IF . . .

If is the word for the day as the countdown to the 2025 Formula One season reaches the launch phase in Melbourne.

There are, as usual, more questions than answers as the Australian Grand Prix jumps back to the top of the F1 calendar thanks to Ramadan in the Middle East.

But these ones are critical and will set the scene for what could be the most torrid championship contest in a generation. The cars were closer than ever last year and, with a giant rules change coming for season 2026, there is every chance they will be even closer with another four-way battle – McLaren versus Red Bull versus Ferrari versus Mercedes – with the chance for upset success for Williams.

So, a few story lines?

If Lewis Hamilton is happy with the car, and has been able to sharpen his skills despite his advancing age, could he be a championship contender for The Reds at Ferrari?

If Oscar Piastri can get a fast start at Albert Park, can he jump Lando Norris as the alpha at McLaren and launch a run at the championship?

If the testing times from Bahrain are right, is Williams back in the mix with a fired-up Carlos Sainz looking for revenge after being fired by Ferrari.

The three days of track time in Bahrain showed Williams, Ferrari and Mercedes are fast, but the biggest IF of all is the real pace of McLaren.

Sitting on the other side of the world, watching live television pictures and the timing feed, gives some sort of picture. But how much is real, how much is honest, and how much is a pointer to the season remains to be seen.

Looking at the numbers, all the cars are close.

They also show we should be in for a tough battle between the rookies – Jack Doohan, Oliver Bearman, Kimi Antonelli, Isack Hadjar, Gabriel Bortoleto, and Liam Lawson in the hottest seat alongside defending champion Max Verstappen at Red Bull.

If Lawson can cope with the pressure, he could be a star. It's the same if for Antonelli, as they are both in top-four teams.

What do we know, then? Lots and lots.

What does it mean? Nobody really knows.

"We won't get a proper picture until after qualifying on Saturday," one grand prix veteran, with more insight than most, says as he wraps all the If questions into one answer.