The Circuit de Catalunya has once again been reverberating to the sound of V6 turbo hybrid engines, which can only mean one thing - the Formula One season is rapidly approaching.
Another season of intrigue, arguments, confusing tyre regulations, questionable penalties and all the usual nonsense awaits - but before it gets going, let's take a look at this year's runners and riders.
Williams
It's an all new look for Williams this year, which is perhaps for the best given their dismal season last year. The evocative Martini colours are gone; although this isn't as sad as it otherwise would be given the team managed the remarkable feat of making a Martini livery look boring. An unimaginative livery remains, but this time sponsorship is from ROKiT, a company so unheard of even its employees probably had to look it up on Google.
The driver line-up is mercifully more interesting than last year's. George Russell looked a star on his way to the F2 title last year, and is arguably Britain's hottest young talent to arrive in the sport since Lewis Hamilton. Based on Williams' already troubled start to the season, Russell potentially faces a tough debut year, but the hope of promotion to Mercedes in the near future should make it easier to bear.
Meanwhile, Robert Kubica makes a popular return after far too long away. While some would have preferred Esteban Ocon to get the drive, Kubica's story is an inspiring one - this is a man who has been to hell and back since 2011. However, doubts about his performance linger - the fact that he was overlooked in favour of the now ousted Sergey Sirotkin for last year raises concerns. It's unlikely he'll be able to return to the highs we saw of 2008 and 2010, but this will be the sport's “feel good” story of the year. Let's hope the media doesn't spoil that by reminding us all about it at every given opportunity.
Toro Rosso
A year ago, it looked like Toro Rosso was in for a tough season. They were suddenly lumped to the poisoned chalice of the Honda engine, and expectations were that they'd revert to their old Minardi form - so far at the back they were in a different postcode to the leaders, when the car was actually working. But against all odds, they showed flashes of potential.
Well, one of them did. Brendon Hartley, who racked up more crash damage than anyone else on his way to being sacked by Red Bull for a second time, has been replaced by Alex Albon, while Pierre Gasly gets promoted to the main Red Bull team after just one season in the sport.
Albon's drive is well-earned following strong seasons in GP3 and F2 in 2016 and 2018 respectively. He also maintains Red Bull's bizarre trend of rehiring drivers they've previously axed. He's another man who was dropped by the Red Bull junior programme a few years ago, only to end up driving for them this year.
Red Bull has spun the wheel on its much depleted young driver programme to determine his team mate, and landed on...Daniil Kvyat. Really? There are either two options here: either he knows where the bodies are buried, or Red Bull have hired him just for that guaranteed Verstappen victory after he's demoted yet again.
On a serious note, he probably deserves another chance, regardless of how many he's now had. But he'll be drinking in the last chance saloon from the first race of the season and needs to prove immediately that he deserves being brought back.
So to recap: Red Bull is replacing a driver that it fired after bringing back, with a driver it fired and is bringing back, to be a team mate to a driver it demoted, then fired, and then brought back. Following?
Alfa Romeo
I've mixed feelings about this. Having an Alfa Romeo team in F1 is quite retro, but it's also sad to lose one of the oldest team names on the grid in Sauber. Particularly when Alfa Romeo's involvement in this team is limited to just sticking a few badges on what is still a Sauber car. Still, at least the Alfa jokes will pretty much write themselves should the team suffer poor reliability this year.
It's good news for anyone who's a fan of notorious press conference mumbler, Kimi Raikkonen. He seems determined to prove all those who ever doubted his commitment wrong, especially as it's unlikely he'll get anywhere close to a podium. Let's face it, you can't question the motivation of a guy who is likely going to be fighting to finish in the top ten at every race. Perhaps he's hoping to stick around for as long as possible, so that he can eventually beat his new record of longest time between race wins?
Antonio Giovinazzi is an interesting signing. This is the guy who gave the considerably more experienced Pierre Gasly a run for his money in GP2 a few years ago, but has also crashed out of half the Grands Prix he has started to date. Even if he improves on his finishing record, he's unlikely to earn too much praise. If he struggles to match Raikkonen, he's being beaten by a past-his-prime 39 year old. If he beats him, well, he's beating a past-his-prime 39 year old. Tough gig.
Racing Point
Seriously? Some of the wealthiest businessmen in the world own this team, and that's the best name you can come up with? I could do better on Motorsport Manager! Still, I suppose I can't be too critical, because without them we'd have two less cars on the grid at a time when the sport can ill afford it. But with the cash injection goes the plucky underdog factor Force India had going for them. Another name I'll miss.
Sergio Perez is still here, and something of a journeyman of the sport. The last couple of years showed some mental fragility still exists when paired with a talented youngster, but with Lance Stroll there's unlikely to be the same controversy as when he was paired with Ocon. The team will breathe a sigh of relief at that.
It's easy to pick on Stroll, given his extremely privileged upbringing and the fact that he now races for what is his dad's team. While it's true he's sometimes looked vastly out of his depth in F1 to date, he's also had some tricky cars to drive. The Racing Point should be more competitive, so now it's time to show why he should be here. And if he doesn't, well, he's likely to get far more chances than most would get, but still possibly get grounded by his dad.
McLaren
There's no other way to put it, the last few years have been nothing but an unmitigated disaster for this once storied team. After being humiliated at being uncompetitive even after splitting from the deservedly maligned Honda engines, their talisman driver in Fernando Alonso has got so fed-up that he's decided to leave, despite having several good years still in him.
It's an all new line up too, as the underperforming Stoffel Vandoorne has been unceremoniously shown the door. It's amazing how his GP2 dominating performance didn't translate to F1, but in fairness he had some wretched cars to drive and a generational talent in Alonso as team mate.
Lando Norris will be hoping for better this year. Prior to 2018, he was seen as Britain's next hot talent - but a difficult season in F2, where he still finished second in the championship, saw him lose that unofficial title to Russell. He still arrives in F1 with a good deal of hype surrounding him, given his meteoric rise up the ranks. This author still remembers him racing in the Ginetta Junior series on the BTCC support package, in what only feels like a couple of years ago. They grow up so fast!
Alongside him will be Carlos Sainz, who is another promising young talent, despite being overlooked by Red Bull in favour of Pierre Gasly. That's probably not a reflection on his talent and more about the tempestuous rivalry Sainz had with Verstappen when they were at Toro Rosso. A leading team wanting to keep their main driver happy? Shocking, I know...
McLaren topped the times on several occasions in testing, but make no mistake; don't expect much from them this year other than an attempt to get back to some form of credibility. Although given Alonso's luck, this could be the year they're back regularly finishing in the top five.
James Singleton
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