Last year's soap opera at the British Grand Prix regarding the inadequately tested and ambitiously constructed Pirelli tyres seemed to have been long forgotten by the time Friday practice got going at Silverstone today; venue of the very first world championship Formula 1 race that is hosting its 50th F1 race this weekend.
This time around the focus has been - like most of the year - the rivalry between Mercedes AMG F1 teammates Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton. The German won last year's event after compatriot Sebastian Vettel's Red Bull packed up and teammate Lewis Hamilton's right rear tyre spectacularly burst into shreds.
HOME COOKING FOR HAMILTON
The 2008 F1 champion reminded his two million or so Twitter followers of that recently, in fact, by employing a trending World Cup meme celebrating the heroic - but ultimately unsuccessful - efforts of the United States' goalkeeper Tim Howard to keep Belgium from advancing to the quarter finals at the Americans' expense.
Hamilton came out with all guns blazing (metaphorically speaking) leading up to this weekend by stating to the media that he had more natural talent to fall back on than Rosberg in his attempt to edge him for the F1 title.
For his part, Rosberg has been taking the task of fighting off Hamilton with as much ease as he did the scrutiny of being teammate to Michael Schumacher. Although soon after the incredibly tense Austrian Grand Prix he did state his intent to keep any advantage he found in terms of car set up to himself rather than share it with Hamilton.
TITLE SCRAP GETTING MORE INTENSE
The current leaders in the race for the F1 constructors' crown have instructed both drivers to be as candid as possible in an effort to keep things fair as well as interesting for spectators who have lapped up the wheel to wheel scrap in Bahrain as well as the ill-tempered accusations in Monaco.
The rivalry continued as Rosberg and then Hamilton topped the first and second practice sessions, respectively, at Silverstone.
However, Hamilton had to retire his car close to the end of the second practice session following the power unit in his Mercedes giving up on him causing his car to grind to a halt just after coming out of the pits.
AMAZING ALONSO
Ferrari's Fernando Alonso yet again defied logic. The fighting former double world champion was not only comfortably faster than teammate Kimi Raikkonen over a single lap and a race simulation but in both sessions he managed to lap faster than the Red Bull Racing cars of Vettel and Daniel 'Honey Badger' Ricciardo (read up on why the Aussie takes to that animal).
The Red Bull Racing cars were predictably faster over a race distance, particularly through the fast and twisting Becketts series of turns and other turns at the super fast circuit that places a fairly high demand on downforce and rewards the efforts of an aero wizard like Red Bull designer Adrian Newey.
AWAY FROM THE TOP
Away from the top three, the opening session was marred by bad luck for Williams Racing test driver Susie Wolff who made her GP weekend debut temporarily subbing for Valtteri Bottas.
Her Williams' Mercedes power unit packed up and somewhat put a damp towel on her F1 debut at a race weekend. The other Williams of Felipe Massa, however, had much bigger problems to deal with as his Williams suffered a scary accident that left the Brazilian unhurt and forced him to miss most of the second practice session.
BACK TO THE SCRAP
Barring any freak servings of weather by a 'typical English summer' (aka heavy rain) or any major turn up in the form book it should be another fight between Rosberg and Hamilton with a slight chance of seeing a Force India or two making themselves noticed around pit stop time with Sergio Perez likely to try a long stint on tyres to make up track position.
Whether or not the Mercedes drivers will show any co-operation remains to be seen though. Rosberg has said he is willing to share data with Hamilton following issues with the Briton's power unit. But its unlikely the home hero to British F1 fans will get a lot more besides that.
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