We mean it this time

It's not a bluff this time - that really is the new Mercedes car, not an old Brawn with a paint-job.

Looks the business, doesn't it? Liking those wacky wing mirrors!

Ooh, I'm feeling a Grumpy pre-season preview coming on. Either that or I've eaten too much chocolate again and it's an almighty sugar rush which will probably mean I'll just keep typing and typing and typing without pausing to use pounctiuation or anything and without woprryinmg abiut wether I'm making horredous spelling mistakes and so forth. Gasp. Actually, it's both.

Mighty fine pedigree the Merc - last year it won both titles under the guise of the genius of Ross Brawn (banana, anyone?). Ross is very, very, VERY good and sure knows how to organise a team, but let us remember that last year's car was designed under the considerable funding of Honda. This year's car was designed pre-Mercedes buying out the team. At a rough calculation, that means they've had a veritable shed-load of wonga less to work with. I doubt it'll be a bad car, but I think they won't just romp of to the title this time. Mind you, they do have...

Michael Schumacher. What can you say about Schumi? Well, quite a lot actually. Indisputably the best complete package ever (as in driver, motivator, team-leader etc etc), he IS flawed. Remember the attempt to shove Villeneuve off the track, and the Damon Hill incident (Argh - I can feel myself getting angry all over again, not least because it just reminded me I had hair then)? He might be a bit rusty too, although I'm guessing not. He's that bloody good. How will he manage in a different team? How long before Nico has that glassy stare that says he's been shafted by Michael? And can Mikey-babes really cut it against the likes of Hamilton & Alonso in 2010?

Nico Rosberg. Lovely hair (the git). Lil' Rosberg put in some tidy performances in the Williams last year, but made a fair few errors too. To my mind, he's somewhere near Massa after a couple of years in F1 - good, but still a bit ragged and impetuous, and just as likely to bin it than win it. He should have his best shout yet at a race win though... as long as he can deal with Michael's mind-games.

(Tonight we're grooving to cheery '80's pop in the form of Belinda Carlisle's "The Best Of Volume 1". Bit optimistic that - I'm guessing there hasn't been a Volume 2? Great cheekbones though.)

Malaysian Grand Prix - Vettel hot, but not bothered

Malaysia. It's always hot, and it always rains. Except the 2nd part is no longer true (unless you count the drizzly bit around lap 14). Saturday's qualifying session had highlighted the fact that Red Bull and McLaren seemed well matched on pace, but also that Ferrari were struggling. Whilst Vettel bagged another pole, followed by Hamilton, Webber and Button, Alonso was only 5th, and Massa 7th, with Nick Heidfeld an excellent 6th on the grid between the two red cars. At this point, I would like to break momentarily for a small rant: How many times do I have to say Heidfeld is good? Why wasn't he given a top drive years ago? WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?! ARE YOU BLIND!!!?? Ahem. The Hispanias somehow managed to a) turn up b) remember to bring cars c) get both of them on the track d) actually get both of them within 107%. Pretty remarkable really. Oh, and it didn't rain. Race day looked a more likely candidate for a drop of the wet stuff. The start was exciting, with

I know I'll regret this...

For @Feisty_Onion @BroughtonLass @LizWestmorland Me... before the grumpiness set in. Have a great weekend.

Senna bags Willy drive?

The great thing about F1 rumours is that they change every 5 minutes. Just last week it was looking like Barrichello might be back in at Williams, as new engines, tech staff and a general reshuffle would mean they needed someone who actually knew what they were doing in an F1 car. Which rules out Maldonado, obviously. Now it looks like Senna might be about to get a seat with the team where his Uncle lost his life. I'm sure Bruno's mum must be delighted. I don't hold with all this superstitious mumbo-jumbo though, and with the extraordinary level of safety in modern F1 cars, Bruno should be pretty safe. There is one significant problem with Williams signing him though - and this is going to be a bit unpopular I suspect - Bruno isn't very good. Yes, he put in a couple of reasonable performances with Renault, but Nick Heidfeld (ah... Nick and his lovely beard...) would have been able to do likewise, has he not been dropped. And then they dropped Senna too. Thi

grumpyf1

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