How many of your pre-weekend Twitter predictions for the 2017 Australian Grand Prix were correct? Find out below!
1. Which team will win in Australia?
1. Which team will win the 2017 Australian Grand Prix? #AusGP #F1
— Lights Out ●●●●● (@LightsOutF1Blog) March 23, 2017
Your Prediction: Mercedes
Correct Answer: Ferrari
For the first time since 2013, Mercedes didn’t win the opening race of the season. By Saturday evening plenty of people believed Lewis Hamilton had the race win in the bag, but Ferrari delivered when it mattered. Sebastian Vettel’s first win since the 2015 Singapore Grand Prix opens this season in an intriguing way.
2. Which rookie will finish highest?
2. Who will finish highest in their debut Australian Grand Prix? #AusGP #F1
— Lights Out ●●●●● (@LightsOutF1Blog) March 23, 2017
Your Prediction: Esteban Ocon
Correct Answer: Esteban Ocon
Esteban Ocon, after qualifying fourteenth, finished in the points for the first time in his F1 career. Stoffel Vandoorne, meanwhile, finished thirteenth and last after struggling with engine issues during the Grand Prix. Lance Stroll retired with a brake issue towards the end of the race and surprise debutant, and Stroll’s former Formula Three rival, Antonio Giovinazzi had an impressive weekend and finished the race in twelfth.
3. How fast will the pole time be?
3. The 2016 pole time for the #AusGP was 1:23.837. How much quicker will the 2017 pole time be? #F1
— Lights Out ●●●●● (@LightsOutF1Blog) March 23, 2017
Your Prediction: 3-3.99 seconds
Correct Answer: Less than three seconds
Well, none of these options were correct. While the cars looked mightily impressive, the pace here was just off three seconds quicker than last year. Due to the long straights and slow corners here, we didn’t see a lap time improvement as high as some had predicted. Expect the cars to be more quicker than the 2016 lap in Shanghai.
4. Where will Bottas finish?
4. Where will Valtteri Bottas finish on his Mercedes debut? #AusGP #F1
— Lights Out ●●●●● (@LightsOutF1Blog) March 23, 2017
Your Prediction: 3rd
Correct Answer: 3rd
Bottas finished where he qualified in his first race for Mercedes. It was his tenth career podium. Bottas admits he wasn’t entirely happy with the result on Saturday, but will likely have been pleased to challenge closely to his team-mate in the second half of the race on Sunday.
5. When will McLaren have their first engine issue?
5. When will McLaren have their first engine issue? #AusGP #F1
— Lights Out ●●●●● (@LightsOutF1Blog) March 23, 2017
Your Prediction: Friday
Correct Answer: Sunday
McLaren, surprisingly, didn’t really have many issues with their engine this weekend. Fernando Alonso failed to make it to the end of the Grand Prix with a suspension issue. Stoffel Vandoorne completed the race, but had to reset his car due to an engine issue during his first pit-stop.
PREDICTIONS CORRECT: 2 / 5 || SEASON TOTAL: 2 / 5