Formula One ( F1 )

^^ That. Moar predictions: Verstappen pulling some amazing moves for podium finishing and Sainz also regularly finishing top 10.

I reckon Verstappen will get some podiums this season.

Why would Alonso move to endurance racing?

New challenge? No idea. Fair enough. It wasn't the best suggestion. I suppose if he was going to go somewhere else, he'd have gone. I can't see him sticking about for another season after this fighting for the odd point though.

I also think it's a shame to see a driver of his obvious talents stuck in the doldrums.

I reckon he's just topping up the pension - he's had his time.

If Alonso was in a top car, I would not put money on Lewis besting him. In fact, one of the most interesting things to look forward to this season is how far Honda can develop and what chances that McLaren-Honda can get a podium.

Classic motorsport. It has the cunts blatantly flaunting the rules, but from a spectator point of view, it's pretty exciting.

Awesome race. What I learned from it is that Hamilton is very strong psychologically; because it's normally the chasee that makes mistakes when being hunted down by the chaser, but it was Vettel that overcooked it. Jolyon Palmer is not too bad. And Haas had a blinding first race, in more than one respect. Good drive from Nico, but I think Lewis' challenge will only increase from here on in. Also, Ferrari are not far off Mercedes at all.

I almost forgot..... Massa shows there's still life in the old war horse yet. Good man.

Bring on the next one.

ouch, there will be some talks over tactics with Sainz and Verstappen in the Toro Rosso team. I think they threw away some points here

I'm sure there are plenty of Ferrari fans who'd gladly pay £800 for one of Vettel's nuts

Good work, DC

Yikes, Alonso was lucky. That was horrific.

Watched the quali on C4 yesterday and the race on Sky this morning, C4 definitely have the better team in my opinion. Shame C4 can't get more races live.

How is/was the highlights programme?

It's OK, although they are interspersing the race coverage with adverts which is messing with my goldfish-like attention span. The guy hosting the C4 coverage is a bit wank. He hasn't said anything interesting or insightful yet.

He's utterly useless, never thought I'd miss Suzi Perry pressenting!

Granted he ain't the best, but he did underline that when they show the races live, there won't be any commercial breaks during the actual race.

Unlike what those clowns at ITV used to do...

Fernando is fucking lucky. Amazing he just walked away from that.

That was a brilliant race, tension, strategy, good fighting, ridiculous crash with no injuries, great rookies. All round fun to watch.

My takeaway impressions are:

Ferrari are hot on the heels of Mercedes. Good.
Jolyon Palmer is a great driver. Awesome for everyone, not least @gridds.
The C4 coverage is more than passable and the edit on the highlights package was done quite nicely.
The C4 lead guy is a tosspot, but that is made up for by the rest of the experienced team.
Haas: looks like a whole new way of doing F1 and it working. Maclaren Honda should just buy Ferrari kit, eh?
Alonso is the messiah. Pretty sure he could moon walk on water.
New tyre rules seem good although all the tyres are the same pace; in the Australian afternoon, at least.
Verstappen is faster than Sainz but should wind in his lip and extend his right foot.

Looking forward to the rest of the season,

Honda are just sand-bagging, due to reasons, they'll reveal their true, world beating power at the next race. Or maybe the one after that.

I like you. :-D

I surprisingly really enjoyed that. Never thought I'd find myself cheering for Vettel but that start was fantastic and I'm getting bored of Mercedes' dominance even faster than I did Red Bull's.

Am I the only person that didn't mind the qualifying format? You're always going to have a time when there aren't any cars on track, previously it was near the start of the sessions now it seems it's at the end.

I think Sky said it was going for the next race, so maybe I'm just wrong.

Fun race though, some nice performances & hopefully bodes well for the season despite the end result looking a little familiar.

My view on the quaili iscthat it would work really well if the hindmost driver could start a lap within the 90s, rather than have to finish one.

Oh well, we'll never see that now.

Personally I'd want to see each driver gets one shot at a lap. About the same amount of pressure on the driver to deliver, without the false build up of tension that the time limit brings.

Am I the only person that didn't mind the qualifying format?

I didn't like it much but that doesn't mean it can't be changed for the better.

The 90s countdown was a bit lame when it was clear that the driver didn't have time to make the lap - maybe it should be a countdown to the beginning of their last chance lap (i.e. they get to complete the lap they're on when the timer expires)?

Did it ensure that the drivers got a chance to run the cars at full pelt with engine modes turned right up, low fuel and supersoft tyres? It seems like it did.

For it to work for the viewer I think you would need a lot more on-screen information about what was going on. Even the commentators were struggling to keep up.

The mad dash to get a fast lap in right at the end does make the previous format a better watch IMHO.

The mad dash to get a fast lap in right at the end does make the previous format a better watch IMHO.

Especially on a track that's getting quicker & quicker. Like the time Hulkenberg ended up on pole at Interlagos.

Watching Guy Martin/D Coulthard F1 vs superbike thing on 4oD.

Hope the producers told them to keep it simple, because otherwise neither of them appear to be aware of concepts such as power to weight ratio, aerodynamics or centre of gravity.