Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
The first Formula One pre-season test is underway in Barcelona, and the ‘Big Three’ are putting the finishing touches to their preparations for the year ahead, which promises to be one of the most intriguing ever.
Reigning champions Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull have all revealed their challengers for 2019 and are currently putting the new-spec mean machines through their paces at the Circuit de Catalunya.
Undefeated in a title fight since the start of F1’s current turbo-hybrid era, Mercedes start the season with one aim – becoming the first team in F1 history to win six consecutive drivers’ and constructors’ championship doubles.
They ran their new car for the first time at Silverstone last Wednesday with title holder Lewis Hamilton saying he felt 2019 could turn out even better than last season.
Hamilton’s Finnish team mate Valtteri Bottas performed the initial shakedown laps as part of a 100 kilometre filming day, whilst the Brit believes the team is on track for another successful year.
“I completely switched off from racing for a while, trying to focus and re-centre myself and training hard for the new season. 2018 was a great year, but I feel like 2019 can be even better,” Hamilton said.
“I want to achieve more, I want to continue to keep pushing. I feel energised and I’m ready to attack.”
The Briton won 11 races last year on his way to becoming only the third driver to win five titles and with a career tally of 73 wins is now only 18 off Michael Schumacher’s all-time record of 91.
Hamilton has also won 51 of the 100 grands prix in the V6 turbo era that started in 2014 and four of the last five championships.
“The buzz really starts at the beginning of the year when you see the car coming together. And then you get to the shakedown and you get into the car – it just never gets old,” he added.
Mercedes have also won the last five constructors’ championships but team boss Toto Wolff warned that rule changes could shake things up.
“We’re taking nothing for granted and there’s absolutely no feeling of entitlement to be at the front,” he said.
“In fact, with the regulation change for the new season, every team can have a shot at the title and we’re seeing all of them as a potential threat.”
Mercedes said the new car, sporting a similar silver livery and branding to last year’s model, had changed substantially under the skin.
Technical director James Allison said the team had worked hard on the suspension and aerodynamics to deliver a car that would be kinder to its tyres than last year and remain competitive at every track on the calendar.
Some 7,000 drawings were turned into components and cumulative testing of the parts amounted to around 500,000km before the car had even left the garage for the first time.
Meanwhile, over in Italy, Ferrari are aiming to end the German team’s domination of the sport.
The sport’s oldest and most successful team, who last won a title more than a decade ago and finished runners-up last year, presented the SF90 with plenty of fanfare at their Maranello factory.
“I’m looking forward to this year. I think the team is on the right path and hopefully we can continue improving,” four times world champion Sebastian Vettel, winner of five races in 2018, assured the audience.
The German has a new team mate in Charles Leclerc, replacing 2007 champion Kimi Raikkonen, and a new principal following the departure of Maurizio Arrivabene and appointment of Mattia Binotto.
Leclerc said: “I’m extremely excited to start this new adventure. It’s a dream since childhood. I’ve always been looking at the red cars, hoping to be one day in this car, so it’s a very emotional day for me.”
Finally, Red Bull have unveiled their first Honda-powered Formula 1 car, with Max Verstappen driving the initial laps at Silverstone.
The former champions were third overall in last season’s constructors’ championship, winning four races.
Verstappen, who shared the victories with Australian Daniel Ricciardo last season, has a new team-mate for 2019 in Frenchman Pierre Gasly.
The RB15 car was launched with temporary red-and-black livery.
However, they are expected to revert to their normal colours for the season-opening race in Melbourne on 17 March.
Red Bull parted company with engine partners Renault at the end of 2018, switching to Honda, who also provide power units for sister team Toro Rosso.
Toro Rosso finished ninth of 10 teams last year with the Honda engine but Red Bull have sounded optimistic about the progress made by the Japanese manufacturer.
“I am very excited to get started as the off-season has been quite long,” said Verstappen, 21.
“The first two or three weeks feel like they are good to have and then after a break you want to get going.
“What I’m most looking forward to is starting the season and seeing how the whole team is operating together with Honda and how the engine is performing together with the chassis.
“Up until Australia you can’t really set goals - it’s a bit blind.”
