2018 Australian Grand Prix - Melbourne, 22 -25 March

[Phil]

Bottas will only have one set of softs too (because he’ll be testing one set during FP). Mercedes often split the testing like this of both drivers. Come the race, they will most likely have the same tires between them, as in 1 set of softs, 2 SS and what ever remains from the US tire.

[FMP]

Interesting Ferrari going with harder tires and Merc with softer tires. Last year they were the other way around most of the time.

The only ones with 3 sets of soft tyres alongside Leclerc, that´s very interesting and unexpected.

I suspect that Leclerc wants to drive quite a few laps at practises, but Ferrari... As you say, unexpected!

[F1NAC]

Wow so many question after these test sessions. how far is Merc? Who is eating tyres? Where will McLaren end up? Where is Honda in all this? and still we wont get quite the answers we need after this race.

Also in case of SC, standing restarts...... oh boy.. cannot wait hopefully Merc wont be as strong as media suggest

[Restomaniac]

Well if that doesn't show how confident Mercedes are that they have fixed their tyre and stability issues then nothing will.

[ollandos]

ferrari probably targeting one pit-stop race ..and mercedes with hamilton for 2 with stind of ultra soft ..and open game with bottas..perhaps bottas terget is to be a brake infront ferraris with same strategy ...renault looks like expect to be out of top-10 and one stop with S and SS ...
hamilton or one of red bulls for the win and 2 place ..and alonso 3rd and podium ...

[TAG]

Telling on the tire choices indeed. Potential for different strategies smacks on in the face. Maybe add some spice to the race come Sunday. Ferrari may make a go at trying to save both fuel and tires. Anyone know the pit window delta in Melbourne?

[Phlumbert]

Wow so many question after these test sessions. how far is Merc? Who is eating tyres? Where will McLaren end up? Where is Honda in all this? and still we wont get quite the answers we need after this race.

Also in case of SC, standing restarts...... oh boy.. cannot wait hopefully Merc wont be as strong as media suggest

Were standing restarts ever confirmed for 2018?

Nothing about it in here:
https://www.formula1.com/en/championshi ... _race.html

[F1NAC]

Wow so many question after these test sessions. how far is Merc? Who is eating tyres? Where will McLaren end up? Where is Honda in all this? and still we wont get quite the answers we need after this race.

Also in case of SC, standing restarts...... oh boy.. cannot wait hopefully Merc wont be as strong as media suggest

Were standing restarts ever confirmed for 2018?

Nothing about it in here:
https://www.formula1.com/en/championshi ... _race.html

There was an article on autosport when teams did practice standing restart after testday ended.

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/13469 ... -this-week

in article it says

This year for the first time races may feature standing starts

[FrukostScones]

I think standing restarts only when wet race and start is under SC...(or red flags like article says)...
But not after every SC.

[F1NAC]

I think standing restarts only when wet race and start is under SC...(or red flags like article says)...
But not after every SC.

oh yes you are right I misinterpreted that

[Phlumbert]

If a safety car is deemed to be required for the beginning of a race due to wet weather, if possible a normal standing start will occur once the track is deemed safe to race. The process will see the safety car return to the pit lane and the cars assemble on the grid for the start. Should conditions not improve sufficiently for a standing start, a rolling start may be used.

Hmm, I wonder if it will actually be used.

[Vasconia]

ferrari probably targeting one pit-stop race ..and mercedes with hamilton for 2 with stind of ultra soft ..and open game with bottas..perhaps bottas terget is to be a brake infront ferraris with same strategy ...renault looks like expect to be out of top-10 and one stop with S and SS ...
hamilton or one of red bulls for the win and 2 place ..and alonso 3rd and podium ...

This may indicate that Ferrari doesn´t think he can defeat Mercedes with the same tyres. But its strange to choose harder tyres giving the fact that their cars usually like soft compounds.

[TAG]

^^ The strategy might be to nurse the harder compound for a one stop, since they're likely going to already be conserving fuel with the heavy demand of Melbourne... two birds.

[F1Fan2018]

Dont they choose the tyres months in advance? so they have already chosen for the first 3 or 4 races or am i just dreaming this up?

[F1NAC]

Dont they choose the tyres months in advance? so they have already chosen for the first 3 or 4 races or am i just dreaming this up?

You were not dreaming this up

No less than nine weeks before the start of each event in Europe, and 15 weeks before the start of each event held outside Europe, Pirelli (in consultation with the FIA) will inform the team which three compounds can be used at each race.