If there was one word to describe the proceedings of the Formula One 2017 season-opening Australian Grand Prix, it would be “nostalgia” – the iconic red of the Ferrari racing past the finish line, followed by the German and Italian national anthems on the podium.
For longtime F1 fans, this ruthless combination of great engineering and precision driving may have reminded them of another era – an era of dominance for the prancing horse and a German at its helm, Michael Schumacher. Only this time, it is the Ferrari that is bringing about the close of Mercedes’ rule, driven by another German who has proven his worth as rightfully being Schumacher’s heir apparent – Sebastian Vettel.
In the last few years of Mercedes’ supremacy, it has been hard for the likes of Ferrari and Red Bull Racing to mount any sort of meaningful challenge. Ferrari, in particular, are anchored by their years of legacy. Pre-season can be the worst for fans who anticipate an end of a slump that the Italian manufacturer has faced recently, and the first few races in the calendar normally bring back that familiar feeling of disappointment.
Therefore, it wouldn’t have been a surprise to supporters when Ferrari’s SF70H car was quicker than the Mercedes in pre-season. It was an all too familiar tale, and disappointment was almost a foregone conclusion. But the Ferrari camp remained silent all throughout and let the first race of the year be their statement.
Steady assault
The first few laps of the Australian GP saw Vettel chase race leader Lewis Hamilton, who had pole. As each lap led to the next, the Ferrari continued its steady assault, while the Brit’s tyres went bust on him. Vettel seemed rejuvenated at the prospect of a Merc not pulling away from him – a sight most drivers had gotten used to over the past two seasons.
But then a disastrous pit stop strategy by Mercedes meant that the German gained the lead and the undercut, which Hamilton and his team hoped would stem Seb’s relentless pursuit, failed. And that was when the race was over. Vettel came out of his pit stop just ahead of Max Verstappen and Hamilton. Hamilton, on fresh tyres, couldn’t move past the 19-year-old Red Bull driver.
Overtaking seems to be a hard task this season, and it was evident. With no juice in his car and tyres that were wearing out faster than anyone else’s, last year’s runner-up knew that work lay ahead. While both Ferrari and Mercedes have yet to truly harness the potential of their cars, race positions might be crucial this season, primarily due to how tricky it can get to overtake with the new cars. And a driver like Valterri Bottas might be perfect for Mercedes in these situations. This year could be a struggle for the Silver Arrows, and the Russian seems like the perfect driver to chase after points late into races – provided his team perfects their pit strategies.
Faultless race
Coming back to the Ferrari, Vettel pulled away from everyone else and, at one time, put out a 1.26.6 second lap. To put it into perspective, last year’s fastest lap was 1.28.9 seconds. This Ferrari car has race pace and it is more than enough to keep its competition at bay and win races at a canter. Their pit strategy was sound and their tyre management was excellent. It was a faultless race by Scuderia and an ominous sign of things to come.
And that is exactly what happened as Vettel drove past the finishing line, with the Australian crowd cheering for the three-time champion. He had won his first race since 2015 and first in Melbourne since 2011. It was a successful start, made all the more sweeter by the fact that seven of the previous 11 drivers to win the Australian GP have gone onto clinch the Driver’s Championship.
Competition is what was missing from the Formula One for the past few years and 2017’s start promises to ignite an exciting season of racing. The regulations are new, the owners are new and some of the livery is interesting to say the least (looking at you Force India). But the one thing that has returned is the Ferrari and a competitive German at its helm – Sebastian Vettel. Your move next, Mr Hamilton.
