Introducing: The MP4-29

For Formula One fans, car launches are like Christmas all over again, although this year’s launches are a complete contrast to the previous set, with only three teams having an official launch before the first test in Jerez (28-31 January).

Force India released a side shot of their challenger with a brand new livery but the aspect that everyone was looking forward too was hidden. Then Williams dropped the bomb with a computer generated release, and I dare say every F1 fan understood the horrors ahead of them.

Today, McLaren unveiled their new car online. Gone are the days of big flashy ceremonies, without sponsor Vodafone to pay for them now, a low key slide show and 360 degree model was put up on the McLaren website.

I’ll get to the nose at the end, first of all; I love the colour scheme. I’ve never been a big fan of all the red McLaren used to have, last year I called for them to bring out a plainer car and it was worth the wait.

It definitely reminds you of the days where Mika Hakkinen and more recently Kimi Raikkonen drove an all silver car. The McLaren logo is still present on top of the side pods and I still think that’s a really important feature.

The MP4-29 has familiar feautres such as a pull rod suspension scheme and McLaren designed steering and electronic equipment. By now we’re all aware of the regulation changes and McLaren are running the Mercedes-Benz PU106A Hybrid, 6 cylinder 1.6 litre engine. The car comes to a total of 145kg and runs the brand new ERS (Electronic Revcovery System) boost, although hopefully someone comes up with  fancy new name for it. A full list of specifications can be found on the McLaren website.

Now for the elephant in the room. Two years ago when the stepped nose system came in, McLaren were the only team not to feature the awful nose and we all loved them for it. Last year they did but it came complete with a vanity panel. For 2014, I guess the geniuses at the McLaren Technology Centre could find no way around the new regulations and instead, they left us with this:

I know it’s not their fault, but look at it. Seriously. I genuinely think it needs a great big censor bar over it. No way should it be shown before the watershed. The back wing remains quite narrow but they’ve shortened the width of the front wing. Before, it used to exceed the width of the chassis and tyres but in the pictures it’s short of the Pirelli tyres.

Me personally, I like the car. I think we’re all going to have to get over the noses, there’s no chance of a vanity cover up, and the regulations aren’t going to change soon. McLaren took a bold step by being the first team to have an official launch with multiple angles of their car, and I love the silver and black livery, it compliments each other so very well. Hopefully it can improve dramatically upon 2013’s form, and emulate the successes of 2012 with less reliability issues, although with a brand new power train that may be asking too much.

Also, I think it's a testament to how strong Jenson Button is, showing up just after burying his father. Good luck this season Jenson!

Dennis The Menace Takes Over McLaren

Having stepped down in 2009 after an illustrious career at the helm of McLaren as team principle, Ron Dennis has played a shadow role behind the scenes, and as breaking news hits; he has staged what the BBC are calling an "international coup" to become the new chief executive officer.

Where'd the smiles go?

It's no secret that him and current team principle Martin Whitmarsh haven't always gotten along, and with the 2013 season delivering a battering to Whitmarsh's reputation, many foresaw this coming.

Where did it all go wrong?

Personally, I quite like Whitmarsh. I think the man around him are quite worthless, and the men with any talent have already got up and left. He also had a terrible car package to deal with and a less than co-operative driver line up in lacklustre Jenson Button and disastrous Sergio Perez.

I'm not one to point fingers, but was it not Ron Dennis who let Adrian Newey go to Red Bull? If I had a hen laying golden eggs I'd be making sure it was comfortable and content.

"Yes Martin there's the **** I give."

It's unclear whether or not Whitmarsh's job is on the line, although popular opinion seems to agree. Something had to change but I would have started with the drivers first, although maybe a good shake-up at the top is exactly what's needed.

The Story So Far... Part Three

The front runners this year have had a turbulent time as of yet. The only team who have been capable of looking after their tyres have only won a single race, while Ferrari have had a roller-coaster season thus far. The only consistent team have been Red Bull, however they have not been without their problems.

All things considered, no one has had a more disastrous time than McLaren. Let's delve a little deeper!

NOTE: I am not proud of the puns.

Lotus
The aftermath of the season opener left a huge Raikkonen fan like me in ecstasy. I was sure the season was going to be great, after all I had already made a pre season bet for Kimi.

However, things haven't been the same since. Yes yes yes, the tyre management is ace in the dry, and Kimi is still scoring points, but recently Lotus fans have had to endure rough times.

James Allison's departure has damaged the title hopes. With Mercedes on the rise, and Ferrari and Red Bull pulling away, 4th place is not good enough but unfortunately that is where the team is heading.

Maybe I'm being hard on the team? All I know is performances have been lacklustre. 

Romain Grosjean
His place as 2nd driver has been firmly cemented now.

This helps his confidence levels as has been shown. Without any pressure, he can concentrate on his driving. The first five races are proof, first lap and other laps incident free. That's a win in my eyes. Granted Monaco showed us the old Grosjean, but that's Monaco for you!

Team principle Eric Boullier (also Grosjean's manager) has always stated that Romain is a future world champion in the making. At the minute this statement is a little hard to materialize in my mind. Considering the losses Lotus are currently enduring (Allison leaving, big sponsors selling shares) I don't think anyone can be world champion at this team for some time.

Kimi Raikkonen
First of all, can he do it? Yes.

I have been extremely critical of Kimi recently. With bloody good reasons too. After the best start possible, he lost ground in Malaysia.Next followed a string of 2nd places, two of which he should have won (Spain was far beyond his reach). 

His performance in Monaco was extremely poor. A race he was supposed to do well in, he hit major flop, granted not all his fault, a particular Mexican became very bumper happy.

The lowest point this season so far was in Canada. Kimi just looked like he didn't care any more. Which is grand for personality, but when it comes to challenging for the title, it's not good enough.

Hopefully getting lapped will have kicked his ass into gear. Silverstone is by far a Lotus track. Not a winning opportunity, but a starting point.

Even though this equalling points record thing is great, it's not doing anything for the drivers championship. It's all well and good if Kimi gets on or two points on Vettel on a run of three or four races, but then it's a giant set back when Vettel wins and Kimi flops. Right back at square one.

It's sad to see a season where McLaren and Mercedes's Lewis Hamilton are no longer race winning contenders, and yet Kimi still struggles to be on top of the podium.

I'm negative at times, but I always do believe. Although I am starting to question if he really does know what he's doing.

McLaren
There's nothing I can say here that you are not already aware of. This is a disaster for "Britain's Best."

Revolution over evolution in the car's design did not help. Keeping the old car should have been a no brainer, not they're following William's into a dark descent. An abyss with no return is impending.

Sergio Perez
I have no idea how a driver can go from the heights of last year to the depths of this one.

His temperament on track this year has been tragic. The crap car excuse can only stretch so far, he has to accept some blame.

So far he has failed to do it. The events with Button in Bahrain, I thought Perez was entirely within his rights. However the events at Monaco I cannot defend. Not only did he attempt an entirely dangerous move on Raikkonen, he then had the gall to say it was Kimi's fault.

I would love to have been the one to punch him. It would have been great to read the headline "Checo Wins __ Grand Prix" and he genuinely thought he had a championship winning opportunity. The team has let him down on this basis, but his own attitude has not helped.

To make the most of this mess, he needs to keep out of trouble and stay positive. Something he's doing better than his team mate.

Jenson Button
I've always thought Jenson was the best at what he does. Last season, he proved he was Britain's best after he (in my opinion) out shone Lewis Hamilton, just like the season before that.

This year, Jenson has shown his darker side. A whiner, less likeable character. He blames everyone else for his mistakes, including Perez whenever he should take a leaf from Paul di Resta's book and aim his frustration to the people who need it.

THE TEAM. They have delivered a heap of metal that is not performing as well as the budget that they allow. Granted constantly complaining isn't helping matters, it might get someone in R&D to get motivated. It won't help the British cause going into Silverstone, but everyone loves his smile!

Ferrari
Results have been fluctuating to say the least, It seems to be going from extremely well, to extremely dire. If they follow the current patten, Silverstone will be a nightmare.

Luckily enough Fernando is an expert of the track. Hopefully he'll seal the win this year. I also think Massa has a chance to bag a long awaited win.

Felipe Massa
Barring an odd Bahrain and devastating Monaco, this season has been excellent, even by post 2009 Massa standards.  

Consistency is the best way to describe his on track performance. I also personally believe Massa's five year wait for a win is coming to an end. The dream would be at Interlagos, but in this day and age of Formula 1, what I want never happens.

Fernando Alonso
The up-and-down nature of Alonso's season is not helping his title charge. As I see it right now, Fernando is the single contender to Vettel. And The German is currently coasting to a 4th world championship.

Fernando should be aiming to generate consistency. Beating Vettel simply won't be enough, opportunities have never been greater, the only thing letting him down is his qualifying. Ferrari's last pole position was Silverstone last year. With the British Grand Prix coming up, now is his best chance to turn everything around.

Fernando also needs to watch for a resurgent Kimi, but the best chance for a drivers championship at Ferrari is now.

Red Bull
As the saying goes, if you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything They have again managed to fluke, lie and deceive their way to the top.

The focal point of the season is obviously the disgrace that occurred at Malaysia. But I'm not getting into that again, and you read my feelings here & here, the incident which I have dubbed Twat-gate following an hilarious tweet.

Mark Webber
Mark Webber has only made a few bad mistakes this year. The first was that Christ awful haircut. The second was at the Chinese Grand Prix where he t-boned the Toro Rosso.

He handled the Twat-gate scandal with relative ease, simply not letting Vettel away with it. He called him up on it and made sure the world knew he had been wronged. It was the team who had let him down, but why would anyone want to disturb the golden child at Red Bull?

Webber won the only Grand Prix I have attended (Silverstone 2012) so I have a soft spot for this guy. His problem is that he is in the shadow of a fake driver. But I'm not getting into that again. 

This could very well be Webber's last season at Red Bull. If it is, I would like him to walk away with at least one win.

Sebastian Vettel
Why is he still on top? Three-fold answer:
1) He is still a major fluke. Nobody can defend that anymore.

2) He's a cheat. Malaysia, if you are still disillusioned, get your head looked at. You may have a severe mental disorder.

3) He hasn't put a foot wrong. Did I just compliment Sebastian Vettel? His lowest finishing place this year? 4th. When did he last achieve that? 2011, and I don't need to go into detail of what happened in that year.

While Kimi has failed, Fernando has flopped and Hamilton is no match for Red Bull, he has seized the opportunity to take the early advantage. And he might not let it go.

I had to explain to someone recently why there is no use in hoping Vettel's car will fail or he'll retire: because that kind of bad luck doesn't happen to Vettel.. It has nothing to do talent, it's pure fluke.

The way I see it, if Vettel grabs pole, Houston60 doesn't mind missing the race. His performances in Europe are mixed... Between 1st place and 3rd but when the Asian tracks hit, it's all Vettel town. Considering nothing looks like picking up for Kimi, and Alonso can't find consistency, Vettel may very well have walked away with the championship already.

But I always believe in one man:

#KINGKIMI

McLaren-Honda

The BBC has yet again proven their insight to the future is precise and accurate when it comes to delivering breaking news about Formula 1. Way back in March of this year, the BBC F1 team revealed that McLaren were in talks with their former engine partners Honda about securing a new deal for a supply of engines.

McLaren have been supplied by Mercedes since 1995 and have won the constructors championship just once. They could have had two if it wasn't for the spy-gate scandal in 2007.

McLaren-Honda will always be remembered for the period of domination the pair held over the sport during 1988 until 1992, a period where they won four constructors titles. 1988 was a particular stand out season where Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost won every race bar one for the Woking team.

With statistics in hand, it's easy to see why they have elected to go back to the Japanese manufacturers, but let's not forget Honda's chequered history in Formula 1. From 1964-1968 they won only two races before electing to pull out of the sport. They would continue to supply engines to teams but they entered a factory team from 2006-2008. Success would prove very minimal again with Jenson Button winning only one race. Then just as easy as a click of the fingers, they pulled the plug on Formula 1 yet again, leaving Button and his team mate Rubens Barrichello without a drive for the following season. Fortunately for them, Ross Brawn put money into the team and would go on to complete a fairy tale story in 2009.

It definitely seems that Honda should stick to making engines and engines alone, but F1 has moved on leaps and bounds from the late 80s/early 90s. There is so much more affecting cars now than engines, look at the mess Pirelli has got the sport in.

The deal is for 2015, which means for the first season of the brand new 1.6 litre turbocharged V6 engines in 2014, McLaren will have to run whatever Mercedes gives them.

Renault 2014 Engine.

What happens though if things don't go as planned, what if McLaren do become the new Williams (an article you must read by my friend over at Let's Talk F1) and become a former shadow of themselves? They are very happy to end any relationship with F1 if things don't go their way. It's a very big risk and as this season has shown, big risks do not pay off for McLaren.

One of the other worries I have is that they want to keep on Jenson Button for this new era. I've had some issues with Jenson's attitude this season but setting them aside for the moment, by the time this deal comes I reckon there will be plenty of thriving talent from other drivers. Paul di Resta, the Toro Rosso boys, even Jules Bianchi in the Marussia looks good. If they are hell bent on making this an entirely new era then I say ditch Jenson. He's a great driver and a phenomenal talent, but there isn't another title fight in him. His luck unfortunately ran out with Lewis Hamilton as his team mate, and Adrian Newey gifting Red Bull with title wins for three years. 

Don't get me wrong, he's made his own mistakes but the point I am trying to make is that a fresh perspective in driving should be accompanied by fresh driver line up. 

In my eyes, the move is too risky. I've said it many times before but 2014 will be a lottery in terms of who will be on top. I'm going with Renault because they seem to be the only engine manufacturer who have made progress, and with them looking to supply less teams in 2014, the demand will be fierce. 

I personally would have shelved the idea of bringing in a new deal with Honda. History looks good but it has also been brief and not looking great in the long term. Stability is what McLaren need, I fear with Honda they may not get it.

Team Battles Occurring Early On & Remembering Ayrton Senna

Starting off, I'd like to apologise for my lack of activity. Poor connectivity to Twitter and the internet have all resulted in an F1 blackout, plus whenever Vettel flukes a win, nobody wants to write anything. Starting today I will be posting a blog everyday. Keep up to date on Twitter @Houston60. Also over on Let's Talk F1 I'll be continuing my 'Where Are They Now?' series.

When team mates clash, the whole world suddenly stops in disbelief. "Did he just do that?" Sometimes the blame is evident, sometimes it is not. Everyone even if they were not born during the era saw the most famous crash between team mates when it was depicted in the movie Senna, whenever Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost came together at Suzuka 1989. The most famous one of my era definitely has to be Turkey 2010 whenever Sebastian Vettel saw fit to drive like a maniac into Mark Webber, and then had the audacity to blame it on Webber. Not wanting to get into that argument now but my point is they don't happen often. 

This is why it is a shock that we've seen three already this season! Is this a theme we're going to see? Will Romain Grosjean and Pastor Maldonado play up to their old habits and take out their Finnish team mates? Will the new dangerous drivers in Esteban Gutierrez and Giedo van der Garde create grey hairs on their bosses heads? I'm gonna take a look at the team mate clashes we've had so far this season.

Malaysia - Vettel proving that he is without a shadow of a doubt, an utter bell end.

Even though they didn't physically come together, the fallout from the puppet boy's ignorance and disregard for his team and our sport proved that the fake three time world champion is nothing more than a boy in a man's world. Vettel ignored orders from his bosses to steal the win from Webber who had turned his whole car down to minimum power to save rubber and fuel. 

Given the pair's rocky history, many Formula 1 commentators (me included) predicted that the incident was the straw that broke Webber's back, and as a result foresee that Webber will find fields anew next season. Even if it's a step down, it would still be better than being oppressed by every single Red Bull employee.

China - Feel the Force... On each other?

It seems that Adrian Sutil doesn't release his inner hulk on just his rivals. he also saves a bit for his own team mate. During the opening laps Paul di Resta was battling to get up the field but was eventually pushed wide by his team mate. Contact did occur but nothing serious to damage anyone's race. Racing incident or not, it all came back to Sutil after he endured a massive shunt from the most dangerous man in 2013, Esteban Gutierrez.



Bahrain - How can it get any worse?


If it's not an absolutely dismal qualifying performance, it's poor race pace, but on this particular day it was both and worse. McLaren have always had a "no team orders policy," one which we all thoroughly enjoy. But I guess Jenson Button only enjoys it when it's going his way. For the first time this season, Sergio Perez showed his class and produced a near classy drive. That was until he got too greedy and suddenly wanted a bite out of Button's car. The Brit was quick to get on the radio and complain, but that was the only speedy aspect of his race. it was only a little push, these things happen all of the time, and to tell your boss to tell your team mate to slow down is very Vettel-ish, and therefore frowned upon. Jenson needs to grow up quick and realise that it's a team effort in order to turn their season around. Checo's performance in this race was just what they needed. Combine that with Jenson's master-class and some big updates at Barcelona, and you've got yourself a tidier package. 

Three consecutive races with three consecutive team mate incidents is a heart stopping scenario, especially for the team bosses. Like me, they (and the rest) will be hoping they don't see any repeats. But can that be guaranteed? 

We all know Perez has A LOT on the line, and Webber WILL be looking for revenge. 2013 could throw up just about anything at the minute, but inter team collisions is something nobody wants.

Gone But Never Forgotten

RIP Ayrton Senna.

On the 13th of May 1994, not only did Formula 1 lose its leading light, the world lost a wonderful human being.

I never got the chance to watch Ayrton drive, I only have to watch archive footage to know that he was something special.

There was more to the man than just motor racing. He was a hero, a saint to his people in Brazil. Never letting the glam and glitter of Formula 1 divert him from his true cause, helping people especially children out of poverty.

The world sorely needs more Ayrton Senna's in it. Throughout his life he emphasised that family is key to a happy and healthy life. As much as a phenomenon that he was on track, I'll chose to celebrate Ayrton Senna's life through his actions as a person during his time on Earth.

Gone, but never, ever forgotten.

2013 Chinese Grand Prix - Qualifying

"I wondered why Helmut Marko was running about with a hoover... "

First live qualifying session live on the BBC, and I have to say they done a great job. Granted they dwelled on the obvious team orders a lot, but that's to be expected after what the puppet (Sebastian Vettel) said yesterday. 

Before I start my report just a quick note; the yellow walled tyre makes its debut this weekend and the early signs were not great. Teams reported that they fell off the cliff immediately, Sergio Perez spun off twice and Jenson Button locked up so hard he punctured the tyre, adding to McLaren's woes.

Q1 - Five minutes into the session, and not one car made its way out. It wasn't until nine minutes that Jules Bianchi decided to set the first pace, and what a lap. Not only did he beat both Caterhams and his team mate by large margins, he posted a quicker first lap than both the Toro Rosso's! This young man has pace and is certainly making the most of his second chance. One of the more annoying points today was the shout out from thug-life himself Adrian Sutil, who tried to land Kimi Raikkonen in bother AGAIN, saying the Finn was impeding him. Nothing was said about it, and my opinion of Sutil has dropped again.

Valtteri Bottas waited far too long to go out, if he doesn't give himself a chance, he'll never have a good shot at points. Esteban Gutierrez is not helping Sauber's decision to chose him over a particular crazy Asian driver. He's been nothing but a disappointment and needs to start finding his pace. I'd love the designers of Caterham to answer this question: Why oh why do you have them STUPID things below the mirrors?! They hare clearly no benefit if everybody around you are seconds ahead!!!! Get it sorted soon!

OUT - BOT, GUT, BIA, CHI, PIC, VDG

Q2 - This session provided further issues for the Red Bull team. Mark Webber had to stop his car after he had ran out of fuel on track. The worry was they wouldn't have enough to provide a sample to the FIA and the decision was in limbo for some time. Eventually news broke that the team were unable to provide the sample, therefore Mark will be starting at the back of the grid. Funny that it happened to Mark and not the puppet. I wondered why Helmut Marko was running about with a hoover... 

One driver worth mentioning was a guy who I have slated as being slow compared to his team mate, but my first slice of humble pie is about to be eaten; take a bow Daniel Ricciardo! When Button was told about the remaining top 10, his reaction was exactly similar to mine: "Ricciardo, WOW!"

OUT - DIR, PER, SUT, WEB, MAL, JEV

Q3 - My second slice of humble pie goes back to the start of the season. I was a firm believer in Mercedes being an absolute flop. As of yet, I haven't said anything but I must admit I have been wrong.

Nobody left for around seven minutes, but Kimi was the first and he set a time that no one else was able to beat. Pure joy right? Nope, the moment I finally admitted defeat, Lewis Hamilton has real pace. His first pole for Mercedes, a feat achieved a year ago by his team mate. Well done Lewis and well done the team. I still reckon he'll get the win tomorrow, but a huge Finnish part of me wants Raikkonen to get him at turn 1. The three best starters tomorrow all start in P1/2 & 3. Hamilton, Raikkonen and Alonso are the three greatest drivers in the paddock today, and tomorrow will be epic considering Webber starting at the back. It only takes one safety car for him to bunch up.

FINAL STANDINGS (AUTOSPORT):

Pos  Driver               Team/Car
 1.  Lewis Hamilton       Mercedes
 2.  Kimi Raikkonen       Lotus-Renault
 3.  Fernando Alonso      Ferrari
 4.  Nico Rosberg         Mercedes
 5.  Felipe Massa         Ferrari
 6.  Romain Grosjean      Lotus-Renault
 7.  Daniel Ricciardo     Toro Rosso-Ferrari
 8.  Jenson Button        McLaren-Mercedes
 9.  Sebastian Vettel     Red Bull-Renault
10.  Nico Hulkenberg      Sauber-Ferrari
11.  Paul di Resta        Force India-Mercedes
12.  Sergio Perez         McLaren-Mercedes
13.  Adrian Sutil         Force India-Mercedes
14.  Pastor Maldonado     Williams-Renault
15.  Jean-Eric Vergne     Toro Rosso-Ferrari
16.  Valtteri Bottas      Williams-Renault
17.  Esteban Gutierrez    Sauber-Ferrari
18.  Jules Bianchi        Marussia-Cosworth
19.  Max Chilton          Marussia-Cosworth
20.  Charles Pic          Caterham-Renault
21.  Giedo van der Garde  Caterham-Renault
22.  Mark Webber          Red Bull-Renault

Preview: 2013 Chinese Grand Prix

After the absolute farce created by Sebastian Vettel last time round, we need a good race to at least ease the pain of Twat-Gate and start to make it a distant memory. Child-like Vettel leads the drivers championship from Kimi Raikkonen, who will be one of many looking to forget Malaysia.

Part of the Formula 1 calendar since 2004, Herman Tilke produced another track where large run off areas fail to punish mistakes, but like the Sepang circuit, I like it. The long sweeping turns 1 and 2 into 3 are quite unique and have often produced some great memories off the line. The 5.5km circuit consists of 16 corners with a signature 1170m long straight which will host the DRS zone for this circuit. The second DRS zone (not displayed) will be on the pit straight according to ESPN.

Pirelli are bringing their medium and soft compound tyres, however going by the first two races, I think rain will play its part at some point during the weekend. I also doubt we won't see a dry race until Bahrain. Downforce, tyre wear and brake demand are low-medium meaning all out speed may not be enough, strategy will play an even huger part this weekend. Maybe a 3 stop would be the most beneficial?

Last year was the first surprise of the season when Nico Rosberg managed to grab pole position and his first win. The result shocked many, but Mercedes will be looking for the same feat to be achieved this time around. That's why I'm predicting that Lewis Hamilton will get his first win in a Mercedes factory car. I would LOVE to see Nico getting it over him, but this is his chance.

I don't like swearing in my blogs, but Sebastian Vettel really is a dick.

He'll face some strong opposition from rival drivers looking for improvements. Fernando Alonso needs to fight harder than ever at the start of a season unless he wants a mountain to climb later. No more silly decisions by the team please guys. He's not the only one. As a die-hard Kimi fan, Malaysia was the worst I've seen him in a Lotus car. A massive fall from grace will not be aided by the fact that he finished pointless here last season (albeit that was the only time). On the flip side, Romain Grosjean had a fantastic previous round, and I'm really hoping this is a sign of things to come. His patience will lead to that first win!

Felipe Massa has been on some terrific form of late, and I am quickly becoming a Massa fan, so long may it continue because it could open up opportunities for him at Ferrari. The same can't be said for his McLaren rivals. Jenson Button and Sergio Perez really have been caught out in the right place in the wrong time. McLaren may talk a big recovery game, but the only thing I can say is, pack it in and focus on next year guys.

For qualifying I expect the Mercedes cars to be up there, but only a fool would still bet against Adrian Newey's puppet getting pole. My favourite combination is a wet qualifying session followed by a dry race, but considering the Bull's have quick wet pace now, I'm not sure that's what I want. Hopefully the rain will stay away, but prepare for the worst.

In terms of review coverage, I hope to bring you an immediate qualifying report considering it's live on BBC (THANK CHRIST) but as for the race I am working, so expect it very late on, even on Monday.

As usual though you can keep up to date with everything F1 by checking out Let's Talk F1. 

Preview: 2013 Malaysian Grand Prix

UPDATE 10/04/13: The track preview would not load so I inserted a new one.

After the icy conditions on the top of the podium after round one in Australia, Kimi Raikkonen leads the driver's championship ahead of Fernando Alonso and world champion Sebastian Vettel. After the dominance of the Red Bulls in free practice and qualifying, we were shocked to see Vettel being caught by Felipe Massa of all people. The Sepang circuit hopefully will work out to be as exciting as last year, maybe even more so.

Track profile courtesy of Viva F1

The circuit is of Herman Tilke design and unlike his other anti-great-racing tracks, Sepang is surprisingly a great watch even with his signature run off areas. The wide track runs for 3.4 miles and features 15 great turns with a signature double hairpin double straight. The rules this year state each track must have two DRS zones where feasible, but for some reasons the organisers and FIA couldn't find a place to set a second one. I can see 5 places for another one but whatever.

This track debuts the orange walled hard compound tyres which will partner the option medium tyre. This will come as a relief especially to Jenson Button in his struggling McLaren who's tyres fell off after lap 4. Downforce levels are quite high along with high tyre wear, but the demand on brakes is not that hard so tyre management may play a background role this time around.

One of the worst features about the circuit is that the race takes place during monsoon season. This means I could almost guarantee you a wet race but I was wrong last week!

Last year, Fernando Alonso shocked us all in his supposedly off pace Ferrari by winning in the wet however what no one could have predicted was Sergio Perez getting his first F1 podium, from a position where he could have won hadn't he went off track. 

Preview

McLaren won't be praying for a wet race, they'll be praying for no one to show up, that's the only chance they'll get for a strong race, and even then I reckon some of the GP2 machines could challenge them.

Red Bull became the complete package last week as they showed they can finally challenge in the race, and with long straights there's a very good chance for a trademark Vettel run away, although if the right person is chasing him i.e. Kimi or Fernando, he'll not get it as easy as he used to. 

For me, last week showed none of the midfield teams made any real leaps forward, bar Force India who showed that both Adrian Sutil (to my disdain, he had a great race) and Paul di Resta can challenge the points pack. The other surprise came from Mercedes who I thought would not do as well, Nico Rosberg's retirement was bad luck nothing to do with performance. Expect effort from all these drivers.

Qualifying

A Red Bull lockout two sessions in a row? Probably, and in the wet I can't see it being any different. If Raikkonen can win from P7 though, anything can be achieved from all the guys.

The Race

If it throws up a wet one (which I hope) it'll be hard to imagine what is possible. Because of McLaren's shambles of a car, Button is out of the wet game, leaving Alonso the only expert. That being said Vettel seems to have pretty good running pace so he won't have it all his own way.

After a very quiet first round, Romain Grosjean will hope to remain incident free and will be searching for more points. Nico Hulkenberg will have his first race here after he failed to make the Aussie grid, playing catchup is never a good season starter but if any man can pull it off, it's him.

Nobody ever wants a wet race, but I think we need to see an early on in order to get an idea of how these cars perform in the race under wet conditions.

No Malaysian GP Reviews!

Those of you outside the UK may be unaware that we have been hit by a wonderwall of snow storms, Northern Ireland (where I live) has been hit pretty bad and as a result, I've decided to help work by doing a few shifts for people who have been snowed in.

Unfortunately I have come to the conclusion that I will be unable to provide, and even watch any live or highlight coverage of the Malaysian Grand Prix meaning I am unable to provide any type of a review.

However all is not lost, if you click on this link, you will be directed to a site where comprehensive and perfect articles about Formula 1 are posted. This is a great review of qualifying and if you check back tomorrow you'll find a great race review, I know I will!

Thank you for reading My Formula 1, I will be bringing my thoughts on the first rounds of the season so far later on in the week. Keep it here for some great coverage! I'm away to cook me up some steak!

2013 Australian Grand Prix - Qualifying (Sunday Morning)

In in the unprecedented situation where we have qualy on a Sunday, the teams set off early on Sunday morning to pick up where they left off. The weather had continued on and off but the track was still damp.

Q2 - Despite the on-circuit conditions, the FIA deemed it safe enough for the DRS to be used but due to regulations, the driver aid can only be used in the two DRS zones. 

There were no big incidents like yesterday, Valtteri Bottas and Jean-Eric Vergne both going off track but the biggest moment came from Kimi Raikkonen who hit oversteer in the penultimate corner during a fast lap.

McLaren decided to be the first team to try the option supersoft tyre, Sergio Perez embarked into unknown territory and soon regretted it after he found that the conditions were too harsh for the option. Jenson Button soon realised this and before the curtain came down on Q2 he came back on the intermediate tyre to set a quick lap in order to enter Q3. To be quite honest, it was an absolutely hopeless move. Teams around McLaren were putting on fresh inters, yet they decided to try the least grippy tyre for a track that was still changing. Madness. 

In the end though, Nico Rosberg was fastest again.

OUT: HULKENBERG, SUTIL, VERGNE, RICCIARDO, PEREZ, BOTTAS

Really disappointing for Checo to go out on such a silly call, really doesn't instill a lot of confidence in your young driver if risks like that are going to be taken. Martin Whitmarsh was quoted as saying the team will "only be looking to score points" at this part of the season. Surely then the best thing to do would have been to get them in to Q3. Although Perez has managed to salvage podiums from these positions, different car, different pressure.

Q3 - No drivers were in any hurry to leave the comfort of their garages early, inters were the preferred choice when they did but it wasn't before long that the option supersofts became the fastest tyre.

In the end as the session finally came to a close, my predicted Red Bull front row lockout came to fruition as Sebastian Vettel set the fastest lap with a 1m.27:407s, 0.4s quicker than his team mate Mark Webber. The closest challenger to the already dominant Bulls was Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton who was 0.6s off the pace. Rosberg who was quickest in the earlier sessions only managed 6th, a disappointing position considering his earlier pace.

The biggest down point of the morning was Button who was nearly 3s off Vettel's time down in 10th. After the session, he was quoted with saying "I'm surprised we're in Q3." Not good enough Jenson, McLaren as usual hitting out with an epic fail.

Grid:
1. Sebastian Vettel - Red Bull
2. Mark Webber - Red Bull
3. Lewis Hamilton - Mercedes
4. Felipe Massa - Ferrari
5. Fernando Alonso - Ferrari
6. Nico Rosberg - Mercedes
7. Kimi Raikkonen - Lotus
8. Romain Grosjean - Lotus
9. Paul di Resta - Force India
10. Jenson Button - McLaren

11: Nico Hulkenberg - Sauber
12: Adrian Sutil - Force India
13: Jean-Eric Vergne - Toro Rosso
14: Daniel Ricciardo - Toro Rosso
15: Sergio Perez - McLaren
16: Valtteri Bottas - Williams

17: Pastor Maldonado - Williams
18: Esteban Gutierrez - Sauber
19: Jules Bianchi - Marussia
20: Max Chilton - Marussia
21: Giedo van der Garde - Caterham
22: Charles Pic - Caterham

My Thoughts - Honestly, it's the nightmare start I was dreading. The fact of the matter is, Vettel was able to slip and slide everywhere on the lap before his fastest, and still went 0.9s quicker at the time. If this keeps up by China I have to say the interest in Formula 1 will just deteriorate.

Felipe Massa out-qualifying Fernando again is a great sign for his form, no immediate questions over the formers future early on will be a big change to debates around the paddock. Kimi Raikkonen is in a far better position that this time last year but just like every piece of machinery that wasn't designed by Adrian Newey, his Lotus team was miles off the pace.

For the race later on, expect the Bulls to tear away, Vettel-Webber 1-2 is guaranteed. The race will be for third, just like the whole season. Naive people will say "it's early days yet" but if anyone really knows the sport, you'll understand my negativity. As I've said before if it's the same story by China, well I can't see there being anything even close to 2012.

The teams should start thinking about 2014 right away, voices at Ferrari have stated they aren't even discussing it but after this result, there will be notes jotted down.

Preview: 2013 Australia Grand Prix

There is no better track to open a Formula One season than that in Melbourne. Albert Park or Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit is a 16 corner street circuit which traditionally since 1996 (bar two seasons) has been the calendar opener. There is a unique focus on this weekend because we don't know how the teams are going to preform. Yes from testing we have an idea, but there are some things that teams hide from us. After the lights go out, we'll have a clearer picture.

Track profile courtesy of Caterham Racing

Track Characteristics
Melbourne is a high downforce track which is also very demanding on the brakes. Pirelli have decided to open their campaign by providing the teams with supersoft and medium compounded tyres, the first time supersofts have been used at this circuit. Let's hope they hold out during the high speed corners. Grip levels will improve as the race goes on and with the average track temperature being 25°C, rain is highly unlikely. Going by testing figures, commentators expect a 2 or 3 stop race. The double DRS zones (which are now mandatory for each circuit) are on the pit straight and the straight between turns 2 & 3.

Jenson Button was the most recent winner, a circuit he tends to favour and succeed in. The story couldn't be more different for national hero Mark Webber who always seems to find nothing but disappointment at his home GP, however the odds are often reversed come Silverstone for the pair. An Australian driver has never won here.

Preview
A number of the teams will certainly feel uncomfortable following a rain ridden testing campaign in Barcelona. Lotus lost their impressive Jerez pace and a day without Kimi Raikkonen following his illness, they join a number of teams who will have very empty data logs. Due to no dramatic technical changes for this year, the cars performance's are expected to remain the same, so expect strong charges from the Red Bull of Sebastian Vettel, the Ferrari of Fernando Alonso but most importantly, the McLaren of Jenson Button. No doubt though, all eyes will be on Lewis Hamilton in his new Mercedes.

The surprise form of the midfield teams like Sauber and Williams looks unlikely to make a re-insurgence, though do not rule it out. Challenges from the Force India of Paul di Resta would also be a welcome feature, and expect home boy Daniel Ricciardo to try and impress his crowd.

Qualifying
Always ridiculously hard to predict, I would always refuse to but since I've started this blog I feel obliged to. As quick as Sergio Perez was last year, I can't imagine him getting his first pole position in Formula 1, the same goes for team mate Button's chances. Pole position is most likely going to come from Vettel, Alonso or Raikkonen. I also think the people on the bandwagon are going to be highly disappointed after they see Mercedes's qualifying performance.

The Race
Expect a frantic 290m sprint to turn 1 as all drivers attempt to establish their roles within their respective teams and the grid's pecking order. However I genuinely think the drivers who will come out on top will be those who were in the title hunt at the tail end of last season. Vettel, Raikkonen and Alonso will take 3rd, 2nd and 1st respectively whenever the race Down Under comes to a close.

After Sunday there are going to be a lot of satisfied F1 fans as this weekend ends the draught we so desperately hate. The last season of the current engines will not see a mighty unpredictable turn of events like last year, but round 1 will certainly give us the opening we know it can provide. 

Editors Note
Every weekend I will be providing qualifying and race reviews but due to my future Marshall and work commitments on a Saturday and Sunday and the BBC selling all my rights, I'll not be able to provide live coverage on Twitter or immediate reviews. To amend this, I plan to watch every highlight session with a note book on hand to jot down even the tiniest of details. Remember to keep it here for everything Formula 1, and follow me on Twitter @Houston60.