LONDON: This year’s Formula One season gets under way on Friday with two practice sessions in Melbourne ahead of the Australian Grand Prix. And it begins with everyone asking the same question they were pondering at the beginning of last season. And the season before that. Can Mercedes be beaten?
The simple answer is “no.”
Despite all the fanfare of a new era surrounding the return of motorsport’s most illustrious championship, there is a palpable air of familiarity.
The only two teams even remotely capable of getting ahead of Mercedes and winning a Grand Prix have conceded that the Silver Arrows are the team to beat — Lewis Hamilton, in particular.
Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, who, like Hamilton, can match the great Juan Manuel Fangio on five world titles with a championship victory this season, has made all the right moves and said all the right things in pre-season to at least give the impression he can challenge Mercedes.
But the German driver is a realist and knows Hamilton and his teammate Valteri Bottas have a distinct advantage heading into the new season.
This time last year, there was hope of a changing of the guard as Vettel took victory in Australia and was leading the drivers' championship standings until the Italian Grand Prix about six months later.
Slowly but surely, however, Mercedes ironed out their early issues with what was undoubtedly a quick car, but one that had issues on certain tracks. Hamilton went on to take nine victories, Bottas obediently assumed his position as No. 2 driver, and Mercedes’ procession to the drivers’ and constructors’ championships was complete. With lessons learned, it seems unlikely the German outfit will make the same early errors.
It is not all doom and gloom, however, and there are glimmers of hope for the F1 faithful.
While nowhere near the performance of the Mercedes and Ferrari cars, Red Bull will become more competitive as the year goes on after an upgrade to its hybrid system becomes available in time for the Spanish Grand Prix in May.
With the reliable Daniel Ricciardo and prodigious talent Max Verstappen in the cockpits, Red Bull will be looking to improve on their three Grand Prix victories last season and perhaps prolong Mercedes’ wait for the title at least.
More importantly, Ferrari — which had arguably the best car on the grid in 2017, but threw away the title with team errors and questionable driving — appear to have adopted some of Mercedes’ pre-season ideas and improved their power and speed.
Come Sunday, we will know if Ferrari have been successful and whether they can be in the mix for a first constructors’ championship since 2008.
If they cannot, while F1 has undergone monumental change off the track, there will have been a depressing lack of change on it come the season-ender in Abu Dhabi in November.
Lewis Hamilton still the one to beat as Ferrari gamble in bid to end Mercedes dominance
Lewis Hamilton still the one to beat as Ferrari gamble in bid to end Mercedes dominance
Al-Nassr move top of Saudi Pro League after Al-Hilal held by 10-man Al-Ittihad
- Cristiano Ronaldo scores brace in dominant 4-0 victory over Al-Hazem
- Al-Hilal take early lead against Al-Ittihad before Houssem Aouar equalises despite visitors playing with 10 men
RIYADH: Less than a month after Cristiano Ronaldo withdrew from the squad for two consecutive matches, Al-Nassr now sit top of the Saudi Pro League with 12 games remaining.
A commanding 4-0 victory over Al-Hazem, combined with Al-Ittihad holding Al-Hilal to a 1-1 draw despite playing with 10 men for more than 80 minutes, saw Al-Nassr return to the summit.
The Kingdom Arena witnessed a blistering start to the Saudi Clasico. Karim Benzema threaded a pass through to Salem Al-Dawsari, who squared the ball for Malcom to open the scoring in the fifth minute.
Al-Hilal immediately pressed for a second, with their attacking movement unsettling the visitors’ defence. Hassan Kadesh was initially cautioned in the eighth minute for pulling down Malcom, but a VAR review upgraded the decision to a red card as the Brazilian broke through on goal.
The dismissal sparked controversy, with players disputing the call and fans debating the decision on social media, including under broadcaster Thmanyah’s post on X questioning whether it was the correct outcome.
Al-Ittihad reshaped into a 4-4-1, with Houssem Aouar dropping into the left side of midfield and Mario Mitaj slotting in at left-back, placing increased responsibility on Mahamadou Doumbia to drive the team forward.
In the 23rd minute, Doumbia wriggled free from pressure deep in his own half before releasing Youssef En-Nesyri with a dangerous through ball, but Yassine Bounou stood firm to deny his countryman.
Al-Ittihad continued to threaten through direct passes to En-Nesyri. In first-half stoppage time, he broke into space once more before Hassan Al-Tambakti intervened with a crucial interception.
At the other end, Benzema went close to doubling the lead just before the interval, but Predrag Rajkovic produced a decisive save after the Frenchman was found unmarked inside the six-yard box.
Despite being reduced to 10 men, Al-Ittihad refused to retreat. In the 53rd minute, a floated cross from Muhannad Al-Shanqeeti found Aouar, who slipped in behind Moteb Al-Harbi to head past Bounou and level the score.
En-Nesyri was presented with another clear opening in the 64th minute, but his effort lacked conviction and was comfortably gathered by Bounou.
Al-Hilal, by contrast, struggled to replicate their first-half dominance. Rajkovic produced nine saves on the night, while Danilo Pereira delivered a resolute defensive display to deny Al-Dawsari and Benzema space in the final third.
Despite registering more than 10 attempts after the break, Al-Hilal failed to rediscover their rhythm as Sergio Conceicao organized a disciplined defensive performance to earn Al-Ittihad a valuable point in Riyadh.
While Al-Hilal were held at Kingdom Arena, Al-Nassr were a short drive away at Al-Awwal Park, knowing victory would take them top.
A week after scoring the winner against Al-Fateh on his return, Ronaldo opened the scoring once again after Kingsley Coman found him unmarked inside the box.
Coman was also involved in Al-Nassr’s second goal on the half-hour mark, when Joao Felix slipped the Frenchman through before he powered his finish into the net.
As news of Al-Ittihad’s equalizer filtered through, the noise inside Al-Awwal Park intensified. Angelo added a third in the 77th minute after a surging run from halfway that saw him glide past four Al-Hazem players, before Ronaldo sealed the win with a composed finish two minutes later — his 20th league goal of the season.
The result lifts Al-Nassr to first place on 55 points, one ahead of Al-Hilal in second. Al-Ittihad remain sixth on 38 points, behind Al-Taawoun, with an AFC Champions League Elite spot now 13 points away.
Elsewhere, Al-Khaleej and NEOM faced off in Dammam, with the match interrupted by a 19-minute power outage. After play resumed, NEOM snatched a 1-0 victory as Alexandre Lacazette converted a penalty in the 88th minute.
The Saudi Pro League returns on Monday following a one-day break to mark Saudi Founding Day.
The gap between first and fourth now stands at just five points, with Al-Nassr facing Al-Fayha, Al-Hilal hosting rivals Al-Shabab, Al-Ahli meeting Al-Riyadh and Al-Qadsiah taking on Al-Taawoun on Matchday 24.
