F1 2023 - Round 1: Bahrain

The main thing I want to see is if Aston Martin have really made a step forward or is it just testing throwing us off.

Enjoy the anticipation. We could all feel very different on Sunday evening of Red Bulls lap the field and finish 1-2. Unfortunately it could well happen..... even if Alonso comes third it will be tough to take another season of Verstappen domination.

F1 fandon isn't as binary as Hamilton or Verstappen, I couldn't care less which of them comes out on top if the battle is as epic as the 2021 season. Though without the politics would be better.

Wheeley ?

I like the track enough but would prefer the Australian race to be the season opener, with the early morning start. I also would have preferred Barcelona preseason testing.

Hopefully it will be a good race

Id like Portugal in there instead of any of the Emirati tracks ... Altho Qatar isnt as 'bad' as the other 2 imo...

Imola could be interesting , i love the Azerbaijan circuit.

The Miami (sector 2 especially) and Vegas circuits could be very fast .....

Haha first time I have ever been accused of being a Hamilton fan. Actually I don't have a lot against Max but I see the danger of him dominating for a loooong time. Would love to see one of the Ferrari drivers win this year.... or Alonso of course.

I'd take another year of Max domination. And then LeClerc winning next year. And Alonso the next, then he retires for good. 😀

Isn't Australia both an inconvenient time for everyone this side of the world, and a terrible race? It had 3 or 4 DRS zones last year and still poor racing.

I don't mind the early races. I just watch them 'as live' on the 1pm replay. Just need to avoid spoilers.

I think the fact that it was the first race of the season used to make up for the fact that it was a bad track. You'd never really know what was going to happen, the teams would be on the back foot with a new car on an unfamiliar circuit, and there'd always be surprises. Who could forget Button's serene performance in 2009, that statement of intent from McLaren in 1998, or Webber bursting onto the scene in 2002. Then that would immediately be followed by questions around whether the performances on this unique street circuit would carry over to more traditional tracks.

A lot of the appeal remains for the season opener wherever it is, but when it's at a more standard F1 track where they've already been testing just a week ago, it maybe leaves less to the imagination. And aside from that, Melbourne had just become something of a tradition and the early morning start only added to the sense of occasion.

Why do we have to make excuses for bad tracks?

Those 3 instances you mentioned would likely have happened at the first race wherever it was. None of them were about good racing. They were car and driver changes that caused surprises in the first race. Nothing to do with the track.

The track is poor. As much as people give out about about DRS, even all the DRS zones couldn't make interesting racing last year.

F1 doesn't do itself any favours when tried to attract new fans. There was a while when f1 had it's opening race and the most famous race were boring street circuits. Any new fan who tuned in for Australia or Monaco must have been left with the impression F1 was all hype and no action on track.

Alonso already up there. I wonder will the results actually justify the hype?

Aston Martin making Mercedes look over their shoulder would be enough for me this season.

I just want a competitive season at the front.

I have a feeling we might see Alonso on the podium a bit more this season.

Stroll went ok considering it was his first time in the car, and any car, this year.