27th Mar 2014 | Formula 1
Malaysian GP: Williams To Reveal Their Hand
Williams were out of luck in Australia but can display their true pace this weekend.
Mercedes head the market for the Malaysian GP but it’s dangerous to base expectations on just one race.
Nico Rosberg’s victory confirmed assumptions that Mercedes had the fastest car during winter testing but Lewis Hamilton’s mechanical failure also demonstrated the fragility of new F1 cars.
Recent history suggests Melbourne form isn’t always a sign of the season to come. Last year’s winner Kimi Raikonnen failed to win another race in 2013, whilst Jenson Button (2010 & 2012 winner) only followed up with a couple more wins all year.
Great things were expected of Williams but things didn’t go to plan in Australia. Felipe Massa went out on the first lap whilst Valtteri Bottas had to deal with a series of mis-haps before battling into fifth place.
The young Finn was 47 seconds behind the winner but given a clear run I expect him to get much closer to the Mercedes.
Last year he finished 11th in Malaysia, his second highest finish of the season and at 16/1 (Bet365), he might surprise a few people and win the race.
Odds correct at time of publishing: 13:43 27th Mar, 2014 but subject to change
