, RBR isn't the happiest place to be either...

I'm also excited to see someone challenge Mercedes. I'm not sure how long Ferrari will keep it up, but I've been pleasantly surprised this season.

lonleyppl wrote:

I'm excited to see how McLaren develops. Their pace wasn't exactly impressive, but they've seen some big reliability gains (they finished! unlike 1/2 the Renault cars...) while also gaining pace. Judging by Kvyat and Riccardio's little spat, RBR isn't the happiest place to be either...

I'm also excited to see someone challenge Mercedes. I'm not sure how long Ferrari will keep it up, but I've been pleasantly surprised this season.

McLaren are in a frightful state. The Honda power unit is a dog. I don't see them improving at all this year. They are now a back of the grid team.

There was no challenge to Mercedes this race. Hamilton managed the race from start to finish. Just look at the gap both Mercedes drivers pulled out on Ferrari after the last round of pit stops.

The only interesting battle that is shaping up so far this year is between Kimi and Seb.

It's Hamilton's title to loose. Lets hope Nico shuts up and just drives for the rest of the season to make it somewhat interesting.

I mean, the 8-ish second gap from Hamilton to Vettel (before the safety car) is a lot better than last years 24 second gap from Hamilton to Alonso. I don't think Mercedes was overly challenged this race, though Rosberg seemed a bit peeved at the end, but Ferrari is a bit closer than RBR was last season, I think.

I don't think McLaren will be winning any races this year, but I think they'll be in the points soon. Button and Alonso are excellent drivers, and no matter how bad they are in qualifying, they'll soon be ahead of RBR and possibly Toro Rosso, due to engine swap rules.

McLaren have already exploded three Honda engines in six attempts this year. Adding Verstappen and Kvyat this week, how many Renaults have cratered in twelve starts?

lonleyppl wrote:

I don't think McLaren will be winning any races this year, but I think they'll be in the points soon. Button and Alonso are excellent drivers, and no matter how bad they are in qualifying, they'll soon be ahead of RBR and possibly Toro Rosso, due to engine swap rules.

The fact that two former world champions qualified 17th and 18th highlights just how bad the MP4-30 is. Both Button and Alonso have 0 points 3 races it. It is an utter calamity of a season.

I don't see them beating Red Bull nor Toro Rosso anytime soon.

It seems the bigger McLaren Cars gets the worse of the F1 team is.

Other than crashing into the back of Maldonado's Lotus while trying to overtake, Button has been faster than Alonso all year. While acknowledging that the motor is down on horsepower and reliability, He's said repeatedly that the McLaren chassis rides and handles well.

JustAnEngineer wrote:

Other than crashing into the back of Maldonado's Lotus while trying to overtake, Button has been faster than Alonso all year. While acknowledging that the motor is down on horsepower and reliability, He's said repeatedly that the McLaren chassis rides and handles well.

That's because 20 HP at the rear wheels won't expose flaws at the limit.

Ricciardo's Renault engine lasted just exactly long enough.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MnbrAzHad0

Button just ran the London Marathon. I think he completed more mileage on foot than he did in the McLaren in Bahrain.

McLaren is now on form to win the championship this year:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/118903

I wish that I could find a reliably up-to-date source for this table.
http://www.pitpass.com/53801/Spanish-GP ... t-elements
At the fifth race of the 19-race season, two of the drivers for the Renault-powered Red Bull and Toro Rosso teams started their fourth and final Internal Combustion Engines (ICE) allotted for the year. Once they install the fifth one, they'll be relegated 10 spots back on the starting grid.

On the FIA website for each GP they post the technical reports which contain the PU useage.

Go to http://www.fia.com/events/formula-1-wor ... ampionship

On the "Show Menu" box select "Races Calendar" and then click on a race that has happened (or is in progress) e.g. for now Spain. On that GP screen select "Event & Timing Information" and marvel at the wealth of data that is hard to find but fascinating for racing nerds.

In this case you need the "Technical Reports" section, starting with doc 3, then updated as the race weekend went on and teams changed bits by docs 7,11 and 19. I also like looking at the "Stewards Decisions" section as they will often clear up "will be examined by the stewards after the race" announcements and gives some insight in to why penalties were and were not awarded.

What was up with Lewis after the race? Was he sick or exhausted? He ducked out of the cool-down room for a while and then had a bottle of water with him on the podium. I haven't seen anything in the press reports picking up on this yet.

notfred wrote:

On the FIA website for each GP they post the technical reports which contain the PU useage.

Go to http://www.fia.com/events/formula-1-wor ... ampionship

On the "Show Menu" box select "Races Calendar" and then click on a race that has happened (or is in progress) e.g. for now Spain. On that GP screen select "Event & Timing Information" and marvel at the wealth of data that is hard to find but fascinating for racing nerds.

In this case you need the "Technical Reports" section, starting with doc 3, then updated as the race weekend went on and teams changed bits by docs 7,11 and 19. I also like looking at the "Stewards Decisions" section as they will often clear up "will be examined by the stewards after the race" announcements and gives some insight in to why penalties were and were not awarded.

That site is awesome.

Am I the only that feels like the difference between Mercedes and others (like Ferrari), is huge this season?

It's less than the gap last season http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2015/05/a ... eason-off/

But F1 has ever been thus, you need to be in the right car to win the races.

Thanks, notfred. That's an excellent source of information.

Ricciardo, Kvyat and Verstappen all started their fourth and final internal combustion engines on the fifth event of the season. Sainz, as the other Renault driver, started his third.

As a measure of competitiveness, take a look at the fastest laps posted by each driver during the race:
88.3 Hamilton, Mercedes
89.1 Rosberg, Mercedes
89.9 Raikkonen, Ferrari
90.4 Massa, Williams/Mercedes
90.7 Bottas, Willams/Mercedes
90.7 Vettel, Ferrari
90.9 Hulkenberg, Force India/Mercedes
91.1 Ricciardo, Red Bull/Renault
91.2 Sainz, Toro Rosso/Renault
91.2 Button, McLaren/Honda <-- 10th fastest
91.9 Kvyat, Red Bull/Renault
91.9 Verstappen, Toro Rosso/Renault
91.9 Nasr, Sauber/Ferrari
91.9 Perez, Force India/Mercedes
91.9 Grosjean, Lotus/Mercedes
92.2 Ericsson, Sauber/Ferrari
92.9 Maldonado, Lotus/Mercedes (retired at lap 45 of 66)
93.4 Alonso, McLaren/Honda (retired at lap 26)
93.7 Stevens, Manor/Ferrari
94.2 Merhi, Manor/Ferrari

How does a 25-spot starting grid penalty feel for a former world champion?


The limit of four of each power unit component for the 2015 season is already biting some teams at the 8th event of 19 in the season. There have been twelve violations so far and many more teams are on pace to run afoul of this regulation.

Internal combustion engines used so far:
5 Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull Renault
5 Daniel Kvyat, Red Bull Renault
5 Max Verstappen, Toro Rosso Renault
5 Jenson Button, McLaren Honda
5 Fernando Alonso, McLaren Honda
3 Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari
3 Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari
3 Nico Hulkenberg, Force India Mercedes
3 Carlos Sainz, Toro Rosso Renault
3 Roberto Mehri, Manor Ferrari
3 Will Stevens, Manor Ferrari

Turbochargers used so far:
6 Jenson Button, McLaren Honda
5 Fernando Alonso, McLaren Honda
3 Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull Renault
3 Daniel Kvyat, Red Bull Renault
3 Nico Hulkenberg, Force India Mercedes
3 Max Verstappen, Toro Rosso Renault
3 Will Stevens, Manor Ferrari

Motor generator units - heat used so far:
6 Jenson Button, McLaren Honda
5 Fernando Alonso, McLaren Honda
3 Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull Renault
3 Nico Hulkenberg, Force India Mercedes
3 Max Verstappen, Toro Rosso Renault
3 Roberto Mehri, Manor Ferrari
3 Will Stevens, Manor Ferrari

Motor generator units - kinetic used so far:
5 Jenson Button, McLaren Honda
3 Nico Hulkenberg, Force India Mercedes
3 Max Verstappen, Toro Rosso Renault
3 Fernando Alonso, McLaren Honda
3 Roberto Mehri, Manor Ferrari
3 Will Stevens, Manor Ferrari

Energy stores (batteries) used so far:
3 Marcus Ericsson, Sauber Ferrari
3 Jenson Button, McLaren Honda
3 Fernando Alonso, McLaren Honda

Control electronics used so far:
4 Fernando Alonso, McLaren Honda
3 Max Verstappen, Toro Rosso Renault
3 Marcus Ericsson, Sauber Ferrari
3 Jenson Button, McLaren Honda
3 Roberto Mehri, Manor Ferrari
3 Will Stevens, Manor Ferrari

Comprehensive breakdown there
Was a bit silly to limit the amount of engine parts for the teams though. It new technology and they are at the bleeding edge so restricting them to only 4 engines tightens the leash too much on the teams.The teams in the middle and rear are the ones who need to do the most research(engineering) to get their engines to a competitive state.