Turn 2 is okay but you don't really see the pit straight, only the exit of the corner and the run down to turn 3. There are two bigscreens and lots of beer vendors nearby though.

Turn 5 is good for Friday/Saturday's to see close up medium/high speed cornering from a rug while picnicing. Again you only see the corner entry and rear end of the car down to turn 6, but it's worth a look. There's one smaller bigscreen which is harder to see and on Sunday I wouldn't try there.

Turn 11/12 is probably the best spot although for some reason I've never watched the race from there. It's elevated, grassy, has a massive bigscreen (although usually is glare as it faces the sun) and is near the pit challenge/food court/beer stands. You can see the cars coming around the bend from 10 through 11, 12 and down towards 13 if you get the prime spots.

Thanks for the pics Djned

Rexx no probs - will take some pics soon.

Hey DJned

thanks for the pics and insight

it's crazy how there's no hint of the circuit (unlike Ile Notre dame... that most of the barriers are left up year round)
it just seems funny that the cars run thru the car park... on race day I would never have guessed

thanks for dropping the pics I'll return the favor with a pic of my vantage point ;)

Just an extra note on the curbing changes at the final corner. There are similar changes to almost all corner exits around the circuit.

The work has really nothing to do with Schumi hitting the wall, specially since Schumi no longer races.... did you actually see any pics of the track surface AFTER Schumi crashed? there was dirt, grass, and worst, debris all over the circuit. Since F1 is not so in love with yellow lights as NASCAR, they resurfaced the corner. I would prefer to leave grass on the outside and no wall with large off area, so that those who arrive too large, pay a huge prize for their mistake, but since the wall cannot be removed, this sounds a realistic solution. Instead of simply criticising, what solution did you have in mind to leave the corner as it was and at the same time avoid tons of debris, grass and dirt on the circuit?

None that's what comes with the price you pay for going off.

Plus the mess is usually cleaned within 2 or 3 laps anyway in F1, so no problem. It's just the fact that these days you are allowed to make mistakes and not pay the price for them.

again, there are ways to have someone pay the price for their mistake without crashing against a wall. More room and a tire wall maybe...but I have no problem with the resurface in question

It's not so much the wall that bothered me, but the friggin tree stump or whatever it was in the grass. Pole vaulting cars next to a wall is no fun.

Ok guys - here are some night shots. Turn 3 runoff is definitely NOT tarmac! Plenty of gravel here...





The names are now up on the pit garages!



Earlier in the night at Crown Casino there was a bit of a 60th Anniversary show for Ferrari, here are two pics - more to come later.



2006 Ferrari F99 GTB Fiorano



Dino



Less than two weeks to go!!!

Gerry, thanks for all the pics and updates

By the way, did you manage to go to Lygon Street yesterday for the Ferrari 'speed limit' demo? Would love to have witnessed that.

Hey Bumper

No unfortunately I missed out. I actually thought it was on Sunday and found out a little too late that it was on Saturday. A few friends went and said it was good. Sadly the cars were limited to 60kmph due to buerocratic laws. Apparently Gene was playing up to the crowd and enjoying himself. Seems like a good day despite the weather!

Hey Gerry....I will try to post more often... but usually I am merely stealing moments between dealing with clients and paperwork, just to read posts from all you "seasoned posters".

...at the moment I am laboriously working my way thru the Winter Testing thread...is there anything you can do about those off topic guys... drives me insane!!... wait... this is off topic here heheh!!

I also like turn 13...and usually park myself in Senna or Schumacher Stands... but spend plenty of time on Brocky's hill too...I am getting excited!!! 9 sleeps til the cars hit the track in anger!! Will you be there all 3 (4) days??

Thanks Gerry - looks like ING isn't using yellow on their signs for some reason

Here are some more pics - most likely my last before the GP.

I went down to the track sunday and unfortunately blockades were up so you couldnt walk up to the pit wall like every year. So didnt take many pics.

What is interesting is all the DUST blowing around the circuit due to the drought. If its windy again this weekend - the dust could be a major problem in keeping the circuit green and making tyre choice difficult.

Cargo sitting on pit straight



Looking forward to turn 2



The back pat of the track - sweeping turns 7 and 8



This is interesting (around turn 6 and 7). Notice the street sign stump (LOOK TO RIGHT)! Same as the one on the final corner last year. I presume this will be removed before the race



Looking back near the marina (turns 9 back to 6)



This is Turn 6 and the gravel track. Notice this year its paving ----> then fake turf (like the final cnr) ----> then real grass -----> then gravel!!

Melbourne has strong water restrictions at the moment due to Australia's most severe drought in history. The green grass shown in Gerry's Pictures ( ) has come at some expense to the surrounding lake, from which the water has in effect come - water that normally enters the Lake has been diverted to water the GP track grass. The use of such water has drawn some criticism, and the GP people have said its been for safety reasons. Melbournians aren't allowed to water their home grass anymore due to the water restrictions, our overall Melbourne total water reservours levels are around 33% full and falling, which is I think a record low. The Albert Park Lake is now almost empty, and those that normally use it in the winter - for instance the sailing clubs have cancelled their winter sailing this year - such Lake users will not be able to use the Lake this year due to its very low levels.

So, enjoy the green grass around the track guys!

Thanks for the pictures Gerry, and thats quite alarming Melbourne Park! Hope you get plenty of water during the winter!

we wont.

I promise to not drink any water while in Melbourne this weekend.

Better make sure you drink the imported stuff then.

Thanks Gerry. It is always a pleasure to find active people from around the world who are able to share pics and info. Fingers from one hand are enough to count the days

the lake is low?! solely because the water was used for the trackside grass?! that's incredible...what about the abundant wildlife

@Menace: melbourne's main rainfall is in summer. it has a drier winter.

If they were that worried about the colour couldnt they just have sprayed dye on it? Can't see why well watered grass is safer.

was the grass watered for F1, so it looks good on tv? that's not quite what they mean by "f1 going green", no?


thanks for the pictures.

http://www.pitpass.com/images/headlines/ci...lbourne3400.jpg


check out this pic from pitass. YAY!

Actually Melbourne's rainfall is fairly even all year round; but there is more in the cooler months, ignoring the evaporation factor, which is much greater in the warmer months. Melbourne Rainfall Data Of course, Melbourne's water comes from the areas around the various reservours, which are not actually in Melbourne.

The water in the Lake was low before the race authorities started watering the grass. According to Buster Hooper, who runs a family owned business located at the Lake since the 1900s sometime, simple actions could have taken place to divert water back to the Lake that otherwise find their way into the storm water and into Port Philip Bay. But no one was interested in such recoveries, and the Lake water levels which could be been enhanced with such action, will continue to radically fall. Its easy to walk right across the Lake right now and not get your stomach wet.

Those who work at the Lake, and know the area well, think that it was done for the TV. They are dubious about the "safety" aspect. But maybe there has been an element of safety ... but if so, the water used would have been a very small percentage of the total used to water surrounding grass areas around the course. Most of the water has not been used for those areas that might be related to race car and public safety.

One thing that has been done though is that the water which fills crowd barriers, will be used to water trees after the race weekend. Such hollow plastic barriers are filled with water to locate them, and they will be moved away from the race area and put into various areas around Melbourne next to large and drought threatened trees. Their drainage plugs will be partially opened to allow the adjacent tree to be slowly fed water until much later the barrier finally drains empty.

it makes me feel stupid - it was done for folks like us, but geez i'd much rather watch cars drving next to dry grass knowing that the water was used for something usefull as i don't by the safety business at all - when you're off, you're off. it's not like well watared water has charachetistics of tarmac or something.

and im sincerly sorry to hear about the drought, are there any signs it will be over soon?

and really, highlighting the problem (by showing dried out grass next to a f1 car, i know it sounds stupid) would be a great way to show that f1 tries to be eco friendly... ok, make that "sligly less eco un-friendly".

It's a Ferrari train.

There is only one safety aspect i can think of, and that's if a car goes off with a technical problem onto unwatered dry dead grass, the heat from the car is more than enough for the grass to easily catch fire, as it happens in V8 supercars alot in at some race tracks. well watered green grass dosen't light.

They are predicting it ... but it hasn't happened yet. And Victoria has parts which are not so bad, most of Australia is much worse off than this Southern - and therefore cooler - State.

Its possable that global warming is increasing the El Nino effect, a warm current that moves somewhat, and which causes drought in Australia. And we are now thinking that the continent will simply become much drier in much of its regions. We are already the driest continent by quite some margin, and its getting worse. Even if its merely a cyclical phenominon, and not global warming, then we are still on a prolonged downward rainfall trend.

I don't think so, because the dead grass would be too short to be a fire risk.

Dust is an issue though, green grass stops it blowing across the track ... and green grass also draws specatators, a dust bowel would turn people away. And of course, the image of a burn't / dry landscape would be bad publicity for Melbourne.

Here is a pic of Albert Park lake taken from Turn 6 looking towards turns 8 and 9. The water isnt as hight as it used to be - but its not too bad.

But as Melb Park said - we are in the midst of a bad drought - cant water lawns or wash cars etc.

Well, its disastrously bad. The sailboats are having to sail with their centreboards up. If they tip their boats over, they walk over and pull the boats up, previously they had to swim next to their boats. The coming winter sailing is cancelled. Drop down to Hooper's Boat Shed and chat to Buster Hooper, he'll fill you in. It's inbetween the two yacht clubs.

Thank you for the pics

Who denies Global Warming?

Oh I dont disagree that its not in a bad state because you can tell it is (when you have seen it in past years). Plus there are no boats!! But to those who have no idea - I dont think they would be able to tell.

does anyone know if qualifying will be shown at federation square? planning to go watch it there but seems like it may not be shown?

The new Toyota looks as fast as ever

http://www.suttonimages.com/fotoweb/poster...sp?D07AUS25.JPG

Yes.

Although there isn't enough water for proper sailing this year, the yacht races that were there for many years during the race were stopped a couple of years ago. The prime reason was that sailing competitors got free general passes, and the Grand prix organisers wanted the sailors to pay for individual entry tickets. The sailing competitors said no, so the yacht racing on the Lake during the weekend stopped. It would have been a neat place to look at F1 cars, despite the racing sailors mostly ignoring the cars. Now the two yacht clubs and Hoopers boat shed close down for the GP weekend.

and while kimi was not seen on track yet, fernando already works hard as ever

haha, that's great. let's play 'what's in the box'...

i really wish mclaren would stop making those ridiculous tight t-shirts. at least this year's isn't salmon and grey...but it still looks horribly ill-fitting and unflattering on anyone other than a lithe f1 driver (i wonder how montoya filled them out). any pics of mclaren roadies wearing them hurt my eyes

Is that UPS on the front of the box? If it is, then its been recently couriered ... I wonder what it is?

I know what its not: beer.

It's a present from Michael ...

Think Se7en

wow, thanks for the pics, didn't know Fernando was working for ups these days, Ron needs to give him a pay rise.

Your post seems to undermine Kimi

But in his defense..

Kimi has just boarded his plane today. He will be in Melbourne by tonite.

You will be seeing him on the track tomorrow. btw, he just raced last weekend in a snowball racing event and managed to win it convincingly.

How do you race a snowball, doesn't it melt before you get to the end?

Funny

It was a snowmobiling race. My bad

cool.