Ahead of this weekend's Chinese Grand Prix, we take a look at the major talking points in the lead up to the big race.

– #360view: Tyring exercise at Malaysia GP won’t be repeated in China
– No alarm bells yet for Mercedes' Wolff after Ferrari revival in Malaysia

Are Ferrari really back?
Sebastian Vettel (right) put the cat amongst the pigeons with his stunning victory in Malaysia, his first for Ferrari and first since topping the podium for Red Bull at the end of 2013. 

But after ending a run of eight straight victories for Mercedes, Shanghai should prove the acid test for Ferrari’s hopes of launching any sort of genuine challenge. The way Lewis Hamilton’s circuitry fried under pressure from Vettel suggests the German has struck a significant psychological blow.  
   
Nico Rosberg needs form, fast
It hasn’t been a happy 2015 so far for Nico Rosberg, who was comprehensively beaten by Mercedes team-mate Hamilton in Australia and left red-faced in Malaysia. 

Rosberg’s cheeky invitation for Vettel to attend a Mercedes debrief, to help Ferrari catch up, backfired spectacularly when he was bested by his fellow German in both qualifying and on race-day. Rosberg was also accused of deliberately slowing Hamilton during qualifying, a suggestion both drivers dismissed. Rosberg needs to make it happen on the track or risk seeing his season slip away.

Fernando Alonso and the case of what might have been

Fernando Alonso insisted he was one of the happiest people in the world before the Malaysian race, but he would have been forgiven for some wistful glances at the Ferrari garage as his former team ended a 34-race drought. 

In his first race back at McLaren, it was a sobering reality check for the Spaniard, 33, who has been searching for a third world title since 2006. While Ferrari celebrated, neither McLaren finished the race and they look unlikely to figure this season.

No limits for Max
Toro Rosso’s record-breaker Max Verstappen has taken up the flag for the next generation of F1 drivers with aplomb and arrives in Shanghai looking to rewrite history again. 

He became the sport’s youngest points scorer in Malaysia at 17 years and 180 days, embarrassing senior Red Bull drivers Daniel Ricciardo and Daniil Kvyat in the process. The sky looks to be the limit for him.