23/03/2017
NEWS STORY
Whether the new regulations have the effect intended remains to be seen.
While lap times are certain to increase and maybe a few lap records broken - many of the current records dating back to the early-mid 2000s - there remains doubt as to whether overtaking will be any easier.
The new regulations, which also see tyres get a retro look, the wider rubber helping in terms of higher cornering speeds, follow the introduction of the new engine formula in 2014.
Though new regulations invariably mean more spending, and don't always have the desired effect, three-time world champion Lewis Hamilton believes that constantly changing the rules is good for the sport.
Asked what he feels will make the sport more attractive to fans he didn't hesitate in his response.
"More changes," he replied.
"Because there can often be a dominance of a certain team and it's hard to catch up," he added. "There's a limit to how much development you can do through a year and the top teams generally can develop at a similar kind of pace. So if you have got a gap already at the beginning, it's hard to squish that gap, so making drastic changes kind of spices it up.
"I have never seen the fans so excited about a season as they are this season," he grinned, "we don't know where the cars and teams are, so more of these kind of experiences would be welcome."
Asked what he perceives the order to be following testing, he reiterated his previous claim.
"I see Ferrari being the quickest at the moment and I think they will definitely be the favourites," he said.
Other than the fact that constant rule changes drive up spending, thereby creating the sort of arms race that threatens the smaller teams, the rule changes have to be warranted and not merely to manipulate either the spectacle or the result.
As an Arsenal fan (groan), Hamilton will be aware that the rules of football have barely changed in over a hundred years, and that particular game still retains a healthy following.
Check out our Thursday gallery from Melbourne, here.