Why was it exciting?

[Asp]

Here's the million dollar question.

The race was exciting for a combination of factors - but which was the key one? Was it the new rules coming into play; the damp track to start with; the traditional excitement of the first race with attition and mistakes...

I'm going to say that the rules didn't play as much as a part as they could've done: all the cars that started on the wets and then had to change ended up changing strategy - so we didn't see the true effect of which fuel load was best. Probably best to wait until we have a nice dry race before we can look properly at how the rules are looking.

[Damon]

The key was the weather for sure. Ferrari and Mclaren got a wrong on the tyres and unfortuneatley JPM's good call and work on slicks on the early laps were punished because everyone else couldn't cope with a bit of damp . The safety car periods did close the pack up but it meant that the people that got their strategy wrong didn't loose as much as they should have.

[RubberD]

It was nice to see a podium without a Ferrari driver on it. That is the way it should be.

[Kex]

The first few laps certainly diminished all possibility of me falling asleep. Generally wheel-to-wheel action and unpredictability.

[NiceGuyEddie]

Key factor? Wet asphalt.

A 100% dry race and Ferrari would have had it in the pocket. Easy.

[RubberD]

Originally posted by NiceGuyEddie
Key factor? Wet asphalt.

A 100% dry race and Ferrari would have had it in the pocket. Easy.

It goes to show that the best car is not enogh when the driver has to do the job

[Damon]

They did choose the wrong tyres RubberD.

[Liz]

(1) The growing dismay among the Speed Channel announcers when they realised that no miracle was going to happen and destroy the first three cars so the fourth place car they kept the camera glued on was going to finish FOURTH!

(2) The number of times David Hobbs could say "Michaelschumacher" (one word) in one paragraph leaves me standing in awe. I think he is on pace to beat Peter Page's average of 45 "Mikey Mentions" per race in the days of Andretti worship in CART.

(3) The way they kept making fun of Ralf -- using that Colonel Klink voice to imagine what he was thinking; they did that all weekend and it was really funny!

(4) Imagining TGF screaming over the radio for somebody to force Kimi to let him by -- conveniently forgetting that Kimi was on a team that did not have a contract requiring this. Also watching Kimi smoothly move him into the grass as TGF did to Kimi at Magny-Cours last year, without wrecking either car.

(5) Imagining Jacques' smirk as he held Bunsen up in the pits by choosing to come in at the wrong time and screw up Bunsen's pit stop even if it meant he dropped down the order -- and imagining him pretending that it was an accident. ("Radio Trouble", my )

SEEING A PODIUM WITH NO FERRARI DRIVERS ON IT AND A POST-RACE PRESS CONFERENCE WITHOUT ANY FERRARI DRIVERS IN IT!

[NiceGuyEddie]

Originally posted by RubberD
It goes to show that the best car is not enogh when the driver has to do the job

No, just about calling the shots. They shouldve started on slicks. Being the best driver out there doesn't count for much when youre on the wrong tires. But thats water under the bridge. Usually they (Ross) gets it right.

But I take it you find yourself very funny...

[FIRE]

A wet race is always exciting.

[Tom Fuller]

I thought one of the key factors was from the Qualifying where you only get 1 lap and if you mess it up, then tough, and that you had to keep the same fuel from Qualifying into the race.

[Damon]

That was all pretty much nullified though by the wet start and the safety car periods.

[Radisichrox]

Originally posted by Liz
(1) The growing dismay among the Speed Channel announcers when they realised that no miracle was going to happen and destroy the first three cars so the fourth place car they kept the camera glued on was going to finish FOURTH!

Yeah, Rick DeBruhl was starting to annoy me with his complete lack of knowledge about Formula 1 as well as his clumsiness when it comes to identifying and talking about the cars on the track.

Bring back Bob Varsha or Mike Joy!

[Miss Hardt]

Originally posted by Liz
watching Kimi smoothly move him into the grass as TGF did to Kimi at Magny-Cours last year, without wrecking either car.[/B]

I knew he'll pay for that one day!

[Logrence]

I think the key factor over the coming year will be lack of track time contributing to the action - not so noticeable here, but I think it will be a major part of the season...

Tyres - another sneaky rule I didn't notice - teams must nominate ONE wet tyre they will want to use - that's going to make wet races SO much more exciting!!

I think once the teams begin to explore the new rules - the one lap qualifying, cars in parc ferme - they'll begin to have a much bigger impact on the action than we've even seen this morning...

[Adam43]

The weather was the main factor. Maybe the new rules allowed more mistkes to be made adding to the weather.

[allen_overy]

exciting because:

-1 lap qualifying: top cars (Mclaren this time) has to fight back from behind and this ensues suspense, uncertainty.

-no change to car after qualifying: real unpredictability to qualifying and race with various fuel loads, strategy.
(Kimi: 15th-->-->leading; DC: 11-->-->1st)

-(too) many safety car equlises the field

[Mr V]

Originally posted by NiceGuyEddie
No, just about calling the shots. They shouldve started on slicks. Being the best driver out there doesn't count for much when youre on the wrong tires. But thats water under the bridge. Usually they (Ross) gets it right.

So how come that Michael is so highly applauded for making the right decision with tyre choice etc when others don´t, but when i makes the wrong choice and another driver makes the right choice, they are not applauded, simple put down to anyone makes mistakes?

[pole2pole]

Why was it exciting? Well we seen a race today we didnt see two red cars drive off into the sunset we seen some great passing and great defending of positions and even with twenty laps to go you still didnt know who was going to take the win

[Mr V]

So it´s fair to say that the FIA´s rules have worked! That was definatly the most exciting Australian for quite a while.

[allen_overy]

Just that we do no see two red cars sweeping the front does not mean the rac is exciting. I don't think that is a factor at all. If MS and Kimi/JPM are in the two Ferraris respectively, and RACING, i will not mind.

[GXH]

Why..... because of the weather.
Wet track drying always makes a good race

[RubberD]

Originally posted by GXH
Why..... because of the weather.
Wet track drying always makes a good race

It was not only that. The race was as exciting towards the end when the track was completely dry.

I think the parc ferme rule hurts Ferrari and Schumi. They cannot use all their money to put 100 engineers to make Schumi's car perfect for the race. It is also the same for everyone else but the effect is lesser because no other driver gets the same kind of treatment as Schumi.

Looking forward for a diluge in Sepang. Bring it on baby

[429CJ]

Let's wait until the Barcelona race, traditionally the most boring GP of the season.

[RWC]

Nothing to do with the friken fia.It was the weather and (allmost)everyones incompetance!Great to see!!