2016 Formula One Australian Grand Prix

[JamesU]

Fantastic race! Hopefully this will set a precedent for the rest of the season!

Mercedes winning is nothing new, but Ferrari were very very close.

As the commentators said, 10 seconds separating the top 3 (until Vettel out-braked himself) which would be awesome if it continued! Could lead to some interesting last few laps!

Glad Haas did well, and i'm pleased Palmer finished decent too.

Verstappen was clearly quicker than Sainz, i think if he was let past he may have finished in a much higher place than his teammate...shame.

Overall, very pleased...and happy i woke up at 5am! First year in a fair few that i haven't fell asleep by the 25th lap out of boredom!

Edit:

Gotta love Raikkonnen too... car down the pit lane on fire and he's calm as anything as always over the radio "I think i broke something" - brilliant.

 

[kedy89]

Well done Nico, shame that Kimi ran in troubles, stunning drive Grosjean.

 

[Sasha Jednak]

Well, this was exciting. Maybe they could start next race in finishing order from this one. Just to avoid that qualifying.
As for the race:
- really happy to see Alonso walking away from that crash
- some nice fights and raging Max
- does anyone have any news when will luck hit Raikkonen?
- Palmer, Sainz and Verstapen on turn 3 (together they have 2 years experience and going so close without incident)
- results and pace... let's wait for next race and see

EDIT: and of course Haas debut points

 

[Tim.E]

Stupid Carlos held up Max, can't believe it. Also the mechanics were too late with the tyres, like what on earth is that ffs

 

[GAIAjohan]

Well I understand the anger of Verstappen.
First of all the slower Sainz completely ruined the strategy to stay in at least top 5 by taking a pitstop unplanned. Just after that the tyres for VES weren't there yet. Then Sainz is just too afraid to get past a Renault and then he even doesn't dare to try anything at Bottas. Also Sainz was more busy with not letting Verstappen pass than passing other drivers. Last but not least I'm pretty unsure what happened there when VES made a spin, but I had the feeling of a brake test or a big fail by Sainz..

Sainz completely ruined the result of the team so give himself the best result within the tea, but I don't think Franz Tost is happy with this...

 

[kedy89]

Stupid Carlos held up Max, can't believe it. Also the mechanics were too late with the tyres, like what on earth is that ffs

we've got Max v2 right here

but yeah, wasted chance on big points.

 

[Deleted member 161052]

Half-Unbelievable race that was...Vettel made a rocket start, and then he finished 3rd.

 

[Eric Rowland]

Never fear
Haas F1 Team
is here!

 

[Tim.E]

we've got Max v2 right here

Yeah I'm really as pissed as he is. One can understand his rage though!

 

[EpilepticToast]

great race! pretty usual top 5 result but the racing to get there was much better than the majority of last seasons'. It felt much more exciting watching this race, hardly a dull moment with some very close battles, Ferrari looking like they actually might get a win on outright pace, and RB taking fastest lap of the race. I really hope this continues all season and the performance gap to Mercedes shrinks even further for some of the top teams!

 

[Ole Marius Myrvold]

Stupid Carlos held up Max, can't believe it. Also the mechanics were too late with the tyres, like what on earth is that ffs

Really? Stupid Sainz?

Sorry, Sainz let Verstappen by more than once last year. Asked for a shot in Singapore and got a solid NO! from Verstappen.
Now Verstappen didn't get any help, not really strange at all. You learn as long as you live, todays lesson for Verstappen might be "Teamwork" or "Humility".

 

[Tim.E]

Really? Stupid Sainz?

Sorry, Sainz let Verstappen by more than once last year. Asked for a shot in Singapore and got a solid NO! from Verstappen.
Now Verstappen didn't get any help, not really strange at all. You learn as long as you live, todays lesson for Verstappen might be "Teamwork" or "Humility".

The reason why the team asked Max to let Carlos by in Singapore is still unclear to me, he didn't seem that much faster. Max proved a point today that with a semi-broken wing and clean air after their minor collision he was the 2nd fastest on the track. Not that in the end it gained anything but still Carlos acted like a prick today. Just my opinion though

 

[Ole Marius Myrvold]

Well I understand the anger of Verstappen.
First of all the slower Sainz completely ruined the strategy to stay in at least top 5 by taking a pitstop unplanned. Just after that the tyres for VES weren't there yet.

That's just not possible. As Sainz cannot use Verstappens tires. Which means that either both tyres had to be out in the pitlane - which we saw with Verstappen, was not the case - or Sainz' tyres was there already - which they were. So, it couldn't been so random and unplanned at all.

Then Sainz is just too afraid to get past a Renault and then he even doesn't dare to try anything at Bottas. Also Sainz was more busy with not letting Verstappen pass than passing other drivers. Last but not least I'm pretty unsure what happened there when VES made a spin, but I had the feeling of a brake test or a big fail by Sainz.

And Verstappen was too afraid to pass Sainz? I mean, the situations was very similar, as both Verstappen and Sainz was behind a car which had DRS as well. And the Torro Rosso cars were among the slowest in a straight line, seemingly having a tiny bit more downforce. Which will make it harder to pass.
And like I said in the earlier post, Verstappen kinda brought it to himself after last year. If you don't work together as a team, well, you can't expect to get anything back either.
The spin was Sainz slightly outbreaking himself, and Verstappen trying to fit into a gap that wasn't there. His own mistake.

Sainz completely ruined the result of the team so give himself the best result within the tea, but I don't think Franz Tost is happy with this...

The team ruined it.

 

[Ole Marius Myrvold]

The reason why the team asked Max to let Carlos by in Singapore is still unclear to me, he didn't seem that much faster. Max proved a point today that with a semi-broken wing and clean air after their minor collision he was the 2nd fastest on the track. Not that in the end it gained anything but still Carlos acted like a prick today. Just my opinion though

He caught up to the guys ahead, saw that Verstappen didn't get by. And wanted a shot. Just like he had let Verstappen by 3 times earlier that season. If he hadn't been able to get by the car ahead, he would've given the place back to Verstappen. But no. Verstappen didn't want to do what Sainz had done to him multiple times. I just cannot see how Verstappen can complain about this.
Ideally Sainz would've let Verstappen by, and let him have a chance, as there would be a better chance for Sainz to follow through if Verstappen had gotten passed that Williams (just like Verstappen on Palmer), and given the spot back if he was unable. But he can't have it both ways, and sadly, I feel he brought it on himself.
Maybe, and I truly hope so, it changes after this race. That they both totally agrees to work together at all times. But both have to do it. It cannot be a one-way street.

For the teams sake I hope it get backs to proper teamwork. I really do. That would benefit both.

 

[Alberto Casado]

First of all the slower Sainz completely ruined the strategy to stay in at least top 5 by taking a pitstop unplanned.

As Ole Marius says, how could SAI get an unplanned pitstop done in normal time? And then VES gets his done without tyres ready?

Looks to me much more like SAI had the stop lined up (for at least a good fraction of a lap). Then VES saw it, raged at the undercut and dived to pits the lap after although HIS stop was not ready.

 

[Deleted member 161052]

• Alonso's worst crash since Barcelona Testing 2015, and also 2003 Brazilian Grand Prix (in a race)
• Worst crash in the Australian GP in 20 years which resulted in a red flag
• Worst crash in the Australian GP in 15 years, if red flag doesn't count

 

[GAIAjohan]

Really? Stupid Sainz?

Sorry, Sainz let Verstappen by more than once last year. Asked for a shot in Singapore and got a solid NO! from Verstappen.

Duh, Verstappen was faster there and that was already clear at that moment. Also Verstappen just showed that.

Now Verstappen didn't get any help, not really strange at all. You learn as long as you live, todays lesson for Verstappen might be "Teamwork" or "Humility".

Haha Teamwork, that's something you should show to Sainz instead. He ruined the team's strategy by coming into the pits immediately after mentioning he would come in.
After that the team wasn't fast enough to get Verstappen's tyres there on time for his planned stop. That stop was already planned for a long time. So yes, Sainz ruined the team's strategy here.

 

[GAIAjohan]

As Ole Marius says, how could SAI get an unplanned pitstop done in normal time? And then VES gets his done without tyres ready?

Looks to me much more like SAI had the stop lined up (for at least a good fraction of a lap). Then VES saw it, raged at the undercut and dived to pits the lap after although HIS stop was not ready.

No, the strategy was to get the guy in front get in first.
Then suddenly Sainz his tyres were degrading extremely fast and he said he'd go in. - He did - The stop was ok. Then the team wasnt back on time to get VES's tyres there on time while that stop was already planned.

 

[Alberto Casado]

He ruined the team's strategy by coming into the pits immediately after mentioning he would come in.

You do realize radio messages are played with a delay, do you?

 

[Ole Marius Myrvold]

Duh, Verstappen was faster there and that was already clear at that moment. Also Verstappen just showed that.

Verstappen was behind another driver, and couldn't get by. Sainz caught up, and wanted a shot. Verstappen said NO. That was the end of that.
That was also the end of the "let people by" in that team.
The whole issue, is that Sainz played the team game the whole year, every time he was asked up til that point. Verstappen cannot blame anyone but himself for that.

Haha Teamwork, that's something you should show to Sainz instead. He ruined the team's strategy by coming into the pits immediately after mentioning he would come in.
After that the team wasn't fast enough to get Verstappen's tyres there on time for his planned stop. That stop was already planned for a long time. So yes, Sainz ruined the team's strategy here.

That ain't possible. It just ain't.

Each driver have sets allocated to them. If they wasn't ready for Sainz, his tyres wouldn't been there. If they were ready for Verstappen, his tyres would've been there. If they were ready for both, both sets would've been there.
It really looks like Sainz' tyres was there, and that was it.