2008 Australian Grand Prix preview

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It’s almost time for the first race of 2008. It looks as though Ferrari are going to pick up where they left off as the team to beat but the Australian Grand Prix will answer a lot of questions about how 2008 is going to pan out.

Read my prediction for the top three and make your guess below.

Ferrari leading the way

Kimi Raikkonen’s win here last year might have been the first for Ferrari since 2004 but this has always been one of those circuits where the Italian team have been strong – particularly in the tyre war years when Melbourne was decidedly a ‘Bridgestone track’.

He might not have dominated the race so easily had team mate Felipe Massa not suffered a gearbox problem in qualifying, leaving him on the grid. I think the battle for the win will be between these two drivers and we might get an early glimpse into how closely matched they are – and whether Massa is struggling as much without traction control as some people are saying he is.

I expect McLaren are going to be the only team able to get close to Ferrari. If the car is as quick over a single lap as it looks then Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen might get onto the front row, or even claim it outright, which could set up a very interesting race.

Qualifying: new rules and McLaren vs Ferrari

Happily the nonsense of fuel burn laps and fuel credits has been chucked for 2008 – that means no messing around at the start of Q3 burning off fuel, but it also presents the teams with a new strategic dilemma.

That especially goes for Ferrari. They know the McLarens are quick over a single lap so Ferrari might want to run their cars extra-light to ensure Hamilton and Kovalainen don’t spoil their day.

Raikkonen did an excellent job at the French and British races last year by carrying more fuel and taking the lead via the pit stops, but he won’t want to risk ending up behind Massa.

The midfield pack

As for the other teams it looks like BMW, Williams, Red Bull and Renault will be fighting for the last six places in Q1 – and perhaps the Toyotas as well if Jarno Trulli’s stunning lap on the final day of testing is genuinely reflective of their pace. Along with Trulli top qualifiers Nico Rosberg and Mark Webber must be the most likely to cause an upset.

Williams and Red Bull are the two teams that appear to have improved the most since 2007 and their progress will be watched very keenly.

Interestingly Force India are very confident they are going to make it into Q2. But Honda needn’t worry as Super Aguri have confirmed at the 11th hour they will be racing, so there will be at least two cars for Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello to beat.

TV times

Television coverage

See the 2008 Australian Grand Prix F1 session times for more information. British television coverage is as follows:

Australian Grand Prix qualifying

Live ITV1, 2.15-4.20am, Saturday 15th March
Replay ITV1, 1.20-3.05pm, Saturday 15th March

Australian Grand Prix race

Live ITV1, 3.30am-6.30am, Sunday 16th March
Replay ITV1, 12.45-2.30pm, Sunday 16th March
Highlights ITV1 12.15-1.15am, Monday 17th March
Highlights ITV4 6-7pm, Monday 17th March

F1 Comments Live

Visit F1Fanatic.co.uk to discuss qualifying and the race as it happens. Look out for the F1 Comments Live post from half an hour before the start of qualifying and the race.

My top three prediction

I think this early in the season at a track where they are always competitive Ferrari are going to be too much for McLaren.

1. Kimi Raikkonen
2. Felipe Massa
3. Lewis Hamilton

Make your prediction below…

More about the Australian Grand Prix

Read the complete F1Fanatic 2008 season preview

Author information

Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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31 comments on “2008 Australian Grand Prix preview”

  1. My top 3 for the opener:

    1. Kimi Raikkonen
    2. Lewis Hamilton
    3. Felipe Massa
    Quite a stark assessment of Honda- we’ll see if they can get off the back of the grid at all this weekend.

  2. I fancy their chances of getting to Q2 better than Force India’s…

  3. Everybody seems to fancy Kimi for this one, and I’m no different!

    1.  Kimi Raikkonen
    2.  Heikki Kovalainen
    3.  Felipe Massa

    It’s the first race so I think we’ll see some mistakes – especially at the first corner given the changes with engine braking and traction etc so Hamilton may lose out there if he’s in the thick of things and tries to gain too much which would appear to be his style…

  4. Kimi
    Kovalainen
    Hamilton

  5. Kimi
    Hamilton
    Kovalainen

    I get the feel that there is one big wreak in store for us this weekend, a’la 2002.  Lot of rookies and untested cars starting up on Sunday.

  6. My prediction :D
    Massa
    Rosberg
    Kovalainen

  7. So five for Raikkonen, one for Massa, none for the rest. Any advances?

  8. 1  Kovalainen
    2  Raikkonen
    3  Kubica

  9. 1. Raikkonen
    2. Webber
    3. Massa

  10. I think Webber might be Renault’s best chance of getting on the podium…

  11. Dry race prediction
    1. Raikkonen
    2. Rosberg
    3. Massa

    Wet/Mixed race prediction
    1. Raikkonen
    2. Alonso
    3. Heidfeld

  12. I’m going to go for something silly.

    There will be a massive shunt at the start involving the McLarens/Ferraris meaning that neither team will be in a position to finish the race :)

    1. Webber fighting off,
    2. Alonso for the final laps of the race, while
    3. Heidfeld is a few seconds back of the leading two but in front of a massive midfield scrap.

    Fastest Lap of the Race: Jarno Trulli

  13. 1.kovalainen
    2.kimi
    3.hamilton

  14. 1. Kovalainen
    2. Lewis
    3. Massa

    Kimi will hit gremlins while in a massive lead.

  15. Ah… And Webber will be hit by someone at the first corner (perhaps Nelson Piquet)

  16. And several Australian spectators will be ejected from the grandstands for having pudding bowl haircuts and wearing dwarf costumes, on the front of which is written "Bernie’s billions".

    Great prediction, by the way, Rabi.  That’s the spirit!

  17. 1. Kimi
    2. Kovalainen
    3. Hamilton

    Pole. Massa
    Fastest Lap. Massa

    I also bet on Massa crashing the Ferrari in the second half of the race

  18. 1 – Massa
    2 – Raikkonen
    3 – Alonso (That’s more of a bet than a prediction, but, if it happens, Fernando will show once again how great I have to admit he is, even though I really dislike him)

  19. Massa struggles here, so Kimi for the win.

    Hamilton 2nd holding off a charging Heikki.

  20. Kimi
    Heikki
    Heidfeld…(fighting off Alonso)

  21. Someone puts a bucket over Ecclestones head so he thinks he’s watching a night race.

  22. 1 Hamilton
    2 Hamilton
    3 Hamilton
    After Hami laps the field 3 times – and Max agrees with Ron, that a driver should be on the same lap as the winner to score points – hence another rule change after the stewards meeting

  23. Chris Johnson
    11th March 2008, 22:35

    Because of the heat, maybe trouble for one of the Ferraris, so I’ll say1. Raikkonen2. Heikki3. Alonso

  24. Max agrees with Ron

    Now that’s a radical prediction…

  25. Logic says :
    1.Kimi
    2. Hamilton
    3. Kovalainen
    Pole – Hamilton
    Fastest lap – Kimi
    But if Webber was on the podium, Mad Max could win the race for all I’d care !

  26. 1. Raikkonen
    2. Kovalainen
    3. Rosberg

    A podium made up of 2.5 Finns!  :)

    But seriously,

    1. Raikkonen
    2. Hamilton
    3. Massa

  27. Massa
    Hamilton
    Raikkonen

    Massa will be a surprise…

  28. Please note in addition to the TV times quotes above, all practice sessions will also be broadcast on ITV’s website for British viewers. See here for more: ITV to broadcast all F1 sessions live online this year

  29. Lewis has the 1 in the bag,
    1st hamilton
    2nd kovalainen
    3rd raikkonen
    COME ON LEWIS

Comments are closed.