Bahrain Grand Prix 2016: Rosberg reigns supreme

For so long during its twelve year stint on the Formula One calendar fans have complained about the quality of racing in Bahrain. "It's boring" and "pedestrian" are definitely not words which could be used to describe the 2016 edition.

This year's Bahrain Grand Prix will be remembered for great battles up and down the field, but we were potentially robbed of a long awaited Mercedes vs. Ferrari showdown even before the lights went out. Sebastian Vettel's engine failure proved what many insiders have been saying; that this year's prancing horse is quick, but fragile. 

We were robbed of a potential Ferrari/Mercedes clash

Lewis Hamilton too proved there are chinks in his armoury, starting poorly for the second race in succession, he put himself in trouble dropping down into the midfield. In doing so he made himself vulnerable to a first corner collision - one which Valteri Bottas was only too happy to provide. The damage meant Hamilton was never really a challenger for the win, but he should be pleased with another solid damage limitation drive to collect another podium.

For the other Mercedes it was business as usual for Nico Rosberg, he controlled the race throughout and was never really threatened by Raikkonen. The German's confidence continues to be sky high and Rosberg is now on a five race winning streak. We may only be two races in, but his odds for becoming this year's Champion will continue to drop...

Romain Grosjean again impressed for the new Haas Team, being able to show for the first time in normal racing conditions that the American outfit have the pace to be regular points finishers this season. A sensational achievement for a new team, and showing how sensible to Frenchman was to switch from the struggling Renault team. I have a feeling we could see Grosjean in a Ferrari sooner rather than later if this form continues...

Daniel Ricciardo again made the best of the Red Bull, especially considering the front wing damage his suffered during his own first corner collision. His teammate Danil Kvyat will also be happy with his evening's work, dragging his car into the points after starting well down the field.

Special mentions for Stoffel Vandoorme and Pascal Wehrlein too, with both rookies hugely impressive throughout the race.

Stoffel Vandoorne was hugely impressive

Vandoorne showed he is more than ready for a race seat with an excellently executed overtake on Sergio Perez helping him take McLaren's first point of the season. Wehrlein too showed that Manor are no longer assured of finishing at the back of the field. Give it a few seasons and he'll be winning races in a front running Mercedes, mark my words.

Next up we head to China, and if we can just ignore the guaranteed awful qualifying session, we should be in for another excellent weekend.

Australian Grand Prix 2016: 5 things we learnt...

The 2016 Formula One season started in style with an action packed opener at Albert Park, but what did we learn from this race?

1. Nico Rosberg is on a roll

After his win in Australia Nico Rosberg has now won four races in a row going back to the end of last season, and his confidence will be incredibly high. On each occasion he has proven he has the ability to beat Lewis Hamilton, whether than be physically on the track, or mentally remaining cool.

Consistency has been at the heart of Hamilton's last two Championship successes, and if Nico can maintain this form in the first few races of this season then we'll have one hell of a battle on our hands this season.

2. Ferrari are definitely capable of challenging Mercedes this season

Had it not been for a strategic error from Vettel's race engineer, I honestly believe that Ferrari would have won in Australia. Both Vettel and Raikonnen got off to incredible starts, proving that both drivers are well up to speed with the new start regulations. Couple that with genuine race pace and we could have more than just a two horse race for the drivers title.

Maurizio Arrivabene is exactly the sort of figure that Ferrari need to lead them back to their glory days - and the mind games between him and Toto Wolf will prove an interesting sideshow to the on-track action this season.

Vettel led for much of the race

3. Haas aren't in F1 to make up the numbers

Driver of the day has to go to Romain Grosjean, no argument. The Frenchman took a risk jumping ship from Lotus/Renault for this season, but his decision was justified by the ease in which his car outpaced his old colleagues at Enstone. Speaking after this race he told Channel 4 "it feels like a win for all of us, it feels like one of the best cars I've ever driven" and sure he got lucky with the red flag, but he proved his worth keeping Hulkenburg and Bottas behind him for thirty odd laps.

Haas have succeeded where the previous new teams have failed, they've established links with existing front running teams, and more than used them to their advantage.

4. Fernando Alonso was VERY lucky

For two or three seconds my heart waivered when looking at scene which followed Alonso and Gutierrez's horror crash. With his car upside down and almost unrecognisable, I let out a huge sigh of relief when I saw the Spaniard emerge from beneath his car.

The replay proves in my mind that luck was the main reason why Alonso emerged unscathed today. The way the car rolled and dug into the gravel at speed proves there is still so much the FIA needs to do when it comes to driver safety. Less than a year ago we were faced with the death of a current F1 driver, and we must never have to endure another.

Alonso was lucky to escape without injury

5. The Toro Rosso's are going to provide plenty of entertainment in 2016

As a fan of F1, Toro Rosso have to be applauded for allowing their two young chargers to 'go racing' in Oz. Both young and hugely talented drivers, the on-track action in this season opener showed how much we've got to look forward to throughout the rest of the season. Combine this with the fact that Toro Rosso have a very competitive car, I'd argue podiums aren't out of the question for Franz Tost and his team.

Provided they don't take each other out of course...

Matt's 2016 Season Preview: Start Your Engines...

2016. Will it be a year of consolidating even further dominance? Or will an heir to the throne finally step up and take the crown away? Forgive those last couple of sentences which are leaning more towards Game of Thrones than Formula One but after what was admittedly a rather disappointing 2015 season, the sports needs a lot of drama this year to make up for it. And when I say that, I mean on the track.

Pre-season has been dominated by the usual politics that surround the circus that is F1. Only this year it seems to be multiplied by ten. What seem like desperate attempts to improve the show are being made, with the new qualifying format being the main cause for contention. Both promoters and drivers are against the idea but the FIA have pushed through with it anyway. Elimination style qualifying does sound exciting on paper but it sounds like something you’d get in a video game, not a professional sport. Still only time will tell to see if it is a success, or we are seeing a mid season change to it.

Hamilton and Rosberg will renew their rivalry in 2016

On the track, things are looking a lot more competitive than they were last season. Mercedes are once again looking like they are the team to beat, with the unprecedented amount of mileage they put into their car during pre-season testing. And don’t forget there’s been four days less of testing than a usual season. Lewis Hamilton is being his usual self and you wouldn’t be surprised if he turned up at Melbourne after attending a few parties with his newfound celebrity friends, stick it on pole and win the race at a canter. His teammate Nico Rosberg has his work cut out again this year, but the end of last season showed he could hang with Hamilton. Whether that was 100% genuine or the World Champion easing off after securing the title remains to be seen. And with Rosberg’s contract up at the end of this year would another defeat to Hamilton make him believe it’s time to move on? 

However, Ferrari were the fastest in Barcelona, offering hope that they can offer a consistent challenge to the Silver Arrow this year and not have to wait for them to slip up. In Sebastian Vettel, they have a revitalised quadruple world champion who is relishing in his role as leader of the Scuderia. With good friend Kimi Raikkonen alongside him, Vettel is in a good place but will assistance from the Iceman if he is to achieve the holy grail of a fifth world championship. Qualifying has been a major issue for them over the past few years as well. They have to rectify that so they’re not having to play catch up in crucial races.

After that in terms of who going to be the quickest? Well, answers on a postcard please. The midfield looks like the most congested it has been in years. Williams are probably leading the way, but don’t look like they’ve made significant inroads on Ferrari and Mercedes. Red Bull, after reluctantly sticking with Renault engines will be happy making Q3 in Australia. Renault, now themselves back in F1 as a constructor after taking over Lotus have an exciting young driver line up in Jolyeon Palmer and Kevin Magnusson which should bode well with a new car and stable finances to be able to develop it throughout the season. Toro Rosso have the X Factor in Max Verstappen and the talent of Carlos Sainz Jr, not to mention Ferrari 2015 engines. This was an engine that consistently delivered podium finishes. It could be crucial for their season. Sauber & Force India retain their line-ups after solid if unspectacular seasons last time out, the team owners will want to see significant progress their drivers.

The traditional Renault livery return to F1 this year 

And then there’s the case of McLaren. After last seasons catastrophe there have been reports that Honda have fixed the problems that dogged the entirety of last season which gives some cause for optimism. For Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button’s sakes, I think we all hope that they won’t be fighting simply to make it out of Q1 and actually will be consistently challenging for point. They insist that they will ultimately be the main challengers & are the only ones who can eventually beat Mercedes. This season will have to show a lot of promise to make anyone believe those statements. The only team they could beat last year was Manor. With DTM champon Pascal Weihrein in their team it’s a fascinating situation, a highly regarded driver in what will probably be the slowest car out there again. Can he use his talents to haul the car higher up the grid?

And then there’s the simple matter of a brand new team. Haas F1 is Amercian, with Ferrari parts oozing through it. When the last batch of new teams came through in 2010 they were all horrifically slow. This team don’t look like they’ll be following that script. Their reliability does look a bit dodgy but on raw pace they could be a match for the midfield runners. They have a top quality driver in Romain Grosjean, who I’m sure must be thinking that if he has a good season and delivers above expectations that the dream of a Ferrari seat may become a reality.

Simply put, Formula One 2016 should a lot more exciting than the year previous. A stacked midfield with potentially a challenger to Mercedes control over the sport provides a terrific starting point as we head to Melbourne. However one thing definitely does remain the same. For not at least, Lewis Hamilton remains the man to beat. And it’s going to take a monumental effort to stop him.

Matt’s Drivers Championship Prediction

Lewis Hamilton

Sebastian Vettel

Nico Rosberg

Constructors Championship Prediction

Mercedes

Ferrari
Williams

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Review 2015: Rosberg clinches season finale

In future years when looking back at the 2015 season, people will remember it as the year when Lewis Hamilton claimed his third Championship title. The Brit has driven outstandingly all season, but the final few races of the year will give him plenty to think about over the winter.

Since winning the Championship in Austin, Nico Rosberg has had the edge over Hamilton. The German finished the season with three successful victories, and six pole positions in a row, showing that on his day he has the beating of the three time champion.

Nico Rosberg ended 2015 on a high

In truth Hamilton never really got close at Yas Marina, with only a brief spell mid-race leaving fans questioning if he might be able to challenge for the win. One thing is for sure, we're set up for an incredible 2016 is Rosberg can maintain this form.

Surprise of the day was probably Kimi Raikkonen finally being able to deliver on his promising qualifying pace. The Fin saw off the challenge of teammate Vettel crossed the line to claim only his third podium of 2015. The result also saw the Fin pipping fellow countryman Bottas for 4th place in the World Championship standings. Should Ferrari deliver on their promise to be more competative next season, they'll need Raikkonen to step up and provide adequate back up to his German teammate.

Bottas was released from his box too early.

Further down the field there were contrasting fortunes for both Force India and Williams. The former can be very pleased with their day's work as both Perez and Hulkenburg brought home a double points finish to consolidate their fifth place in the constructors table. For Williams however, only Massa was able to claim a lowly eight place, their race overshadowed by a botched pit exit involving teammate Bottas.

In his final race for Lotus Romain Grosjean deserved a mention, fighting his way to claim 9th spot having started 18th on the grid. The result also saw the Enstone based outfit beat Torro Rosso to secure the extra prize money for 6th place in the Constructors Championship. How the Frenchman performs as team leader of the new Haas F1 Team next season will be one of talking points of 2016.

For us now the attention switches to 2016. Lets hope the rest of the field can bring a challenge to the silver arrows, then we'll have proper entertainment on our hands.

Brazil GP Review 2015: Rosberg takes controlling win at Interlagos

This championship may already be over, but the battle lines are already being drawn for 2016, with Nico Rosberg striking first.

Whilst this year’s Brazilian Grand Prix was far from a classic, it showed for the second race in a row that the German is still more than capable of challenging Lewis Hamilton for race wins with a controlled performance from the front. He never really looked like losing the lead at any point.

Hamilton did look faster at times during the race but in a time when F1’s regulations are being fiercely debated he was typically open about his struggle to follow his team mate, let alone attempt to pass. 

Fernando Alonso had another race to forget in Brazil

Mercedes strategy during the race was also up for debate, with both drivers basically mirroring each other. With both championships already won, perhaps this was time to think more about the show, even with the risk of the Ferrari’s behind. 

Away from the front, Sebastian Vettel drove a faultless race to claim third, with Kimi Raikkonen following in fourth, always he speculated afterwards what might have been if he been switched to a three stop race. He did however have a comfortable margin to Valteri Bottas, who secured 3^rd spot for Williams in the Constructors Championship in a lonely 5^th. 

Nico Hulkenberg, Danil Kyvat, Romain Grosjean, Max Verstappen and Pastor Maldonado completed the top ten after Felipe Massa was disqualified after his tyre blankets were too hot before the start of the race. 

The fight for the minor points place provided the most action during the race with Verstappen delivering once again with a couple of outstanding overtakes around the outside on the Senna S complex.

Mexico Grand Prix 2015: Incredible Fans Deserve Better as F1 Returns to Historic Venue

Just a week after one of the contenders for 'race of the season' in Austin last weekend, chances are we were always going to be disappointed by what F1 served up on its return to the fabulous Autodromo Hermanes Rodriguez. While Austin could rely on the mixed conditions (to say the least) to spice things up, a combination of Mercedes dominance and fair weather meant the Mexican fans were treated to some less than exciting action on track.

Sergio Perez delighted the home crowd.

If it was possible to give the 'driver of the day' prize to the fans, they clearly deserved it. Their excitement didn't wain over the course of the 71 laps, and they were at least rewarded with a solid performance from home favourite Sergio Perez. The Mexican also ensured he retained the adulation of his loyal supporters with a couple of nice overtakes into the fabulous stadium section of the lap. Of course next year there'll be another Mexican on the grid in Haas' driver Esteban Guitierrez, so we can be sure the atmosphere will again impress next year.

We can't take a look at the race and ignore the winner, Nico Rosberg was dominant throughout, and never really looked under pressure for the newly crowned three time World Champion. There has been a trend this season, namely if Nico Rosberg can get to the first corner first, he usually has no problem in converting this into a victory. If only he could get off the grid well on a consistent basis...

Valteri Bottas again proved his worth with a fighting performance on his way to yet another podium finish. Rumours of a Ferrari drive in 2017 aren't likely to diminish with drives like this one, although he won't have done relations with the Maranello outfit any good by ending Raikkonen's race following their clash mid race.

Bottas claimed the 8th podium of his career

There should also be a fleeting mention for Lotus' driver Romain Grosjean. At no point throughout the race weekend have the Enstone team looked competitive, yet a solid and uneventful race saw the Frenchman claim a solitary point with a 10th place finish.

In reality the Mexican Grand Prix won't go down as a classic, but the passionate fans will ensure it was a race weekend we won't forget in a hurry.

Thankfully we can be sure that Brazil will provide us with more entertain in a couple of weeks time!

US Grand Prix 2015: Weird Weekend Gets The Race It Deserved

When people look back at the 2015 American Grand Prix there's one thing they'll remember, rain. Strange of course, considering that the majority of the race took place on slick tyres without the threat of a downpour.

Without the freak weather, this weekend was always destined to go down in history. With the eyes of the world upon him, and with luck very much on his side, Lewis Hamilton claimed a truly deserved World Championship. The Brit is now his nation's first back-to-back champion, and joins legends of the sport Jackie Stewart, Niki Lauda, Nelson Piquet, Jack Brabham and Ayrton Senna in having taken home three championships. Household names the lot of them, but it remains to be seen whether Hamilton will have the same lasting impact on the sport.

Three time World Champion Lewis Hamilton celebrates in Austin

The US Grand Prix was in fact a perfect reflection of the season as a whole. Starting from pole position Nico Rosberg reached the first corner ahead of Hamilton, but it was the sheer determination and ruthlessness of the champion-in-waiting that saw him leading the race come turn two. Even when Rosberg did find himself leading just a few laps from home, the impending pressure of Hamilton in his rear view mirror was enough to force the German into a mistake.

Will Rosberg ever win a Championship? Probably, but he might have to leave Mercedes and the shadow of Hamilton to do so.

Weekends like this are ones that really set apart the men from the boys, unless your Max Verstappen that is... The eighteen year old showed enough over the course of the Grand Prix to convince even the most skeptical of F1 fans that he'll be fighting for the title in a few years time. Dealing with challenging conditions like an experienced racer, Verstappen has proved more skilled than large swathes of the current crop of drivers. Teammate Sainz impressed too, and for Red Bull the future (in terms of potential drivers at least) is looking bright.

Speaking of the parent team, both Ricciardo and Kyvatt showed glimpses of hope for Christian Horner and friends. For a few laps at least the Australian even looked in control of the race, until a drying track and mistimed overtake got in the way.

On a weekend when a championship was decided, former title winner Alonso was again robbed of a strong points haul. Countless times this season the Honda power unit has let down the McLaren boys. The Woking based outfit can at least take some solace in teammate Button's sixth place finish.

Alexander Rossi in action

In other news Maldonado finally managed to complete an entire race without incident, and on home turf Alexander Rossi matched Manor's best result of the season with an uneventful 12th.

Next time out F1 returns to Mexico City and a historic circuit with a history of great racing. One thing's for sure, it'll have to go a long way to beat the drama of Austin.