ROTR Australia 2012

[Wizzie]

2nd: Bruno Senna - Exactly as in some of the races he did for Renault, the reason why he dropped back was no fault of his own, but he seemed to accept it and just faded into anonymity.

Any misfortune this race was no fault of Senna. He got a good start, but got launched by a Torro Rosso, and spun around. Considering how high he went in the air, he must have had some sort of damage somewhere on the car. It really put him out of contention, and there wasn't much more he could do after that. Was making a decent drive back up the grid, until Massa decided to use his car to help him make the corner. Maldonado's brilliant drive makes Senna look bad, though, but I think that Bruno could've been on for points as well if it wasn't for turn 1.

Exactly, I'm pretty sure it was Daniel Ricciardo that punted him off. Not to take anything away from Daniel's recovery drive, but it has to be taken into account!

Having looked at a video of the start again, it almost looked like as if Senna was too busy trying to avoid Vergne who had just been punted off the track by the slow starting Webber (who was also having to contend with Hulkenberg going down the inside of him and Maldonado trying to steam past the lot of em) before Senna crossed right in front of Ricciardo seconds later.

[golic_2004]

Massa hands down from being the first to hit the "sandbox" in practice to the silliness of getting caught up with Senna. This may be 2009 again, only he will be out of the car in the middle of the year due to his performance.

[madmark1974]

A few contenders for me :

Maldonado - great drive until the last lap rejectness, but, having checked the 'official ROTRs' from 2009, Hamilton avoided getting ROTR when he crashed on the last lap at Monza,
so I'll let him get away with it this time, but he does look a bit 'unstable' amongst the big boys at the front.

Senna - much like last year's performances for Renault, once stuck down the field he just pootled round, and then had another accident to finish the day off.

Massa - also much like last year, only seems to crash into people who are trying to overtake him - because he is so slow he's never in a position to overtake anyone himself ...

HRT and Caterham - what progress? Ok so Marussia were slow, but at least ~mostly~ reliable, despite Pic not even seeming to exist (never saw him the whole weekend).

But for me, I'm going for Mercedes GP - so much promise - to the extent that other teams were all lining up to complain about their performance advantage - made a mess of qualifying,
Rosberg seemed to have been replaced by the real Britney so submissive was his driving (apart from the start and one other moment of aggression), and a technical problem for the Schu
when he looked on for a decent result. They should have been 5th and 6th at worst, and ended up with nothing. They will probably be a team to watch next weekend and for the rest of the
season, so getting a bit fat zero here seems like a wasted opportunity.

[eagleash]

Massa

[Python]

Having seen just watched highlights of the race last night here are some of my thoughts for ROTR

Massa - Me and my dad saw him getting together with Senna and my dad asked me if he thought he was racing on a dirt track instead of an street circuit in an F1 car.

Maldonado - To quote my dad "I've never seen anyone do that before".

[DanielPT]

I will go for Massa. Absolutely anywhere at any given time of the race. Special mentions to Senna who was trashed by Maldonado and did a race much like Massa and for Caterham who are still far from the midfield and more unreliable.

[jackanderton]

Massa

[Faustus]

Massa gets my vote.

[AdrianSutil]

I must say, I'm surprised there's quite a few votes for Senna. Now, I'm not a huge fan of his, but surely he did enough given the circumstances to do a half-decent job. He suffered a pretty big smack at the start, so I'm sure he had underfloor damage or bad vibrations throughout the race. Plus, the time when he was involved with Massa (which wasn't Senna's fault) it was for a place just outside the points.

He was somewhat overshadowed by Maldonado's performance, but he certainly doesn't deserve that many votes. Maybe I've missed something, but he didn't do as bad as the likes of Grosjean (turning into someone when the move on you has not only worked, but been completed) or Rosberg (even before final lap, he'd been well of the pace and was virtually non-existant).

[BlindCaveSalamander]

I must say, I'm surprised there's quite a few votes for Senna. Now, I'm not a huge fan of his, but surely he did enough given the circumstances to do a half-decent job. He suffered a pretty big smack at the start, so I'm sure he had underfloor damage or bad vibrations throughout the race. Plus, the time when he was involved with Massa (which wasn't Senna's fault) it was for a place just outside the points.

He was somewhat overshadowed by Maldonado's performance, but he certainly doesn't deserve that many votes. Maybe I've missed something, but he didn't do as bad as the likes of Grosjean (turning into someone when the move on you has not only worked, but been completed) or Rosberg (even before final lap, he'd been well of the pace and was virtually non-existant).

I didn't vote for Senna, but had Maldonado not binned it, he would've been 3rd because he was completely anonymous compared to Maldonado, a driver who I didn't rate that highly before the race. Yes, he might've had damage, but so did Nick Heidfeld last year, and that didn't stop people voting for him then.

Plus, Grosjean is somewhat redeemed by his stunning lap in Q3, and the fact that the incident with Maldonado was 50/50 - yes, Grosjean could've backed off, but Maldonado seemed to just expect Grosjean to disappear - I think he could've left him a bit of room. Rosberg, on the other hand, is more contributory to Mercedes as a whole - he was disappointing, but so was the car, as was Schumacher's retirement from 3rd.

[DanielPT]

I must say, I'm surprised there's quite a few votes for Senna. Now, I'm not a huge fan of his, but surely he did enough given the circumstances to do a half-decent job. He suffered a pretty big smack at the start, so I'm sure he had underfloor damage or bad vibrations throughout the race. Plus, the time when he was involved with Massa (which wasn't Senna's fault) it was for a place just outside the points.

He was somewhat overshadowed by Maldonado's performance, but he certainly doesn't deserve that many votes. Maybe I've missed something, but he didn't do as bad as the likes of Grosjean (turning into someone when the move on you has not only worked, but been completed) or Rosberg (even before final lap, he'd been well of the pace and was virtually non-existant).

Thing is that Senna always seems to suffer some damage at the start (or somewhere along the way) and then keeps trundling along anonymously at the back of the grid... It happen at Brazil and one or another venue that I cannot recall right now. It starts to be a bit too much... Still I am willing to give him a chance and wait for a clean race.

[Minardi Man]

Massa, no other options can compare unfortunately.

[Wizzie]

I must say, I'm surprised there's quite a few votes for Senna. Now, I'm not a huge fan of his, but surely he did enough given the circumstances to do a half-decent job. He suffered a pretty big smack at the start, so I'm sure he had underfloor damage or bad vibrations throughout the race. Plus, the time when he was involved with Massa (which wasn't Senna's fault) it was for a place just outside the points.

He was somewhat overshadowed by Maldonado's performance, but he certainly doesn't deserve that many votes. Maybe I've missed something, but he didn't do as bad as the likes of Grosjean (turning into someone when the move on you has not only worked, but been completed) or Rosberg (even before final lap, he'd been well of the pace and was virtually non-existant).

Thing is that Senna always seems to suffer some damage at the start (or somewhere along the way) and then keeps trundling along anonymously at the back of the grid... It happen at Brazil and one or another venue that I cannot recall right now. It starts to be a bit too much... Still I am willing to give him a chance and wait for a clean race.

Would that other race be Belgium where he ruined Alguersuari's weekend at La Source?

[dr-baker]

Thing is that Senna always seems to suffer some damage at the start (or somewhere along the way) and then keeps trundling along anonymously at the back of the grid... It happen at Brazil and one or another venue that I cannot recall right now. It starts to be a bit too much... Still I am willing to give him a chance and wait for a clean race.

Monza last year, finishing 9th?

[BlindCaveSalamander]

Thing is that Senna always seems to suffer some damage at the start (or somewhere along the way) and then keeps trundling along anonymously at the back of the grid... It happen at Brazil and one or another venue that I cannot recall right now. It starts to be a bit too much... Still I am willing to give him a chance and wait for a clean race.

Monza last year, finishing 9th?

Yeah, but that was only after Liuzzi wiped out his main competition.

[Ed24]

Webber's Starts - a long-term achievement award.
Caterham - Very disappointing start to the season.
HRT - DNQ
Senna - Awful weekend.
Rosberg - Overdrove the car in qualifying and then - just like 2011 - slipped back in the race.

But unfortunately I have to give it to Massa this week.

[eytl]

The tradition of ROTR is that it's generally awarded for moments of craziness, when such things occur, rather than general poor performance. For that reason, I think there's only one possible nominee.

Bingo!

I don't know whether the majority of you still wanted an "official" ROTR decision every race in lieu of regular race reviews, but for the time being I'm still going to offer my 2c. And as WH has observed, I prefer to award moments of madness rather than a generally underwhelming showing - but that is not a rule. Besides, I have a nasty feeling there'll be plenty more opportunities to nominate Felipe Massa later in the season ...

For me, The Reverend's last lap blunder had "ROTR" written all over it. Someone else has pointed out that we didn't give Hamilton ROTR for crashing on the last lap at Monza in 2009. That's true. But the difference in context could not be more stark. Hamilton's season was already a lost cause; he was in a situation where by pushing he had everything to gain and little to lose. Maldonado, on the other hand, had a golden opportunity to score more points in one race than Williams did all of last season. This was a "must bag" result on the last lap. It does not matter whether the team needed to remind him to keep it on the island; any driver worth his salt ought to known that, and what it would have meant for his team. He did not lose grip on the astroturf or anything like that; he simply gassed it up too heavily, on wearing tyres, and lost it in a place where - as many have pointed out - no one can remember anyone crashing.

A very simple decision in the end - which is not to downplay his spectacular performance the rest of the weekend. And I didn't count the collision with Grosjean against him either, because in my view Romain was more to blame for that. Yes he gave Pastor room on the inside at turn-in, but the Williams was far enough alongside to have the corner and be entitled to drift out wide at exit. Giving room at turn-in does not equate to being entitled to still hang around the outside at exit. Grosjean should have ceded, in my view.

[Ed24]

I don't know whether the majority of you still wanted an "official" ROTR decision every race in lieu of regular race reviews, but for the time being I'm still going to offer my 2c. And as WH has observed, I prefer to award moments of madness rather than a generally underwhelming showing - but that is not a rule.

Yes, I think it would be great to still have an official decision.

Fair point in regards to Maldonado. While he may not have been able to better Williams points total from last year in one race, he at least equalled his personal RotR tally from 2011!

[DanielPT]

Thing is that Senna always seems to suffer some damage at the start (or somewhere along the way) and then keeps trundling along anonymously at the back of the grid... It happen at Brazil and one or another venue that I cannot recall right now. It starts to be a bit too much... Still I am willing to give him a chance and wait for a clean race.

Monza last year, finishing 9th?

Nope, it was another one I think... Japan?

[tc3j3r]

I don't know whether the majority of you still wanted an "official" ROTR decision every race in lieu of regular race reviews, but for the time being I'm still going to offer my 2c. And as WH has observed, I prefer to award moments of madness rather than a generally underwhelming showing - but that is not a rule.

Yes, I think it would be great to still have an official decision.

Seconded!

[dr-baker]

Thing is that Senna always seems to suffer some damage at the start (or somewhere along the way) and then keeps trundling along anonymously at the back of the grid... It happen at Brazil and one or another venue that I cannot recall right now. It starts to be a bit too much... Still I am willing to give him a chance and wait for a clean race.

Monza last year, finishing 9th?

Nope, it was another one I think... Japan?

Sorry, but I was trying when Bruno seemed to have a clean race! Monza was a race where he remained 'clean' enough to score his only points finish to date.

I don't know whether the majority of you still wanted an "official" ROTR decision every race in lieu of regular race reviews, but for the time being I'm still going to offer my 2c. And as WH has observed, I prefer to award moments of madness rather than a generally underwhelming showing - but that is not a rule.

Yes, I think it would be great to still have an official decision.

Seconded!

Thirded.

[DanielPT]

Nope, it was another one I think... Japan?

Sorry, but I was trying when Bruno seemed to have a clean race! Monza was a race where he remained 'clean' enough to score his only points finish to date.

Oh yeah... Misunderstood that, sorry. I think so. It ended well for him. Somehow it seems he cannot help to be involved in trouble...

[James1978]

Bingo!

I don't know whether the majority of you still wanted an "official" ROTR decision every race in lieu of regular race reviews, but for the time being I'm still going to offer my 2c. And as WH has observed, I prefer to award moments of madness rather than a generally underwhelming showing - but that is not a rule. Besides, I have a nasty feeling there'll be plenty more opportunities to nominate Felipe Massa later in the season ...

Definitely agree too - it would be fantastic to keep the "Official" RotR leaderboard updated!!!

[Wizzie]

Bingo!

I don't know whether the majority of you still wanted an "official" ROTR decision every race in lieu of regular race reviews, but for the time being I'm still going to offer my 2c. And as WH has observed, I prefer to award moments of madness rather than a generally underwhelming showing - but that is not a rule. Besides, I have a nasty feeling there'll be plenty more opportunities to nominate Felipe Massa later in the season ...

I'll need the official decision at every race as well for predicament predictions

[DanielPT]

Bingo!

I don't know whether the majority of you still wanted an "official" ROTR decision every race in lieu of regular race reviews, but for the time being I'm still going to offer my 2c. And as WH has observed, I prefer to award moments of madness rather than a generally underwhelming showing - but that is not a rule. Besides, I have a nasty feeling there'll be plenty more opportunities to nominate Felipe Massa later in the season ...

I'll need the official decision at every race as well for predicament predictions

Aww man! That is just selfish...

[Ed24]

Thing is that Senna always seems to suffer some damage at the start (or somewhere along the way) and then keeps trundling along anonymously at the back of the grid... It happen at Brazil and one or another venue that I cannot recall right now. It starts to be a bit too much... Still I am willing to give him a chance and wait for a clean race.

His DRS failed a few times as well which obviously didn't help him in the midfield battles.

[Waris]

I wonder: now that there won't be race reviews on F1 Rejects anymore, does that mean there will be no "official" ROTRs? Does that mean these threads will provide the "winner"?

[Wizzie]

I wonder: now that there won't be race reviews on F1 Rejects anymore, does that mean there will be no "official" ROTRs? Does that mean these threads will provide the "winner"?

There'll still be official announcements by Jamie and Enochin this thread. Hence why our muppet friend Maldonado is ROTR on the main site

[Waris]

I wonder: now that there won't be race reviews on F1 Rejects anymore, does that mean there will be no "official" ROTRs? Does that mean these threads will provide the "winner"?

There'll still be official announcements by Jamie and Enochin this thread. Hence why our muppet friend Maldonado is ROTR on the main site

Oops, hadn't even seen that.

[SuperAguri]

Felt that Pastor just had an accident rather then it really being his fault.

So mine *very very very late*

1 - Mercedes - Did well in qualifying and both Schumacher and Rosberg had awful races.
2 - Massa - He does like to crash into people, doesnt he?
3 - HRT - DNQ not a great way to start the season.