The roar of F1 is back

“2.4 litre V8s to be replaced by four cylinder 1.6 litre engines from 2014”.

But does it make a difference? F1 is back, and this could be one of the most exciting seasons of all. The youngest 3 time World Champion, and in pursuit of the unprecedented 4th World Championship in a row, Sebastian Vettel is looking calmer than ever. With the burden lifted, both from Red Bull’s and Seb’s shoulders, they are raring to go again. But will it be a cake walk for them this time around as well? That’s a hard question to answer. But early signs from pre-season testing promises a hard fought, nail biting season!

As always, the off season was a busy time for most of the teams. They were not only working day in day out to prepare the best package for the first Grand Prix in Melbourne, but this is the time of the year when a lot of swapping and changing goes on in the paddock.

So, which was the biggest of them all?

There are no seconds thoughts about it. It has to be Lewis Hamilton ending his 12 year long association with his McLaren and joining Mercedes. With this, we also witnessed the departure – though not for the first time – of one of the greats the sport has ever witnessed, Michael Schumacher finally hanging up his boots for the good, making way for another world champion.

So will this new partnership of Hamilton and Brawn be the final piece in the incomplete jigsaw puzzle for Mercedes? Failure of Mercedes till now is a big surprise for all. With all the resources and a team of world class engineers at their disposal, they haven’t been able to deliver the goods. From being the champions as Brawn GP to high spending low achievers, Ross Brawn has seen both the trough and crest which the sport has to offer. Getting one of the fastest and most exciting drivers on the circuit, in the form of Lewis Hamilton, is seen as the key to the lock of success for this team. Along with Hamilton, they have also roped in Toto Wolff from Williams as Mercedes Motorsport’s boss. So, they have got the team and the resources. The only thing missing is the performance. Will they be able to deliver? Only time will tell, but if pre-season testing performances are any indication, then Mercedes can expect some goods coming their way this season.

The team which is seen as the most formidable challenger to Red Bull this season is the Prancing Horse, the red beast Ferrari. The red has lost his sheen in the past few seasons. So, they will also be itching to get back on the track and get back to the place they were so used to in the times of Schumacher and Jean Todt. They have got the resources, and in Alonso, they have one of the most talented drivers on the circuit. Last year, with a car that was nearly 2 seconds off the pace of Red Bull’s at the start of the season, Alonso managed to lead the major part of the season. So, if Ferrari can manage to provide him with the right tools, he is surely capable of wielding the magic which made him 2 times world champion. The pre-season testing results are also promising for the prancing horse, with Felipe Massa terming the new car as a beast and on a different planet, compared to what he drove in the last season, in pre-testing. So, early signs are encouraging and this could again be the year for the Tifosi.

Another big team who has got a refreshing look to their line up is McLaren. With the exciting Sergio Perez on the blocks, this could be an exciting year for them as well. Their line up has got a proper blend of experience and raw pace in the form of Button and Perez. Button will be looking forward to his new role as the leader of the team with the departure of Hamilton to Mercedes, and at the same time, Perez will be all eager to impress his new bosses. Pace has never been an issue with McLaren, as they always had a quick car at their disposal. But the issue of reliability is what haunts them season after season. They were one of the quickest in pre-season testing in Jerez and Barcelona, but weren’t able to put in the miles desired, again with reliability issues creeping in. So, if they want to pose any serious threat to Red Bull and Vettel’s crown, then they need to iron out these jinxes in their armour.

Apart from the big guns, much is expected from the chasing group of F1 this time around. Lotus was the surprise package last season with the Iceman finishing third in just his first season back in the sport, after two years of exile. Though they don’t have the funds to match the big boys, they certainly have the talent to cause a surprise or two. Kimi will be more settled in the team, and hopefully Grosjean would have worked on his first lap blunders. The pre-season form for Lotus is also quite decent and they can hope for a reliable season, with more wins than last year.

The performance of midfield runners like Force India and Williams is also promising, with Williams being the last team to launch their new car. But they were very quick off the block, with Pastor Maldonado posting challenging times in pre-season tests. On the other hand, though the on-circuit performance of Force India is also encouraging, they have many off the circuit issues to resolve first. With only Paul Di Resta confirmed to start the first Grand Prix on 17th March in Melbourne, the team is still contemplating between Adrian Sutil and Jules Bianchi for the second driver seat. On top of it, with both Sahara and Vijay Mallya facing financial issues back home, team funding could also be an issue in the future. Toro Rosso can also join in the fray to be the next king of the mid field.

The best of the rest battle of back markers will be fought between Caterham and Marussia. With new faces behind the wheels for both of them, the teams can look forward to a learning and enriching experience, if nothing else.

With 19 races in the entire season, and USA also joining the F1 extravaganza, F1 2013 promises to be as exciting as ever. With the title getting decided in the last race in 2012, F1 fans want nothing less than what was on offer last time around. Will the rest of the teams be able to restrict the flight of the Red Bulls and chop their wings, will the prancing horse do its dance once again, or will the Silver Arrow finally shoot something down? We’ll have to wait and watch. The excitement is in the air, and all eyes are on Melbourne, with fans waiting with bated breath to see those 5 red lights go off.