F1 - General discussion and 2017

Vettel's set another new fastest first sector...
And another new fastest middle sector...
Vettel: 1m19.024s. But he's coasting up to the line. Ferrari in full tease mode.
 
Again, Vettel's final sector is half a second off where we'd expect it to be.
And just to confirm, that was another run on the ultra-soft tyres from Vettel.

If Vettel stops playing mind games and whacks in a low-1m18s before lunch we've got a Lion bar with his name on it.
 
While immensely frustrating for the drivers, you can't help but feel for the men and women behind the scenes at McLaren-Honda as well. (Not to mention Polish - The only remaining South African Fan)
Also a grief stricken fan here ...
:cry:
 
Kvyat's out there improving again and this time it's a personal best in the middle sector. He completes the lap with his best final sector so far, and moves to fourth on a 1m20.712s.

Everyone back in the pits – as Hamilton emerges in the Mercedes. Could he be the man to take us into the 1m18s?
 
Hamilton sets his best time of the day, and his 1m20.018s including the morning's quickest final sector. He goes to P2.

If Vettel had done the final sector Hamilton just posted he'd have done a 1m18.7s.

That was a super-soft run from Hamilton.
 
Only Kvyat on track as we head in the final minutes of the morning session.
Kvyat finds a bit more time to improve to a 1m20.416s.
 
Vandoorne's back out in the McLaren.
McLaren's problems don't appear to be serious, Vandoorne is back out in the McLaren-Honda.
 
Hamilton's out there and posted his best first and second sectors so far...
Hamilton uses ultra-softs to post a 1m19.352s.
His best time from testing so far.
 
Ferrari are looking good this pre-season - I hope come Q3 on the first race they are tearing it up.

Sick of watching Mercedes dominate.
 
Vandoorne's come to a stop on the outside of Turn 10 – he's pulled over onto the bit of extra track F1 doesn't use.
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Vandoorne has cruised to a halt at the hairpin again!
 
The morning session reaches what we assume is its end. If there's no time added on for this second McLaren-induced stoppage.
 
Sick of watching Mercedes dominate.

Sadly I don't think we've seen their full potential. I would love to see (based on current testing times) Ferrari, Mercedes, Williams & Red Bull duking it out for the win in Melbourne but I think the Mercs will turn up the wick when the time comes.
 
1 Vettel Ferrari 1m19.024s
2 Hamilton Mercedes 1m19.352s
3 Ocon Force India 1m20.161s
4 Kvyat Toro Rosso 1m20.416s
5 Ricciardo Red Bull 1m20.824s
6 Magnussen Haas 1m20.863s
7 Vandoorne McLaren 1m21.348s
8 Palmer Renault 1m22.418s
9 Ericsson Sauber 1m23.330s
10 Stroll Williams 1m24.863s
 
My only criticism of what Ferrari has been doing in testing is that it has spent too much time on the medium tyres. With the new wider tyres and adjusted compounds for this year, this is probably going to be about the hardest tyre we will see used in 2017, that is if we ever actually see it again.

Gary Anderson
 
Vandoorne's McLaren has been covered up. There's no hurry, we've just been told that's it for the morning session.

Checkered Flag
So, the sandbagging Vettel heads to lunch quickest. More trouble – much more trouble – for McLaren-Honda. And that's the morning.

With that sombre end to McLaren's morning, the chequered flag comes out.
Vettel is fastest with a 1:19.024, join us in one hour for the afternoon session!
 
Vandoorne's McLaren has been covered up. There's no hurry, we've just been told that's it for the morning session.

Checkered Flag
So, the sandbagging Vettel heads to lunch quickest. More trouble – much more trouble – for McLaren-Honda. And that's the morning.

#WhereWouldAlonsoRatherBe going to be trending on twitter on a regular basis again by the looks of it ...
I can tell you there is one person even more upset than Alonso and that is Button ... He must thinking "There goes my one year sabbatical, Alonso is going to walk if it`s going to carry on like this !"
 
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