Fans got their first taste of new rules and regulations two weeks ago when the start of the new Formula One campaign kicked off in Melbourne, Australia. The ushering in of a new era for high-performance race cars revealed some interesting moments, giving an insight into what the eco-friendly future holds for a sport famed for its excess both on and off the track. Ahead of the Malaysian Grand Prix this Sunday, we make some predictions for the rest of the F1 season.
F1 debutants will continue to impress in a new era for Formula One
Last year Max Chilton, Jules Bianchi, Giedo Van der Garde, Esteban Gutierrez and Valtteri Bottas made their Formula One debuts.
Collectively these five men accumulated six points, from 20 races, over nine months of racing.
One race down in 2014 and F1 newbies Kevin Magnussen and Daniil Kvyat have collected 20 points following a record-breaking day at the Australian Grand Prix.
Danish driver Magnussen became the first rookie since Lewis Hamilton in 2007 to reach the podium in his debut race while Kvyat continued to create history by finishing tenth, taking the last points scoring position and making him the youngest person to do so since Sebastian Vettel finished fourth at the Chinese GP in 2007.
Magnussen looks a promising prospect for the future, but if his family lineage is anything to go by, his rise to the top should be of no surprise.
His father, Jan Magnussen competed in CART, NASCAR, Formula One, the 24 Hours of Le Mans and held the record for highest finish from a Danish driver in F1 before his son’s Melbourne debut.
Valtteri Bottas and Daniel Ricciardo, who first competed in a full campaign in 2012 and 2013 also impressed in the first meeting of this race calendar.
Their performances are proof that the sport is undergoing a changing of the guard at the top. These young men are all under 25 and are displaying true World Championship ambitions, a positive sign for the future of F1.
Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull will have to fight to ensure they are part of the World title picture
Four-time World Champion Sebastian Vettel has not had the best of starts to this, his eighth consecutive season in Formula One.
The German driver has struggled to adapt to the new regulations this term, which sees smaller V6 engines instead of the ever reliable V8 used in all four of Vettel’s title wins.
Reliability has been an issue for the cars using Renault engines, which include Red Bull, Lotus, Toro Rosso and Caterham.
During 12 days of testing pre-season, Red Bull were unable to complete a full race simulation after engine issues with the RB10 car.
Engine reliability coupled with Mercedes’ clearly superior power makes for an intriguing season for Vettel. It remains to be seen how he reacts after such a long period of dominance.
One race is not enough to completely write them off though and there have been positive signs for the team. Daniel Ricciardo finished the Australian GP in second place before being disqualified, showing signs that they will be competitive when it comes down to it.
If Vettel is to equal his hero Michael Schumacher and win five consecutive World Championships however, the Laureus Sportsman of the Year and his team are going to have to make some drastic changes, before it is too late.
The ‘quiet’ engines dispute will be discussed for the remainder of the season
New rules regarding engines this year mean that the iconic sound of an F1 car screeching around the track will no longer greet spectators in the stands.
Or rather that is the opinion of many of the sport’s top names, including F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone.
The 83-year-old claimed he was “horrified” by the lack of noise at the Melbourne GP and said: “these cars don’t sound like racing cars.”
Not one to shy away from controversy, Ecclestone has since changed his view on the subject, illustrating the mixed opinions the change has had.
Engine changes have been one of many as part of a goal to shake things up in Formula One.
However, the sound of the new 1.6 litre V6 engines has been described as uninspiring from many fans that now present the real possibility of a revolt over the issue.
Others involved have defended the changes, which aim to make F1 cars more environmentally friendly, a move which reflects the road car industry.
McLaren team boss Eric Bouiller encouraged fans to see the positive side of the change: “ This new power-unit we have developed is a completely industry-relevant engine formula and this is why we could attract some new engine manufacturers and keep some of them on board actually,” said the Frenchman.
Sebastian Vettel is the latest big name to condemn the meagre sound of the V6 engine voicing his concerns over the quieter noise: “ I was on the pit wall during the race, and it is quieter than in a bar. I think for the fans it is not good. I think F1 has to be spectacular – and the sound is one of the most important things,” said the German.
The only thing clear at the moment is that it is going to take some time to get used to a different way of doing things.
Mercedes are the team to beat
Nico Rosberg claimed his fourth Grand Prix win in Australia and in doing so announced Mercedes as the team to beat this year.
Rosberg took victory comfortably after teammate Lewis Hamilton qualified on pole position by over three tenths of a second.
Both drivers have looked impressive during testing and at the Australian opener indicated their title hopes.
The pair have outlined their desire for a 1-2 two finish ahead of the Malaysian GP but Rosberg has warned them not to get complacent after one race. He said: “The chances are, yes, that we will be right at the front because it seems that we have a bit of an advantage over the other people. Of course Melbourne is not a benchmark as a race, so we need to be a bit cautious with that but I think we’re looking good, so it will be possible to do a great result again here.”
The ‘dream team’ of Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen will improve as the season progresses.
In Australia, Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen experienced their fair share of problems on the track.
Both men finished within the points, but both men would have expected to better.
F1 rookie Kevin Magnussen appeared to outshine Alonso and Raikkonen’s Ferrari return was not the fairytale it should have been.
Like Red Bull, Ferrari, in particular Raikkonen have had problems adapting to the new cars.
During testing the Finn was unable to match his new teammate Alonso, but has denied he is having problems with the brake-by-wire system used by the Italian team.
Despite apparent concerns, perhaps the fastest and most experienced team of drivers in F1 are still familiarising themselves with rules and regulations they have not seen before.
As the season continues, the two former World Champions will move up the grid and be in contention for the title in one of the most open seasons in recent history.
By Jamie Bassett
Follow @jmebassett
This photograph was provided by Paul Williams