Five talking points, from grid girls to halo

Hamilton needs to be ready for the threat from within

Alook at five talking points ahead of the 2018 Formula One season, which starts this week in Melbourne:

Ferrari threat

Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari again loom as the major threat to Lewis Hamilton-led Mercedes’s bid for a fifthstraight constructors’ title.

The Italian giants, who last won the teams crown in 2008, were quickest in pre-season testing, with Vettel declaring that Ferrari were heading to Melbourne in as good a shape as their main rivals. “We’re starting from a good base with our SF71H car,” he said.

Toto’s chainsaw threat

There have been plenty of unflattering comments over F1’s new halo head protection device for drivers, with Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff declaring he would take a chainsaw to the safety system if he could because of its weight. FIA chief Jean Todt fired back, saying it had been introduced to save lives and at the request of drivers’ body, the GPDA. Its introduction follows the death of Jules Bianchi following a collision at a wet Japanese Grand Prix in 2014 — F1’s first fatality since Ayrton Senna in 1994.

‘Grid girls’ hit the skids

Liberty Media, the sport’s American owners, have done away with the practice of using scantily-clad ‘grid girls’ before races. Liberty, embarking on their second season in charge following the long era of British impresario Bernie Ecclestone, said the practice of having the women in the grid area before races was “clearly at odds with modern day societal norms”.

Hamilton’s inside threat

World champion Lewis Hamilton may see Sebastian Vettel and the Red Bull pair of Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen as his main rivals this season, but what about the threat from within Mercedes: his teammate Valtteri Bottas? In his first season with Mercedes, Bottas had three wins, but for the Finn to retain the seat in 2019 he may need to be closer to his teammate Hamilton in the final standings — or even beat him.

‘Crazy’ engine limit

Toro Rosso has complained that it’s “crazy” that F1 has stuck with the three-engine limit for the demanding 21GP season. Teams are bracing themselves for a tough time.

I am searching for the ultimate satisfaction to win with Ferrari, which is the greatest team in history.” Sebastian Vettel | Ferrari driver

This preparation is going to mean more fun this weekend and then we’ll see where that fun takes us.” Daniel Ricciardo | Red Bull driver