The F1 Thread (2 Viewers)

[Cape]

meh ... its an FIA issue not a ferrari issue. So Todt was right in signing nothing - minardi need permission from the evil dictator bernie and max. Just a Q, why the hell hasnt minardi got their 2005 spec car ... they have tested it and the test went according to plan. And red bull had an even smaller time frame to construct a car (even using the jaguar chassis) and they aren't making a huge up roar!

 

[M-turkey]

Minardi has been around for 26 years, with a best result of only 4th or 5th in a race.

If team with can have that lack of success over that period of time, let them do whatever they want. It's not like they'll be competitive anyway.

Hooray!


2 days, 22 hours, 1 minute and 50 seconds to go!

 

[Cape]

If minardi to get away using the 2004 spec car - whats to stop williams or mclaren or any other team doing it to gain an advantage? There are rules ... rules need to be obeyed. Stoddart was all for cost cutting rules ... now he doesn't like them. He couldn't have contested them during the off season ... not a few days before the gp. Hes probably just doing it for a bit of publicity

 

[Cape]

The german gp director is the best. A german was leading the last lap ... yet you didn't see schuey until after he crossed the finish line cause there was some sort of battle for places - i can't remember who it was though.

God help us, if the aussie gp director spends the whole time on webbers car ... my tv will be going off!

 

[M-turkey]

Yeah, I doubt they will, they'll be too much Webber stories in the lead up

 

[Cape]

hmm ... we will just have to wait until sunday to see who wins. Schumacher is very doubtful that he will win - but hes like that every season. We will just have to wait and find out

 

[M-turkey]

I reakon things will be back to normal this year.

Ferrari will snap everyone, Williams and McLaren will fight it out for 2nd again and Renault and BAR will slip back.

No matter what Ralf says, Toyota will probably only better Red Bull.

 

[matt#1]

Schumacher is very doubtful that he will win - but hes like that every season.

Schumacher is just being modest...deep down he knows that he will win

 

[Cape]

Schumacher is just being modest...deep down he knows that he will win

He was very doubtful at the beginning of last season as well ... and look what happened maybe its an indication what will happen this season

I don't see williams or mclaren challenging ferrari - the fw27 has something wrong with its aerodynamics anyway, as for mclaren - i wonder how many laps it will be before jpm pushes kr off the road.

I'd expect renault to be challenging - especially at the starts, but they are on michelins, and michelins suck at melbourne.

BAR - i'd expect them to slide down field slighty - honda isn't the worlds most reliable engine.

Red bull - could be surprising ... probably looking at midfield.

Toyota - even though they have 2 very experienced drivers they won't be challenging for the championship ... hopefully constant points and a few podiums.

Jordan and minardi - you can't really expect much from them

The melbourne track suits the bridgestone tyres - hopefully this will pay off for ferrari.

 

[M-turkey]

Back on the Minardi topic.

If they want to run an unchanged 2004 car, what the hell have they been doing all off-season?

 

[Cape]

They tested the 2005 spec car with all the specific rule changes a few weeks ago. Stoodart would rather cry poor than admit that minardi will suffer a loss of anything up to about 10 seconds a lap.

 

[M-turkey]

10 seconds a lap! Nuts!

 

[Cape]

haha ... imagine if it was mclaren suffering a gap of 10 seconds a lap ... I would not be able to stop laughing. Its ashame zsolt isn't racing anymore ... he acted like a good pinball barrier.

 

[Smokey_22]

10 seconds, are you sure?

 

[Cape]

I'll let you know on sunday arvo but, it could be anything up to 10 seconds, its just a rough estimation that is going around.

 

[M-turkey]

Well, they've missed first practice, so it could end up worse than 10 seconds.

If they end up racing, they'll end up like 5 or 6 laps behind if it does turn out to be a gap of 10 seconds a lap.

That could end up being dangerous.

 

[Cape]

But remember that many drives did not participate during the first practice - schumacher and raikkonen didn't.

 

[M-turkey]

Yeah, no renaults at all either...

 

[Cape]

Thanks Bernie ... your making me watch 3 hours of useless tv with barely any cars running. Stoddart smokes too much i'm always seeing him smoke when hes on telly.

 

[M-turkey]

Your lucky to even have a TV to watch, I'm stuck a school till 3:20 so I'll probably only catch the last half hour of coverage.

Stoddart needs something to clam him down.

I'm getting the live results feed from f1.com, oh well...