& voilà, photos from day 2.

Stay tuned for expanded commentary & unbeatable punditry. To be updated.

I say yes, you say yes: here’s my update from the kitchen.

As I mentioned earlier, I enjoyed following this whirlwind on-the-run F1 testing of 2019, it’s fast, it’s unforgiving, it’s not more than 8 days to hit your targets, it’s dynamic, it’s the epitome of the sport nowadays (I would’ve preferred less races to be honest, end the season in early November).

Although at the track it might seem like teams are busy making tea (coffee for the Italians?) in the garage all day and then send the car out only in the last hour for a handful of laps, it’s a lot more than that behind the scenes.

Gremlins and little niggles can often find their way under the carbon-fibre bonnet and require a lot of patience, especially with these insanely complex power units and size zero packages.

The cars look a bit supersized (for my taste) without refuelling/need for bigger fuel tanks/the dazzling array of hybrid parts and it also takes away strategy gambles. I loved refuelling, it’s dangerous! I love variables. I loved watching nimble 2006-2008 cars.

Generally speaking, the feeling is positive ahead of Melbourne: I’d be lying if I said the pecking order would change dramatically overnight. It’s shaping up to be more of a 2000 type of season: win a few (for both Ferrari and Mercedes), lose a few (the same).

Ferrari now have no excuses to lose this championship, being the toppermost of the poppermost F1 team, period.

Screen grab http://www.formula1.com

PS All images are for sale.