Australia 2008

WHAT AN INTERESTING YEAR IT IS GOING TO BE! NEW REGULATIONS FOR 2008 INCLUDE
A) NO TRACTION CONTROL
B) ALL CARS USING IDENTICAL ENGINE CONTROL UNITS (ECU) SEALED BY THE FIA SO THAT TEAMS CANNOT RE-INTRODUCE TRACTION CONTROL BY THE 'BACK DOOR'
C) TIGHTER LIMITS ON THE RELIABILITY OF ENGINES AND GEARBOXES - THE LATTER NOW HAVE TO COMPLETE 4 RACES
D) NO SPARE CARS AT THE TRACK - SO NO CHANCE OF JUMPING INTO ONE IF YOUR RACE CAR IS DAMAGED.

THE LACK OF TRACTION CONTROL PLACES A PREMIUM ON DRIVER SKILL, WHICH IS WHERE IT SHOULD BE AND NOT ON THE SKILL OF THE SOFTWARE DESIGNER, AND THE LACK OF A SPARE CAR SHOULD PROVIDE AN ELEMENT OF CAUTION TO ENSURE THE DRIVERS DON'T GET TOO RASH WHEN TRYING TO OVERTAKE. NO TRACTION CONTROL ALSO PLACES A PREMIUM ON THE DRIVERS ABILITY TO MANAGE HIS TYRE WEAR AND IF HE DOESN'T THEN LATE IN A STINT HE WILL BE SLIDING AROUND AND SUBJECT TO BEING OVERTAKEN. WE SAW ALL THESE ASPECTS IN FULL IN AUSTRALIA. ONLY 6 CARS ACTUALLY COMPLETED THE FULL RACE DISTANCE!

THE LAST 2 TO RETIRE DID SO IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO THE FINISH AND SO MANAGED TO BE CLASSIFIED AND EARN POINTS. THE BIG LOSERS WERE FERRARI AND THE BIG WINNERS WERE MCLAREN. KIMI RAIKKONEN HAD TO RETIRE DURING QUALIFYING AND SO STARTED 15TH ON THE GRID; FELIPE MASSA WAS 4TH ON THE GRID BUT SPUN IT ON TURN 1 AFTER THE START, WHICH WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED WITH TRACTION CONTROL SO PERHAPS HE BRIEFLY FORGOT THAT HE DIDN'T HAVE IT. KIMI EVENTUALLY SUFFERED 2 INSTANCES OF THE SAME PHENOMENON - FIRSTLY, HE DIVED UP THE INSIDE BUT NEVER MADE THE CORNER, NEVER MIND THE APEX, AND WENT OFF INTO THE GRAVEL BUT REGAINED THE TRACK AND, SECONDLY, HE PUT BOTH LEFT-HAND TYRES ON THE GRASS AND SPUN OUT OF CONTROL - TRACTION CONTROL WOULD HAVE SENSED THE REAR WHEELS WERE STARTING TO SPIN AND TAKEN CORRECTIVE ACTION. AFTER AN INCIDENT-PACKED DRIVE HE STOPPED ON THE CIRCUIT BUT WAS CLASSIFIED 8TH.

LEWIS HAMILTON AND HEIKKI KOVALEINEN WERE OCCUPYING 1ST AND 2ND PLACES FOR MOST OF THE RACE, APART FROM A BRIEF PERIOD AT THE START WHEN ROBERT KUBICA TOOK ADVANTAGE OF HIS FINE QUALIFYING POSITION OF 2ND BEHIND LEWIS BUT HIS CHARGE SOON PETERED OUT. HEIKKI WAS PARTICULARLY UNLUCKY WHEN THE 3RD SAFETY CAR CAME OUT BECAUSE THAT INTERFERED WITH HIS PLANNED REFUELLING (THE PIT-LANE CLOSES INITIALLY) AND WHEN HE COULD REFUEL HE HAD LOST TRACK POSITION. IN MAKING UP FOR THAT HE OVERTOOK FERNANDO ALONSO (STRUGGLING ON WORN TYRES) BUT THEN ACCIDENTALLY HIT THE PIT-LANE SPEED LIMITER ON THE MAIN STRAIGHT WHEN HE WAS CLEARING A RIP-OFF FROM HIS HELMET VISOR, ALLOWING FERNANDO TO GET AHEAD AGAIN.

LEWIS HAMILTON DULY CAME HOME TO WIN WITH NICK HEIDFELD 2ND AND NICO ROSBERG EARNING A PERSONAL SPLENDID FIRST EVER PODIUM AND A WELCOME RETURN FOR WILLIAMS AFTER A FEW YEARS IN THE DOLDRUMS. THE END RESULT OF ALL THE MAYHEM, BAD LUCK AND SOME FINE DRIVING WAS THAT BOTH CHAMPIONSHIPS HAVE AN UNEXPECTED LOOK TO THEM BUT IT IS, AFTER ALL, ONLY THE FIRST OF 18 RACES SO I AM SURE FORTUNES WILL BE REVERSED AT SOME POINT SOON.

Race Results posted by
David Little
16th March 2008

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