Tomorrow’s race is going to be decided by the strategists I think. Which is very much how it should be at a race where overtaking is more tricky. There are a large number of factors in a Formula 1 weekend, but each race falls into a number of categories. Is it fast or slow, does it have gradient or is it flat, is it hot or cold and can you overtake or not.

The last of these is generally the most important. And if it’s the case that you can’t overtake then the Ross Brawns of this world, the Pat Symonds become more important than ever!

This leads me to my first criticism of Steve Ryder. I found a comment of his from the last week very unknowing of the sport. He asked if it would be “a technical battle or more of a race”.

The thing is that if you dismiss the races that don’t have any overtaking on the track as “not races” then you are missing the sport and you are going to be sorely disappointed. An overtaking manoeuvre should be seen as almost the icing on the cake. Great fun and an amazing moment but not what it’s all about.