After the delayed start, Formula 1 finally got underway today. Five new drivers have entered the fray with two others making team changes. There has also been a new rule introduced, if a driver is a 107% slower than the Pole driver in qualifying then, unless otherwise allowed by the FIA, they will be excluded from the actual race. The five new drivers come from all around the globe: Force India have added Britain's Paul Di Resta to their team after Liuzzi made the bizarre move to Hispania. Hispania have also made another driver change with Indian Narain Karthikeyan returning to F1 after driving for Jordan in 2005. Nick Heidfeld has moved from Sauber to reserve driver for Renault and has therefore replaced Kubica until he's fit again. Sauber's free space has been filled up by Mexican Sergio Perez. Perhaps the most surprising exit from F1 was promising star Nico Hulkenbrug being dropped by Williams and replaced by Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado. The final newcomer comes in the shape of Belgian Jerome D'Ambrosio in replace of Lucas Di Grassi at Virgin.
So as the season unfolds all eyes will be on the new drivers to see how they get on, which teams fall short of the 107% rule. The battle between Red Bull and McLaren alongside Alonso for the championship with eyes on Massa hopefully coming back to his best. We'll also be keeping an eye out for the progress made by Renault, Sauber, Williams and Mercedes to see if they can spring surprises on the top five/six. It'll be interesting to see if Toro Rosso and Force India can break into the top of the mid-pack with the final battle being between the lesser three teams and seeing which of the six drivers can finish highest.
After the postponement in Bahrain, the official start of the 2011 F1 season took place in Melbourne and Q1 saw the usual six suspects fall. There could well be trouble for Hispania as both Karthikeyan and Liuzzi failed to pass the 107% rule and might be excluded from tomorrow's opening race. Virgin make 21st and 22nd with Glock beating his debutant team-mate. This means Lotus win the battle of lesser teams in the first qualifying with Kovalainen beating Trulli to 19th. The other driver to fall in Q1 was perhaps a shock with Renaukt's Nick Heidfeld failing to make the grade. Champion Vettel carried on where he left off with the fastest time.
Q2 saw the first qualifying retirement of the season after Barrichello span off into the gravel. Adrian Sutil also span but was able to continue although he still only qualified 16th. Maldonado came third in a trio of debutants in 15th with Di Resta just in front and Perez ahead of both of them. Toro Rosso's Alguersuari qualified 12th and the big name to not make Q3 was the veteran Michael Schumacher. Again Vettel blitzed his way to the fastest time.
It was no surprise to see Vettel again out-run his opponents to make the first Pole of the season but Hamilton gate-crashed a Red Bull one-two despite claims that the McLaren car wasn't ready to win a championship. Webber finished third in his home country qualifying with Button fourth and the other contender Alonso off the pace in fifth. The battle of the middle order saw Petrov give Renault a sixth place start ahead of Mercedes' Rosberg. Massa got off to a very bad start and his red Ferrari will start from eighth place ahead of Kobayashi's Sauber and Buemi's Toro Rosso.
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