2018 Australian Grand Prix - Melbourne, 22 -25 March

[Restomaniac]

Well, I also find it interesting that Sky seems to make Mercedes look as a kind of an extraterrestrial car which is miles away of others.
Austrian TV told that it generally were tight long-runs among the top 3 teams, Mercedes being the fastest however.
My information of the time of 13. lap of Vettel is out of a liveticker, btw.

No they didn't.
They just said that Mercedes was ahead (which they seem to be). They also said it was close between them and RedBull. Hell they even hinted at Ferrari sandbagging and that Mercedes may need to keep an eye on that when Vettel randomly popped in a fastest speed trap time.

Oh, my apologies then. I actually didn't watch Sky. Just reacted to what was being written here.

That's fine. TBH however that's the problem with second hand info.

[Restomaniac]

I'll again bring up that Mercedes didn't feel the need to bring upgrades. Confident or cocky you decide.

[Vasconia]

Honestly I’ve had that feeling all through testing but now it’s fading... I’m staaaaarting to think they’re just third.

I don´t know what will happen in 2018 but in 2017 Ferrari usually improved through the weekend so I expect them to be second. Anyway, Vettel in particular is making strange things with his laps and we still have to see a good flying lap from him.

[dans79]

I think some of you are getting down to quickly!

I think Merc is a head, more so in qualifying trim than in long run trim but still ahead in both. I think RBR and Ferrari look very close. I think Max driving like someone who just stole the car makes RBR look better than the actually are.

[Kingshark]

No they didn't.
They just said that Mercedes was ahead (which they seem to be). They also said it was close between them and RedBull. Hell they even hinted at Ferrari sandbagging and that Mercedes may need to keep an eye on that when Vettel randomly popped in a speed trap time.

Ferrari´s behaviour is strange, I dont want to mix my feelings with reality, but they seem to hide something, but who knows...

Honestly I’ve had that feeling all through testing but now it’s fading... I’m staaaaarting to think they’re just third.

My feeling is the complete opposite. After testing I thought that Ferrari could be in big trouble. Now I feel like they are hiding something instead.

I doubt anyone will beat Mercedes, but I would bet on Ferrari being closest and ahead of RBR.

[Bill_Kar]

I'll again bring up that Mercedes didn't feel the need to bring upgrades. Confident or cocky you decide.

It could be neither. Maybe they wanted to but they felt it would mess with the harmony of the car, acknowledging the fact though that even without it they would be in for the fight.

[dans79]

Merc did bring some updates, the cape now has a little appendage in the front.

[JPBD1990]

Ferrari´s behaviour is strange, I dont want to mix my feelings with reality, but they seem to hide something, but who knows...

Honestly I’ve had that feeling all through testing but now it’s fading... I’m staaaaarting to think they’re just third.

My feeling is the complete opposite. After testing I thought that Ferrari could be in big trouble. Now I feel like they are hiding something instead.

I doubt anyone will beat Mercedes, but I would bet on Ferrari being closest and ahead of RBR.

I agree ultimately that Ferrari are second. But... Ferrari are second. I guess that’s *not* the surprise I was hoping for.

[Restomaniac]

Merc did bring some updates, the cape now has a little appendage in the front.

In relative terms compared to others they didn't though. Which is the point.

[Bill_Kar]

Weather-wise, are we waiting for a wet FP3, then drying Q until Q3 is completely dry, and head into unknown for the Race?

[GPR-A duplicate2]

These are times from FP2 2017. Having watched FP2 today, times have almost remained the same. In fact, FP2 fastest time by Lewis is slower than last year's FP2 time. Temperatures have remained more or less similar. What happened to all the development done to the cars in the last 12 months? Only Red Bull seems to have gone faster.

[Kingshark]

I agree ultimately that Ferrari are second. But... Ferrari are second. I guess that’s *not* the surprise I was hoping for.

Unfortunately, it tells you something about the state of this sport when pretty much everyone already knows the WDC and WCC before the season has even begun.

Let’s be real, do even the biggest optimists seriously believe that anyone other than Hamilton will actually win the championship?

[Bisonas]

https://imgur.com/a/odLIx

On those times, "BSPDs" are captured at the end of each sector, and "BEST TRAP" at the end of start-finish straight ??

[Fulcrum]

Best sectors and speed traps

https://imgur.com/a/odLIx

Sector 2 times are all relatively evenly matched. Good news (?), as I assume variance in that sector is quite heavily influenced by power output.

[Bill_Kar]

I agree ultimately that Ferrari are second. But... Ferrari are second. I guess that’s *not* the surprise I was hoping for.

Unfortunately, it tells you something about the state of this sport when pretty much everyone already knows the WDC and WCC before the season has even begun.

Let’s be real, do even the biggest optimists seriously believe that anyone other than Hamilton will actually win the championship?

I don't know, but you must be one of the biggest pessimists around here

Of course LH is favourite, but to forecast such an easy championship without even seeing the first race it's a bit too much.