At long last the new look 2017 Formula 1 season will get underway this weekend with the opening round, the Australian Grand Prix at Melbourne's Albert Park.
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Since it first became a round of the Formula One world championship, no Australian driver has ever won his home grand prix, so that means more pressure on the back of Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo.
With the new rules the wider fatter cars will be faster, but their improved pace not coming from more power, instead their improved aerodynamics, which should play into the hands of Red Bull, for a long time the masters of that area.
It shouldn't be forgotten that Red Bull were the only team apart from Mercedes to win a grand prix in 2016.
The experts predict either Ricciardo or young teammate Max Verstappen will start as the drivers to beat, but the all conquering Mercedes outfit are still going to be tough, particularly Lewis Hamilton.
The Brit will hit the track tomorrow in the two Friday Free practice sessions with a new teammate in Valterri Bottas as replacement for Nico Rosberg who stunned F1 when he decided to retire just five days after clinching the 2016 world title last November, and this will be first time the former Williams driver will have a regular shot at race victories in F1.
Williams is the only F1 team the Finn has driven for, having moved there after winning the GP3 title back in 2011. That season was the 27-year-old’s most recent championship success and he also scored his most recent race victory at the Donington round of that year’s British Formula 3 championship.
So far in his F1 career, Bottas has made 77 race starts and scored 411 points, with second place at the British and German races in 2014 representing his best results, and also has one F1 fastest lap to his name.
After a poor 2016 Ferrari would be keen to return to their winning ways, though they need Sebastian Vettel to fire. There are reports that the former Red Bull multiple world champion who finished 2016 without a win or pole was far from happy in Italy and suggestions a return to a British based squad may be on the cards.
Williams look to be in for a tough year, with Felipe Massa making a shock return replacing Bottas. It looks as if Massa will be there as a babysitter for 18 year old teammate Lance Stroll, who is in the team mainly due to an injection of cash to the team; $80 million.
Certainly if pre-season testing is anything to go on, Mercedes may still have the goods for they competed more laps than any other with 1096, while Ferrari was next best on 956 and Red Bull much further down the list with 684.