Q'Z Powers to Victory: Fastest Sprint Ever at Cutting-Edge Training Center!

Motorsport photo 1. Mercedes' gap is not insurmountable It is said Melbourne was one of the most energy-starved circuits on the calendar, a statement which reeks of gaslighting as the problem lies with the cars themselves and not the circuits. In any case, Shanghai offering more severe braking zones and 'regen' opportunities might go some way towards explaining why Mercedes has been less dominant this weekend.

There is no doubt the W17 is the class of the field, as its virtues go much further than simply being ahead with energy deployment. It also enjoys excellent cornering and handling characteristics. But Ferrari wasn't miles away either, which is a sigh of relief for neutral F1 fans, never mind the passionate tifosi desperate for a title challenge.

George Russell's qualifying scare showed Mercedes isn't bulletproof either, while Ferrari now appears to have two horses in the race as a rejuvenated Lewis Hamilton finds a car much more to his liking. Read Also: F1 Chinese GP: Kimi Antonelli becomes youngest polesitter in history 2. Has McLaren started its 'remontada'?

Melbourne was quite the sobering weekend for the defending world champions, as McLaren found itself down on overall car performance and understanding of the Mercedes power unit compared to the works team. McLaren is more convincingly the third-fastest team in China as Red Bull struggled, and its gap to Mercedes and Ferrari also looks smaller with less dramatic energy harvesting demands. A better qualifying lap from Lando Norris could and probably should have split up the Ferraris.