The first Grand Prix of 2017 is here! After months of waiting, we’re only a few days away from the Australian Grand Prix. Will the new regulations deliver an interesting season for us? While they have increased speeds and the level of difficulty for the drivers, will they increase chances of wheel-to-wheel action?
After being subjected to three seasons of domination by Mercedes, a Ferrari resurgence and fight is what most fans are praying for. If Red Bull Racing are able to join the party, the interest and excitement of the 2017 season will grow exponentially. Should Mercedes end up being the dominant force yet again, the pressure will be on Valtteri Bottas to match and beat Lewis Hamilton – not just from himself and Mercedes, but also from the millions of fans around the world. There’s a chance that Bottas might end up making Rosberg better than he ever did. Will he make us miss Rosberg too?
Hamilton’s Easiest Trot
The 2017 season could be Hamilton’s easiest trot to a World Champion. It could also deliver Vettel his fifth, Raikkonen his second or even firsts for Bottas, Ricciardo and Verstappen. The Red Bull Racing pair do seem the strongest and most interesting of the lot and expectations are that Adrian Newey will perform magic with the aero regulations on the RB13.
Mid-Field Battle
Force India’s pink VJM10 and Williams FW40, should make the mid-field battle interesting and we’re hoping that Renault, Haas and Toro Rosso join this fight. Mclaren-Honda will find themselves challenging Sauber, who are using a year-old Ferrari engine, for the last starting positions on the grid. The Mclaren-Honda dream has turned out to be a nightmare for the team from Woking, the Japanese manufacturer, Fernando Alonso and their fans. Will they end up divorcing each other or will they resurrect from the ashes?
Lastly, there are some interesting innovations already. Ferrari have a racing shoe that’s called a sock while Mercedes have finger holes in their clutch paddle. Let’s hope that all this effort delivers a classic and memorable season for the fans. Tune in!