FORMULA 1 - 2012

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Hamilton upbeat but cautious

Lewis Hamilton admits that he is happy with the results from McLaren's pre-season campaign but knows that there are many competitive teams on the grid.

No one team made a massive statement of intent during the three pre-season tests, with Red Bull, McLaren and Lotus all impressing while Merc GP were steady and Ferrari perhaps below par.

"I kept a nice amount of fuel in the car for all of my tests. I wasn't really bothered with positioning. What matters is when we get to the first race," Hamilton told reporters.

"It looks like it could be a bit different to the past couple of years where we've had the Red Bull just much quicker than everyone else.

"The Lotus looks like it can be really quick, a couple of the teams have different exhaust solutions. Us, Ferrari and Red Bull generally have a similar exhaust solution. The others, like the Lotus have a different solution, so do Mercedes and they still seem to be quick," he added.

"So it will be a battle as to which of those designs has the longest road of development, and how far ours can go."

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Rosberg: Win is within reach

Mercedes GP driver Nico Rosberg is confident that the team have what it takes to claim top spot on the podium this season.

Rosberg has turned out in 108 grand prix but has never claimed a race victory, registering just five podiums during that time, with second place in Singapore in 2008 his best showing.

Merc enjoyed a fairly successful pre-season campaign, with tyre degradation troubles their only real stumbling block.

Team boss Ross Brawn has stated his belief that the season will be tightly contested, with no one team cementing themselves at the top of the standings during testing. Rosberg feels that this scenario will help Merc GP as he is confident they have made a big improvement in the off-season, one that could lead to race wins.

"We want to improve on last year and get on the path to becoming the best Formula One team," Rosberg told dpa

"I have been and am convinced that I can win with this team.

"[The W03] has felt good from the beginning. We haven't had any of the stability problems with the W03 we had a year ago. I'm very happy with the many laps I was able to test. We could work at constantly improving the performance that way, which pleased all of us."

The team notched up 130 hours of work on the new car over the testing period, a mammoth effort.

"That's unbelievable," Rosberg said of the team's work.

"But where it will lead to one will only know in Melbourne.

"At the moment I'm relaxed, but on just before 5 pm in Australia on Sunday (March 18) that won't be the case," he said.

Much of the focus in the build up to the season has been on Rosberg's battles with team-mate Michael Schumacher and for his part, the 26-year-old believes the pair work well together.

"We complement each other technically, which of course is helpful for the development of the car," he said.

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Red Bull preview the Australian GP

Sebastian Vettel: "Testing has been busy over the last few weeks and I think we have made a decent step with the car. You never really know where you are until we get to Melbourne and even then you don't really see what everyone has got until qualifying - so I'm looking forward to getting started. Australia and Malaysia are different circuits so they are hard to compare. Australia is not a permanent race track, it's quite bumpy and it's tough for the car. Malaysia is smoother, as it's a permanent race track with fast corners, but both are good tracks and Australia is one of the best places we go to. It's good to know we're going racing again, I can't wait to get on the flight and get down under."

Mark Webber: "This will be my eleventh Australian GP and I can't wait to get started. The Grand Prix is one of the best sporting events that we have in Australia. It's great to see the support and Australian flags in the crowd. I've incorporated more of an Australian theme into my helmet, which I'll be using for the whole year, not just in Australia. It's been an extremely intense few months for the whole team and it's incredible when you count up how many sleep-deprived hours have gone in to preparing the car as best we can - from pit stops to reliability to driver comfort in the cockpit - you name it, we've always been looking to improve. There's always a huge amount of interest in the first race; this year is no different and there's no better place to have it than Australia."

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McLaren preview the Australian GP

Jenson Button

Q: Melbourne has been a great track for you - what are the highlights?

JB: "There are lots. My first grand prix was here way back in 2000 - it was just a buzz to be in Formula 1: it was pretty intense, the whole weekend just flew past pretty quickly. I had pole here in 2006 - another good memory. But I think the two most significant memories for me were, in 2009, winning from pole for Brawn GP. It was a momentous race for the entire team and it felt so sweet to give them such a reward. And winning here in 2010... just an incredible day. Going early for the dry tyre, then almost losing the car at Turn Three, putting the others off following my example, and then finding a rhythm and having a fantastic car underneath me. That was my first win for Vodafone McLaren Mercedes - it was completely unexpected, but a really significant result for me personally."

Q: What is it about Melbourne that makes it so special?

JB: "It's hard to put your finger on it. It is a special race - you step off the plane after a long, cold European winter and it's usually very sunny and the people are incredibly welcoming. I think the circuit is a nice challenge too - it's not a particularly technical track, but the surface is always rubbering in across the whole race weekend, and it's a place that encourages nip-and-tuck racing. For a street track, it's got a really good flow, you can really find a good rhythm - and it's got some fast corners too, which is unusual for a road course. I think the new rules have definitely made it a more competitive place - it's easier to pass here now than it ever was. And I think the potential of a second DRS zone will be a real benefit - last year, along the startline wasn't quite enough for overtaking - I think we'll get more benefit from a second zone. Finally, the walls around here are close enough to keep your mind focused. I can't remember a race here that wasn't eventful or surprising in some way - so it's the perfect place to kick off the season."

Q: How confident do you feel after the winter that you're set for a strong start to your campaign?

JB: "I'm happy with our preparations. You always want more laps and more time in the car, but, unlike last year, we've had a very solid start to our pre-season. It's been very difficult to read pace over the winter because a lot of teams have been playing their cards close to their chests: I think it's going to be extremely close, and I can't wait to find out where we sit in the pecking order."

Lewis Hamilton

Q: What does Melbourne mean to you?

LH: "Melbourne is a city that has sport running through its veins - and the crowd lives and breathes it. It's a great place to start the season. For me, Melbourne means sunshine, smiling faces, a great paddock - a bit compact but very friendly, a great city with a really positive vibe - and a racetrack that's really made for racing. A place where you can really get the back-end of the car moving around quite nicely yet still feel like you're fully in control of the car. The track has got a nice flow to it - I love the fast sweepers behind the pits, it's awesome when you get them right - and it's a place where, the more you can attack, the faster you go. My kind of place!"

Q: After just three tests - six days each in the car - do you feel prepared?

LH: "I actually feel more relaxed and ready for the new season than I think I've ever done. Everything has gone smoothly with the car - which is more than we can say for last year! - and it just seems to be a responsive and reliable package. My final day in the car - with the aero package we plan to run next weekend - also felt good: the car was a useful step forward. Of course, we haven't tested it in competition yet, but there's plenty to feel optimistic about. It's a bit weird to have driven the car for a whole month and still not done a really fast lap - I guess we'll really find the limit next Saturday. Obviously, this is always the time of year when you're feeling positive, but we've got plenty to look forward to. I'm going to get off the plane in Australia with a big smile on my face."

Q: What are your hopes and aims for the Australian Grand Prix?

LH: "It's a realistic aim: to score some useful points and use the race to kickstart our challenge for the world championship. That might sound like we're aiming low - we're not - but, at this time of year, it's good to remember that it's going to be a very long season. There's no point putting all your eggs in one basket - I'd love to win in Melbourne, sure, but there are 19 races afterwards, so it'll be important to get some points on the board. As long as I can leave Australia feeling confident that we have a car that's able to fight for the title, then I'll feel happy. It's as simple as that."

Martin Whitmarsh, team boss: "I've never lost my enthusiasm, optimism or motivation for the start of each new Formula 1 season - and this year is no exception. As is often the case, you can complete thousands of kilometres of testing, analyse hundreds of thousands of lines of performance data and read pages of web and magazine editorial and still not have a clear idea of overall form going into the first race.

"I think that's an intrinsic and fascinating aspect of Formula 1: the resetting of the bar at the end of each season and the relentless, and often invisible, quest to emerge on top at the start of a new year. I think Australia will be fascinating: the winter's testing has been so finely balanced that it's particularly difficult accurately to judge who'll be the quickest. And that's fantastic for Formula 1 fans across the globe.

"At Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, we've had an extremely productive winter - I've never seen Jenson and Lewis looking so healthy, committed and prepared for a new season. There's a real hunger within the whole organisation - I've witnessed it in conversation with our heads of department, our engineers and our mechanics: we want to win more than ever and we've left no stone unturned in our quest for performance.

"Make no mistake, this will be a long, arduous and difficult campaign, and I'm naturally reluctant to stick my neck out and make any predictions, but my greatest hope is that we go to Australia and put on a world-beating show to demonstrate to the world that Formula 1 is back, and back with a bang!"

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Merc GP preview the Australian GP

Michael Schumacher: "Finally, we can stop trying to read the tea-leaves from testing and actually go racing. Melbourne is a perfect location, and the ideal place to start the season. The city loves Formula One, the fans create a great atmosphere and obviously, as drivers, we feel that too. And because we've already got a buzz about what's to come, it just makes you want to get out there and start driving. During winter testing, we completed lots of miles and built up a really complete set of data, which should put us in a good position for the first race and to develop the car even further in the right direction. We're ready for the 2012 season to begin..."

Nico Rosberg: "I'm really looking forward to the start of the new season in Australia next weekend. I had a perfect winter break with plenty of rest, a good training camp and a successful pre-season test programme where we were able to put a lot of mileage on our F1 W03 car. So we are really ready for the first race. I always love the atmosphere in Melbourne; it's a great city and the fans are fantastic. After all of the hard work, and all of the speculation, it will be really interesting to see where we are on Saturday afternoon after qualifying. Before heading to Australia, I will be in New Zealand for a bike training camp to help me adjust to the time difference and the climate 'Down Under'."

Ross Brawn, Team Principal: "The build-up to the start of a new season is always an exciting time, no matter how many times you have experienced it, and everyone at the team is looking forward to the action getting underway in Melbourne next week. We are well prepared, both at the factory and on track, as a result of our structured development and testing plan, and I am confident that we are in a good position. How this translates to our performance relative to the competition is, of course, the key question and it will be interesting to see how it all shapes out next weekend. My thanks to all of the team at Brackley and Brixworth for their hard work and dedication over the winter months and I hope we will be able to reward them with a strong season. Melbourne has always been one of the atmospheric races on the calendar, and certainly one of my favourite cities to visit, so I look forward to a good week ahead."

Norbert Haug, Vice-President, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport: "It's only a little over 100 days since Formula One was in Brazil for the final race of the 2011 season, but now we are ready for the 2012 season to begin and to get back to what we love best: going motor racing. Starting the third season with our Silver Arrows works team, we think we are better prepared than the two years before, which indicates that our learning process is heading in the right direction. The Mercedes F1 W03 has run reliably since its first run on 16 February, completed 4,450 km during pre-season testing, and achieved an average daily testing mileage of 472 km: this equates to an average of more than one and a half Grand Prix distances during each of the nine test days. Nico and Michael are both excited about the new season and highly motivated, while our team members back at base in Brackley and Brixworth and on track are working extremely hard to deliver both performance and reliability at the opening race. The whole team has done a good job in both areas this winter. After testing, we know we have a solid basis to work from and a good platform for development. Understandably, there is much speculation about the pecking order of the new season, and finally we will get a first answer on Saturday afternoon during qualifying in Melbourne, when everybody has to put their cards on the table. Before the first race of this long season, I would like to thank all our team members who have worked so hard and with dedication during the past months, with our clear target which is making the next step in improving our performance compared to our competitors. We aim to show that we have taken this step forward as the first part of a continuous process of improvement."

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Sauber preview the Australian GP

Kamui Kobayashi: "I am very much looking forward to what will be my third season in Formula 1, and at the same time my third season with the Sauber F1 Team. We had promising pre-season testing with the C31 and the car feels pretty good. This, together with the experience I gained last year, makes me a lot more confident now. For me the main target is that we are more consistent this year. In 2010 we had a difficult first part of the season, and only recovered in the second half. In 2011 it was vice versa - we had a great start but struggled later in the season. If we can consistently display our best potential, we could score consistently. It must be like this. Personally I did a lot of training during the winter break and feel very fit now. Melbourne is a great place to start the season because the people there really like racing and Formula 1. The city is very much alive and, as soon as you get there, the atmosphere tells you: Yes, here we go again, it's time to start! I hope the weather will still be nice and warm during the Grand Prix weekend, as there the summer is almost over. The Albert Park Circuit itself has a very nice lay-out. The fact it isn't a permanent race track, and therefore very slippery at the beginning of the weekend, doesn't make the set up work for the first Grand Prix any easier, but to adapt to the improving grip level is a challenge for everyone."

Sergio Perez: "I just can't wait to go racing again. My feelings ahead of this season are quite different to last year, when everything was entirely new to me. Now, with one season in Formula 1 under my belt, I feel physically and mentally capable of doing the job. One year of experience isn't that much, but even this will allow me to focus more on performance than I was able to last year. I got used to a variety of circumstances which come along when you are a Formula 1 driver. This goes for procedures and communication inside the team, but it also includes that I found a good personal life balance with all the travelling. My target for 2012 is to make the most of the car in every given situation and to fully establish myself in Formula 1. We have made really good progress during testing and learnt a lot about the new car. Nevertheless, the track in Melbourne can still come up with surprises. Last year, for example, we would never have expected it was possible to get away with only one pit stop for the race distance because testing suggested higher tyre wear. So we will see how we manage the first Grand Prix and, although the track in Melbourne is a special one and not that representative, we will get a first indication of where we are with the C31 in terms of performance."

Team Principal Peter Sauber: "This coming season is the 20th for the Sauber F1 Team. Having said this, you might expect that the first race of a season would be routine by now. But this is by no means the case. I even have the feeling that this year the excitement is special. The winter tests left the impression that the competition could be tighter than ever before. Apparently the midfield teams have reduced the gap to the top teams. I am really pleased with the progress we made during testing and I think we are well prepared. We have to be because we have set ourselves quite high targets for 2012. We want to score points on a regular basis and significantly improve our position in the constructors' championship. We are well aware that this sounds very ambitious, but this is what we are working on."

Giampaolo Dall'Ara; Head of Track Engineering: "Following the three pre-season tests, everybody in the team is excited to start racing and keen to see where we really stand compared to our competitors. As a team we feel well prepared. Sergio is not a rookie anymore, and both drivers will continue to work with their race engineers from last year, which will enable us to start from a higher level. The Albert Park track features mostly stop start corners and changes of direction, so good traction and braking stability are needed. Since Albert Park is not a permanent race track it changes its grip level considerably during the weekend. This is something to consider when setting up the car, as well as the fact that this circuit tends to be harder on the rear tyres than the tracks where we have been testing prior to the season. Track temperature will also be important, but can vary quite significantly depending on the weather. Historically overtaking has been difficult in Melbourne, but this time there will be two DRS zones. With regard to tyres, Pirelli is supplying the medium and soft compound. Both versions are more aggressive compared to last year which will result in a higher number of pit stops. Technically we will basically use the same specification car which we were running during the last test in Barcelona with just some minor refinements. Looking at the results from the final test, we are confident we can have a strong start to the new season."

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HRT preview the Australian GP

Narain Karthikeyan: "I'm feeling positive ahead of the Australian Grand Prix after having completed 10 laps with the new F112 last Monday. Of course this was only a first contact and we didn't push it to the limit but the important thing was to get the ball rolling. It's not ideal to miss testing but we must look forward now. The new management have done an incredible job putting everything together and we'll do the best we can to continue progressing. We're in the right direction. Last year we only managed to complete five laps in the third practice session and failed to qualify for the race, so I'm looking to etch out that memory."

Pedro de la Rosa: "After a long winter of hard work, we've finally made it to Australia and are really looking forward to trying the car out and continue learning. We need to try and make the most of our time on Friday and Saturday morning to make it to qualifying and the race in the best possible conditions. We would have liked to have come with more mileage but I think it's an achievement to have made it with a 100 per cent new car and a practically new team. Our aim is to do things well, with seriousness and patience. Albert Park is a circuit I like a lot because there are many overtaking opportunities and hard braking areas, besides various chicanes. It's a track where you have to drive aggressively and know how to ride over a lot of kerbs. The most important aspect of the car is braking, traction and its top speed, which is why the DRS will play an important role."

Luis Perez-Sala, Team Principal: "It doesn't seem true but the first race of the season is already upon us. We've spent three months working relentlessly, but the team and the car are ready for the great task ahead of us. We have done a lot of things since the last race of 2011 in Brazil and I'm very proud of the entire team but, without a doubt, the hardest part comes now. We know where we are but also where we wish to be and with the team spirit and sacrifice that we have shown, I'm convinced that we can achieve it."

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AMERICAN ROSSI TAKES STEP CLOSER TO F1 RACE SEAT WITH CATERHAM TEST ROLE:

The next few years are big ones for Formula 1’s attempts to re-establish itself in the United States with the scheduled arrivals of Austin, and then New Jersey, on the calendar and so it is fitting that at least one American driver is back around the F1 scene for 2012, after Caterham confirmed Alexander Rossi as their official test driver for the new season.

Rossi joined the team’s young driver development programme last year and tested the then Team Lotus-branded car on one day of last November’s young driver test in Abu Dhabi, having already competed for the sister GP2 team in the non-championship GP2 final at the Yas Marina Circuit.

Caterham say the 20-year-old from California will drive in some Friday first practice sessions, a duty he will share with Dutchman Giedo van der Garde – who was named as the team’s reserve driver last month – and complete regular stints in the team’s simulator. In order to keep his racing instincts sharp, it was also confirmed today Rossi will remain in the World Series by Renault and drive for the Arden team which has recently linked up with Caterham.

Rossi said: “I am absolutely delighted that we have been able to make this dual announcement today. My goal to be in Formula 1 is one step closer after being signed as Test Driver for Caterham F1 Team. I want to thank Tony Fernandes, Kamarudin Meranun and Riad Asmat for their trust in me and long term commitment to my career. The Caterham F1 Team support, coupled with the efforts of my management and investors, has brought my goal of reaching an F1 race seat one step closer.”

Tony Fernandes hinted of bigger things to come for Rossi at Caterham when in the announcement he said the 20-year-old was “key figure in our long-term plans, and the investment we are making in him now will help him make the most of the natural talent he has at his disposal”. He added: “We see 2012 as an important year for Alexander, as he will be combining a full calendar in World Series by Renault, a championship he has a very good chance of winning, with his Test Driver role, and giving him the chance to take part in FP1 gives him the platform from which he can grow into an even bigger F1 role.”

Conveniently for both parties, the Formula Renault 3.5 Series will have been completed by the time of the inaugural grand prix in Austin, Texas in mid-November and Rossi’s almost certain appearance on the opening morning of track action there is likely to be welcomed by the organisers given the recent current dearth of American drivers in F1.

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COULD THE F1 TEAMS TAKE A STAKE IN THE SPORT?

There are some interesting things going on behind the scenes in F1 at the moment which could have a significant bearing on the ownership of the sport in the future.

It has been revealed that 15% of the shares in F1′s holding company will soon come up for sale. At the same time the media regulator in the UK has said that it is ramping up its probe into whether NewsCorp and James Murdoch pass the “fit and proper person” test for controlling BSKYB, which now has the UK F1 TV rights. Mr Murdoch is still chairman of BSKYB.

According to a report in the Guardian from a source close to Bernie Ecclestone, the company holding the assets of bankrupt US bank Lehman Brothers will sell its 15.3% F1 stake within the next two years.

“Lehman is the second-biggest shareholder in Formula One’s Jersey-based holding company, Delta Topco, which is majority-owned by private equity firm CVC. Lehman owns a 15.3% stake and a senior Formula One source says that Topco is worth “more than $10bn”, said the report.

This is interesting for a number of reasons, not least who might purchase the stake. One thinks immediately of three groups whom this might interest: the teams, NewsCorp/Exor and the Abu Dhabi investment vehicle Mubadala.

Clearly the best thing for the sport would be for the teams to have a stake. So could it happen?

The teams have often said that it is desirable for the sport if they were to hold a stake. It would also be very attractive to any future buyer of CVC’s majority stake, as it would stabilise the sport for the long term. Investors hate uncertainty. F1 is a unique global business with huge potential for growth, but uncertainty over the behaviour of the teams over breakaways, as they threatened in 2009, or demanding too much money, undermines confidence.

In an interview for the Financial Times last November, FOTA chairman Martin Whitmarsh said:

“The teams’ equity involvement is a stabilising force. I’m not saying that the teams have got to own it. But if you are trying to create partnership in most businesses then a bit of cross equity is useful. At the moment the teams contract for a finite period to a Concorde Agreement and you then get lots of speculation about how you replace that. If teams were equity holders then it encourages all stakeholders and potential investing partners that you have some continuity, going from one Concorde negotiation to the next with standoffs doesn’t.

“If I was private equity and I had the teams committed with a percentage owned by the teams, then the value that I hold if I’m trying to exit has got to be enhanced if you have the teams tied into the sport. That’s a win/win.”

It is obvious and entirely logical. But these are not always qualities one sees in F1′s business dealings.

As regards whether this is possible or even likely to happen, it’s a major blow to the concept that FOTA has now split as an organisation, with Ferrari leading a walk-out of Red Bull, Sauber and Toro Rosso, leaving a rump of seven teams. Mercedes boss Ross Brawn describes this as a “tragedy”; the teams in question putting self interest in front of the opportunity to make a better future for the whole sport and themselves. I think he’ll be proved right.

Now divided and squabbling, it could be tough for Whitmarsh to cajole the others into looking at buying the Lehman stake, especially at a time when several teams are short of the money needed to race, let alone buy a share in the sport. Valuation is clearly going to be tricky; $10 billion looks a high figure, but relative to turnover and its potential as a business, clearly it’s going to be a somewhere between there and CVC’s outlay six years ago when buying it, of $2.8bn.

“It depends how much teams want to be burdened with debt,” said Whitmarsh. “But at the moment in expressing too frankly my opinions, it could be considered that I’m opening up negotiations in public and I don’t think that’s useful. At the moment there is an owner and it’s not us. CVC have invested in our sport, it’s been a good investment and they have profited well. “

They have indeed and this latest piece of news is another step towards the plan of exiting at some point with maximum value. The negotiations for the new Concorde Agreement have now started and although it could be a messy year while deals are agreed, CVC urgently needs to see all the teams signed up to participate for five years.

In all other respects the business is very well set up now; with many long term TV and media rights contracts in place, along with long term deals with circuits and Tata Communications’s new network for fixed-line connectivity at all races, the sport is pretty future proofed and ripe for selling once the teams are all on board. CVC have said that they don’t plan to sell, but if they don’t sell it then, it could be another five to seven years before the timing would be so perfect again.

Another potential buyer of the Lehman stake is NewsCorp, which is still working on its dossier announced last year with Agnelli family investment vehicle Exor to consider a bid for the sport.

Today’s Financial Times has a story about the UK media regulator Ofcom, setting up a project team called Project Apple to investigate whether the phone hacking allegations in the newspaper side of the business cause the organisation fail the “fit and proper person” test for an organisation to control a broadcaster like BSKYB. NewsCorp owns 39% of BSKYB and effectively controls it.

If Ofcom satisfy themselves that it does, then they have the power to require NewsCorp to sell off part of its stake down to the level where it no longer controls the broadcaster.

Last summer, under pressure from the UK government, NewsCorp had to give up on its planned £7.8 billion takeover of the rest of the BSKYB shares it does not own, over the phone hacking allegations.

Its next move after that announcement was to buy the F1 TV rights. With a large cash pot and a desire to control a major global sport, it could be the time for them to move on F1 again.

* Meanwhile in another business story this week, Bernie Ecclestone has confirmed that the two Spanish Grand Prix venues Barcelona and Valencia will alternate from 2013 onwards. And the French Grand Prix is looking to come back in a shared deal with Belgium.

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FIA tweaks DRS rules for the rain

FIA race director Charlie Whiting may now prohibit the use of DRS should he deem conditions to be too dangerous during a wet race.

The FIA's World Motor Sport Council met for the first time this year in Milan on Friday and rubber stamped three changes to the regulations agreed on by the F1 Commission.

With a view to safety concerns over the large speed differentials between cars in the wet, it was agreed that Whiting may now "prohibit the use of the adjustable rear wing (DRS) if he feels visibility is too poor in wet conditions.

"This has been done as a result of safety concerns over large speed differentials between cars."

Also regarding wet-weather running, the FIA confirmed that teams may now carry one set of slick tyres into the Saturday of a grand prix weekend if both Friday practice sessions are declared wet.

The FIA has also agreed to simplify the regulations regarding team personnel curfews to ensure that rest periods remain constant throughout the season so to avoid any confusion.

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Kobayashi encouraged after 'promising' tests

Kamui Kobayashi is looking to become a regular in the top ten this season, starting with next weekend's Australian Grand Prix.

The Japanese driver, who is entering his third full season in Formula One, put in some impressive times in pre-season testing, especially on low-fueled runs.

However, Sauber's new C31 also showed pace over longer distances where the team seemed to be able to get the most out of their Pirelli tyres.

And although times set in testing are often little indication of what is to come, Kobayashi reckons Sauber are in for a good season.

"I am very much looking forward to what will be my third season in Formula One, and at the same time my third season with the Sauber F1 Team," the 25-year-old said.

We had promising pre-season testing with the C31 and the car feels pretty good. This, together with the experience I gained last year, makes me a lot more confident now.

"For me the main target is that we are more consistent this year. In 2010 we had a difficult first part of the season, and only recovered in the second half. In 2011 it was vice versa - we had a great start but struggled later in the season.

"If we can consistently display our best potential, we could score consistently. It must be like this. Personally I did a lot of training during the winter break and feel very fit now. Melbourne is a great place to start the season because the people there really like racing and Formula One.

"The city is very much alive and, as soon as you get there, the atmosphere tells you: Yes, here we go again, it's time to start!"

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'Kimi has shown what he can do'

Kimi Raikkonen will produce the goods for Lotus, that is the opinion of his new team boss Eric Boullier.

Raikkonen is making his return to Formula One this season after two years away from the sport. And already the Finn has laid down a marker.

Quickest on the very first day of pre-season testing, Raikkonen followed that up with another P1 on the very last day despite missing an entire test.

Lotus were forced to cancel their second outing after discovering a problem with the chassis they had taken to Barcelona.

However, Boullier is adamant the lost track time will not have too big an impact on his team or his drivers.

"I think he (Raikkonen) has shown us already what he can do," Boullier told Autosport.

"We will never recover from the four days we lost, and of course they would have been welcome. Both Kimi and Romain (Grosjean) would have benefited from the mileage, but it is like it is.

"We have to deal with the facts and I must say we did the best with the remaining days we had."

One down side of losing that track time was in his drivers' Pirelli education as neither Raikkonen nor Grosjean has ever raced a F1 car on Pirelli rubber.

Boullier, though, believes both are quickly coming to terms with the Italian rubber.

"Kimi is good at this, but Romain is still lacking a little bit of experience.

"However, he (Grosjean) showed very good progress from Jerez to Barcelona on tyre management for the race, so I am confident he will do it."

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Sauber anticipating 'special' season

Peter Sauber says this could be the season that his team closes that gap to Formula One's front runners.

Although no one has a true picture of what the pecking order is in the wake of pre-season testing, the general consensus is that no one has run away with it and that the field is closer than ever before.

This is a sentiment echoed by Sauber, who reckons his team, which finished seventh last season with 44 points, has a good chance of becoming a regular in the top ten.

"This coming season is the 20th for the Sauber F1 Team," said Sauber. "Having said this, you might expect that the first race of a season would be routine by now.

"But this is by no means the case. I even have the feeling that this year the excitement is special.

"The winter tests left the impression that the competition could be tighter than ever before. Apparently the midfield teams have reduced the gap to the top teams. I am really pleased with the progress we made during testing and I think we are well prepared.

"We have to be because we have set ourselves quite high targets for 2012. We want to score points on a regular basis and significantly improve our position in the Constructors' Championship. We are well aware that this sounds very ambitious, but this is what we are working on."

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'Extremely close' says Button

Jenson Button is confident Red Bull will not run away with this year's titles, predicting an "extremely close" fight.

Last year, Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel dominated the world of Formula One as the German stormed to his second successive World title.

This season F1 is braced for a different story as - if pre-season times are any indication - Red Bull's rivals appear to have closed the gap.

One team that has shown improved pace is McLaren, whose MP4-27 is quick over a single lap while it also possess good long-distance pace with little drop-off in times.

"You always want more laps and more time in the car, but, unlike last year, we've had a very solid start to our pre-season," said Button.

"It's been very difficult to read pace over the winter because a lot of teams have been playing their cards close to their chests.

"I think it's going to be extremely close, and I can't wait to find out where we sit in the pecking order."

Looking ahead to next weekend's Australian Grand Prix, Button is hoping that the FIA's decision to use not one but two DRS zones will make for an exciting start to the season.

"I think the new rules have definitely made it a more competitive place - it's easier to pass here now than it ever was.

"And I think the potential of a second DRS zone will be a real benefit - last year, along the startline wasn't quite enough for overtaking - I think we'll get more benefit from a second zone."

But how McLaren will perform next weekend, team boss Martin Whitmarsh is not even willing to guess other to say that the Woking team is hungry for success.

"As is often the case, you can complete thousands of kilometres of testing, analyse hundreds of thousands of lines of performance data and read pages of web and magazine editorial and still not have a clear idea of overall form going into the first race.

"We've had an extremely productive winter - I've never seen Jenson and Lewis looking so healthy, committed and prepared for a new season.

"There's a real hunger within the whole organisation - I've witnessed it in conversation with our heads of department, our engineers and our mechanics: we want to win more than ever and we've left no stone unturned in our quest for performance.

"Make no mistake, this will be a long, arduous and difficult campaign, and I'm naturally reluctant to stick my neck out and make any predictions, but my greatest hope is that we go to Australia and put on a world-beating show to demonstrate to the world that Formula 1 is back, and back with a bang!"

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Updated Ferrari not expected until Spain

Ferrari isn't expected to debut its updated F2012 until the Spanish Grand Prix, team principal Stefano Domenicali has confirmed.

The Italian outfit has struggled with its developments during pre-season testing after it changed its exhaust philosophy mid-way through the final test.

Ferrari had just two days to evaluate the new system which failed to provide the expected results, and therefore requires more development back at the teams factory.

Domenicali admits it will take some time before the revised F2012 is ready, with its likely debut taking place during the in-season test at Mugello in May.

"The process is long because we need to modify the bodywork," he toldGazetta dello Sport. "Our technicians need to understand how to intervene with the CFD, then analyse temperatures, prepare the parts and test them.

"We'll only be able to do that at Mugello testing in May," he confirmed.

Domenicali believes it will take at least a handful of races before the team knows where they stand in regards to the competition.

"I'm not happy with the car because we haven't reached the goal we had set, not because we are slower than the others.

"In order to understand where we are we'll in fact need to wait for at least the first four grands prix."

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SCHUMACHER: "I'M STILL ONE OF THE BEST"

On the eve of the new F1 season Michael Schumacher has said that he is still one of the sport’s top draws and expects to compete for podiums this season in the new Mercedes.

Speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport the seven times world champion said, “I was out (of F1) for three years, I’m now 43 and I don’t know if I can compare myself to when I was 30. But I know I’m still one of the best in the world, that I’m motivated, that I enjoy myself and that most people are happy to have me still in F1.”

Bernie Ecclestone has endorsed that last point, speaking today in an interview on F1.com, the official F1 website, the 81 year old was asked whether he thought Schumacher would have a breakthrough this year, “If the car is fast enough, yes. I do hope that’s the case,” he said. “For him and all the Schumacher fans. He is still a big name and we all profit more from a successful Michael Schumacher than from a beaten one. Ask in the USA – he is still the biggest name there.”

Schumacher has played his part in patiently building Mercedes into a title winning outfit. As part of the Ferrari team with Ross Brawn which set the benchmark in the 2000s, the German knows what it takes to win in F1 and to beat the current benchmark, Red Bull. Schumacher and Brawn know how hard it is to keep a team at the very top and they know the signs that it’s beginning to slip. That will be Mercedes’ moment to strike and the timing looks positive for the Brackley team.

“We’ve set the basis for a future at the highest level,” Schumacher said. “But I doubt we will reach it this year.”

As to whether he sees himself in the cockpit as part of that future, Schumacher said, “Right now I’m focussed on the project, I don’t see the need to start discussions on the future.”

There is little doubt that the main candidate for Schumacher’s seat would be Lewis Hamilton, soon to be a free agent, should the 2008 champion wanted to look around for alternatives to McLaren, who have Jenson Button under contract for three more years.

Mercedes is definitely building nicely for a championship assault, with Ross Brawn and a highly experienced management team around him. A driver of Hamilton’s calibre would be the final piece of the jigsaw. Vettel is committed to Red Bull for a few more years and Alonso is locked in at Ferrari on a five year deal.

Likewise Hamilton wants to win more championships and needs a team that will put him at least on level pegging with Vettel, preferably give him a faster car, better pit-stops and all the other little details. McLaren looks like it has a quick car this year; he may feel he’s better off sticking with what he knows.

Whether – and how aggressively – Mercedes go after Hamilton this year, will show us how highly they rate Nico Rosberg. Ross Brawn and other management figures speak highly of him and he certainly has had a good advantage over Schumacher in qualifying. But last season Schumacher performed better in a number of races and it leads one to wonder whether Rosberg has that little bit extra. Equally, Mercedes and McLaren will be looking at how Hamilton attacks the F1 season. Last year, by his own admission he had his eye off the ball,

“Last year quite a lot of times I went out and enjoyed myself thinking that these things don’t affect you but in actual fact they do, they have a knock-on effect. It takes you two days to recover, you miss two days of training and your mind is somewhere else when you get to the race, ” he said.

That’s not what a top team wants for its £12 million + a year investment. Hamilton says he’s fully focussed on F1 again now. So is Schumacher.

MIKA: Schumacher is one of the VERY best if not one the Greatest in the sports history. Love him or hate him, he's won 7 WDC's, generated records that still stand and hold their own and many will still remain long after the majority of this seasons field retire. Drivers like Alonso & Vettel still hold high respect for Schumacher and believe he is a threat if Mercedes deliver a good car.

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Brawn: 'Nothing between Schumi and Rosberg'

Mercedes team principal Ross Brawn doesn't believe there is a performance gap between Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg in a race situation. In fact he is of the opinion that the seven-time world champion may be quicker, but fails to understand the Pirelli tyres as well as his teammate.

"He's [schumacher] the same or even quicker in the fast corners," Brawn told the Guardian. "Nico just seems to have more of an intuitive ability to get the most out of the tyres on one lap."

That fact is proven by the pairs qualifying record in 2011, with Rosberg outclassing Schumacher 16-3, though the 43-year-old managed to claw some of that back in the races, beating his compatriot seven times and finishing fourth in Canada, whilst Rosberg's highest finish was fifth.

"In the races, where it's a more consistent process, there's nothing to tell between the two of them," added Brawn. "There are some races where Nico's dominant and some where Michael's very strong."

The problem for Schumacher is understanding the tyres, especially how to get the maximum performance over a single lap in qualifying.

"I don't know if he will find the difference in qualifying, because Nico is very special in those circumstances, one of the best I've seen. At the moment Michael hasn't understood how he can get that.

"Now there's only one tyre out there, it's the same for everybody, and he's got to work out how he's going to get that performance from it."

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Red Bull team boss Christian Horner says Mark Webber now back on form

Red Bull Racing team boss Christian Horner is confident Mark Webber can begin his 2012 Formula 1 campaign much stronger than he started last year.

After fighting for the 2010 title, Webber had a difficult '11 season and was overshadowed by team-mate Sebastian Vettel, who dominated the championship.

Horner predicted at the end of the last campaign that Webber would revitalise himself over the winter, and reckons the evidence from testing is that the Australian has done exactly that.

"I think Mark has had a good winter," said Horner. "I think he has a good pre-season and I think he goes to Melbourne with a spring in his step - which wasn't the case last year. He is in a good frame of mind and hopefully he can have a strong season."

There were several tense intra-team flashpoints in 2010 when both Vettel and Webber were chasing the title for Red Bull.

But asked if the prospect of a more competitive Webber would make his life difficult, Horner replied: "Not at all. We have got two really competitive drivers and we expect them to push each other but they both know that the team is the most important thing."

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Fernandes: Time to step up

Tony Fernandes says it is time for his Caterham team to leave "no-mans-land" and join Formula One's midfield battle.

Last season saw Caterham, racing under the Lotus banner, leave their fellow newcomers, Marussia and HRT, behind and flirt with those at the back of the midfield. The team once again finished the season without their first World Championship point.

This year, though, Fernandes believes it is time for his outfit to do more than just play on the fringes of the midfield.

"Melbourne 2012 is a very important race for us and one I am possibly more excited about than any race we have participated in our two short years in F1," the Caterham team principal said.

"We shed the new team tag at the start of 2011, but for most of last season we were racing in what felt like no-mans-land. We were comfortably ahead of the two teams that made their debuts at the same time as us in 2010, and for a large part of last year we were what felt like inches away from the teams just ahead.

"Now it is time for us to take our place as a midfield team, and we have everything in place to do just that. If we do, and find ourselves racing teams like Williams, Toro Rosso and Sauber I think that will be an incredible achievement, from a starting point of an empty factory in September 2009 to racing teams who have decades on us in terms of establishment and development."

The team's new Renault-powered CT01 has shown strong one-lap pace in particular during the winter, and aside from a problematic second test at Barcelona, impressive reliability levels.

Heikki Kovalainen acknowledges the team's pre-season programme has had more positives than negatives, but insisted that the team were staying grounded until the true picture of the grid's relative competitiveness was revealed in Melbourne.

"After three pretty solid weeks of testing we're heading to Melbourne in good shape. We've clearly moved on from where we started in 2011, and are a long way ahead of where we were in 2010 but we're still all staying very realistic about what we can do this season.

"Apart from a few issues in the second test, which were all sorted out for T3, our reliability has been good, and both Vitaly [Petrov] and I put in laps that showed we are close to the pace we want to be. But as everyone knows the tests don't really tell you anything about where you are against everyone else, so we won't really know anything until Saturday in Melbourne."

New signing Vitaly Petrov bore the brunt of the team's setbacks at the second Barcelona test, but after a more straightforward second week at the Circuit de Catalunya, the Russian says his integration into the team has gone well and work to get the CT01 more to his liking is beginning to pay dividends.

"It will also be a good weekend for me generally as I'm really enjoying life with my new team. It's still early days, but I've been given a great welcome by everyone and I'm starting to build a good relationship with my engineer, so I think we have a good year ahead of us, whatever happens.

"We spent quite a lot of time in Barcelona looking at how to fine tune the setups specifically for me, and while we do have more work to do in Australia we definitely made some real progress at the last test which puts me in as good a position as we could hope for when we get to Melbourne."

MIKA: Heikki Kovalainen needs to up his game is he want's to remain in the team beyond 2012. If his performance doesn't improve, he might even be axed mid season. Just sayin'....

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Formula 1 may need budget cap after all, Bernie Ecclestone suggests

Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone says he is open to revisiting the idea of a budget cap for teams in the world championship - as he warned squads that they should 'tighten their belts' amid current financial pressures.

Former FIA president Max Mosley's 2009 budget cap plan was ultimately rejected in favour of the Resource Restriction Agreement created by the teams.

In an interview with the official Formula 1 website, Ecclestone said he felt some teams were taking a delusional approach to their economic situations.

"Let's put it this way: there are still too many people in Formula 1 running around with rose-tinted glasses," he said. "They obviously like to see the world as they want it to be - wonderful, the sun is shining, isn't life delightful - and not how it is. The downside of these glasses is that they blind you to reality."

Asked what his advice so such teams would be, Ecclestone replied: "Change the colour of your glasses and tighten your belts. Stop spending more than you need to."

He suggested that a form of budget cap could be the best way of pegging back the better funded teams' spending so that struggling squads did not have to overspend to try and catch up.

"We have had this kind of problem for quite a while now as of course [wealthy teams] spend what they have," said Ecclestone. "You could install a mandatory budget for all teams - on the basis of the smaller teams - but [the larger teams] don't like it and fiercely fight against it."

When asked if he could foresee such a rule being imposed in the near future, Ecclestone said: "I would welcome it. Yes, I think it could happen."

Ecclestone also said he was not concerned about the growing trend of drivers having to bring money with them to secure drives.

"I don't like the phrase 'pay driver'. They have deep-pocketed sponsors who support them. What's wrong with that?" he said. "I have never seen a driver giving his own money for a ride."

MIKA: IMO - If there are teams that can not afford to be in F1 (HRT, MARUSIA, CATHERHAM and the like) they shouldn't be in Formula 1!

Formula 1 is the pinnacle of Motorsport and only the best should be there. If Bernie cut's spending on development, there WILL be a breakaway sport where only teams who can afford it racing. People like Bernie need to step down if he doesn't realise this.

There is no way I want to watch a series of HRT's racing on the track. It's already unbearable to watch F1 at times with so much cut back and the allowance of teams on the grid who are WELL OFF THE PACE. This may sound harsh on my behalf but it is a sport where only the best and well equipped should take stage.

Remove HRT, Marusia and allow the likes of Audi, Porsche, VW to enter.

BTW: Doesn't Bernie look alot like Harry Potter!

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DC backs Kimi to surprise

BBC F1 co-commentator David Coulthard believes Kimi Raikkonen "could be the surprise of the season".

After spending two seasons in the World Rally Championship, Raikkonen returns to Formula One this campaign after signing a two-year contract with Lotus.

The 32-year-old Finn had no problems readapting to F1 during pre-season testing, but it remains to be seen whether or not he can rediscover the form that made him one of the best drivers on the grid.

Coulthard, though, is confident Raikkonen will do well this year as he is a "more mature driver".

"I think there has been been a change in Kimi. Let's not forget that he arrived in F1 when he was 21, which is very young. He has now had a chance to go away and think about things," he told BBC Sport.

"The two years he has spent away from the sport have allowed him to refocus on what he really enjoys doing - and that's racing. I think he'll come back a more mature driver.

"Now I know it's difficult to imagine why an ex-World Champion could be the surprise of the season, but I think in this case, Kimi could be just that.

"I've gone from initially being sceptical to now being an absolute believer in his return. It's good for Kimi Raikkonen, it's good for F1 and it should be good for the fans."

Although he is backing Raikkonen to do well, Coulthard admits it is difficult to judge just where in the pecking order he and Lotus will be this campaign.

"If Lotus give him the space to be himself, which is a happy racing driver who isn't required to get bogged down doing things he doesn't enjoy doing, I think he could be better in his second career than he was in his first," Coulthard said.

"His results will ultimately come down to the performance of the car. Lotus have shown good form in testing but we won't know if that was showboating for sponsors or genuine pace until we get to Melbourne.

"What I do know is that Lotus have a winning DNA. They are a championship-winning team - having won world titles in their previous guises as Benetton and Renault - so I see no reason why they can't get back to being competitive.

"Can they really challenge Red Bull, McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes? It's difficult to imagine at this moment in time but let's wait and see."

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Good news and bad news for McLaren

McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh admits there is good news and bad news heading into the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.

Although Whitmarsh feels the Woking squad will be competitive this campaign after a solid showing during pre-season testing, he acknowledges that they are unlikely to dominate.

That, though, is not necessarily a bad thing as the McLaren boss believes no team will monopolise results this season.

"Our sense is we are competitive," Whitmarsh said during a Vodafone McLaren Mercedes phone-in.

"The bad news is we don't look like we're dominant, but the good news is no-one else looks like they're dominant either."

He added: "The winter has been better than last year.

"We went to last year's Australian race having not completed a race distance and having been spectacularly uncompetitive.

"Fuel loads and tyre programmes interfere with the ability to judge relative performance, long runs give a better, fairer assessment, and based on that we feel that we are competitive.

"We brought modifications, developments and enhancements to the car and the car responded, and they delivered the performance we expected it to.

"So I think with reliability, a competitive car and responding to changes, that should give us the feeling we can be competitive.

"Aided by a strong team and two hungry racing drivers, we should be expecting to win races and if we can win enough we can win the Championship."

A lot of eyes will be on Lewis Hamilton this season after he struggled on and off the track last year, but Whitmarsh feels the 2008 World Champion will be fully focused this campaign.

"There is a lot of discussion about Lewis, how he was last year and how he is approaching this year," he said.

"The fact is Lewis is an immensely competitive individual. He has extraordinarily high standards. He only won three races last year, which is not what he expected from himself.

"When you have a season below your own high expectations when you're any athlete, including racing drivers, then you will choose to refocus and consider your approach.

"If he's going to have a long and successful career then he's got to have the right balance of enjoying life and motor racing, and being competitive and focused."

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Mallya: 'Analysis says grid closest in years'

Force India co-owner and team principal Vijay Mallya isn't make wild predictions ahead of the season opening race this weekend in Melbourne, after revealing analysis suggests the grid will be one of the closest in years.

It's a view shared by many team principals and drivers up and down the grid, but nothing can be confirmed until the very end of the first race.

Mallya remains cautious, but wholly believes that Force India have designed their best car yet, with the VJM05 performing well in pre-season testing.

"After the long winter months I think we are all looking forward to the start of the new season," said the Indian. "Our testing form has looked competitive, but it's only when we get to the first race that we really get a feel for the pecking order and how well everyone has done over the winter.

"From our side there is no doubt that Andrew Green and his technical team have done an outstanding job to deliver a well-balanced car. I would even go as far as saying the VJM05 is the best engineered car we have produced and the detail of the design is beautiful. It's a car we believe can help us take another step forward."

The teams aims, according to the 56-year-old, are to start challenging the more established teams on a regular basis.

"I remain cautious on making predictions, simply because there are so many unknowns," he said. "Our analysis suggests that we could see one of the closest grids in years, especially in the upper part of the midfield. Even so, our stated goal remains the same – to see Sahara Force India continue progressing and challenge the established teams that lie ahead of us."

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HOW THE TEAMS WILL TACKLE THE FIRST GRAND PRIX OF THE SEASON:

Source: JamesallenonF1.com

How will the teams approach the first race of the season? What difference will the new Pirelli tyres make to the racing? Will there be more stops or less? What is the likelihood of a safety car in Melbourne? You will find the answers here.The new season kicks off this week 'Down Under at Melbourne's Albert Park and we welcome back the JA on F1 Race Strategy content strand, in partnership with UBS, which was so popular last season.

For each race we will produce a pre-race briefing and a post race analysis. The content is prepared by JA on F1 with data and insight from a variety of race strategists currently working for F1 teams, who are helping to give fans an insight into this fascinating and important area of the sport.

Australian Grand Prix the Key Race Strategy considerations

Track characteristics

Form guide

Weather forecast

Likely tyre performance

Number and likely timing of pit stops

Chances of a safety car

Recent start performance of drivers and teams

* Pit stop league table of teams

Track characteristics

Albert Park Circuit; 5.303 kilometres. Race distance: 58 laps = 307.574 kilometres 16 corners in total, none particularly high energy.

Aerodynamic setup Medium/high downforce. Top speed 318km/h (with Drag Reduction System on rear wing) 308km/h without.

Full throttle 65% of the lap. Total fuel needed for race distance: 152 kilos.

Time spent braking: 13% of the lap. 8 braking zones. Brake wear: High.

Loss time for a Pit stop = 20 seconds

Total time needed for pit stop: 25 seconds.

Fuel effect (cost in lap time per 10kg of fuel carried): 0.34 seconds

Form Guide

The Australian Grand Prix is not always a reliable guide to the season ahead as it is a unique circuit, based in a park, with a very low grip track surface and corners which are not typical of F1 circuits around the world.

Red Bull won the race last season and based on performances over the winter testing season, are expected to be the front runners at the first race, with McLaren also looking competitive.

Mercedes look more competitive than in 2011 as do Lotus, while Ferrari have had a difficult winter of testing and their competitiveness is a question mark going into the new season. The midfield battle looks very close and results are likely to be dependent on good race strategy planning and execution.

McLaren has won the Australian Grand Prix five times and Ferrari has won six times.

McLaren has won two of the last four Australian Grands Prix and Jenson Button is a two time winner. Of the current drivers Michael Schumacher has won the race four times, Sebastian Vettel, Lewis Hamilton, Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso once.

Likely tyre performancePirelli tyre choice for Melbourne: Soft and Medium.

This is Pirelli's second season of F1 since returning as sole tyre supplier and the aim for 2012 is to get the tyre compounds closer together in performance than in 2011. Last year the gap was too large, with the result being that at many events teams ran the faster tyre for most of the race and then put on the slower, usually harder, tyre right at the end.

For 2012 Pirelli is aiming for around 0.8s per lap difference between compounds, which would give the teams a number of different strategy options and would mix things up.

The signs from testing are that the soft and medium tyres at this stage are a little too close in performance, probably around 0.3 seconds per lap at Albert Park.

The soft is likely to have a range of around 20-23 laps while the life of the medium will be 22-25 laps. This will be less for the opening stint of the race when the cars are full of fuel.

The new Pirellis offer more rear grip relative to the front tyres than was the case in 2011. The 2012 Pirelli tyres are designed to last longer than last year's and the drop off in performance isn't as sudden. The tyre warm-up isn't quite as fast as last year because of the wider contact patch of the new tyres.

The tyres often experience graining at Albert Park. Graining is where the rubber shears away from the top surface, caused by a high level of sliding at high loads, both lateral and longitudinal. Lateral comes from sliding in corners, longitudinal comes from acceleration and braking.

Temperature has a lot to do with it, probably more than any other factor. If the tyres are being used below their operating range the rubber will be less compliant and will shear off more easily.

The track surface at Albert Park is quite old and has low micro and macro roughness, which basically means that the stones in it are small. The result of its age and smoothness is that the surface is very low grip and this means that the tyres grain laterally here because the car slides in the corners.

Number and likely timing of pit stops

Based on all the above considerations, plus tyre performance data from testing, the expectation, before any practice running has been done, is that the teams will intend to make two pit stops in the race. Last year we saw a range of strategies; among the top seven finishers we had one car which stopped just once, two cars stopped three times while the three podium finishers all stopped twice.

There are some advantages for a fast car qualifying outside the top ten to start the race on the harder tyre and do one stop less than the others, as Sauber's Sergio Perez did last year, moving from 13th on the grid to 7th at the chequered flag.

Chance of a safety car

The chance of a safety car at Albert Park is 57% . The average number of safety car interventions for the race is 1.7 (in 2006 there were four)

Recent start performance of drivers and teams

Starts are a critical part of the race and strategy can be badly compromised by a poor start, while good starts can make strategists change their plans in the hope of a good result.

As this is the first race of the 2012 season no start data has been established yet.

Pit Stop League Table

Good strategy planning also requires good pit stop execution by the mechanics; last season we saw tyre stops carried out in less than two and a half seconds this year.

The league table below shows the order of the pit crews in 2011, based on their average time for a stop, taking out anomalies.

1= Red Bull Best

1= Mercedes Best

3 McLaren + 0.3s

4 Force India + 0.4s

5 Ferrari + 0.5s

6 Renault + 0.9s

7 Williams + 1.1s

8= Lotus + 1.3s

8= Sauber + 1.3s

8= Toro Rosso + 1.3s

11 Virgin + 1.6s

12 HRT + 3.2s

The UBS Race Strategy Briefing is prepared by JA on F1, with input and data from several F1 teams.

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F1: Grosjean happy if Melbourne rain falls

Romain Grosjean will be happy if this week's weather forecast for Melbourne proves right.Although Wednesday will be warm and sunny in the Victorian capital, the clouds will begin to gather on Thursday, when the F1 circus congregates in the nearby Albert Park paddock for media and scrutineering activities.

Then, when practice signals the official start of the 2012 season on Friday afternoon, rain and isolated thunderstorms are predicted.

And isolated showers are forecast for the qualifying and race days.

Lotus driver Romain Grosjean has not tested his new E20 mount on a wet track, and the last time he saw rain from the cockpit of any F1 car was in Brazil 2009.

"It feels like a long time ago!" the Frenchman confirmed.

"I'm ready if the (Melbourne) track is more slippery, and I'll try to make the best of it.

"I like racing in the wet, so maybe it will be a bit of an advantage for me," added the reigning GP2 champion.

Sunday will be his eighth career grand prix, following 7 races with the Enstone based team - then known as Renault - in 2009.