PHILLIP VAN OSTEN
Although I've had engines ringing in my ears for the better part of fifty years, I still look forward to a season of Formula One racing, regardless of whoever may be prevailing at the top.
Mercedes' overwhelming domination in the past three years definitely put a damper on the fan community's expectations. But the Silver Arrows supremacy, and that of its drivers, was but a legitimate extension of its outstanding mastery and craft. And it should have not by any means diminished one's passion for Grand Prix racing for there have been other diversions and interests to focus on along the way.
As far as I'm concerned, the supreme battle between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg has kept my own fervency alive and well these past years, and while there were indeed races as boring or predictable as a weather forecast, drama and contention were never in short supply as Mercedes steamrolled through the seasons.
And when the ongoing battle at the front became a bit too ho-hum or tiresome, there were other curiosities to dwell on, like the meteoric rise of Max Verstappen and his zero-compromise approach to racing that went with it. How could anyone label Formula One boring when 'Maximum Max' is on the grid?
For anyone who may still have their doubts about getting all excited over the thrills and spills of Grand Prix racing, we have 2017 to look forward to. The new year will usher in a new set of technical rules, and with it an air of change and hopefully a spice of renewed unpredictability. Yes, Mercedes will most certainly still enjoy an edge in Melbourne in a couple of months, but how each team shall fare behind it is anybody's guess.
Could someone have a silver bullet hidden in their inner workings, à la Brawn in 2009? Could one team enjoy a resource or benefit so strong as to upset the established dominating force, or could a subtle take on the new tech rules provide a fair - albeit momentary - advantage? Curious minds are waiting to know and that's all part of what still fuels my excitement for F1.
The seasons are getting longer over the years and that's not just a function of an extended calendar. Come November, even when there's an exciting showdown to look forward to, there's still a bit of a feeling of weariness and fatigue, a little sense of depletion. In short, we're happy it's nearing the end and we look forward to a well-deserved recess.
But when March rolls in, we're rearing to go, impatient as ever. We've got our hopes and beliefs, our predictions and statements brushed up over the winter. Everything we saw or heard the year before is blown into oblivion: the running order, the hierarchy, the relative performance between team mates, our joys or disappointments. It's a new dawn, with fresh promises and an all new collection of expectancies. It's full bore for the new year, and we just can't wait!
