The 2018 Season

[Penfold]

Honda's technical director speaks:

"During the race in Australia, we had an issue with the MGU-H and turbocharger on Pierre?s car and this had the knock-on effect of also damaging the ICE (internal combustion engine.) Therefore, in Bahrain, Pierre will use a new ICE, MGU-H and turbocharger. The MGU-H and turbo have both been modified, in light of what we learned in the first race.  Given the problems we encountered in Melbourne, we have decided, as a precautionary measure, to also change the MGU-H and turbocharger on Brendon?s car, fitting the new modified components."

And so it begins....

[Chrill]

Oh gosh, Honda is having issues and Alonso finished really well in Australialand.

After pre-season, I genuinely thought McLaren were in poor shape and Honda looked OK.

[Matt]

Remember: McLaren was only midpack because of Honda. All Honda's fault.

[Chrill]

Oh gosh, Gasly qualified P6 on pace and got promoted to P5 after Hamilton's penalty. Alonso and Vandoorne only just managed to reach Q2. Bummer, that.

[Chrill]

Hallelujah. P9 for Marcus from P17 on the grid. P4 for Gasly from P5 on the grid. Vettel wins with an absurd final stint on softs.

What a race. Absolutely spectacular.

[Matt]

I think the Williams car is probably good enough to be midfield. Stroll was destroyed by Massa last year, and Massa was destroyed by Bottas two years ago. They have two woeful drivers. I'm interested to see what Kubica does in his Friday sessions.

[Penfold]

Sirotkin can't be woeful, Paddy "money had nothing to do with it" Lowe said he was the best driver on the planet who was available to drive for Williams this year.

Stonking race.  Shame Ricciardo dropped out, and the whole Kimi running over a mechanic thing wasn't great, but apart from that it was terrific entertainment.

[Chrill]

Let's play a game. Name a driver who on paper should be faster than Sirotkin or Stroll.

I'll start:

Pastor Maldonado
Felix Rosenqvist
Esteban Gutierrez
Felipe Nasr
Jolyon Palmer
Pascal Wehrlein
Daniil Kvyat
Jean-Eric Vergne
Sebastien Buemi
Robert Kubica (maybe)
Antonio Giovinazzi
Alexander Rossi

[Penfold]

Perhaps some other IndyCar drivers should be included, but I've only just started watching again so really don't know; likely also some potential from F2 (Markelov, Rowland, Ghiotto) but didn't see any of last season so can't say.  Anyone else from FE... maybe Sam Bird?  And that just leaves recent retirees Rosberg & Button, and not so recent retirees Mansell & Hakkinen as Sirotkin/Stroll beaters.

[Chrill]

How about Nick Heidfeld? Or yet a return for Massa? Maybe there's room for Barrichello.

[Penfold]

It's been a long time since anyone accused Heidfeld of being quick, but still he might be able to take on the Williams pair.  Massa should definitely be on the list, don't know how I forgot about Baby.  I mean, even if he's lost half a second of single-lap pace since last year he'll still be quicker than Stroll & Sirotkin.  Also wouldn't surprise me if Rubens wasn't faster than S&S, at least for short stints.

[Chrill]

How about Paddy Lowe himself? Or Claire Williams? Perhaps the injured Ferrari mechanic would be a better option also.

[Penfold]

All viable candidates.  And let us not forget your goodself.

[Chrill]

This is true. I finished P2 in a gokart contest at work, but the winning lad is too old for an F1 rookie.

[Matt]

Robert Wickens
Josef Newgarden
Will Power
Simon Pagenaud
Scott Dixon

Those are all guys in IndyCar who I would definitely give a chance. Wickens should have won his first IndyCar race at St. Petersburg a few weeks ago, and then finished second on Saturday in his first ever oval race.