We thought we’d continue with our motorsport theme this month (before the Rally in Killarney in May) by having a quick chat about the Formula 1 this season. One thing that is noticeably different, for anyone who has watched the first three races, is how competitive the field is in comparison to last year. Gone is the Red Bull dominance we have come to expect. Instead the first three races has brought three different winners: McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes.

The Mercedes victory last weekend, by driver Nico Rosberg, was that team’s first win since the 1950s – although Mercedes has not competed as a stand-alone team for most of that time. Still, it was refreshing to see the reaction of all those involved last Sunday in China when Rosberg took to the podium. Even Ross Brawn, no stranger to success, was emotional over the victory and when interviewed by the BBC after the race he acknowledged it was one of his all-time great achievements.

The Mercedes victory proves how evolving the sport of F1 has become. Last years runaway winner Sebastian Vettel qualified in 11th place on the grid in China – failing to make it into Q3 of qualifying. Vettel, apparently, refused to adopt a new setup for his car this year, preferring to stick with the set-up that brought him the World Championship last year.

The German driver claims he doesn’t regret that decision but surely he does! The other interesting thing about the Red Bull Car this year is how it performs in the middle of the pack where its straight line speed (never something the car was renowned for) is a clear disadvantage. The jury is still out on whether Red Bull can turn things around this year. But to be honest, I don’t think many neutral observers are too distressed over the difficulties at Red Bull Racing: a dominant car makes for a boring F1 season.

Another interesting development is the performance of Scudaria Ferrari in this years season to date. Widely condemned as one of the ugliest Ferrari GP cars ever to participate in F1 the team has also performed horribly in qualifying. Yet, principally due to his brilliance as a driver, Fernando Alonso managed to carve out a victory in the wet in Round 2 of the season. This has postponed any imminent sackings at Maranello but not for long surely. F1 needs a competitive Ferrari. It is the most prestigious car manufacturer on the grid and must account for a considerable percentage of the revenue and interest the F1 circus gains every year (as an aside the F1 competition is set to be floated on the Stock Market soon).

In any event, whatever of the trials and tribulations at Red Bull and Ferrari, this is gearing up to be the best F1 season in years!