77 d) Unless he has used wet or extreme-weather tyres during the race, each driver must use at least one set of each specification of dry-weather tyres during the race.

it was only ONE race...dont get all pumped up..

okok but we'll see 

and btw, anyone know if there is an exception to the tire rule IF engine change?

Renault boss Flavio Briatore has refused to give any allowance for Heikki Kovalainen's rookie status and slammed the Finn's error-strewn F1 debut in the Australian GP.


After failing to qualify in the top ten, Kovalainen struggled throughout the season-opening race, committing a series of mistakes and making regular excursions off the track. Having impressed throughout winter testing, his dismal performance was a considerable surprise and one which left his temperamental team boss thoroughly unimpressed.


"Kovalainen had a horrible race," Briatore told RAI. "You need to be realistic: he did almost everything wrong.


"Of course he's a rookie but so is Hamilton so in these two weeks before the next race he needs to change his attitude and try to do better, because he has the capability to do it. Nothing went right today."


It wasn't an especially good day for the reigning World Champions overall either, with the underwhelming Giancarlo Fisichella unable to make an impression at the front of the grid. For the moment at least, Renault appear to be behind BMW and McLaren, as well as the front-running Ferrari.


According to Briatore, his team are around three-tenths of a second per lap slower than their leading rivals - a deficit he blames squarely on the switch to Bridgestone tyres following Michelin's exit from F1.


"We had a balanced car on Michelin, so to switch to Bridgestone we had a disadvantage, while McLaren had a different design so they had an advantage," he complained.


However, the Italian believes that Renault can still usurp McLaren and Ferrari this season.


"We haven't finished development, because when we fitted Bridgestones in the wind tunnel we lost 7%, so we've recovered some of it. When we did the first test with McLaren on track, they had three tenths over us already.


"We hope to recover by Bahrain, when we'll get the new aerodynamic parts."

If i'm not mistaken, Michael was about to lap DC when DC lifted his accelerator (not sure which part of the circuit, but i think its a high speed section), it was a wet track, so lifting will cause the car to slow down very fast, Michael crash into DC.

Ferrari were clearly faster than the Mclaren, heck Hamilton was droping alonso at the early part of the race. Alonso lost it plain and simple. Hamilton was then compromise by Sato and so lose out to Alonso.

Nick was clearly faster and Hamilton was no where near his back. Alonso was even further behind. Did Ron even watch the same race?

Ron will be the downfall of Alonso if anything.

Flavio Briatore has blamed the switch from Michelin to Bridgestone tyres for Renault's slow start to the 2007 F1 season.


Although Renault began the past two seasons with a race victory, they were unable to repeat the performance this year.


Giancarlo Fisichella could only manage sixth place in Sunday's season-opening Australian GP, while team-mate Heikki Kovalainen finished in tenth place.


And although some would suggest that Renault's lack of performance is the result of losing Fernando Alonso to McLaren, Briatore says it's actually down to the loss of the Michelin tyres.


All the teams were forced to switch to Bridgestone rubber after Michelin withdrew from F1 at the end of last year.


"We know we are behind, we knew this from the beginning," Briatore said following Sunday's race in Melbourne.


"We have a problem because the moment we put the Bridgestone on the 2006 car, immediately McLaren was quicker than us. Our car was so well-balanced with the Michelin, really we lost more than anybody."


He added: "The performance today (Sunday) really was a little bit worse than what we expected."


Renault now look forward to a three-day test at Sepang, where engineering head Pat Symonds says they will try their best to close the gap to the front-runners.


"The fact that we've got a better picture now of the relative competitiveness doesn't really alter the way we go about things," he said.


"This time last year we were out in front but we were still working pretty hard to make sure that we stayed there.


"The important thing is to try and analyse where we can best put the limited resources that you always have to try and close that gap down, and that's really where the analysis will be going on this week.


"We have three days of testing in Malaysia before the next race, there are a few new bits coming as always, so we're working from there."

Kimi had a leak during the closing stages of teh race due to overheating and extreme usage. While small, this might lead to an engine change in Malaysia

a driver doesn't need to have detailed information during a race. It will disrupt his focus in the race. That's why the pitboard only give so little info. Any other information can be managed by his team. That's what the team is there for
nah...I couldn't listen to another one of Alonso's rumbling nonsense...turned off the TV after he mentioned Fisi and went to bed

anyway...here we go again -

concur but if i may ask..whats with the pitboard? its not like they can see it can they? unless info is down then no choice but otherwise, whats with pitboards

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Added on March 20, 2007, 7:59 pmon a sidenote, i'll be damned if kimi has reliabiliy issues at ferrari

'Q. (Frederic Ferret - L'Equipe) "What is the difference between the two compounds for the race?"


'NH: "One is hard and the other one is soft."'