Formula 1 kicks off the season in chaos

Who could have imagined that so few cars would cross the finish line at the season-opening Grand Prix? Not many people, especially after a year of adapting to the new hybrid technology. Melbourne once again had its share of surprises in store.

The Formula 1 starting grid appears to have shrunk considerably this season, and the opening race in Melbourne seems to confirm this trend. The absence of Manor Marussia, sanctioned by the FIA, was expected, but the fact that only fifteen cars took the start was a real surprise.

The last time we saw such a small field was in 2005, at the United States Grand Prix in Indianapolis. A dispute between Michelin and the motorsport governing body forced all cars equipped with French tires to retire during the formation lap, leaving only six cars equipped with Bridgestone tires to compete in the race. In Melbourne, apart from Manor's announced withdrawal, bad luck was the main culprit. Valtteri Bottas was the first to withdraw after injuring his back during qualifying; the Finn, echoing the misfortunes of Felipe Massa, wisely chose not to risk aggravating his injury. McLaren's misfortunes were also evident. Kevin Magnussen's enthusiasm at finally being able to race this year turned to disappointment when his engine caught fire during qualifying, reminding us of the challenges the team still faces after Honda's problems over the winter. His teammate, Jenson Button, could only finish in last place, 11th overall and two laps behind the winner. Fernando Alonso must already be feeling the pressure. Renault's engine problems added to the drama. The poor performance of the French hybrid engine was evident in qualifying, and reliability did not improve during the race. Daniil Kvyat was forced to pull his smoking Red Bull off the track during the formation lap, while Max Verstappen missed out on his first points due to another temperamental engine. Daniel Ricciardo, meanwhile, has already used up his engine allocation for the year after covering just a few miles. In the end, with only fifteen starters and eleven cars crossing the finish line, Formula 1 experienced the nightmare it feared last season. While Mercedes looks set to dominate a new era, the sport may have to ask itself whether the rules of the game are really fair.