Heroes and Zeroes Melbourne

[Scott]

Heroes:

Vettel - didn't place a foot wrong.  Good job to him.

Hamilton - great race - if he indeed had a broken floor, then it was a fantastic finish, Mclaren should just ditch their complicated exhaust and develop the car they have now.  If all had gone well with both cars, there is no reason they shouldn't have been able to keep up with the RBR's all day.  

Petrov - Lift yer chin boy, straighten your back, 'cause those doubters in the paddock won't be snickering at you anymore.  You're the real deal.  Only problem is that now Renault may have to actually pay you something, or chance losing you.  Fantastic drive, and whatever he says, Alonso is certainly p*ssed to be reminded of his lost WDC following you around looking at your rear wing.

Sauber - Great drive for both drivers...hope they get the points back after appeal, and I hope they get a lot more points this season.

Rosberg - was on his way to the points until Rubens ended his day.

Zeroes:

Rubens - I think I suggest he retire each season 2-3 times.  This will be the first time this year.  Maybe Williams can get Petrov for Rubens salary?  Like WF said, after a while his excuses just come across as blah, blah, blah, blah.

Stewards - Race 1, why not give Sauber a warning or a rules clarification instead of DQ'ing both point scoring drivers for a couple of mm infraction?  Sauber claim it made no aero advantage (which they would anyhow of course), but if that is so, then the DQ is a bit draconian in this instance.  

Button - Although he drove solid afterwards, I was yelling at Button to give back the place to Massa for the next lap, but no, he has to insist he was ahead when he went off - which is a load of crap, since if he was ahead of Massa, he wouldn't have seen him pinch Button off the track.

HRT - What the heck...I thought they weren't allowed to race.  Why do they show them doing a lap?    

[Williamsfan]

I think you summed it up perfectly there Scott!

Heroes:

Vettel- was a class apart this weekend, sensational and if he can keep driving with that maturity this year, there will be no nail-biting season finale in 2011.

Hamilton- did a fantastic job with a damaged car and looked very comfortable in second place.

Petrov- Great drive, like Scott said he is looking like the real deal and maybe not having Kubica there will help him this year? 

Sauber- Despite the DQ they did brilliantly, especially Perez who was stunning today.

Di Resta- I guess every cloud has a silver lining and Sauber's DQ saw Paul get a point on his F1 debut which was great. 

Zeroes:

Barrichello/Williams- Less said the better, if it carries on like today 2011 will be a very long season.

Ferrari- Where was the speed they threatened all winter?! 

Button- Uncharacteristic case of red mist that blew his chances of a podium

Lotus- after the winter of talking up their chances, they're pretty much exactly where they were last year.  I had hoped they'd be a little more competitive this time round

[Jericoke]

Zero:

FIA.  Where's all the passing that the flappy wing and disintegrating tires were supposed to provide?

[Dare]

I think we'd better hold judgement on Petrov,one race
doesn't make a future champ.Remember Piquet also drove
a Renault to a podium finish

[Williamsfan]

I think with Petrov it is a combination of his race today and also his race in Abu Dhabi where he also performed much better than his reputation to that point suggested.  However, he'll probably let us down next race and make some hideous errors! 

[Jericoke]

I think we'd better hold judgement on Petrov,one race
doesn't make a future champ.Remember Piquet also drove
a Renault to a podium finish

Yeah, but look at Button's first few seasons.  Not all champions, highly touted or not, start out on top.

[Dare]

I think we'd better hold judgement on Petrov,one race
doesn't make a future champ.Remember Piquet also drove
a Renault to a podium finish

Yeah, but look at Button's first few seasons.  Not all champions, highly touted or not, start out on top.

The F1 of today doesn't allow you the option of too
many unperforming seasons

[David]

Yeah, well summed up Scott. 

Special mention to Perez for a very very impressive first drive, nightmare that you lost the points. Also Petrov, I thought you had seen your day but today you proved your doubters, including me, very much wrong.

Where was the performance Ferrari promised? Gutted. 

 

[Scott]

I think we'd better hold judgement on Petrov,one race
doesn't make a future champ.Remember Piquet also drove
a Renault to a podium finish

I wouldn't even say he might ever be champion...I just don't think he represents a typical pay driver, and when he shows up a veteran like Heidfeld the entire weekend, he's figured something out.  When I say he's the real deal, he's a driver who deserves to be paid, but who may never win...like a Trulli, or a Heidfeld, or a Liuzzi, or a Rosberg, or a Buemi, or a Sutil...

Podium in his second year...lots of past and present F1 drivers can't say that.

[Scott]

Oh yeah, and I'll second Jeri's point about the lack of overtaking with the flappy wings.  I'll say it again, let them use it whenever they want...some will figure it out, some won't, but it'll make much better racing.

[Dare]

I think we'd better hold judgement on Petrov,one race
doesn't make a future champ.Remember Piquet also drove
a Renault to a podium finish

I wouldn't even say he might ever be champion...I just don't think he represents a typical pay driver, and when he shows up a veteran like Heidfeld the entire weekend, he's figured something out.  When I say he's the real deal, he's a driver who deserves to be paid, but who may never win...like a Trulli, or a Heidfeld, or a Liuzzi, or a Rosberg, or a Buemi, or a Sutil...

Podium in his second year...lots of past and present F1 drivers can't say that.

Trulli  actually got Renault's firs twin under Flav at Monaco,as  a
thank you he was released later that season and replaced by JV

[Scott]

OK, I didn't check that well, but still, Trulli hasn't won in years and still commands in the millions.  Petrov is bringing Renault a reported $10m per year and he grabs a podium.

[Dare]

OK, I didn't check that well, but still, Trulli hasn't won in years and still commands in the millions.  Petrov is bringing Renault a reported $10m per year and he grabs a podium.

I hate to gloat but I'm rarely right

[Wats-on]

Heros:
Vettel (I'm sorry to say that....)
Petrov
Perez (being diesqualified is not his fault, he drove a fine race)
Virgin (for getting themselves qualified)

Zeros:
Heidfeld!
Massa
HRT
FIA (Agree with Jericoke)

[lkjohnson1950]

While it is entirely possible that Petrov could beat Heidfeld head to head, there is such a difference here, I have to believe Nick had some type of problem with his equipment.
Heroes: Vettel, if he can maintain this level of maturity, watch out!
           Perez, showed he can play with the big boys.
           McLaren, what a recovery from testing.

Zeros:  Ferrari, really didn't seem to be on pace.
           FIA, most rules makers inspect the cars before qually, Sauber might have been
                  able to fix this problem.
           Button, should have known better.

Lonny