Dear F1: Please, please be less predictablepublished at 00:56 Greenwich Mean Time 23 March 2018
Is F1 too predictable? - 2018 season preview
BBC Radio 5 live F1 commentator Jack Nicholls hopes the 2018 Formula 1 season is a little less predictable.
Summary
Hamilton fastest in second practice, but top teams appear close
Rain expected across qualifying and the race
Bottas, Ocon & Alonso all go off track
Dear F1: Please, please be less predictablepublished at 00:56 Greenwich Mean Time 23 March 2018
Media caption, Three-way title battle?published at 00:55 Greenwich Mean Time 23 March 2018
Image source, Getty ImagesMercedes boss Toto Wolff certainly expects that to be the case.
Last year, the competition was very close and there was no moment where we could afford to relax," he said.
"Ferrari put up a very tough fight and we had a proper battle between silver and red. This year promises to bring an exciting three-way fight between us, Ferrari and Red Bull."
Here's hoping, Toto...
Get involved #bbcf1published at 00:53 Greenwich Mean Time 23 March 2018
Namu Griff: Going to listen into the first practise session before I go to bed. Think it will be a close season in the middle.
Short back and no sidespublished at 00:52 Greenwich Mean Time 23 March 2018
Image source, Getty ImagesAlso, we need to talk about Sebastian Vettel's haircut.
What do we reckon happened here? Lost a bet?
Get involved #bbcf1published at 00:50 Greenwich Mean Time 23 March 2018
So who is staying up through the night then to follow all the action from Melbourne? If you are, what's your strategy for keeping the sandman away?
And as for this weekend, hoping for a wet weekend to potentially mix things up in qualifying and on race day, or are you keen to see what the true order is?
Let us know your thoughts on anything and everything to do with F1 via #bbcf1
Rain on its waypublished at 00:48 Greenwich Mean Time 23 March 2018
No is the short answer. There's rain forecast for tomorrow and a risk of showers on Sunday.
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It's a stunningly beautiful day in Melbourne, bright sunshine and a pleasant 26C, but will it last?
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A statement of intent?published at 00:42 Greenwich Mean Time 23 March 2018
Andrew Benson
BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer in Melbourne
Image source, Getty ImagesLewis Hamilton heads into 2018 as the hot favourite for a fifth world title and on Thursday he was giving every indication of just wanting to get on with the job.
He put in one of those news conference appearances when he gives the impression he’d rather be anywhere else in the world. He probably would, but it remains any fact that doing them is part of his job. Anyway, he was asked whether he was a bit jaded. “I’m definitely not tired,” he said. “This is the 12th season of doing the press conference. I’m not the most excited about this section of the season and the race weekend – but I’m looking forward to getting in the car.”
A little later, he posted a video on Instagram and pointed out - accurately - that there is still a lack of diversity in F1, more than a decade after the emergence of its first black driver. The sense is Hamilton means business.
Might there be something of a statement of intent coming in this first practice session?
Listen to audio commentary onlinepublished at 00:41 Greenwich Mean Time 23 March 2018
BBC Radio 5 liveYou can also listen to online audio commentary from the 5 live team on first practice, which gets under way at the delightful hour of 01:00 GMT.
If you go down to the woods today...published at 00:39 Greenwich Mean Time 23 March 2018
... you may bump into Andrew Benson filming his journey to the circuit.
As ever our chief F1 writer is on the ground to bring you all news and views as the season gets under way.
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We go againpublished at 00:37 Greenwich Mean Time 23 March 2018
Image source, Getty ImagesHello!
One hundred and 16 days since the chequered flag fell in Abu Dhabi to mark the end of last season, Formula 1 is back.
World champion Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel are expected to go head-to-head as they bid to become a five-time world champion, but will anyone else muscle into the title-battle party?
'Expectation and anxiety'published at 00:32 Greenwich Mean Time 23 March 2018
Andrew Benson
BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer in Melbourne
Image source, Getty ImagesThe waiting is about to end.
At 12:00 local time in Melbourne, the cars will head out on to the Australian Grand Prix track for the first practice session of 2018.
A year of design and engineering, two weeks of pre-season testing, and a world of hopes and dreams are all about to be tested against reality.
By the end of Friday, 10 teams and 20 drivers up and down the pit lane will have a pretty good idea what the new season is going to bring. And right now, that knowledge means every one of them is caught between expectation and anxiety. It’s one of the most vivid times of the year.
It's backpublished at 00:27 Greenwich Mean Time 23 March 2018
It's for the thrilling drives...
Image source, Getty Images... for the legendary drivers and great rivalries...
Image source, Getty Images... for the highs...
Image source, Getty Images... and for the lows...
Image source, Getty ImagesThese are lots of reasons we all follow and love F1, reasons why during the long winter break we start eagerly glancing at the calendar, wishing for March to come round quickly.
Finally it is time.
Formula 1 is back!