After a long winter, the Pitpass trio of Chris Balfe, Mat Coch and Max Noble are back to preview the opening round of the 2016 Formula One season.

The first Pitpass podcast of the year looks back at pre-season testing as the crew share their thoughts on the state of affairs within the sport and look forward to the Australian Grand Prix.

For Balfe, testing presented a worrying state of affairs as the status quo from last year looks to have remained. Mercedes' bullet-proof reliability has him most concerned, though there are hopes others have caught-up ensuring a truly competitive season. Interestingly, a couple of the editor's rants appeared to last longer than a race simulation, and like the Silver Arrows, barely missing a beat.

There are hopes from Noble that Fernando Alonso will need directions to the podium at some point this season as a reinvigorated McLaren challenges in the midfield, a battle Coch is hoping proves as close as it looks.

However there is universal concern at the all-new qualifying format which sees drivers eliminated every ninety seconds. The complicated new system is just one of two revisions seemingly designed with the express purpose of alienating and confusing fans as tyre regulations also get an overhaul. Though details of the new tyre rules have been published everybody in the Pitpass office now boasts a bald patch where they've been scratching their heads in confusion.

Ferrari's debut of the proposed halo system, designed to give drivers better protection, also gets a mention as do ways for the sport to better connect with fans. It's a topic of conversation that sends Balfe off on a rose-tinted stroll down memory lane as he recalls Jim Clark's overalls, Chris Amon's affinity for ice cream and Ronnie Peterson's underpants and sweat patches.

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