Have 2015's F1 Rookies Impressed On Debut?

Felipe Nasr, Sauber, AGP. (C)

    It seems as though the formidable Mercedes Formula One team have started their 2015 campaign where they left off from 2014 by dominating the Australian Grand Prix with a crushing 1-2 victory at Albert Park. Certainly looks ominous for the rest of the F1 field this season doesn't it? The bulk of the field already seem to be admitting defeat and only aspiring to second position in the championship.
    While Mercedes continue their dominance, it's interesting to chart the fortunes of some of the other teams. It seems apparent that Ferrari have made some marked improvements over the winter. Their battle with the resurgent Williams team will be one of the most fascinating contests over the course of the season. What of Red Bull? After a lacklustre AGP, have the once dominant team got some serious soul searching to do? Will their car development allow them to bounce back and punch at the front? McLaren? Reunited with Honda. Well, they have a mountain to climb, don't they? But will they find that mountain insurmountable? 
    We could speculate about the impending season and how all teams will fare, but it's the performance of this year's rookies that warrants scrutiny. Have Scuderia Toro Rosso made a couple of inspired choices with their promotion of two drivers from the Red Bull Junior Team? Max Verstappen's rise to F1 has been meteoric. A karting prodigy, he won the 2013 World KZ Championship in karting's highest level, KZ1, driving for the CRG factory team. 2014 saw him compete in the European F3 Championship where he won 10 races, joined the Red Bull Junior Team in August and was promptly announced as STR's F1 driver six days later. Verstappen was on his way to a points finish on debut at the AGP until his STR expired. Guided by his father Jos, himself a former F1 driver, much has been touted about the 17yo who incidentally is the youngest driver ever to compete in F1. Like Max Verstappen, his team mate also has impressive pedigree. The son of two-time World Rally Championship winner Carlos Sainz, Carlos Sainz Jr won the 2014 Formula Renault 3.5 Series before promotion to F1 with STR. A faultless display all weekend saw him claim points on debut. If not for an extremely long pit stop, he would have secured a higher place finish than 9th. The Sauber F1 team have finally broken their points scoring drought with a mature drive to 5th by Brazilian rookie Felipe Nasr. The 2011 British F3 champion held off the more experienced Daniel Ricciardo for the bulk of the race to score Sauber's first points since 2013. 
    Impressive debuts or not? More importantly, can 2015's young crop of F1 rookies sustain their performances throughout the season? Do they also have the innate ability to develop their cars and to galvanise and therefore push their respective teams forward? Malaysia's next, along with its oppressive humidity and heat. A stern test indeed. Ciao.... 
    

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