Focus on ... a new start for F1
Formula One is back and the cars are bigger and faster than ever before. The rationale behind the new regulations for 2017 is questionable -- the effect on wheel-to-wheel racing is expected to be negative, for example -- but there's no denying that the latest generation of cars are true monsters. Powered by 1.6-litre, V6 turbo hybrids, they are expected to be pushing 1000bhp in qualifying trim, with that power transferred to the track via two fat rear tyres that evoke memories of the turbo-charged beasts of the 1980s. The cars weigh in at a hefty 728kg and will pull around 5Gs in corners as the new aerodynamic packages force the cars to squat heavy on their suspension. Lap times will certainly be broken and some are expected to be smashed.
The drivers have been training harder than ever before to make sure they are not the weakest component in the car. Collar sizes have visibly increased over the winter and some corners will again be a matter of bravery rather than technique. The hope is that the brutal physicality of these cars will come across on TV and the 20 best drivers in the world will once again be portrayed as the heroes they are.
But perhaps the most exciting aspect of the new season is the level of competitiveness at the front. After three years of Mercedes dominance, the reigning world champions appear to have two serious rivals in Ferrari and Red Bull. Pre-season testing is only ever a rough guide at best, but the lap times being set by Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen were too fast to ignore and the feeling in the paddock is that Mercedes are worried. Of course, it's easy to get swept up in blind optimism at this time of year, but for the first time in several seasons Formula One is once again capturing the imagination of the wider world again. And that can only be a good thing.
In need of a win
Ferrari has not won a race since the 2015 Singapore Grand Prix. For a team with such an illustrious history -- not to mention a budget in excess of €400 million -- that simply is not acceptable. This year, however, Formula One's most famous marque is looking more competitive than it has done for several seasons. While the Italian team is known for flattering to deceive during pre-season testing, the SF70H's pace over the winter was impressive. What's more the car appeared to react well to set-up changes, while Mercedes and Red Bull had some distinctly off days as they tried to find the limit withe their packages. But Maranello knows its two biggest rivals won't struggle for long, which is why it is imperative for the team to get the season off to a winning start.
In need of points
After two seasons punching well below its weight, it's hard to believe that things could get worse for McLaren this year -- yet that is exactly what happened during pre-season testing. The source of the issue is the overhauled Honda engine, which is believed to follow Mercedes' split turbo approach after the team ditched its novel size-zero design. But achieving what Mercedes has managed is a massive engineering task, requiring a shaft to sit in the vee of the engine to connect the turbine at the rear of the engine and the compressor at the front. If perfected, the concept brings both power and packaging advantages, but it took Mercedes several years to get right on the dyno before it hit the track in 2014 and the one thing Honda does not have is time. The Japanese manufacturer admitted the changes came with a certain risk and so far it is not paying off. If the two MCL32s see the chequered flag on Sunday, it will be an achievement for the team. Points would feel like a race victory.
ESPN prediction
For all the changes over the winter there is one thing that hasn't changed. Mercedes is still competitive and Lewis Hamilton is still arguably the most talented drivers of a generation. Although it should be tighter at the front than in recent years, ESPN is backing the three-time world champion to start his 2017 campaign with a win.
Weather
After a week of rain and clouds, the weather appears to be brightening up ahead of the race weekend. The old Melbourne cliché of having four seasons in one day could have been substituted for four seasons in an hour on Wednesday, but sunshine should welcome Formula One back to the paddock on Thursday. Friday is due to be overcast, which will allow the teams to work on set-up but will not provide the higher track temperatures expected for Sunday's sunny race. The most interesting session could be qualifying, with a chance of showers ahead of the first competitive on-track action of the season.
Tyres
Compound choices: Ultra-soft, Super-soft, Soft
The circuit form a tyre point of view:
A semi-permanent track: always 'green ' and dirty at the start of the weekend.
Hard acceleration and braking: longitudinal forces are greater than lateral ones.
Lots of slow corners: emphasis on mechanical grip and high downforce.
Left-rear tyre is worked hardest.
Anything can happen with the weather: from bright sunshine to torrential rain.
Reasonably smooth asphalt, so tyre wear and degradation is comparatively low.
Mario Isola, Pirelli head of racing: "The teams completed 7427 laps of Barcelona during pre - season testing, using all the compounds but concentrating on the medium and soft tyres, which were the ones best suited to Montmeló . In Melbourne, it's going to be interesting to collect more data on the ultrasoft and supersoft compounds, which we've not been able to fully assess up to now."
What's new?
Pirelli takes the ultrasoft compound to Australia for the first time.
There are new rules governing race starts (where the drivers will have more clutch control) and re - starts after safety cars in wet conditions ( from the grid).
From Australia to Spain, teams will have identical tyre allocations: seven sets of the softest compound available, four sets of the middle compound, and two of the hardest compound. In Australia, these are ultrasoft, supersoft and soft (in order).