Another Formula 1 season begins! This is the 72nd season since the start of the World Championship era, and McLaren’s 55th in the sport. We’ve been to opening weekends as far afield as South Africa, Argentina, Brazil and California. For the last quarter of a century, it’s been the long haul to Melbourne at the start of the racing year – except on those rare occasions when the season has begun in Bahrain.
For some fans – and plenty within the team – the Bahrain Grand Prix is still one of the ‘new’ races; for others, it’s an established perennial, bedrock of the early season calendar. However you view it, it’s the start of something brand new… but also something very familiar.