A thrill-a-minute Australian Grand Prix, with action throughout the field, provided the start to the season for which F1’s bosses were hoping.
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ALONSO THANKS HIS LUCKY STARS
It is difficult to think of a bigger accident – of which one has survived – in recent times. Perhaps with the death of Jules Bianchi still raw, Alonso’s crash took on greater significance. “I am aware that today I spent some of the luck remaining in life,” the Spaniard said in a post on Instagram. It is hard to disagree.
FORTUNE ALSO SMILES ON ROSBERG
Rosberg must count himself rather fortunate. The German binned his car in practice and then finished behind Lewis Hamilton after an error-strewn qualifying. His race did not start in a mighty fashion either, yet a dodgy strategy for Vettel – before Raikkonen retired with an engine problem – enabled him to open his account.
MELBOURNE WAS THE PITS FOR VETTEL
When Rosberg and Hamilton switched to the more durable tyre compound, Ferrari chose to run the grippier, super-softs. It meant Vettel had to pit one more time than both the Mercedes cars. A late pursuit of Hamilton ensued, but it equated to nothing. Hopefully for their sake, Vettel, and Ferrari, will not come to regret this gaffe.
WILL BUTTON RUE DECISION TO CONTINUE?
Button, the former world champion who so nearly retired last year, finished last but one. While McLaren are in better shape than the shambles of last season, they won’t be challenging the podium, and you have to wonder whether Button will live to regret, or at least question, his decision to hang around in the sport.
CAN F1 BUILD ON ‘BEST START EVER’?
While the end result is hardly an unfamiliar one, the race really did deliver. Indeed Niki Lauda labelled it “the best start ever in F1“. Hyperbole? Perhaps, but we can look forward to Bahrain in a fortnight’s time with new optimism that this season, who many predicted to be a snore-fest, may not be so bad after all.