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I'm sure I'm not the only one to say that I really did not like the double-dotted rule used at the end of the 2014 season. Other changes, such as the new scoring systems, reward the ride the fastest, etc. I generally agree, because these are the same rules for all races. Each grand prize counts just as much. But in Abu Dhabi in 2014, this race was worth more than all the others of the season and, in my opinion, it's wrong.
We sometimes forget how important the first race of the season is as important as the last one. The fact that there are still a lot of races to do makes Melbourne a little less crucial. The pressure is low as everyone discovers where he is. But the rewards offered are exactly the same as all the other races of the season.
So everything that's going on here in Australia has to be treated with the same weight as anything else. And that deserves to be taken into account when evaluating the offer of this weekend.
Some of the drivers are really excited about the introduction of the new aerodynamic regulation and its impact on the race. Kevin Magnussen and Sergio Perez were very positive about the behavior of the car after following another car in pre-season testing, but the proof will always be the situation in the race.
The problem is that, whatever the regulations, Melbourne is not a track conducive to a wheel to wheel action.
There are few large braking zones in which to try a movement, and no turns where very different lines are possible to help a driver try his luck. With so many turns on medium speed, it will always be difficult.
And this deserves to be taken into account when it comes to reacting to the consequences of the new regulation. They can not be considered a success or failure depending on the sample size of an Australian Grand Prix.
Obviously, this would be a positive sign if there was a lot of action on the track and that pilots claim that they can also keep up with Melbourne more closely. But there is also a more powerful DRS to take into account, and where previous races in Australia had no battle, Bahrain has often proved to be the opposite.
So, that does not mean that a good race tomorrow will automatically result in another in two weeks. Different tracks will always produce different types of races, and the wider influence of new regulations will have to be understood on a variety of circuits.
It's a similar story in terms of hierarchical order. Shortly after pre-season testing, I used the example of Lewis Hamilton's qualifying round in Melbourne last year to prove that the true image of competition is not necessarily seen here this weekend.
Hamilton was breathtaking on that occasion as he secured pole position. It's a performance that did not have the recognition it deserved at the time. The fact that Sebastian Vettel had the car to take three consecutive clubs afterwards says a lot about what Hamilton has delivered, but it also shows that a tour in Australia does not cement the order of competition for the season.
The reflection on today's result is more than a feeling of déjà-vu. Hamilton finished 0.7 seconds behind Sebastian Vettel and the initial reaction of many is to drop Ferrari's pace in the pre-season. Even though Mercedes is leaving in the distant sunday – which is more likely with the lockout in the forefront – this is not necessarily the shape of things to come.
In fact, this year could be much more intriguing than most of the others on this front. The aforementioned regulatory changes open new avenues of development for all teams, as evidenced by the fact that Ferrari has opted for a front wing concept very different from that of Mercedes and Red Bull:
Thus, development opportunities increase the teams' potential for greater gains, and certainly improve faster.
"We should be better than that," Vettel said after qualifying. Mercedes has clearly progressed in the two weeks since the end of practice and Ferrari will focus on reproducing after Sunday's race, regardless of the result.
There are several reasons why we have several races on different circuits around the world over a period of nine months, and one of the most important is that a solitary Saturday in Australia will not decide the outcome of the championship.
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