Kimi FTW! Said it was his easiest win. You could see people worrying Nando was catching and then Kimi goes and sets fastest lap. Lotus run ok last year in Malaysia so we'll see. Fingers still manages to get a podium though. Mclaren are shocking!

The more I see him the more I like Kimi. Just simple, down to earth no bul**** driver. If there is no chance of a brit WC this season then I think Kimi is my next choice.

Another point I forgot about in my daze this morning was Alonso's fantastic awareness of what is going on around him, like the opposite of Grosjean (last season). Crap video I know but . .

My predictions were rather wide off the mark and I am quite happy about it .

Kimi showed some class today, from waay back he won while showing the rest how this should be done, not a wheel turned in error today!

Fernando had speed but perhaps a bit unlucky.

RedBull showed surprising lack of top speed when Vettel was unable to overtake Sutil, who made his mark on the season with this great comeback after troubles with the law last year.

Hamilton was huffing and puffing and putting a very brave face and a fake smile to a performance clearly out driving car's potential once again - they were driving circles around him in RedBull and Ferrari...

Macca absolutely nowhere as expected.

I am surprised, in a positive way, with Ferrari's pace, astonished with Kimi's result and happy with RedBull's performance - 2013 has all the ingredients to give us the closest of seasons yet!

As I was watching on BBC in the evening (recorded) I had Suzy Perry to look at and listen too. So far verdict is not too favorable. Maybe she will grow on me, maybe Eddie will add what is currently missing, but at the moment she's simply disappointing and doesn't fit well in Jake's boots, and I did not like Jake that much either

Hamilton was huffing and puffing and putting a very brave face and a fake smile to a performance clearly out driving car's potential once again - they were driving circles around him in RedBull and Ferrari...

Really? That's not what I saw. At no point has he got anyone's hopes up about how well he would do. His target starting off was just to get points and if his tyres hadn't worn so much he would have been better. It's a fixable problem and wet pace from him and Rosberg looked decent. If I was Lewis I'd be even happier with the move. I'm a McLaren fan but both look awful and that's being kind! Jenson had to hurt the tyres in quali just to get a decent starting position and that hurt him come the race. Perez wasn't brilliant either and wasn't defending that hard. Both Force India's finished ahead of them! Both Sutil and Di Resta both drove well on different strategies. Red Bull aren't as quick in the race compared to last year. They will come back but there's work to do. Shame we didn't see what Hulkenburg could have done.

To say Suzy Perry is disappointing I think is wrong. It's her first day in F1 and good few years since she's done MotoGP. She's a lot better than Jake was on his first day . That kids TV presenter so many slagged off as not being good enough. When he left almost everyone said he'd done well and Suzy has a head start when it comes to experience. BBC only had the highlights this week but at no point did I think I was missing anything out. Everything was covered and none of it was dull. Sky's coverage just dragged on and so many adverts about bloody football! Race coverage for both is the same although Crofty needs to stop shouting. It's almost as if he's trying to be the loudest to get his point across.

Cracking race, great to see so many doing so well.

Well pleased with Kimi's win (fingers crossed that he can mount a serious title challenge). Nice to see Ferrari starting off well for a change, looks like RB still have a lack of top end speed, TR look good, Mercedes very good, force India looking good and Sutil's return drive was great. As for McLaren I think the less said the better.

Looking forward to a great season

It may be kimis for the taking I think this year , seems his tires don't touch the track ? No wear and mouthing EASY to lotus team principal AWESOME

Quick grabbag of points from the entire weekend.

1. When I said I didn't think we'd know who had the best single lap pace after Q3, I did not mean "becuse F1 cars are so badly engineered that they can't cope with rain". If they actually can't, then we need a fundamental change in the rules.
   
2. I still think that if you make Q3 and do't do a flying lap then you should have to start on the tyres you did your best lap in Q2 on.
   
3. Here's hoping that Ferrari and/or Mercedes can hold RBR over the whole season.
   
4. Suzi's intro: Well, for me it was worth more than all of Jake "Is There No Begining to my Talent?" Humphrey's "comedy intros".
   
5. Suzi generally; as the man said give her a chance. She was even looking more settled post race on Sunday than in the pre-Quali footage.
   
6. Eddie Jordan; He really does look and sound better as an empty space, doesn't he!
   

@MartynvRS (quoting doesn't want to work for me this morning :( )

Re Hamilton's performance.

I think we are talking about two different things. He's happy with the move for obvious reasons as Macca is a shopping trolley this season, he get's less sponsorship duties, got Paddy Lowe (memory serves correctly here?) with him from McLaren and all Merc team is build around him - comiserations to Nico here.

When I was watching Alonso pulled that overtaking manouver where Lewis locked and flat spotted his tyres like a karting rookie I was sitting there with me cheeks red as it was so embarassing watching Lewis making such a fool out of himself. This stupid ego trip costed him at least two places... he should have realised he stood no chance and let him go... I know, hindsight etc

Moreover, in the dry it was quite apparent Merc didn't sort out their woeful tyre degradation issues at all. Wet Qually masked the problem alowing both of them to be at the sharp point. When it dried out they stood no chance with Ferarri, RedBulls and Lotus. Still, all compliments to Lewis as he once again outdrove the machine he was given

Re Suzi Perry

Why is it wrong to say she was dissapointing? Surely, I am entiteled to my own opinion in the matter and If I felt her performance was disapointing, half hearted, clearly lacking F1 knowledge (which I was hoping she would have had 100% sussed out given her motorsport journalism background) and she made an impression on me as if she did not belong there then I will say she was dissapointing. You may ofcourse not agree with it .

However, I also said that I hope she will "grow on me", brush up on her F1 facts and be more confident. F1 is a typical anorak sport where "lay people" get bored rigid watching it. Therefore I was expecting much more of her. Perhaps I had my expectations waay too high and that is why I got so dissapointed in her, especially after her motorbike intro, which was cool . I do not have Sky so cannot make a comparison.

Just found this on the BBC website

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/21819226

Take a look at picture 12 of 13 - Kimi's steering wheel.

I particularly like "Translate (Anti-mumble)", "Open Gate" and "Finishing Position"

:rofl:

^

Nice find

Just found this on the BBC website

http://www.bbc.co.uk...rmula1/21819226

Take a look at picture 12 of 13 - Kimi's steering wheel.

I particularly like "Translate (Anti-mumble)", "Open Gate" and "Finishing Position"

:rofl:

They missed a button for a speech synthesiser to say "Leave me alone; I know what I'm doing".

Anyone else think that Max Chilton deserves congratulations for getting "to finish first, first you have to finish" right?

Max did a sterling job in finishing the Grand Prix, although he's learning quickly about excuses

My 10 year old stated upon seeing Max giving his post qually interview that he looks 15 .

Well done Max on you sucessful debute!

I do not have Sky so cannot make a comparison.

If you didn't like Suzi then you'd hate Lazenby or Lolzenby and some are calling him now. He has NO knowledge whatsoever and has been the same since he started last year. She will pick it up ok I think. I know us fans who know more of the tech side have to take a step back sometimes when either team will explain how aero works every season. It's always good to know and gets younger viewiers interested.

Max did Ok. People were a bit hard on him because at times Bianchi was faster but he has more experience in F1 cars even if it is his first season. Was amazed there was no contact for the first race and no safety cars. Melbourne normally has a few

Having seen how car chew through rubber in cold Melbourne I am wondering which tyres Pirelli are going to supply for Malaysia and that one is going to pan out. looks like cars designed to be gentle on tyres will be winners this season. Is Kimi going to do it for Lotus ? I really wish he does!

I thought Max did very Well and so did Lewis in his first race for Merc.

Weather prediction for Malaysian GP this weekend is risk of showers or thunderstorms across all 3 days. Temps bewteen 30 and 34c, with 70% humidity.

Adds a slight tilt on the tyre situation - rain AND heat.

Weather prediction for Malaysian GP this weekend is risk of showers or thunderstorms across all 3 days. Temps bewteen 30 and 34c, with 70% humidity.

Adds a slight tilt on the tyre situation - rain AND heat.

So pretty much as usual for Malaysia in March then.

Chances of at least one session being lost to "bad design engineering" I'm putting at middling to high.

Perfect "spectacle conditions" it seems. Should mix things up rather nicely! I think it will be a repeat of Melbourne more or less.

Interesting article - tyres are the key to winning races, not the outright pace

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/106155

After the red bull one two i thought oh here we go. What a pleasant surprise. Looked like masa had the legs as well. Pity he or the team made a minor strategy error.

Other than Mclaren being pants i was very satisfied. I kinda hope Button gets a better package as i still think hes the most down to earth driver in the field and deserves a decent car.

Roll on the next race, i cant wait. Just hope Newey doesnt pull a blinder and dreams up some incredible modifications that blows everyone else away as id really like to see Vettel under pressure.

After the red bull one two i thought oh here we go. What a pleasant surprise. Looked like masa had the legs as well. Pity he or the team made a minor strategy error.

Other than Mclaren being pants i was very satisfied. I kinda hope Button gets a better package as i still think hes the most down to earth driver in the field and deserves a decent car.

Roll on the next race, i cant wait. Just hope Newey doesnt pull a blinder and dreams up some incredible modifications that blows everyone else away as id really like to see Vettel under pressure.

Thoughts of doom (well, not that dramatic) did creep into my head when the RB's locked out the front row, although once they get a handle on making the tyres last I imagine they are going to be formidable once again.

Sadly, I think newey already has cooked up the magic, aerodynamicly speaking, it's just setting the chassis up to keep the tyres IMO.

Good to see the old Massa back. My scepticism says 'Suuuure, team error...', but at this stage it is what it is.

Also, very happy to see Kimi win, especially after Lotus racking up the least miles in winter testing, hope their reliability holds out...

Looked like Massa had the legs as well. Pity he or the team made a minor strategy error.

Ermm.... except this is Ferrari and he was leading Alonso...

As Rubens discovered - being No2 at Ferrari is not a good place to be if you want to win races/championships.

Roll on the next race, i cant wait. Just hope Newey doesnt pull a blinder and dreams up some incredible modifications that blows everyone else away as id really like to see Vettel under pressure.

Would be nice to see a Red Bull car which was designed to be faster in the races, to be able to overtake people, and not one which is designed to do a scorcher of a qualifying lap on a "clear" track and rely on the driver to stay ahead of / hold back everyone else to win the race.

Thoughts of doom (well, not that dramatic) did creep into my head when the RB's locked out the front row, although once they get a handle on making the tyres last I imagine they are going to be formidable once again.

Unless McLaren nobble the ECUs again

Overall I think we are still none the wiser as to who is fastest - Gary Anderson has done some very interesting number crunching regarding the lap times, removing pit stops etc and he comes to the conclusion that Alonso was actually quicker over the entire race distance by 6.175 seconds.

He also suggests "that the Lotus is very kind to its tyres; that we have not seen its true race pace yet; and it was almost certainly the fastest race car in Melbourne"

I do like Gary Anderson and the different perspectives he puts on the race, cars and drivers.

Full article here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/21860533