Simply Abu Dhabi XXIV

5 4 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I I t’s almost like Mercedes AMG driver Nico Rosberg had a run up to this year’s World Driver’s Championship, increasing his momentum over the New Year break like it didn’t exist. Nico, who lead last year’s title only to lose it to teammate Lewis Hamilton in Texas, seemed determined not to let it happen twice. The German’s late 2015 form, where he claimed pole position in the final three races and won all three GPs after Hamilton had secured the crown, thundered into 2016 with the same aggression that, for once, left Hamilton floundering like a boxer against the ropes. The grid stretched to 22 cars this year with Haas F1 and Renault returning to the sport. The calendar expanded with the return of the German race and the European GP at a new street circuit in Azerbaijan. NASCAR and former IndyCar team owner Carl Haas brought the USA back to F1. It’s the first American team on the grid since, ironically, Team Beatrice Haas back in 1986. Its big signing was experienced driver Romain Grosjean from Renault, and he was joined by former Sauber driver Estaban Gutiérrez. Stepping into Grosjean’s shoes at Renault was F1 rookie Jolyon Palmer, while Pastor Maldonado moved aside for ex-McLaren driver Kevin Magnussen. There was a mid-season replacement for Red Bull’s Daniil Kvyat at the Spanish Grand Prix to make way for young gun Max Verstappen. Kvyat returned to his old seat at Torro Rosso. McLaren test driver Stoffel Vandoorne was elevated into the main game for the Bahrain GP only after Fernando Alonso was ruled out by doctors following a crash with Gutiérrez in Melbourne. And with that, excitedly, school was back in when the circus fronted up to Melbourne’s Albert Park street track on 30 March 30 for round one. 2016FormulaOne SeasonReview ByDamienReid