Your Reject of the Race - Australia!

GwilymJJames · Post by **GwilymJJames** » 27 Mar 2011, 08:07

I'd like to chuck in a mention for Ferrari, purely because their driver-swap and then pit-stop, forcing Button into a drive-through, really annoyed me.

TomWazzleshaw · Post by **TomWazzleshaw** » 27 Mar 2011, 08:09

GwilymJJames wrote:I'd like to chuck in a mention for Ferrari, purely because their driver-swap and then pit-stop, forcing Button into a drive-through, really annoyed me.

Well I'm not a Ferrari fan but you got to admit that it was a brilliant tactical 1-2 which effectively removed Button from the equation.

the Masked Lapwing · Post by **the Masked Lapwing** » 27 Mar 2011, 08:13

GwilymJJames wrote:I'd like to chuck in a mention for Ferrari, purely because their driver-swap and then pit-stop, forcing Button into a drive-through, really annoyed me.

I have a feeling that if they hadn't stopped, they would have gotten back past Button and Alonso would have gone "Thanks, sucker!" and disappeared off into the distance.

GwilymJJames · Post by **GwilymJJames** » 27 Mar 2011, 08:14

Wizzie wrote:
GwilymJJames wrote:I'd like to chuck in a mention for Ferrari, purely because their driver-swap and then pit-stop, forcing Button into a drive-through, really annoyed me.

Well I'm not a Ferrari fan but you got to admit that it was a brilliant tactical 1-2 which effectively removed Button from the equation.

Oh sure, brilliant tactical move. But that doesn't mean I have to like it.

TomWazzleshaw · Post by **TomWazzleshaw** » 27 Mar 2011, 08:15

GwilymJJames wrote:
Wizzie wrote:
GwilymJJames wrote:I'd like to chuck in a mention for Ferrari, purely because their driver-swap and then pit-stop, forcing Button into a drive-through, really annoyed me.

Well I'm not a Ferrari fan but you got to admit that it was a brilliant tactical 1-2 which effectively removed Button from the equation.

Oh sure, brilliant tactical move. But that doesn't mean I have to like it.

Hey. I didn't say I liked it either.

Post by **mario** » 27 Mar 2011, 08:16

Much as it might pain me to say this, Rubens has this award bought, paid for and sitting on his mantlepiece. He threw away his qualifying with a basic error, overdid it in his attempts to make up ground on the opening lap, and took out Rosberg in a move that was only ever going to end in an accident.

There are quite a few candidates for the dishonourable mention, though - Heidfeld, for having a weekend to forget, and Massa, for being so far off the pace (he finished nearly a minute behind Alonso).
Webber, to a certain extent, fits in here too - he had no answer to Vettel, either in qualifying or the race, and despite having what is arguably the best car in the field, he finished in 5th place only, which is only joint equal with the best finish he's had in Australia - in a Minardi. That said, the way that he parked the car up at the end of the race makes me wonder if he had some sort of problem on board.

Cynon · Post by **Cynon** » 27 Mar 2011, 08:18

Rubens Barrichello - :lol:

GET OUT NOOB
Nick Heidfeld - How's it like to be in Petrov's position last year? Except Petrov actually made up positions on the track during the race!
Petrov's Doubters - Kobayashi-esque passing on the start, cool head when it was needed. So wait, this man didn't deserve his F1 seat?
KERS + DRS rules - They negated each other, producing less passing, however, they did produce a new style of passing: RUN THE OTHER GUY OFF THE ROAD!!!

Ferrim · Post by **Ferrim** » 27 Mar 2011, 08:43

Barrichello. At least Heidfeld didn't destroy anyone else's race.

Kobacrashi · Post by **Kobacrashi** » 27 Mar 2011, 09:04

Has to be the people that came up with DRS. I was thinking that surely if a car was in a slipstream then what is the point reducing some of the drag as we all know that a slipstream makes the car faster anyway. So all that happens is in the slipstream the car becomes slightly more stream lined but as Mr Coulthard said in commentry, the effect of the wing is like strapping on 100hp, but he also said that a slipstream has about the same effect. So the device makes a qualifying lap quicker but following a car it makes little or no difference in comparison.

So how the people who thought this would be a good idea is beyond me and well deserving of ROTR.

LukeB · Post by **LukeB** » 27 Mar 2011, 09:12

Barrichello. Old as Methuselah, can't get round turn 3.

James1978 · Post by **James1978** » 27 Mar 2011, 09:17

Gotta be Rubens (Zippy). Was he seriously the most experienced driver on the grid?

pablo_h · Post by **pablo_h** » 27 Mar 2011, 09:21

Got to be Barrichello. I am disappoint.

Salamander · Post by **Salamander** » 27 Mar 2011, 09:29

Rubens Barrichello truly had a shocking weekend - you'd never have guessed he was the most experienced man on the grid with all those mistakes.

HRT obviously have to be mentioned, however, it wasn't unexpected that the would fail to qualify.

Mercedes seem to be stuck in a downward spiral. I know their double DNF was by no means their fault, but when you consider the same team produced a 1-2 two years ago, and now they've slipped behind Red Bull, McLaren, Ferrari, possibly Renault and maybe even Sauber too.

DRS completely failed to do it's job. I have been thinking about it a bit, though, and I would say that I think the major problem is with the stringent conditions on it's usage.

Mark Webber seems to still be stuck in the mindset he was in Abu Dhabi last year, and it's just not good enough.

Felipe Massa seems to be well and truly broken now - some spirited defense against Button in the first stage seems to be all that is left of his 2008 self.

But for me, I'm going to have to stick with Neid Hickfeld. Very Liuzzi-esque - he qualified poorly, started okay, showing some talent, but then just seemed to be stuck in a holding pattern. I don't think I saw him once in the entire race. And when Petrov, the team's weak link from last year, thoroughly destroyed him over the weekend, it does not bode well.

tkcom · Post by **tkcom** » 27 Mar 2011, 09:35

My honourable mention goes to live timing on F1 official site. It seemed no one can get it to work the whole race.

McDuck · Post by **McDuck** » 27 Mar 2011, 09:42

tkcom wrote:My honourable mention goes to live timing on F1 official site. It seemed no one can get it to work the whole race.

I downloaded the official F1 Android app at it worked great. It was nice to be able to keep track of the race during commercials/toilet breaks.

With regards to ROTR, I would say that honor goes to 'making a fool of one's team or oneself because they are unable to extract the maximum out of the car'. The HRT DNQs, Rubens crashing into people, Massa spinning in practice, Button's road rage, various teams lack of development/race pace, etc all seem to fit this.

James1978 · Post by **James1978** » 27 Mar 2011, 09:54

Button definitely deserves an honourable mention for thinking that move on Massa was legal!!! (and in turn, Button got a drive through penalty, then still managed to catch and pass Massa, which really should not have been possible......)

thehemogoblin · Post by **thehemogoblin** » 27 Mar 2011, 10:42

HRT takes the cake, because nothing says "reject" quite like "DNQ."

Captain Hammer · Post by **Captain Hammer** » 27 Mar 2011, 10:47

James1978 wrote:Button definitely deserves an honourable mention for thinking that move on Massa was legal!!!

In Button's defence, he had Seb Syndrome, which is a condition that affects a driver's visibility, meaning that he cannot turn his head to see what is immediately to the left or right of him. He was alongside Massa at the time and had the inside line going into turn twelve.

On this note, I'd like to nominate Ferraru for issuing team orders to Massa. I know team orders are legal, and I might not like that, but I'm willing to accept them if it only affects the internal team order. By having Massa and Alonso swap places, Ferrari were forcing Button to gift a position to Alonso, which is very unsporting. Doubly so if they deliberately pitted Massa before Button gave the plce back to stick Button with a drive-through penalty.

However, since neither of those can be proven here, I'm going to nominate anyone who thought Petrov was only at Renault because of his bank balance. I don't know what they've done to him, but if this is the shape of things to come, then Petrov is going to be the joker in the deck this year. The favourites have raced each other for so long that they all know one another's strengths and weaknesses as well as their own. But Petrov has never been on their radar until now; they know virtually nothing about him except that he's not afraid of Fernando Alonso (Jamie, feel free to use this description of Petrov in the race write-up). All the focus this weekend has been who is on the top five grid places, but no-one thought to look backwards to the Russian. If Petrov has a similar performance in Malaysia, everyone will be watching their sixes.

Chewie · Post by **Chewie** » 27 Mar 2011, 10:47

Bernie - the top man doesn't bother to go to the first race of the season? At least HRT turned up you evil pixie!!!!

Heidfeld - Apart from the front two teams; every other driver would love to give that car a go! and bloody Heidfeld gets to show just how plodding he can be in a potetially winning car.

HRT - Prodrive got snubbed in favour of this shower of shite, (oh and to make Dave Richards even more mad, USGP too!!!!)

But for me the worst was

Webber - looks like a spanked arse all weekend, totally fails to get a podium out of an astonishingly fast car. moans too much. (Some very big names will want that car next year; Hamilton and Alonso aren't idiots and would jump at the chance Newey could give them)

TomWazzleshaw · Post by **TomWazzleshaw** » 27 Mar 2011, 10:52

Chewie wrote:(Some very big names will want that car next year; Hamilton and Alonso aren't idiots and would jump at the chance Newey could give them)

Umm, who in their right mind would want the 2nd Red Bull seat? (Other than someone incredibly desperate for a top drive of course)

Salamander · Post by **Salamander** » 27 Mar 2011, 10:55

Captain Hammer wrote:But Petrov has never been on their radar until now; they know virtually nothing about him except that he's not afraid of Fernando Alonso.

Some say that races a Lada, and that he is not afraid of Fernando Alonso. All we know is, he's not the Stig, but he is the Stig's Russian cousin!

Klon · Post by **Klon** » 27 Mar 2011, 11:08

Chewie wrote:HRT - Prodrive got snubbed in favour of this shower of shite, (oh and to make Dave Richards even more mad, USGP too!!!!)

Please, comparing Prodrive to HRT is an insult to Kolles and his team. Prodrive was a laughable pseudo-effort, HRT already managed to do a full season. HRT >>>> Andrea Moda >= Prodrive.

FullMetalJack · Post by **FullMetalJack** » 27 Mar 2011, 11:13

F1's Veterans - Webber outshined by Vettel, Heidfeld embarrased by Petrov and Barrichello also has a weekend to forget.

Captain Hammer · Post by **Captain Hammer** » 27 Mar 2011, 11:19

Chewie wrote:HRT - Prodrive got snubbed in favour of this shower of shite, (oh and to make Dave Richards even more mad, USGP too!!!!)

Prodrive got snubbed because they tried and failed to make the grid previously. And even if their failure was a driect result of someone else's inability to get certain rules approved, Prodrive are not exonerated by any means. Dave Richards never considered a) that someone would oppose the customer chassis regulations, as Williams did and b) an alternate solution to making the grid. They put all their eggs in one basket, and then that basket got dropped.

Faustus · Post by **Faustus** » 27 Mar 2011, 11:36

Captain Hammer wrote:
Chewie wrote:HRT - Prodrive got snubbed in favour of this shower of shite, (oh and to make Dave Richards even more mad, USGP too!!!!)

Prodrive got snubbed because they tried and failed to make the grid previously. And even if their failure was a driect result of someone else's inability to get certain rules approved, Prodrive are not exonerated by any means. Dave Richards never considered a) that someone would oppose the customer chassis regulations, as Williams did and b) an alternate solution to making the grid. They put all their eggs in one basket, and then that basket got dropped.

Damn right. We should have no sympathy whatsoever for David Richards. They never even considered making their own car and tried to force the FIA's and the other teams' hand to allow to race McLarens and in the process managed to deprive another prospective team of a place on the grid.

Faustus · Post by **Faustus** » 27 Mar 2011, 11:37

ADx_Wales wrote:DRS

Formula Catflap doesnt work. Especially when you limit it to one piece of track whenever the moon turns orange.

I'm with you on this one. Complete and utter waste of resources.

Henrique · Post by **Henrique** » 27 Mar 2011, 11:45

New teams of 2010 - HRT was miserable. DNQ was expected, but hardly practicing? Virgin's qualification was always in doubt during practices. Lotus was never in doubt, but they were still no match for the older teams. What I mean is that none of them improved very much from last season. Lotus in particular was disappointing.

Nick Heidfeld - Reminded me of Dave Walker. Ironic, because Walker was in Lotus too!

fjackdaw · Post by **fjackdaw** » 27 Mar 2011, 12:21

Barrichello - It was a bad weekend, though I wouldn't want to condemn him to the scrap heap like so many other people, just for some scrappy moments. He still has speed, he just needs to get his head together.

Getting rid of drivers so quickly - I've always thought drivers needed at least a year to bed in, but these days they get turfed out on their ear if they're not setting the world alight by the end of their first season. It's quite likely that Petrov is indeed only still in F1 because of his money, but he's a great example of why patience is so often needed.

Button - There's surely enough precedence just to let Massa back through and not risk the drive-through. It can't have been worth the gamble.

tc3j3r · Post by **tc3j3r** » 27 Mar 2011, 12:31

A few good cases but one stands above the rest:
Rubens Barrichello Supposedly the most experience in the field, was retained over the promising Hulkenberg for that reason, dove like the only rookie in the field both in qualifying and the race.

Valrys · Post by **Valrys** » 27 Mar 2011, 12:38

I'm not going to nominate a ROTR, as quite frankly, nothing stood out particularly when you look at the facts, so here are my honourable mentions:

Hispania - I love the team, and they did fantastic work to even get the cars built, and within 8 and 10 seconds of the Q1 pace after such few laps, but anyway you look at it, it was a rejectful weekend on performance, with the first double DNQ since Arrows in 2002, and the first on merit since Lola 1997
Button - that pass around the outside of Massa was never really going to come off, and once it hadn't, if he'd given it straight back he might even have given Petrov a run for his money for the final podium space (24 seconds behind him at the finish....)
Heidfeld - getting thrashed by Petrov, of all people, isn't something you want happening, but he DID make a fantastic start to 12th, before being assaulted by someone and suffering massive damage to one of his sidepods (Adam Cooper tweeted about it, apparantly it looked like a bomb had gone off in his sidepod!)
Williams - Maldonado and Barrichello both had lazy excursions into the gravel in practice/qualy, then broke down early, and assaulted Rosberg with a stupid move, and even if as he claimed "I was defending from Kobayashi" that just makes it look even more amateur. Nightmare weekend
Everyone running KERS other than Red Bull - seriously, are you guys even trying? :lol:

Massa - if he drives like this every race, I don't reckon it'll be long before he's out on his ear

fjackdaw · Post by **fjackdaw** » 27 Mar 2011, 12:47

Valrys wrote:I'm not going to nominate a ROTR, as quite frankly, nothing stood out particularly when you look at the facts, so here are my honourable mentions:

Hispania - I love the team, and they did fantastic work to even get the cars built, and within 8 and 10 seconds of the Q1 pace after such few laps, but anyway you look at it, it was a rejectful weekend on performance, with the first double DNQ since Arrows in 2002, and the first on merit since Lola 1997
Button - that pass around the outside of Massa was never really going to come off, and once it hadn't, if he'd given it straight back he might even have given Petrov a run for his money for the final podium space (24 seconds behind him at the finish....)
Heidfeld - getting thrashed by Petrov, of all people, isn't something you want happening, but he DID make a fantastic start to 12th, before being assaulted by someone and suffering massive damage to one of his sidepods (Adam Cooper tweeted about it, apparantly it looked like a bomb had gone off in his sidepod!)
Williams - Maldonado and Barrichello both had lazy excursions into the gravel in practice/qualy, then broke down early, and assaulted Rosberg with a stupid move, and even if as he claimed "I was defending from Kobayashi" that just makes it look even more amateur. Nightmare weekend
Everyone running KERS other than Red Bull - seriously, are you guys even trying?
Massa - if he drives like this every race, I don't reckon it'll be long before he's out on his ear

Hm, maybe all Heidfeld's nominations should be changed to the FOM coverage instead, in that case.

QuickYoda41 · Post by **QuickYoda41** » 27 Mar 2011, 12:56

Barrichello beats everyone - and now I even see his defence :lol:

Ross Prawn · Post by **Ross Prawn** » 27 Mar 2011, 13:02

Hispania-Its the second season now so there are few excuses, a truly rejectful performance. What's the point?

Heidfeld - Ok, maybe he had some damage but he still seems to have wasted a competitive car all weekend. Must have been nearly lapped by Petrov.

Honourable mention to Mark Webber. Not bad for a number 2 driver.

Barbazza · Post by **Barbazza** » 27 Mar 2011, 13:16

1) Nick Heidfeld. I love Nick, I really do, but Petrov on the podium and him that far back indicates an awful performance
2) Rubens Barrichello. A close 2nd as he at least did one exciting overtake. Unfortunately the next one was a little less successful.

DanielPT · Post by **DanielPT** » 27 Mar 2011, 13:40

redbulljack14 wrote:F1's Veterans - Webber outshined by Vettel, Heidfeld embarrased by Petrov and Barrichello also has a weekend to forget.

This.

Enforcer · Post by **Enforcer** » 27 Mar 2011, 13:52

Hispania Hardy surpring but the only team not to qualify = rejectworthiness.

Barrichello His attempt on Rosberg was really poor from any driver, much less the most experienced F1 driver of all time.

Aerospeed · Post by **Aerospeed** » 27 Mar 2011, 14:19

HRT - Well, does "Did not Qualify" be enough evidence?

Barrichello - Yeah, the overtaking move on Rosberg was idiotic...

P_Friesacher · Post by **P_Friesacher** » 27 Mar 2011, 14:25

1) Barrichello - strong showing until committing to dumb overtaking attempt that cost him and Rosberg the race.

2) HRT - I know it's far from a surprise, but they were still exceptionally rejectful

golic_2004 · Post by **golic_2004** » 27 Mar 2011, 14:32

I'll definitely give it to Barrichello. Ruining both his and Nico Rosberg's days.

James1978 · Post by **James1978** » 27 Mar 2011, 14:38

Don't see the point of saying HRT for RotR - after all, I expect them to be similar to this in the coming races!