This is the part we all look forward to kick-start our year - engines revving, burning rubber, wheels banging - yes to all of us F1 enthusiasts the year is just beginning. This is also the time of the year when we are unsure of who is going to be fast, who is going to be midfield and who is not gonna matter at all. The rumour mills are in overdrive even before we reach Melbourne, with tales about which cars are going to be fastest and fighting for the championship, but somehow when we reach the European races, we kinda know the pecking order for the rest of the season.
This year promises to be like no other, with sweeping changes and regulations in place for the year. The cars look totally different (aerodynamically), the technology is new (KERS), and best part of it all, we return to slicks. But the news that I feel that shook the Formula One fraternity up (apart from Brawn GP) was the change in the points system for the year.
The news rules state that the driver with the most wins will be crowned Champion at the the end of the year. This means that if Massa wins 6 races and fails to finish the rest of the races, and if the next best, say Raikkonen wins 5 races and finishes second in the remaining races, Massa will still be crowned Champion. If two or more drivers are tied at say 4 wins a piece, then the points will come into play.
Fernando Alonso and Jarno Trulli were the first set of drivers to voice their displeasure with the rules, with Bernie Eccelstone being the strongest advocate for the new system. In my view, I think it is great for racing. This way no driver will ease off at anytime during the season. However, there will always be another side to it so let us see how it works out this year before I become a big fan of it.
With the cars expected to be within one second of each other (testing times suggest this), and a lot more overtaking promised, this season could turn to be even better than last years, so Melbourne here we come!!
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