F1 Melbourne Australia 2012
Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit
Albert Park, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
We arrived at the first race of the year with many unknowns, with new regulations that have only managed to go crazy and create a few cars uglier than ever, and exhaust blown diffusers are banned based on what was considered the determining factor in last year: the rear diffusers whose air flow was accelerated by the airflow passing over them, coming from the exhaust pipes.
However, there are teams that have drawn the logical continuity, such as Red Bull. They had the best car for the last three years, and this fourth year is not expected to change the thing. In addition Newey continues as chief head, and his team responding to his crazy ideas. The car, they say, will be competitive from the first Grand Prix, and that is the key to see a decent fight throughout the season.
McLaren and Ferrari will not give respite to the energy drink team. Lewis Hamilton will try to learn from the mistakes of the past year and focus on the competition, while teammate Jenson Button, more and more comfortable at McLaren, will show his skills in managing the tires, a quality that can be even more important than last year.
Ferrari took a radical change in direction, as they sent the results seen. Fernando Alonso still as standard, but the Spaniard, how good he is, he can not do any miracles if the car is not up to par. Lack of the performance on the track, but if this year is not "their year", Montezemolo should review his strategy. Because Ferrari left the hole with the lost of Brawn, Todt, Byrne and Schumacher, was not only the driver, but because it created a dream team of engineers, technicians and administrative staff.
But knowing the two main candidates to victory, the big question comes from outsiders the luxury. Mercedes should finally give a winning car Rosberg and Brawn says "this is the year." But then, while they are watching its development program, Lotus has appeared there, the squad of Enstone, which seems to have regained much lost ground and has Raikkonen as strut. Promise, and workouts have made clear.
Sauber, Toro Rosso, and the new Caterham should strive to steal points from time to time, and nothing else. All three have their pluses and minuses about their drivers (paying some inexperienced others), while Kobayashi and Kovalainen are quite good.
The HRT and Marussia and painted a different color. It is the best year of HRT in terms of stability and funding. They have a first class drivers, but start from absolute zero, with an entirely new car that has just run in, and suffer to evolve. It is the first year of a very long cycle, is very nearly as if they start again. And what of Marussia is three-quarters of the same. Russian money is there, but it seems that the car was not born good, and has barely been tested.
If you say you bet on a world champion, apparently seen, we would say one of three: Button, Hamilton and Vettel (in alphabetical order). That Raikkonen, Alonso, Rosberg and even win races is not impossible. With a long season anything can happen. Everybody, Welcome to 2012 F1 season.
Race Schedule: Sunday, 18 March 2012 at 17.00 pm (local time GMT+10)
