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The Australian Grand Prix has traditionally been the place to start the year off. With drivers and fans touching down alike, Albert Park is once again in for a scintillating weekend of speed and drama.
Without any further ado, let’s analyse this year’s spectacle.
Facts
Name: Albert Park Street Circuit
Laps: 58
Lap record: 1:24.125 Michael Schumacher (2004)
Most successful driver: Michael Schumacher (four)
Most successful team: McLaren (11)
Most successful driver on current grid: Jenson Button (three)
Most poles: Ayrton Senna (six)
Talking Points
1. How will Sebastian Vettel go?
Arguably the biggest talking point throughout the whole winter testing program has been the woes engulfing Red Bull and whether this season will be the demise of the reigning world champions.
Throughout testing, people had hinted of a Red Bull/Vettel fallout, however team principal Christian Horner has come out and denied the rumours.
Whatever the outcome is with Vettel and Red Bull, this weekend in Melbourne could be the start of the end for Red Bull.
However, if the engineers and mechanics can sort out the issues plaguing the team, the Milton Keyes team could be in for a season scripted like a Hollywood blockbuster.
2. Are Williams truly competitive?
Williams were definitely the surprise packet of the winter testing period.
By the end of the first test in Jerez, they were given the ‘better than last year’ tag.
By the end of the second test in Bahrain ‘dark horse’ was being plastered all over the team.
By the end of the winter testing, teams and pundits alike were lauding the work of the Grove-based outfit and the fact their car was ‘pound for pound’ as good as the Mercedes.
Boasting ex-Ferrari driver Felipe Massa and exciting Finn Valteri Bottas, Williams arrive down under with high hopes, and the knowledge 2014 can definitely be a kind year to them.
Podium? I think so. Victories? Only time will tell.
3. How many drivers will retire?
“Half of the grid could retire come Melbourne,” muttered Red Bull team principal Christian Horner when asked about the new rule regulations.
The new rule regulations coming into effect this year are by far the biggest shake-up the sport has received since the creation of the world championship in 1950.
The regulations include the new six-cylinder engine and lower nose. Many teams have struggled this year, with the new regulations often proving a hindrance rather than a help.
The Renault engine also courted controversy in pre-season testing, with failures aplenty. Teams with the Renault engine – such as Red Bull, Lotus and Toro Rosso – often struggled to do a given number of laps.
This weekend will be one of the most interesting in the history of Formula One.
I’m not sure how many drivers will actually retire but there will be a few more than in recent years.
My prediction is about eight… and Red Bull might unfortunately be one of them.
4. How good is Mercedes?
Throughout every single day of every single test session (bar maybe Jerez day one), Mercedes were the team tipped to do wonders.
Both drivers have a fairly good track record (pardon the pun) at the Albert Park circuit and the Brackley-based W05 definitely has the most downforce compared to its rivals.
Feeling the force on its poach of McLaren, with Lewis Hamilton now firing and Paddy Lowe poised for the team principal role, Mercedes are in the best shape possible to take the F1 season head-on.
So there you have it. From Friday the 14th February, F1 fans from far and wide will be strapped in and ready to go for an exciting ride through Albert Park.
Enjoy the action!
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