Are we at the beginning of another year of Ferrari domination?
By John Bentley
Are we at the beginning of another year of Ferrari domination? After Melbourne, grand prix fans who would like the honours spread more evenly are reeling with shock at what commentator Martin Brundle described as a “redwash” of the opening round of the season.
At Albert Park the Ferrari crew and drivers Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello hammered home once again why they have been so successful: they are simply the most professional outfit in Formula One. And the removal of the “Russian roulette” effect of having pre-qualifying and qualifying a day apart played perfectly into their hands, allowing them to take the two top slots on the grid and dominate the race from start to finish.
But there is hope for their rivals. Melbourne has been a “Ferrari track” in recent years, Schumacher having won four of the last five grands prix at the circuit. And the overcast conditions made it even more so, favouring the Bridgestone tyres, which have tended to work better in cooler climes.
With two “hot” races – in Malaysia and Bahrain – next up, Michelin could well have the advantage. And the performance of Renault’s Fernando Alonso, who at least managed to keep the red pair honest until the closing laps, also provides some hope. But McLaren and Williams were simply rubbish down under. There seems some hope for the blue-and-white cars, which were slowed by niggling little setbacks. But the silver arrows, with an engine failure for Räikkönen, will have plenty of head-scratching to do in the coming weeks.