The season opener at Melborne was quite interesting. The new rules for the 2005 season should be interesting coupled with the new harder tire compounds that have to last the entire race distance. With the engines now turning about 18,500 RPM how do you view the winners and losers of the new rules?

For example: Ferarri chose to retire Micheal Shumacher to take advantage of the new rules that will allow him to qualify on one engine at the next race and then give him a "free pass" to swap out the engine for the race. Do you think that will pay off in Malaysia?

 

Hey Matt, didn't know you were a fan of F1. I don't know how these new rules will play out. It appears that the field is more even and Ferrari doesn't have the advantage they did before. It all comes down to strategy. I like the Beneton boys and Mclaren but as the season progresses we'll see.

 

The engine rule really makes not sense. It was put into place to save money, but I think everyone is going to be exploiting the loop hole in this rule until they figure out how to close it up - if they even can.

This rule will save no money with the loop hole in place.

I was very surprise that there was not a single tire puncture that first race.

 

I can't imagine Ferrari stumbling. Not yet. I don't see any other team out there, specifically, that can really compare.

 

Marco: Your comments about the loop hole reminds me of when I was racing WERRA events. At the first race of the season the Director was going over the rule changes at the riders meeting and someone asked for a clarification of the interpetation of a specific rule. With an exasperated look on his face Peter Franks, then the Director of WERRA, took a deep breath, and replied: "Gentlemen, please just read the lines in the rule book, not between them."

I was REALLY surprized that solid rubber tires could handle SO WELL!

 

Burt,

I did not realize that you followed F1 either. I guess that you, Marco and me will have something to talk about at SF05 if the "girls" get off to talking about something.

 

I don't (totally) agree with you. It is reported that Toyota has been out spending Ferarri's $600 million dollar budget. It will be interesting what Trulli and Ralf Schumacher can do with these resources behind them.

But, it appears that the days of "OK, who is going to be third" may be over.

 

I agree about Toyota. In another thread, I said that I though Toyota will be a force in a couple of years - and I still think that.

One thing I did note from the Australian GP and Toyota - they seem to have the pace, but they dropped off as the race progressed. I think their chassis is too hard on the tires. With the one tire/race rule, I think this caused them to drop back so much.

Should be interesting to see what happens in Malaysia. I hope we have a more eventless qualifying. The rain for the Australian GP really disguised how the teams are performing.

 

I think they will soon, not now but soon, be the team to beat.

 

I think we already have our answer about Ferrari with Barrichello's finish. The wet/dry/wet qualifying session will probably end up being the wackiest all year. Ferrari will dominate again this year, although it may take a little longer to cinch it up.

I do like the two qualifying session rule, but actually look forward to the tire changes during the pit stop--I'd like to see an eight tires during the race rule.

I can't believe the "retirement/free engine" rule. Does this mean we'll see the zero-pointers brushing the wall on purpose, only to "retire", only to get a fresh engine at the next race?

And how about Red Bull?!