Formula One 
/ James Frankland / 26 March 2011 / Leave a Comment 
You were that fast without KERS?
"Given his speed, Vettel’s odds are understandably on the stingy side at [2.06]. Speed talks in F1 but Red Bull have a history of unreliability – last year Vettel lost a win in Bahrain due to a cracked exhaust and then dropped maximum points here in Australia with a brake failure."
James Frankland on what we know so far about the different cars ahead of the first race of the season.
Sitting in the centre of the press conference after securing pole position in Australia, Sebastian Vettel looked calm and relaxed. As well he might, because he knows that in the Red Bull RB7 he has an extremely fast car with which to begin the defence of his 2010 crown.
The measure of his advantage was about to be brought into sharp focus, when the opening question in the press conference revealed he had not used his KERS power boost (worth about 0.3s per lap) to set the time. That revelation caught Lewis Hamilton, sitting to Vettel's right by virtue of his second place, by surprise and his eyebrows arched upwards in shock. It later transpired Hamilton was unable to use his KERS either, due to a system failure in the final part of qualifying. But the existence of a 0.8s per lap difference between Red Bull and McLaren suggests that it is again the blue cars that will hold sway on track in 2011.
However, and as is ever the case in Formula One, there are factors that blur the picture somewhat. The new Pirelli tyres are a relative unknown - the teams have tested extensively on them during the winter and found that they will need to be used in a very different manner to the more durable Bridgestone rubber from previous seasons. With an emphasis on the driver to manage tyre wear throughout the race, drivers like Mark Webber (third on the grid) and Jenson Button (fourth) could come into play if their strategists are on the ball.
Last year's title contender Fernando Alonso could only line up fifth in the Ferrari, a full 1.7s off the pace of the Red Bull. Fernando's race pace will undoubtedly be closer to that of the leaders but it was an inauspicious start for the Maranello team who have been very public in their desire to win this year's championship.
Given his speed, Vettel's odds are understandably on the stingy side at [2.06]. Speed talks in F1 but Red Bull have a history of unreliability - last year Vettel lost a win in Bahrain due to a cracked exhaust and then dropped maximum points here in Australia with a brake failure. On that basis, Hamilton is worth a punt at [7.0] but his ability to keep the fragile Pirellis in shape could limit his ability to mix it with Vettel and Webber ([6.8]) over a race distance if the RB7s hold together. Conversely, Button's ([10.5]) smooth driving style may give him an advantage, even if outright pace is lacking.
It will take a few races before the 'right' tyre strategy becomes clear and until that happens, there are likely to be some unexpected results.
Recommended Bet:
Back Lewis Hamilton to win the Australian GP at [7.0]
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