The Australian Grand Prix (Fisichella wins!)

[Ed]

This is the place to discuss everything related to the first race of the 2005 season.

The Australian Grand Prix Preview is now available here.
The main Australian Grand Prix Page is now available here.

Team Previews (updated as they become available)

Williams. BAR, Sauber, Renault, McLaren, Toyota, Red Bull, Jordan

Michelin (also impact of tyre rules), Bridgestone

Team and Driver Quotes - Friday - Saturday - Sunday

FIA Press Conferences: Thursday, Friday, Q1, Q2, Race

[Ed]

Here is the event timetable for the Australian Grand Prix

1st Friday Practice 11:00 local time - 00:00 GMT
2nd Friday Practice 14:00 local time - 03:00 GMT

1st Saturday Practice 09:00 local time - 22:00 GMT (Friday)
2nd Saturday Practice 10:15 local time - 23:15 GMT (Friday)
Saturday Qualifying 13:00 local time - 02:00 GMT

Sunday Qualifying 10:00 local time - 23:00 GMT (Saturday)
Race 14:00 local time - 03:00 GMT

[Ed]

The latest weather forecast for the Australian Grand Prix (last updated 4 March)

Friday 22 Partly Cloudy

1st Practice (11:00) - 21 Partly Cloudy
2nd Practice (14:00) - 22 Partly Cloudy

Saturday 17 Showers

1st Practice (09:00) - 16 Showers
2nd Practice (10:15) - 16 Showers
1st Qualifying (13:00) - 16 Showers


Sunday 18 Mostly Cloudy

2nd Qualifying (10:00) - 17 Mostly Cloudy
1st Qualifying (13:00) - 18 Mostly Cloudy

___________________________________________________

TV Coverage (all times local times in the respective country):

Australia
Channel 10
Friday 4 March: Coverage from 1 to 4 PM (includes Practice 2 live)
Saturday 5 March: Coverage from 9 AM to 5 PM (includes Qualifying 1 LIVE)
Sunday 6 March: Coverage from 9 AM to 5 PM

Canada
TSN
Saturday 5 March: Coverage from 12:00 AM to 1:00 AM (Qualifying 1)
Saturday 5 March: Coverage from 9:00 PM to 12:00 AM Sunday(includes pre Race and the race Live)

India

Star Sports Channel
Saturday 5 March: Coverage from 7:27 AM (Qualifying 1)
Sunday 6 March: Coverage from 4:27 AM (Qualifying 2)
Sunday 6 March: Coverage from 8:10 AM (Race)

Russia
Kanal Sport
Saturday 5 March: Coverage from 5:00 AM to 6:20 AM (Qualifying 1 live. Repeated at 2:45 PM)
Sunday 6 March: Coverage from 1:55 AM to 3:00 AM (Qualifying 2 live. Repeated at 12:40 PM)
Coverage from 5:45 AM to 7.00 A.M (Race live. Repeated at 3:40 PM. Also repeated at 2:30 AM Monday 7 March, Kanal Rossia)
(thanks to sgd)

United Kingdom
ITV
Saturday 5 March: Coverage from 1:20 AM to 3:20 AM (includes Qualifying 1 live. Repeated at 12:55 PM)
Sunday 6 March: Coverage from 1:55 AM to 5:10 AM (repeated at 3 PM)

United States
SpeedTV
Thursday 3 March: Coverage from 10:00 PM to 11:00 PM (2nd Friday Practice)
Friday 4 March: Coverage from 9:00 PM to 10:00 PM (Qualifying 1. repeated at 12:00 AM Saturday)
Saturday 5 March: Coverage from 8:30 PM to 12:00 AM Sunday(includes Qualifying 2 delayed and the race Live)

If you know listings from other countries, please send a PM or email and we'll include here. Also let us know if there any schedule changes that you maybe aware of.

[alonsofan]

the preview for australia is right but alonso will not only win in australia but will dominate

[JayVee]

I don't think Renault and Alonso need to worry about Williams. Their race preview is very downbeat

Webber saying

I've had two non-finishes in the last two years but finished fifth in my first race there. I would love to improve upon that result this year
.
.
.
I'm expecting it to be a very close fight at the front and it would be great if we could come away from the first race with some points in the bag

Love to improve on 5th you'd think a Williams should finish in the top 5 regardless
Is he also hinting that they won't be at the front by being happy to score some points

[Julian Mayo]

Australians dont brag, until they are champions

[Ed]

Weather forecast updated (see top of this topic).

We could have a wet weekend

[Julian Mayo]

It's Melbourne, expect all four seasons in one day. It can be very wet, with a major wind chill factor, at noon friday, and 30c noon sat. The only thing between Melbourne and the South Pole is an insignificant bump (weatherwise)
called Tasmania.

[Graham Ross]

Yeah the weather is so unpredictable

I hope it is dry just so that we can see how the tyre rules will affect things

[JayVee]

Sunday RAIN!

I too hope that changes (chances are it will!)

Better go and check my picks again!

[Julian Mayo]

If it is a wet race, watch Schuey spearing off into the boondocks

[Ed]

Schedule of Press Conferences:

Thursday, March 3 15:00

Jenson Button (B?A?R)
Narain Karthikeyan (Jordan)
Juan Pablo Montoya (McLaren)
Michael Schumacher (Ferrari)
Mark Webber (Williams)

Friday, March 4 16:00

Pierre Dupasquier (Michelin)
Nick Fry (B?A?R)
Christian Horner (Red Bull)
Colin Kolles (Jordan)
Hiroshi Yasukawa (Bridgestone)

Saturday, March 5 Post Qualifying

Three fastest Drivers from Qualifying

Sunday, March 6 Post Race

First three finishing Drivers

[350Z]

I am sure Karthikeyan will be nervous at his first F1 conference sitting next to Montoya and Michael.

Hope that he handles the pressure on and off the track

[Julian Mayo]

They all parrot what they've been told to anyway. When's the last time you heard something original from a driver? Alan Jones?

[Graham Ross]

Just read Sauber's preview and Villeneuve reckons he's going on holidays