Of course, it makes perfect sense for Mercedes to do so – those 18 points
Daniel Ricciardo lost out on could come to be significant in the
championship towards the end of the season if Red Bull recover. But it was
nonetheless quite an aggressive stance to adopt.
If people weren’t sure how badly Mercedes want to win this year, they are now.
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First look at the new Scuderia supremo
The other big news of Formula One’s week off, coming on the same day as the
Paris hearing, was the departure from Ferrari of Stefano Domenicali.
It was a great shame, in many ways. You never got the feeling he had total
control, with Luca di Montezemolo looming above him, so it seemed unfair in
a way that he took the blame for more systemic problems at Ferrari. In the
end, he did so with the grace and honour many have come to expect from a man
who is widely liked in the paddock.
Stefano Domenicali (centre) has left Ferrari
However, particularly given Montezemolo’s words after Bahrain, it was no great
surprise. What has caught people by surprise is the appointment of a man,
Marco Mattiaci, who is effectively a Formula One novice.
President of the hugely important North America division he might be, but he
has not worked in the F1 team and that has raised some eyebrows. There is a
lot about F1 that isn’t “normal” or is different to what Mattiaci
will have experienced in the corporate world.
It seems likely, therefore, that his job will be more to manage the many
talents Ferrari have in their possession, particularly the drivers and their
technical gurus James Allison and Pat Fry. If they are afforded the
environment and the resources to improve Ferrari’s struggling car, it should
not be too long before they gradually move forward.
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Team orderless Mercedes
Allowing Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg to race to the flag in Bahrain
produced one of the best races in years, and that is to the credit of
Mercedes, even if it’s a little harder to imagine them doing so if they
didn’t have a car with such an enormous advantage over the field.
There’s nothing to suggest the team won’t do so again if they are similarly
dominant, which could produce yet more epic racing. Both Rosberg and
Hamilton have won in China, so all the indications are it should be another
close race.
Hamilton famously “threw away” (in his own words) the championship
here in 2007, by slipping off the track into the gravel, but he drove a
brilliant race to victory in 2011. “Generally I’m getting stronger
every time I come to this track and it suits my driving style quite well,”
said Hamilton. “The aim, as always, is to win and if I could make it
three in a row this weekend that would be incredible.”
And while Rosberg was gracious in defeat in Bahrain, he was clearly immensely
frustrated at missing out after such a close fight. He will be hoping for a
return to the form he showed in 2012, when he took his first pole position
and victory.
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Return to form for McLaren?
On the face of it, Bahrain was not a good day for McLaren. Both Jenson Button
and Kevin Magnussen suffered clutch problems bringing to an end a fairly
mediocre weekend.
However, Button, after his 250th race, seemed surprisingly buoyed about the
pace of the car.
“We didn’t finish but in terms of pace during the race, yes [we made a
step forward].
“Our degradation was positive, I think we’ve done a very good job
understanding the tyres, and our pace was there.
“The only team that was quicker than us today was the Mercedes, Force
India was obviously competitive, but I think we would have fought them very
well at the end but we didn’t get the opportunity.”
All very positive noises from the 34 year-old. McLaren are already a colossal
68 points behind Mercedes, and they need to start catching up soon if they
are to make this championship a remotely even fight.
Constructors table after three rounds:
Mercedes – 111
Force India – 44
McLaren – 43
Red Bull – 35
Ferrari – 33
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More machinations surrounding Bernie Ecclestone
It will not be lost on the paddock that this is Bernie Ecclestone’s last race
before he goes on trial for bribery in Munich next Thursday.
There have been all sorts of suggestions swirling around the sport’s chief
executive so far this year, including that he was launching an audacious bid
to buy back the sport from CVC Capital Partners (a CVC source told me this
idea was “total rubbish”, but then again, they would).
Bernie Ecclestone has some explaining to do
Even though Ecclestone will be able to attend the races while the trial is
proceeding (it is only being held on Tuesdays and Wednesdays to suit his
schedule) it will undeniably be a focus of attention for the sport: how
could it not be?
But it is whether in China any more emerges about his plans, before all eyes
turn to Munich.