Was the first GP of the year the Mercedes borefest it had promised to be? Is Ferrari back? Will the Italian or British Red Bull team end up on top? Can Haas score points first up? All those questions have now been answered. And since we’re not s-m-r-t enough to answer al of them, we’ll stick to our Red Five points below.
- Although yet another Mercedes 1-2, and usually as interesting as a 2015 F1 race or the tedious questions asked by the press towards Lewis Hamilton in the press conference, anyone complaining about the race are just too hard to please. A compeditive Ferrari helps as does Rosberg continuing his late season form of 2015.
- Thankfully Fernando Alonso survived his massive shunt, a crash that surely would have ended in death not too long ago or certain death on any highway in Australia. Those cruel F1 followers could argue though, that this year’s McLaren Honda was faster upside down and in the air than last season’s car in a straight line.
- Max Verstappen thinks he’s heading towards a top car, and given his form up to Sunday it’s very hard to argue. But the youngster didn’t have the greatest Sunday, and his reactions to it show he still has a bit to go to be a top liner. And when he takes Kimi’s seat for 2017 it might just solve the Mercedes dominance.
- Haas had the most impressive debut for a team since the Toyota back in 2002. And in comparison this was a much better achievement. Toyota also finished sixth in their first race, however that race only saw eight finishers, and they couldn’t beat the Minardi of Mark Webber. Some might argue Brawn was better, but it was really a Championship winning Honda gifted to them for a pound after Honda lost it’s nerve at the end of 2008.
- The Red Flag really sparked up the race, and also provided plenty of food for thought over whose strategy was ruined and who could have been where without. Let’s hope the FIA don’t get this into their heads and introduce half time breaks into the races in the future.
Finally, outside of the five points, the news that the new qualifying system has been binned after one race, because F1 “listens to its fans”. What rubbish. Every man and his dog, and its fleas told anyone who would listen (0) that it sounded like a bad idea. Especially the drivers. What would they know. Now everyone involved is embarrassed, maybe the teams should have got a better say.
To be honest the first and second qualifying session were improved with the 90 second cut offs, the best thing was seeing some of the teams with the realisation that they had missed the boat for the session. But Q3 was rubbish, and they got what they deserved, as a Mercedes team member suggested as it would be. We have suggested a few different things here and here , one of them serious. All that’s needed now is a top 8 shoot out in Q3 and life would be sweet.
