THE F1 SEASON rolls into action this Sunday in Australia. And, as Sky Sports have reminded us once or twice, it’s live and in HD. Here’s how the teams are looking at this sage.
Red Bull: Sebastian Vettel remains the driver to beat in 2012 but both he and team-mate Mark Webber are unlikely to be as dominant as last year judging by pre-season times. Winter testing hasn’t quite gone to plan, but while the team has designer Adrian Newey in their corner, they can and will deliver the knock out blows.
McLaren: Surely the team most likely to challenge Red Bull, going on the sounds emanating from their garage at the moment. Testing has gone well. Lewis says he’s back on track and even Jenson Button is talking up his chances. One concern might be an internal battle between team-mates if neither driver establishes himself as the clear leader early on but it would appear that the British outfit has the car to compete right from the first green light this time around.
Ferrari: All is not well with Italy and F1 right now. There’s no Italian driver on the grid and Ferrari’s technical director believes his team will struggle to claim podiums in the opening races such is the development left to complete on their new challenger. Felipe Massa will surely leave at the end of the year if he doesn’t re-discover some form and there’s little chance of Fernando Alonso hanging around unless he’s given a race-winning car to drive. Troubling times for the Tifosi.
Mercedes: Michael Schumacher’s decision to stay on for another term suggests this team has a decent machine on the way. Nico Rosberg completed the most kilometres during testing, team boss Ross Brawn is promising significant improvements and for all those who remember Schumacher’s magical days, it would be good to see the German back towards his best. Wet conditions in Canada last year were a teasing reminder of how exceptional the 43-year-old can be…
Lotus F1: This outfit mightn’t be getting half the press they are if Raikkonen wasn’t about but the Finn has been quick in testing and when he hasn’t been in the car, his team-mate Romain Grosjean has also shown some decent pace. There’s always one team that are not quite as good as their winter form. Lotus may be it this year but their prospects are bright right now.
Force India: One of the teams to watch this year on the basis that they have two young drivers eager to prove their worth in F1. (Di Resta and Nico Hulkenburg). The team has improved and turned themselves in genuine front midfield runners over the past couple of seasons and there is no reason that trend should be any different in 2012.
Sauber: A tough, finance-limiting year ahead for Kamui Kobayashi and Sergio Perez. If there’s one thing the Swiss team does well, however, it’s solid consistency.
STR: Another outfit that could cause a couple of surprises. In Aussie Daniel Ricciardo and Frenchman Jean-Eric Vergne, Red Bull are thought to be checking out possible replacements for Mark Webber. These two guys have bags of talent, little experience but a decent car, which benefits from the technical advances being made at its title-winning sister team.
Williams: 2012 needs to be a better year for Williams. Off the back of their worst ever season, the team has recruited Pastor Maldonado and Bruno Senna, nephew of Ayrton, who was tragically killed driving for the same team at Imola in 1994. With Renault on board as engine suppliers and a bulked up technical staff, the team will look to make improvements this year but it’s a long road back to becoming title contenders at this stage.
Caterham F1: The team has two proven points scorers in Heikki Kovalainen and Vitaly Petrov and will be targeting a midfield battle as they look to inch up the grid.
HRT F1: One of the few things the Spanish-based HRT team has going for it is the experience of Pedro de la Rosa. With Indian Narain Karthikeyan alongside, the veteran will need a miracle to make any impression in an untested car.
Marussia F1: Running another untested machine, the Marussia team will travel to Australia after seeing their car pass its final FIA crash test just last week. In Technical Consultant Pat Symonds (formerly of Renault) and Timo Glock, they have some experience to lean on but it will be a difficult year, especially for rookie Charles Pic.
Verdict:
Red Bull and Sebastian Vettel have to be early season favourites, primarily because they hold claim to the current titles. McLaren look fit and ready for a season-long campaign however, and with all the right noises coming from Hamilton, he may well be the main threat to Vettel’s three-in-a-row.
Pre-season testing form is never a true litmus test and it will take several races before we know where the genuine speed lies. Some of the teams have been quick in qualifying trim while others were more impressive over longer distances – both of which are needed to mount a serious title challenge.
Pirelli’s decision to alter its tyre compounds is another factor to add to the mix, all of which point to a competitive season. Let’s just hope competitive races follow…