The Polesitter

  It was 105 days on Sunday since the last F1 Grand Prix was held in Abu Dhabi late last year. And if you ask any Formula 1 fan across the globe, boy was the wait worth it.  Following an intense 3 days of pre-season testing at the very same track in Bahrain, there were 3 key takeaways. First, Red Bull Racing had made some incredible strides over the winter - closing up the gap to the Mercedes who have reigned supreme in this turbo-hybrid era. Second, the midfield battle was going to be ever more competitive with Alpha Tauri, Ferrari, McLaren, Alpine, Alfa Romeo, and Aston Martin all in the mix. Third, low-raked cars were going to suffer far more this season with the updated aero rules put in place by the FIA.  If you looked at the race result on any sports website this morning, you would have thought that 'Oh, it's the usual. Hamilton winning the race with Verstappen splitting the two Mercs...nothing new there.' The narrative however could not have been more different.  Aft

  89 days. 16 hours. 57 minutes since the 2020 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.  We. Are. Back.  1 year ago today the F1 community was gearing up for the start of an exciting new season in Melbourne only for a global pandemic to throw the world into chaos - including the pinnacle of motorsport. 365 days later we are back, albeit in a different country, for the start of pre-season testing.  New names, new faces, new regulations and new expectations. The excitement for cars to be back on track can be felt within the F1 community. The number of messages I have personally received about Drive to Survive Season 3, the new liveries, and the new drivers is a testament to the hype that Formula 1 brings to the world.  Looking back, 2020 was one of the most packed seasons to ever exist as the FIA worked to rebuild a season with enough races to host a world championship amidst the spread of Covid-19. Whilst it was a blessing in disguise for us F1 fans, the immense pressure to meet the demands of driving nea