Through the rearview mirror

TEN THINGS that indisputably, undoubtedly, incontrovertibly, unquestionably WILL happen in Formula One this season after Valterri Bottas’s win in the Australian Grand Prix opener:

Valtteri Bottas, buoyed by his win in Australia, turns the screw on Lewis race in, race out, so destabilising the reigning champion that he retires to become a fulltime fashion designer.

Ferrari, under new team principal Mattia Binotto, throw off their Italian temperament to keep Zen-like calm in the title cauldron and pip Mercedes to both championships. Departed team principal Maurizio Arrivabene is credited with laying the groundwork for success.

Pierre Gasly proves he is not a panicked-into replacement to fill the hole left at Red Bull by the unexpected departure of Daniel Ricciardo. He regularly matches Max Verstappen for outright pace and racing bravado and wins a new three-year contract.

Hamilton is not linked with the Ferrari race seat for next year or the one after as a final coda to his glittering career. Of course, he cherishes absolutely no desire at all to wear red and it has never been in his thoughts from day one.

Chase Carey, aka The Moustache, calls in Bernie Ecclestone to negotiate the new Concorde Agreement, just asking a favour, buddy to buddy. The American admits the sport cannot live without the mischievous old rogue.

Liberty wrap up the said agreement without any posturing or foot-stamping from Ferrari. All sorted by early June, with the incomparable Formula One whizz Sean Bratches acclaimed as the architect of the peace.

New races in Miami and London are agreed within days of each other. Bratches takes a bow again.

Hamilton refuses to thank the local fans after each race, saying they are the worst crowd in the world.

Zak Brown suspends his indulgence of Fernando Alonso, telling the collegiate Spaniard to his face that having him around as a Mclaren ambassador is more trouble than it is worth.

Williams forgive Paddy Lowe and allow him to return from his “leave of absence”. He unlocks the potential of a car everyone had written off and George Russell comes within a point of new champion Charles Leclerc, just missing out on becoming Britain’s youngest title holder. | Daily Mail