The Malaysian Grand Prix gave Formula One the much needed boost as the sport was beginning to unravel in its own problems. With teams threatening to quit, drivers fighting over race seats and the big boss claiming Formula One is ‘sick.’
However after Sebastian Vettel’s marvellous win in Kuala Lumpur, it seems a new lease of life has resurrected F1 from the grave. Here are all the talking points from the weekend of great action.
Formula One is back!
With Mercedes dominating in Melbourne, it seemed that we were all in for another long season of one team dominance, however with Ferrari’s masterful win over the Silver Arrows, F1 seems to have become a competition once again.
If any team were to beat Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, it would be a team with Ferrari’s tactical nous. it was clear before the weekend had even begun that the Scuderia are the ones to take the challenge to Mercedes, with their practice times being very strong, as well as a positive showing in Melbourne last time out.
But Formula One has managed to re-discover the thrill factor following the drab affair which was the Australian Grand Prix. Cars were fighting throughout the grid, with battles developing up and down the order, most notably Hamilton and Vettel’s fight at the front.
Red Bull have a problem…
In Malaysia, both Toro Rosso’s of Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz finished ahead of Red Bull’s ‘A’ squad of Daniel Ricciardo and Daniil Kvyat, which poses the question, who will be driving for Red Bull if this continues?
Surely both of these drivers can’t stay at Toro Rosso for too long, with both showing huge talent, especially considering Verstappen is 17, and Sainz 20. If they continue to impress they’ll become hugely sought after and Red Bull will need to be aware of this before they lose two of their gems. It’s clear the STR duo have potential, but will they go on to success like Vettel? Or fall to the wayside like Jean-Eric Vergne and Jaime Alguersuari?
McLaren are improving… just.
The legendary team were on its knees post Australia. Occupying the back row of the grid and losing a car on the formation lap, the Woking team couldn’t get much worse. With all the media spotlight on returning driver Fernando Alonso and his revelations regarding the account of his pre-season crash being completely different to the team’s, it was clear all is not well in the McLaren garage.
Kept off the back row by Manor in Malaysia, McLaren definitely have improved, albeit slowly. Jenson Button halved the deficit to the fastest time. With him being a second behind fastest in Australia, he was only half a second off Hamilton’s Mercedes in Q1 on Saturday. But with both cars retiring due to issues with the turbo and power, it’s obvious work still needs to be done as the reunion with Honda continues to be a turbulent affair, but baby steps for McLaren…
Is Fernando Alonso the unluckiest man in F1 right now?
When Alonso announced he’d signed with McLaren with 2015, people questioned his move, but with McLaren and Ferrari being shadows of their former selves in 2014, the move was understood to be a risk for the veteran Spaniard.
But with Ferrari’s sudden resurgence this season, will Alonso be regretting his move? It seems so, but perhaps McLaren’s reunion with Honda is simply a long-term process. Reference point here being Mercedes’ three year plan to become competitive, after three years in the midfield wilderness, the Brackley based team were suddenly fighting at the front of the grid.
Plus in 2012 when Lewis Hamilton announced he’d swapped McLaren for Mercedes people laughed and questioned why, but they’re eating their words now as he’s currently the reigning champion with, you guessed it, Mercedes. So will people be wrong about Alonso’s move? Or is this a disappointing end to one of the 21st century’s finest drivers?
Ferrari are back with a bang!
As Vettel stood atop the podium in Malaysia, a resemblance to a certain former Scuderia driver was made. His leap on the top step was reminiscent of compatriot Michael Schumacher, who won five of his seven titles with the Maranello team. It’s no secret that ‘Schumi’ is a hero to Vettel, and to meet your hero is one thing, to emulate him is another completely.
The German stood on the podium looking rather emotional as he masterminded a victory over the supposedly dominant Mercedes cars. With James Allison on board, he deserves some credit, he created Lotus’ 2013 car, which was very fast and easy on the tyres, exactly like the 2015 Ferrari.
Kimi Raikkonen became the unsung hero of Sunday, suffering a puncture on lap one, the Finn recovered to finish fourth. This is evidently the arrival to the party of Ferrari, as they look to re-discover that form of the early noughties, with another German at the wheel, could history be repeating itself?