New F1 season kicks off this weekend (Page 17 of 33)

Once again Mike you've provided a masterful insight into the wonderful world of F1.  So thanks for that, and well done on your prediction about Bruno Senna.  You and I differ about his abilities and potential but I hope he will demonstrate more maturity this year and not just be in the seat because of his name and connections. 

Shame if Robert Kubica doesn't get a drive but he's seemingly jinxed.  He was so impressive during 2010 then had that nasty accident before the start of the 2011 season and now I read he's broken his leg after a skating accident. 

Then we've got the return of the Flying Finn, Kimi Raikkonen.  That'll make 6 world champions lining up on the same starting grid.  Gripping stuff.

It's shaping up to be another great season but unfortunately not one that I'll be able to enjoy now that it's gone over to Sky Sports which I don't have and don't want.  So, I'll enjoy the titbits that the BBC intend to throw at us from time to time and take in the odd race from the comfort of a pub armchair.

So here we are again. First F1 practice over. I don't have any TV problem choices this season as full in depth coverage from RTL keeps me fully up to date.

The winter 'silly season' proved not much as ever, except a couple of things. The Ferrari is the 'dog' of the moment.

12th and 16th can't have been what the Scudiera were hoping for.....

According to form the person who has won pole in Albert Park since 2007 has gone on to win the championship. So shall we crown Lewis Hamilton now and save 8 months of trawling around the globe.

Fantastic performnace by the Mclarens straight out of the box, and by some margin over the 3rd place man.......surprise surprise....Romain Grosjean!

Lotus proving that their winter showing was no fluke. OK Kimi's practice was a disaster, but he must be happy. The car has potential and the first 5 races is the place to show it. With Ferrari out of the top six there are 2 extra places always going begging.....

Webber and Vettel 5th and 6th. Didn't seem too disappointed and I suspect the Red Bulls are full to the gunnels with fuel. Nico Rosberg looked a good bet for pole until a tyre problem and some over late braking rueld him out. He starts 7th but another one to hint that the car being so consistent over long runs that he is fueld right up. That being so, if they haven't split the strategy Schumi is well placed. In 4th spot the old man looks and sounds very confident. Lets hope for a good showing, but a Mclaren win looks pretty set right now. Early days and the longest season ever to come.

And what of the middle and back end? Well Caterham haven't yet bridged the gap to the middle pack. Hulkenberg (FIndia), Ricciardo(STR) and Maldona(Williams) all got through to the final qualifying just showing the spread of possibilties as ist stood today. If the middle of the field is that tight and that is where Ferrari finds themselves they are going to be in desperate starights indeed.

I'm hoping for a good year. As Niki Lauda wrily observed "the best looking car on pole at least". He has a point. If Mclaren prove beauty is best maybe the others might ditch that awful 'stepped nose' concept. I'll guess we'll get used to it.

I for one anyway say welcome back F1...........!

Here's a slide show of the cars this season - http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/16872627 - at first glance - not at fan of this Step design !

Stop press!

whats this? some of the teams are going to challenge the legality of Mercedes DRS air recirculating system.

My oh my. What clever people. Charlie Whiting cleared this system on Wednesday, and now, because of the Merc teams good practice showing they all want it 'clarified'. Merc have just been cleverer, thats all.

I see from the BBc that Ross Brawn hints that if it is protested and upheld he will protest the exhaust systems several cars have which he believes breaches the 'Blown floor' ban.

They really are clever people in F1. I think the merc will be allowed to keep it and then they will have to have something similar - just like the F-duct from 2010 and hot 'n cold blown floors last year. You couldn't dream this up. Its actually why I love F1.

Poor Ferrari. They'll just have another gizmo to add to the long list of head scratching items they currently have. Still at least know it is nothing to do with the nuts behind the wheel!

PSmith...........you know your onions sir!

Button indeed reigned supreme. A total 'Vettelesque' performance. Great start, blitzed away as much as poss before the DRS could kick in and then managed tyres and race as only he can. 10/10 for Jensen.

Lewis had wheelspin and then bad luck with the safety car timings. Great day for McLaren though. RB must be happy too as this was damage limitation. Alonso drove a faultless race to salvage something.

Driver of the day would have been Maldanaldo but for the last lap error. German commentators speculated something awry in the engine note coming through the kink but I thought he just got on the grass and gas abit too lively. Schame that - although I thought Williams would have been better counselling him to back off anyway. No way do you mug Alonso out of a point scoring position on the last 2 laps. They should have settled for 6th and kept out of his slipstream.

Good midfield battle in there today so its clear that a number of cars are quite closely matched. Shame Kimi started so far back as I suspect he coud have 5th place today.

The Mercs. I thought Schumi was looking good and providing a natural barrier to Vettel. Shame the transmission let go, but he has reasons to be optimistic. Rosberg got shuffled down the a order a bit and then it was all tyre woes apparently.

All good stuff. Lets hope the McLarens do it again in Maylasia. Do the Championship a lot of good if RB/Vettel are forced to work for it a bit more.

All of the above....was late in last night-took jr and two mates up to Edinburgh for Enter Shakiri gig,2am return-so set sky+ for it-was an excellent race from start to finish,the politics and techy stuff'll sort itself out,nearly had a flutter on Kimi making top 6,with the last lap melee,could've been !Have sports for the footie and cricket,HD REALLY makes it real,the pre and after race needs a tweak or two,but liked the way the ads weren't inappropriately placed,spliting pre-race and race nearly caused pain as i almost didn't hit R for that section on Planner!

Echo you Lyn, great win by Jenson. Good to see Kimi back, and to end in seventh!

Rain always does the trick and shakes up the field somewhat. Malaysia has done it before to dramatic effect.

I was surprised just how many of the top men got caught out really. Jenson overcooking it was unusual, Vettel also  iscalculating somewhat. Pretty much all of them had their moments.

Fernando did pretty much what he had to and kept his nose clean and once it all settled down there he was. With the conditions masking the apparent defects in his cars normal performance he was his usual superb self.

That said Perez had a real chance of victory yesterday for Sauber as he had a clear car advantage on the drying track which only serves to emphasise just how off the normal pace Ferrari are.

Great result for both though. From a adamge limittation point of view a great couple of first races for Ferrari.

Before the race I was going to write how Perez / Massa would be a natrual swap. Felipe has driven for Sauber twice already so going back would be no problem. Perez has shown he is capable of dealing with all types of conditions with maturity. He looks a good bet for Ferrari next year I would say and maybe Massa going in the other direction.

The other drives of the day should be Bruno Senna and Paul di Resta. Good that when the top players fall out of the running that some of the other talents shine.............