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After the agony of defeat, success will be sweet!
wrote:">Feature: Why 2015 is a big year for...
In the fast-paced world of Formula 1, each race, and every season, counts. Ahead of this weekend's season-opening Australian Grand Prix, GPUpdate.net looks at why 2015 is important for those competing.
Mercedes
Formula 1's new benchmark team now has something to defend and, its advantage in 2014, combined with the natural limitations in the regulations, means that in theory rivals should be closer to Mercedes. But such was its advantage last year that it will take a catastrophic regression to lose its titles. Senior management will need to be at the top of their game should tensions flare up again between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg, with the pair likely to once again duel for the ultimate prize.
One key weakness from the outset in Australia to the final race in Abu Dhabi was reliability, with both drivers losing big chunks of points through failures. While the engine regulations allow upgrades – something which Mercedes can utilise to its advantage – the reduction from five to four power units could place a greater strain on reliability.
On the driver front, Hamilton has little left to prove considering his statistics, but improving on his qualifying performance – albeit one which was sometimes sacrificed for race pace – would aid his path to his much-craved third world title. If he wins the title, he emulates Ayrton Senna and would become the first Briton to retain his crown.
For Rosberg, he has to rebound from a last-round title loss to again fight for the championship. In 2014 he was frequently bested in races by Hamilton and he must be more assertive and robust on Sundays to ensure that he doesn't slip into the role of a number two driver.the other teams on the grid
After the agony of defeat, success will be sweet!wrote:">Lewis Hamilton rues strategy and 'confusing' radio at Malaysian GP
Lewis Hamilton believes Mercedes's poor tyre strategy was a key factor in his failure to beat Sebastian Vettel and win the Malaysian Grand Prix.
Hamilton, 30, had to settle for second place behind Ferrari's Vettel after winning the season opener in Australia.
The Briton also bemoaned "confusing" radio communication from his team.
"It felt like it was lost at the first stop. We were a little bit quicker than them through some stints but it was too big a gap to close up," said Hamilton.
Vettel, who started second, took the lead when Mercedes chose to call in Hamilton for a pit stop during an early safety car period, while Ferrari left the German out on track.
Mercedes preferred to do the majority of the race on the slower hard tyre, finding it had greater resilience on their car.
But Vettel used the faster medium tyre for all but one stint and Hamilton was unable to get on terms.
"I guess perhaps we didn't expect so many cars to stay out and there were a lot of cars to get back through after the pit stop," added Hamilton.
"When I put the prime tyre on it did not feel good, it felt better on the option, we went back on the prime at the end but it really was not good."
Why was Hamilton unhappy?
Hamilton's frustrations at being unable to close the gap on Vettel were clear to hear during the race, with the Briton making his feelings known on the Mercedes team radio.
"I don't know what I'm supposed to be doing. Paddy [Lowe, Mercedes technical director] says I might be doing another stop," the world champion said on lap 40.
Three laps later he snapped: "Hey man, don't talk to me through the corners. I almost went off."
After the race, he said: "I remember there were some conversations going on, Paddy had pressed the wrong button and I could hear them yapping in my ear. He was asking 'am I going to do another stop'.
"I thought it was my last stop so it confused me, which was not helpful."
How did Rosberg feel about the tactics?
Team-mate Nico Rosberg also criticised Mercedes' tactics after he finished third.
The German, 29, was unhappy he was not told that his team-mate had switched tyres.
"After the first pit stop I was closing on Lewis at some point. Then he went for a pit stop and I never saw him again - he had disappeared in the distance," he said.
"How's that motivation? Then it turned out he was on a different tyre which I didn't know."
After the agony of defeat, success will be sweet!wrote:">Lewis Hamilton rues strategy and 'confusing' radio at Malaysian GP
BBC analyst David Coulthard
"Fair play to Nico for being so open and honest - but it's a bit confusing. Because there isn't that much to work out. You only have two compounds of tyres and you know where you stand with your team-mate. So it's either he's suddenly found turn of pace or is on softer tyres if he starts pulling away from you.
"We have all built Nico up as a thinker, the engineer behind the wheel, while pegging Lewis as the raw racer. But that interview exposes Nico to be vulnerable and confused."
After the agony of defeat, success will be sweet!
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