- 13 Apr 16, 12:08#439866
What to watch for:
QUALIFYING ROLL-BACK
From Saturday, we will revert back to last year's format after the unpopular elimination-style system was ditched following just two races. Formula One's chief executive Bernie Ecclestone and FIA president Jean Todt were both keen to trial a new aggregate format but the teams, in a united letter of opposition, knocked back that idea as well as getting their way for the 2015-style format to be re-introduced. A huge victory for the teams, and the fans, but one which is unlikely to sit well with Ecclestone and Todt.
EYES ON ALONSO
Double world champion Fernando Alonso has been working around the clock in a bid to prove his fitness. He has provided updates of his status on social media, posting pictures of himself back in training as well as using a bone-healing ultrasound machine on the ribs he fractured in Australia. But Alonso, who arrived in China at the beginning of the week, expressed caution in his pre-race notes, saying his participation here must not be taken for granted. The Spaniard's fate will rest in the hands of the FIA where he will undergo tests on Thursday. Stoffel Vandoorne, the McLaren reserve driver who deputised for him in Bahrain, is on standby and touched down in Shanghai on Wednesday morning.
ROSBERG IN FINE FETTLE
Two wins from two, and five in five stretching back to last season, mean the advantage is with the German and he heads into the Chinese Grand Prix with a 17-point lead over Lewis Hamilton. Of course, it is early days in what is a mammoth 21-round championship, but this is just the start Rosberg needed to his season following his rather lacklustre 2015.
PRESSURE ON HAMILTON?
The 31-year-old appears unaffected by his recent streak - he has not tasted victory since he wrapped up his third championship in Austin last October - but you fancy he needs to buck this losing trend sooner rather than later. The usual questions surrounding his focus are never far from the agenda and his constant updates on Snapchat provide us with an insight into his hectic life away from the Formula One track - he has managed to fit in trips to London, New York and Beijing ahead of this week's race - yet, we should not forget that he has started the opening two grands prix from pole and without two bad starts, he probably would have claimed regulation victories in each. Do not bet against him this weekend.
FERRARI FIGHTING
The Italian constructor have made another step forward over the winter, but they need to mirror their improved performance with greater reliability. They are already 50 points adrift of their rivals after Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel failed to finish in Australia and Bahrain respectively following engine problems. Mercedes are wary of their threat - indeed Rosberg said earlier this week that we are yet to see "the real Ferrari" - but make no bones about it, Mercedes still hold the aces and they will start as the favourites here.
Read more at http://www.sport.co.uk/motorsport/chine ... E3ZKyuZ.99
What to watch for:
QUALIFYING ROLL-BACK
From Saturday, we will revert back to last year's format after the unpopular elimination-style system was ditched following just two races. Formula One's chief executive Bernie Ecclestone and FIA president Jean Todt were both keen to trial a new aggregate format but the teams, in a united letter of opposition, knocked back that idea as well as getting their way for the 2015-style format to be re-introduced. A huge victory for the teams, and the fans, but one which is unlikely to sit well with Ecclestone and Todt.
EYES ON ALONSO
Double world champion Fernando Alonso has been working around the clock in a bid to prove his fitness. He has provided updates of his status on social media, posting pictures of himself back in training as well as using a bone-healing ultrasound machine on the ribs he fractured in Australia. But Alonso, who arrived in China at the beginning of the week, expressed caution in his pre-race notes, saying his participation here must not be taken for granted. The Spaniard's fate will rest in the hands of the FIA where he will undergo tests on Thursday. Stoffel Vandoorne, the McLaren reserve driver who deputised for him in Bahrain, is on standby and touched down in Shanghai on Wednesday morning.
ROSBERG IN FINE FETTLE
Two wins from two, and five in five stretching back to last season, mean the advantage is with the German and he heads into the Chinese Grand Prix with a 17-point lead over Lewis Hamilton. Of course, it is early days in what is a mammoth 21-round championship, but this is just the start Rosberg needed to his season following his rather lacklustre 2015.
PRESSURE ON HAMILTON?
The 31-year-old appears unaffected by his recent streak - he has not tasted victory since he wrapped up his third championship in Austin last October - but you fancy he needs to buck this losing trend sooner rather than later. The usual questions surrounding his focus are never far from the agenda and his constant updates on Snapchat provide us with an insight into his hectic life away from the Formula One track - he has managed to fit in trips to London, New York and Beijing ahead of this week's race - yet, we should not forget that he has started the opening two grands prix from pole and without two bad starts, he probably would have claimed regulation victories in each. Do not bet against him this weekend.
FERRARI FIGHTING
The Italian constructor have made another step forward over the winter, but they need to mirror their improved performance with greater reliability. They are already 50 points adrift of their rivals after Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel failed to finish in Australia and Bahrain respectively following engine problems. Mercedes are wary of their threat - indeed Rosberg said earlier this week that we are yet to see "the real Ferrari" - but make no bones about it, Mercedes still hold the aces and they will start as the favourites here.
Read more at http://www.sport.co.uk/motorsport/chine ... E3ZKyuZ.99
Last edited by overboost on 14 Apr 16, 19:49, edited 3 times in total.
The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is. - Winston Churchill
overboost - forumula1 pool 2015 world champion!
overboost - autosport grand prix predictor 2016 - Top 100, 1298 points!
overboost - forumula1 pool 2015 world champion!
overboost - autosport grand prix predictor 2016 - Top 100, 1298 points!
