8 Things We’ve Learned So Far In The F1 2016 Season

1. Old qualifying is better

F1 tried something new. Change can be good but in this case, bringing in the new elimination-style qualifying format was a massive fail and proved to be incredibly unpopular. So you can imagine our delight when the 2015 system returned for the last round in China. Let’s hope it stays that way, as qualifying didn’t need changing in the first place.

2. Mercedes is quick, but the gap is closer

So it’s no surprise Mercedes remains the team to beat, but the gap is a fair bit closer this season to the chasing pack. Ferrari challenged the team on occasion in 2015 and while we haven’t seen that just yet, it seems inevitable this year. Red Bull also looked fast in China and we could have had a three-way fight for the win, if it was a clean race. It gives me optimism for the season ahead that we could see a few surprises and a closer fight in 2016.

3. Haas is bossing it

The new Haas F1 team did a brilliant job in Australia and Bahrain to score a big haul of points. As I explained in more detail in this piece, the American outfit has done things a bit differently to the past few new entrants and has a strong technical partnership with Ferrari. This has been a big help for Haas and the car is competitive. China was a bit of a reality check - it won’t be fighting in the top 10 every race - but Haas is definitely in the midfield pack and it’s great to see.

4. Rosberg on form, but Hamilton has hit trouble

Nico Rosberg is on a roll. He’s just won his third race of the season and sixth in a row, joining an exclusive club that only Michael Schumacher, Sebastian Vettel and Alberto Ascari are also members of. He’s enjoyed a pretty untroubled start to the season and has used the Mercedes W07’s edge to take some controlling wins.

But that doesn’t mean the championship is all but over. This is F1’s longest season ever and Lewis Hamilton has suffered plenty of issues. The two look very close in a straight fight but the British driver has had some issues, some his fault and others not. I’m looking forward to a race where we see a clean battle between the two and can judge just where the drivers are in terms of pace.

5. Close midfield

The mid-pack was extremely competitive in 2015 but it seems even more so this season. We’ve witnessed some incredible battles, overtakes and fights at all three races so far. With the likes of Haas joining the fun and Manor making progress, it’s really cool to see such a small gap between the midfield, especially in terms of race pace. We don’t need Pastor Maldonado to produce exciting racing in F1!

6. New tyre rules work a treat

Another reason why we have seen so much frantic action is the new tyre regulations brought in for 2016, with three compounds being brought to each race and teams get to choose 10 of the 13 sets they are given. We’ve seen a huge variation of choices and this has produced lots of different strategies during races.

This not only means we see some drivers gaining ground and others losing places, but we also get to see drivers on slower compounds battling those on faster ones, and with different tyre wear rates as well. It has played a big role in the exciting start to 2016 and we look forward to seeing what happens in the future races!

7. Manor back in the mix

How good a story is that? The team was almost dead before being revived for the 2015 season, where it pootled around at the back of the field, just surviving. Now Manor F1 is back in the fight with a new car, the Mercedes engine and two rookies – the exciting Pascal Wehrlein and Indonesian racer Rio Haryanto. The team has been battling towards the back of the midfield so far but there’s definitely more to come from Manor. It’s all positive so far and hopefully it will only get better!

8. Tough start for Renault

The Lotus F1 team struggled for finances late in 2015. It was a difficult time but Renault came in to save the day, taking over the Enstone-based outfit again. But the problems suffered late last year have had a knock-on effect on 2016 and Renault has so far experienced a tough time.

The team hasn’t scored any points with Kevin Magnussen and Jolyon Palmer, but the RS16 will only improve as the year progresses. It’s a rebuilding year and a “long-term” project for Renault. But things will turn around and how good is it to see the mega-talented K-Mag back on the grid?

What else have you learned from F1 in 2016? Let us know in the comments below!