Formula One 2009

[TheArsenal]

And that "more" is....

Formula 1 looks set to scrap plans for a new scoring system in 2009 just nine days before the start of the season.

The sport's governing body, the FIA, announced earlier this week that the driver with the most wins would be crowned world champion.

But following a protest on Friday from F1's teams, the FIA says it is prepared to defer the new system until 2010.

That seems likely to happen, which means the traditional points system used in 2008 will now be resurrected.

The 2009 season begins on 29 March with the Australian Grand Prix.

[Katsuya]

Oh, silly FIA...

[Katsuya]

So, tomorrow/today is the big day! Brawn, Williams and Toyota's diffusers were cleared by the stewards after Ferrari (who previously said they weren't going to complain), Renault and Red Bull all protested; right now, it looks like Brawn have got this one wrapped up already, but practice will tell all...McLaren, Renault & Ferrari, meanwhile, have said they're using KERS.

For those in the UK who are nocturnal/bothered, practice 1 is on at like, 1AM on the BBC Red Button.

EDIT: Williams and Brawn right now are dominating after FP1. Heikki and Kimi look slightly competitive, especially Heikki who's absolutely smashed Lewis this session...

Edited March 27, 2009 by Katsuya

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Awww bless, Ferrari are upset cos other cars are performing better than them.

[Lineker]

I wish that my local William Hill wasn't so shit, they didn't have any F1 odds at all yesterday and I wanted to stick some on Jenson.

But this race will be fantastic. Except Lewis will be at the back

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Rosberg quickest in qualifying. The front half dozen looks like an F1 dream.

[jrhodes]

Rosberg quickest in qualifying. The front half dozen looks like an F1 dream.

The last two sessions were just practice sessions. Qualifying is in roughly 17 hours time.

Edited March 27, 2009 by Jake O. Rhodes

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

See, I even KNEW that was practice and yet still typed qualifying cos it's so ingrained when talking about F1.

[Marcos]

Barrichello was faster than Button wasn't he?

People seem to be jumping on Button to win, but I reckon Barrichello could sneak it, just for being the more experienced (and better ) driver out of the two.

Although if anything, I would rather Rosberg won it.

[Katsuya]

It looks to me like it's going to be a Rosberg/Rubens affair. Watching both sessions, they were the two who really seemed to be tuned in to the circuit...but I'd also love to see Mark Webber make the comeback of all comebacks in his home GP.

Combined Practice Times:

1. Nico Rosberg Germany Williams-Toyota 1m 26.053s

2. Rubens Barrichello Brazil Brawn-Mercedes 1m 26.157s

3. Jarno Trulli Italy Toyota-Toyota 1m 26.350s

4. Mark Webber Australia Red Bull-Renault 1m 26.370s

5. Jenson Button Britain Brawn-Mercedes 1m 26.374s

6. Timo Glock Germany Toyota-Toyota 1m 26.443s

7. Kazuki Nakajima Japan Williams-Toyota 1m 26.560s

8. Sebastian Vettel Germany Red Bull-Renault 1m 26.740s

9. Kimi Raikkonen Finland Ferrari-Ferrari 1m 26.750s*

10. Adrian Sutil Germany Force India-Mercedes 1m 27.040s

11. Felipe Massa Brazil Ferrari-Ferrari 1m 27.064s

12. Fernando Alonso Spain Renault-Renault 1m 27.232s

13. Giancarlo Fisichella Italy Force India-Mercedes 1m 27.282s

14. Nick Heidfeld Germany BMW Sauber 1m 27.317s

15. Robert Kubica Poland BMW Sauber 1m 27.398s

16. Heikki Kovalainen Finland McLaren-Mercedes 1m 27.453s*

17. Sebastien Bourdais France Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m 27.479s

18. Lewis Hamilton Britain McLaren-Mercedes 1m 27.813s

19. Nelson Piquet Jr Brazil Renault-Renault 1m 27.828s

20. Sebastien Buemi Switzerland Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m 28.076s

* denotes time set in first of two 90-minute sessions

So...yeah. We've gone from having maybe seven teams with a chance of winning to four: Williams, Brawn, Toyota & RBR. Looking back to 2008, Rosberg managed to keep it on the track and nab that third place, but Rubens & Nakajima both had good races too. I can see those three being the podium, but I wouldn't be surprised if a load of cars lose their front wings at the start...

[KoA]

16 and 18...Ouch.

Although I'd rather a Jenson Button win than a McLaren win. Hell, Rubens FTW too.

[Katsuya]

Jenson on pole, Rubens 2nd and Vettel 3rd. Kubica managed to nab 4th, surprisingly, and Nico in 5th - and no Ferrari up to 7th place. This is going to be awesome.

[DFF]

1 great britain Jenson Button 22 Brawn-Mercedes 1:26.202

2 brazil Rubens Barrichello 23 Brawn-Mercedes 1:26.505

3 germany Sebastian Vettel 15 Red Bull-Renault 1:26.830

4 poland Robert Kubica 5 BMW Sauber 1:26.914

5 germany Nico Rosberg 16 Williams-Toyota 1:26.973

6 germany Timo Glock 10 Toyota 1:26.975

7 brazil Felipe Massa 3 Ferrari 1:27.033

8 italy Jarno Trulli 9 Toyota 1:27.127

9 finland Kimi Raikkonen 4 Ferrari 1:27.163

10 australia Mark Webber 14 Red Bull-Renault 1:27.246

11 germany Nick Heidfeld 6 BMW Sauber 1:25.504

12 spain Fernando Alonso 7 Renault 1:25.605

13 japan Kazuki Nakajima 17 Williams-Toyota 1:25.607

14 finland Heikki Kovalainen 2 McLaren-Mercedes 1:25.726

15 great britain Lewis Hamilton 1 McLaren-Mercedes

16 switzerland Sebastien Buemi 12 Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1:26.503

17 brazil Nelson Piquet Jr 8 Renault 1:26.598

18 italy Giancarlo Fisichella 21 Force India-Mercedes 1:26.677

19 germany Adrian Sutil 20 Force India-Mercedes 1:26.742

20 france Sebastien Bourdais 11 Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1:26.964

Also, what does everyone make of Jonathan Legard as commentator? I thought he was quite cool. I'm sure I've heard him before, though. What did he used to do? BBC Radio?

[Katsuya]

Pretty sure he did it with Maurice Hamilton, who's still doing it on Five Live. I thought that together, him and Brundle are probably going to be a rather awesome commentary team - no real hounders that you'd find from James Allen, and they were both very attentive. As an aside, watching practice, the partnership between David Croft and Anthony Davidson is actually rather brilliant, and Davidson in particular is probably the heir to Brundle, or could be a strong commentator in his own right.

As an aside, they've changed Hamilton's gearbox and therefore he starts in 20th and dead last, the lowest he's ever qualified. I wouldn't be surprised, however, to find that McLaren start Lewis from the pit lane - that way, the inevitable first corner collision (which ALWAYS happens in Melbourne) can be avoided and he could find himself 30 seconds ahead of the midfield going in to the first lap, as they try to recover from losing their front wings (which will happen, given the size of those things) and heading to the pits.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Wow Jenson was a LONG way faster!

[EddieG]

So.. what time's the race European time ?

[DFF]

I think it's 7am UK.

[TheArsenal]

Rosberg and Glock have been demoted from 6th and 7th to the back of the grid for having illegal wings. Hamilton is up to 18th.

[Zaz]

I've now got even more reason to get behind Red Bull with Vettel there (was at Monza when he won it). Coulthard just couldn't cut it last year. Let's hope they don't get screwed over by the car again, as they're both great drivers.

[Katsuya]

Actually, it's Glock and Trulli who have been demoted as a result of the rear wings, and Williams who have launched the complaint - which is also against Red Bull & Ferrari. So, if those four cars get demoted too, then the grid will actually look like this...

1 great britain Jenson Button 22 Brawn-Mercedes 1:26.202

2 brazil Rubens Barrichello 23 Brawn-Mercedes 1:26.505

3 poland Robert Kubica 5 BMW Sauber 1:26.914

4 germany Nico Rosberg 16 Williams-Toyota 1:26.973

5 germany Nick Heidfeld 6 BMW Sauber 1:25.504

6 spain Fernando Alonso 7 Renault 1:25.605

7 japan Kazuki Nakajima 17 Williams-Toyota 1:25.607

8 finland Heikki Kovalainen 2 McLaren-Mercedes 1:25.726

9 switzerland Sebastien Buemi 12 Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1:26.503

10 brazil Nelson Piquet Jr 8 Renault 1:26.598

11 italy Giancarlo Fisichella 21 Force India-Mercedes 1:26.677

12 germany Adrian Sutil 20 Force India-Mercedes 1:26.742

13 france Sebastien Bourdais 11 Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1:26.964

14 great britain Lewis Hamilton 1 McLaren-Mercedes

15 germany Sebastian Vettel 15 Red Bull-Renault 1:26.830

16 germany Timo Glock 10 Toyota 1:26.975

17 brazil Felipe Massa 3 Ferrari 1:27.033

18 italy Jarno Trulli 9 Toyota 1:27.127

19 finland Kimi Raikkonen 4 Ferrari 1:27.163

20 australia Mark Webber 14 Red Bull-Renault 1:27.246

Which would completely throw open the race. Nakajima could be in with a real shot of winning, because he was on course to get in to Q3 were it not for a small error, and Williams will be able to tailor his fuel load for the race - meaning that he could be in with a shot of jumping the Brawn's in the pits. Ironically, Lewis could end up having changed his gearbox and actually starting ahead of where he qualified...