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