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Melbourne happy stepping up to first race


Flashermac

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Australian Grand Pricks organisers say they ready to take on the extra responsibility of staging the opening race of the new Formula 1 season and have promised to make it a successful curtain-raiser for the sport.

 

Melbourne had the honour of staging the first race for all but one season (2006) between 1996 and 2009 but for the second straight year had again been scheduled as the second stop on the calendar after Bahrain – before the Gulf nation had to call off its race earlier this week amid political tensions in the country.

 

The start of the campaign will now be delayed by a fortnight until Australia’s scheduled March 27 date and, while sending their best wishes to Bahrain, Albert Park race organisers hope to put on a good show to kick the new season off.

 

“This is clearly an extremely difficult time for the people of Bahrain and we hope that the task of overcoming this challenging situation happens peacefully and quickly,†said the Australian GP Corporation’s CEO Andrew Westacott.

 

“Though we are disappointed for our Grand Prix colleagues in Bahrain, we look forward to stepping up and ensuring that the first round of the F1 season in Melbourne will be a positive celebration for the sport of F1.â€

 

Although Melbourne continues to work towards the same March 25-27 dates for its 2011 event, Westacott says the fact the race is now the season opener means there is some extra organising to do.

 

''It's terribly sad for Bahrain and I can empathise with them from an organisers perspective, but from a Melbourne point of view it's all systems go for 4½-weeks time,'' he was quoted as saying by Australia’s The Age newspaper.

 

''There is added work – being the first race of the season – because of the extra attendance from the international media and broader numbers of team members who attend the first race.''

 

Amid ongoing debate among dignitaries in Melbourne over the long-term viability of the popular race, Westacott added that the late-afternoon start slot, combined with its new status as the season-opener, will be a boost for the city.

 

'It's a 5pm race slot and we're broadcasting into Europe from 8am or 9am on a Sunday morning, which is great from a branding and tourist point of view,'' he added.

 

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

 

 

Hamilton: Worn Pirellis make F1 cars 'painfully slow'

 

 

 

Lewis Hamilton says the need to nurse the new Pirelli tyres is making Formula 1 “painfully slow†and “just not excitingâ€.

 

Pirelli has responded to requests from F1 teams and rulemakers that its new-for-2011 rubber should not have the longevity of predecessor Bridgestone's.

 

The authorities want to create more races like last year's well-received Canadian Grand Prix, when the Bridgestones – which were often capable of lasting an entire race distance - wilted, prompting plenty of overtaking, multiple pit stops and strategic variety.

 

The Pirellis have certainly met that specification so far in testing, but Hamilton thinks that rather than spicing things up, the short-life rubber is forcing drivers to prioritise nursing their tyres over pushing hard.

 

"There is more to think about in the car, but Formula 1 does seem to have slowed down," he was quoted as saying by the Guardian.

 

"The cars are slower on a race distance. Last year we had to make tyres last with heavier fuel load and now it's even slower.

 

"I did run the other day and it was painfully slow, it really was.

 

"Just not exciting, to be honest."

 

He said he was struggling to get even a short stint out of Pirellis in the most recent test at Catalunya.

 

"The first run – I didn't think I was pushing very hard – and the tyres were finished after nine laps, down to the canvas," said Hamilton.

 

"On the next run, I had to go easier. It was almost like doing an out-lap and I just about made it to 15 or 16 on a soft tyre."

 

Ferrari's Fernando Alonso has also been critical of the tyre move, suggesting it could lead to chaotic races that will disadvantage the top teams.

 

"From what we have seen so far, degradation is very significant, which means we will have races with lots of pit stops," said Alonso.

 

"I'm not keen on that because I think this increased uncertainty does not favour the strongest teams.

 

"It's as if in football, it was decided to have a penalty per team each half hour in which case Barcelona and Real Madrid would not be jumping for joy.

 

"However, the situation is the same for everyone: it will be important to be fastest because I don't think we can make one stop less than our main rivals."

 

 

 

 

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