2011 Australian Grand Prix
The Australian Grand Prix 2011 was held on 27 March at the Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne instead and was the first race of the Formula 1 2011 season.
- 3.1 qualifying
- 3.2 race
- 4.1 Drivers' Championship
- 4.2 Constructors' Championship
Reports
Background
Originally, the season opener should not take place in Australia, but in Bahrain. Because of political unrest of the Bahrain Grand Prix was canceled.
The energy recovery system KERS returned with this Grand Prix returned to the Formula 1. The last time it was used at the Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi 2009. The use of KERS is not mandatory. While the front wing from 2011 is no longer adjustable, the rear wing can be adjusted. The so-called Drag Reduction System ( DRS ) was used for the first time. The use of F-duct and double diffuser has been banned for this Grand Prix.
Pirelli replaced Bridgestone with this Grand Prix from a tire manufacturer. At the Australian Grand Prix drivers were the hard tire compounds (silver) and soft (yellow), as well as for wet conditions Intermediates (light blue ) and Full - Wets (orange ) are available.
The 107- percent rule was reinstated as of this Grand Prix. This means that drivers who are seven percent slower than the fastest qualifier in the first qualifying session, can not participate in the race. However, there is the possibility that under certain circumstances, nevertheless, a start can be permitted.
For the first time since 1970 occurred with Fernando Alonso, Jenson Button, Lewis Hamilton, Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel five Formula 1 world champion at a Grand Prix. 1970, these were Jack Brabham, Graham Hill, Denis Hulme, John Surtees and Jackie Stewart.
Lotus joined this season's engine partner, and now occurs with Renault engines.
Jérôme D' Ambrosio, Pastor Maldonado, Sergio Perez and Paul di Resta gave their Formula 1 debut. Narain Karthikeyan returned for HRT in Formula 1, after he was active as a Grand Prix driver for the last time at the Grand Prix of China in 2005. However, he and his team-mate Vitantonio Liuzzi failed to qualify for the race itself. Nick Heidfeld (Renault) and Liuzzi (HRT ) was originally brought in for their new team.
With Schumacher ( four times ), Button ( twice), Alonso and Hamilton ( once each ) were four former winners of this Grand Prix.
Training
In the first free practice Mark Webber posted the fastest lap ahead of Vettel and Alonso. Daniel Ricciardo drove in this training the Toro Rosso of Jaime Alguersuari and participated for the first time in a Formula 1 training meeting. In addition, this training Nico Hülkenberg the Force India of di Resta and Karun Chandhok took over the Lotus of Jarno Trulli. HRT increased due to technical problems not take part in this training session. In the second free practice session Button took the lead position ahead of his team mate Hamilton. Alonso was third again. Towards the end of the training completed the track debut Liuzzi HRT F111. Karthikeyan drove again no round. In the third free practice Vettel set the fastest lap and was almost a second faster than his team-mate Webber, who finished second. Hamilton was third. Karthikeyan graduated this workout his first laps in the HRT 111
Qualifying
In the first phase of qualifying Vettel posted the fastest time. The HRT, Virgin and Lotus pilots and Heidfeld dropped out. Liuzzi and Karthikeyan failed due to the 107- percent rule and not qualified for the Grand Prix. In the second section Vettel stayed on the first position. The Williams and Force India pilots and Pérez, Jaime Alguersuari and Schumacher dropped out. In the third segment Vettel was again the fastest rider and secured the pole position ahead of Hamilton and Webber.
After the race turned out that Red Bull had dispensed with two cars on the use of KERS in qualifying and the race, as the team feared reliability problems.
Race
Vettel held the lead at the start ahead of Hamilton, who was attacked by Webber. Alonso had a bad start and dropped back to ninth place. Vitaly Petrov and Felipe Massa started well, however, and took places four and five. Button, Nico Rosberg and Kamui Kobayashi followed in sixth through eight. In the first round, however, there were minor incidents. Alguersuari collided with Schumacher. In this case both attracted to a puncture and had to pit. Towards the end of the first round, there was a collision between Heidfeld and Buemi. Buemi in Heidfeld's side and created so that the Renault of Heidfeld was not navigable. After the race showed the two racers who were able to continue mutually to blame for this collision.
While Vettel in the next rounds at the top anticipated drove and stopped a few seconds ahead of Hamilton, there were several duels in the front field. Alonso overtook Kobayashi and Rosberg and then lay behind Button, who sat Massa under pressure. Massa defended his position and had to adjust his brake balance because of his hard driving style because its brakes were too hot. Button use KERS and DRS, managed on the start -finish straight, however, no overtaking. In the eleventh round button next to Massa drove curve 11. In the curve combination 11/12 Button finally use the emergency exit and walked past Massa. A little later also overtook Alonso Massa.
While Maldonado failed with a technical problem on the power transmission, completed the first pilot their regular pit stops. Webber was the first pilot in the pits and changed from soft to hard tires. The two Ferrari drivers, of which Alonso first came to the pits, changed from soft to soft. After Hamilton had his deficit reduced to Vettel, even Vettel pitted and remained on soft tires. Hamilton thus assumed the leadership position. Meanwhile got button, which now lay ahead of Vettel, a drive-through penalty for the maneuver against Massa. Although Button still tried to keep Vettel behind him, but not succeeded, as Vettel profited from the fresh tires. After Hamilton had completed his pit stop three laps after Vettel and also changed from soft to soft, Vettel again took over the leadership position. Hamilton did not fall behind this button. Button drove through the rounds twice to the box. The first time he graduated from the drive-through penalty and the second time he switched from soft to soft.
In the next round, there were several incidents. Glock came first with technical problems to the box. He rejoined the race after a few laps but again and drove to end up with, but was not classified with nine laps down. However, Schumacher and Kovalainen gave their race in the pits. A little later the race for Schumacher's team-mate Rosberg had ended. Barrichello ventured a risky maneuver against Rosberg and drove him there in the page. Rosberg's car was thereby damaged so badly that he had to abandon the race. Barrichello drove on and was punished a little later with a drive-through penalty for triggering a collision.
While Vettel 's lead over Hamilton now enlarged, Webber came on the hard tires, with whom he could not keep up with the leading pilots of the box and switched back on soft tires. Even Alonso came a little later for his second pit stop. He shifted again on soft tires. This allowed him to drive faster lap times and he shortened the gap to Petrov, who was in third place. After 31 laps and Massa pitted for the second time. Unlike Alonso, however he moved on hard tires and would thus have been able to drive through without a pit stop.
After Hamilton is damaged through its dedicated driving his underbody, this had no significant impact on his race pace. After 36 laps Vettel and Hamilton were finally at the same time to the box. Both switched to hard tires and the distance remained unchanged. Also Petrov came to change to hard tires on the box and fell so behind Webber and Alonso. Alonso Webber put under pressure, did not come on the track but past him. Although Webber had driven both sets of tires, he moved again on soft tires. Since then he was just off the track, he was not able to exploit the advantage tires and Alonso, who joined shortly thereafter on hard tires, overtook Webber. Webber, who had no KERS, Alonso initially continued under pressure. However, was from an initial tire advantage of Webber and Alonso quickly tire disadvantage stopped in front of him. Both pilots then caught up to Petrov, however, came to him never close enough to overtake him.
After Massa was first overtaken by Button and was shortly after that of Pérez under pressure, he switched to soft tires. He fell so behind Buemi, with fresher tires he came, however, after a few laps past him. Then he scored the fastest lap of the race. Shortly before the end of the race finally gave Barrichello also on problems at the power station transmission.
Vettel eventually won the race ahead of Hamilton and Petrov, who was standing for the first time on the podium. Alonso, Webber and Button took places four to six. The Sauber drivers Pérez and Kobayashi came in seventh and eight to the finish. Pérez managed 35 laps to go on a soft set of tires in the race and was the only driver with a one- stop strategy. The joy of the good result at the Sauber team did not last long, however, as both pilots were disqualified for illegal rear wing. The remaining points therefore went to Massa, Buemi, Sutil and di Resta. Di Resta thus made the first point in his debut Grand Prix.
Message list
Classifications
Qualifying
Race
WM stands after the race
, The first ten of the race were 25, 18, 15, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2 and 1 point (s).