[Jill]

And so it begins!

Should be a great season. Looking forward to seeing how Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton will work together and also a welcome return to Schumacher. No re-fuelling will be interesting!

[MK Chris]

Potentially the best season for ages, even considering the recent return to excellence. So many teams are looking quick. As people have been saying, there are four teams in with a shout, all of which have at least one (some two) very good drivers in with a shot of the driver's crown.

I'm sticking with Lewis for the championship, and I think Alonso second and Schumacher third.

[DevilsDuck]

It should be great. Last season was brilliant and I think the BBC coverage helped with that. ITVs coverage was so borring towards the end.

I can't believe the Red Bull have got tyre change pit-stops down to 1.4seconds, that is quite amazing(might be a few more accidents in the pits this season)

I predict Button to win the title as his driving style is easier on tyres, Vettel 2nd and Lewis 3rd.

For this race I think Alsonso will win

[MK Chris]

I'd love to see Vettel in there and you should never discount a team where Adrian Newey has designed the cars.

[CassieJackson]

The Brawn/Schumacher partnership at Mercedes will be one to watch. The lack of fuel stops may damage Brawn's brilliant strategies, but there are obviously still tyre changes to play around with.

[Yudster]

This is the first time for about 15 years that I have actually looked forward to an F1 season starting. Surely with all the changes, the driver becomes the most important factor again - in which case my money is on a season long head to head between Schumacher and Hamilton. I wouldn't like to say who will come out ahead.

[Zoot]

I forgot to start this thread this year - thanks Jill!
For the last few years, Mrs Zoot has taken the piss out of me because the team /driver I support seems to change every few months (she would say every race), but I would argue that it's much harder to pledge allegiance to a team in F1 than say in Football because of the very short turnover the sport seems to have, I mean for instance 10 years ago I was a die-hard Jordan fan and last year I followed Brawn... I think If F1 as a sport had one fault, it would be that - become a fan of a particular team by all means, but don't be too sure they'll carry on and race next season.
This year I thought I was going to follow Mclaren ( being an all English team) but I was really thrilled when Vettel got pole earlier today so I'm not so sure. My prediction for the season though, is that Schumacher will constantly fail to out-race his team-mate Rosberg and will retire (again) at the end of the season, Hamilton will always outpace Button and the main runners for the championship will be Redbull and Ferrari, closely followed by Rosberg.
As Yudster said earlier, I can't remember when I looked forward to a F1 championship more than I am this year.

[foot-loose]

I forgot to start this thread this year - thanks Jill!
For the last few years, Mrs Zoot has taken the piss out of me because the team /driver I support seems to change every few months (she would say every race), but I would argue that it's much harder to pledge allegiance to a team in F1 than say in Football because of the very short turnover the sport seems to have, I mean for instance 10 years ago I was a die-hard Jordan fan and last year I followed Brawn... I think If F1 as a sport had one fault, it would be that - become a fan of a particular team by all means, but don't be too sure they'll carry on and race next season.
This year I thought I was going to follow Mclaren ( being an all English team) but I was really thrilled when Vettel got pole earlier today so I'm not so sure. My prediction for the season though, is that Schumacher will constantly fail to out-race his team-mate Rosberg and will retire (again) at the end of the season, Hamilton will always outpace Button and the main runners for the championship will be Redbull and Ferrari, closely followed by Rosberg.
As Yudster said earlier, I can't remember when I looked forward to a F1 championship more than I am this year.

Hey Zootles. Here, have some paragraphs:











Feel free to use them at your discretion.

[MK Chris]

Well obviously I want Lewis to win, but if Vettel did, that wouldn't be a bad result. In fact, I want Red Bull to win the constructors (for obvious reasons.)

[newsbeat]

Not really a fan on F1, may give it a try this year.

[MK Chris]

Thanks for sharing.

[newsbeat]

You're welcome

[Yudster]

If you do try it, let us know what you think. If you don't, don't.

[MK Chris]

McLaren are publishing their in-race telemetry online: http://mclaren.com/home

[kendra k]

Ooh, thanks for the link, Topher!

It sucks that we have to wait a day to watch the races here, but the level of anticipation in this house is pretty high.

[Yudster]

I think I have to get off the fence properly and say that I want Hamilton to win this season. There, I said it.

[Munki Bhoy]

I honestly don't have a favourite this year.

I have no love for McLaren but Hamilton and Button are genuinely nice blokes with a clear talent. I fancy they'll do well this season, though I think Hamilton more than Button.

I * hated Michael Schumacher for over a decade but through all that time I still respected his undeniable legend status and I find that now I'd quite like to see him do well. With Ross Brawn behind him once more, he might just do that. Will they get effectively a new team up and running quick enough to put in a challenge for the title? Dunno. I think one man who will benefit from all the experience is Rosberg. He can only learn from the masters around him.

I really can't stand Ferrari either. But I'm delighted to see Massa back and it's great to see the talented Alonso in a competitive car again.

Red Bull looked decent last year and while I'd rather support Webber than Vettel, I think there's not much doubt about which of the two of them is more likely to be a future world champion though.

I could always support an underdog, but then they're unlikely to be in the championship fight. A bit of a shame, because there's some likeable, decent drivers down there. Barrichello at Williams, Kubica at Renault, Trulli at Lotus... there's a team I'm glad to see back on the grid! And no one who cares about this sport can say they're not a tiny bit emotional to see the name "Senna" back on the grid, even if it is the legend's nephew.

No, I think I'm going to be watching F1 this season as something of a neutral. There just isn't a combination of driver and team I can get behind fully. Maybe I'll just enjoy the battles all over the track.

Although the tracks are going to have to improve on that borefest this morning... (I'm sure they will though)

[MK Chris]

The Crown Prince of Bahrain did make me laugh when he criticised other tracks. I hate most of these middle-eastern circuits, they're awful.

[jocky85]

McLaren are publishing their in-race telemetry online: http://mclaren.com/home

Ah beat me to it! My brother knows they people that created this so we were following both the tv commentary and trying to work out if the bbc was in front or behind the McLaren feed.

For me I'd want McLaren to win racing and constructors, followed by Red Bull. For some reason I can't really explain, I don't want Ferrari to win. I dont think Alonso is very sporting personally, but that's just my opinon

[John22]

Looking forward to Melbourne, should be another one for Red Bull due to the lack of corners.

[Yudster]

I don't want Ferrari to win. I dont think Alonso is very sporting personally, but that's just my opinon

I have this idea too, but I'm not totally sure how I arrived at it. He just seems a little ungracious about his collegaues and competitors sometimes.

[AndyJ]

So what did we all think of the race last Sunday? I thought it was boring and first time in a long time I didn't watch it to the end. It was more a precession than a race. I hope not all the races will be like that, otherwise I don't think I will bother watching.

[jocky85]

I felt very sorry for Vettel. Must be so frustrating just having to let other cars go past you and there's nothing you can do about it.

I'm glad I'm not the only 1 Yuds!

[Yudster]

My sympathey for Vettel was entirely outweighed by my wish to have Hamilton on the podium.

[AndyJ]

I didn't feel sorry for him. It's part of the sport and one of those things. It could have been worse for him, he could have not finished at all!