I wasn't sure what to expect from the Australian Grand Prix.
Testing had seen Ferrari quickest, but we've been there before. Last year in fact - and we all know how that turned out.
However, this year Lewis Hamilton was talking up Ferrari. He called their pace "spectacular" and said he thought they were the quickest team.
Many thought he was talking up the Scuderia in order to generate excitement for the season ahead and talk down Mercedes chances, but to some of us his comments stood out because although he had praised the opposition before, he had never been so forthright in his opinions.
I arrived in Australia a couple of days early to help with the jet lag, but took the rain and grey skies with me so any plans of spending time outdoors were scuppered.
Instead, I spent more time doing research than I had maybe planned and the previews were fairly insistent that this was again going to be Mercedes' year.
On Tuesday evening, we all went for dinner for Simon's birthday. Damon and Martin had arrived early too so it was almost a full team that went into Melbourne city centre. The evening ended in Melbourne's Crown Casino where the birthday boy couldn't stop winning. Maybe putting it all on red should have been a sign of things to come over the weekend…
On Wednesday, Toro Rosso held a press conference down on the beach followed by a paddle board race between the drivers.
It was cold wet and grey and I couldn't help feeling for Daniil Kvyat and Carlos Sainz as they donned their wetsuits, raced along the beach and into the cold Port Phillip Bay waters. After that it was into the city to a screening of the new McLaren film about their founder, Bruce McLaren.
I am not allowed to tell you any details about the film, but what I can tell you is that you must see it. I loved it but it did leaving me feeling even worse about the predicament the team are in now. (Even more so after Alonso's post-race comments about the team being "last and just before last".)
After the screening, we were taken to a restaurant on the beach for dinner and arrived just in time for sunset.
When the sun is out over St Kilda there really is no better place to start the F1 season. It was lovely to see everyone again after the winter and catch up before the chaos of the race weekend began.
Jet lag got the better of me at around 10.30pm and I headed back to the hotel ready for media day at the circuit on Thursday.
We started Thursday with a production meeting and then it was into the paddock to do interviews, film some pieces to camera and chat to various people to see what we could find out.
On the way in, I came across Guide Dogs Australia who were the official charity of the Grand Prix. They had five Labrador puppies with them, all named after drivers - I had to stop!
The first one I met was Daniel, who was a real charmer and full of personality. If I could have adopted him there and then I would have!
Then there was Seb who was lying on the grass, seemingly sulking. Behind him was Lewis playing on his own on the grass.
Also there was Valtteri, who was in his handler's arms but chomping at the bit to get out and run around. There was a Kimi too, who I am assured was there somewhere, but he was nowhere to be seen at the time I stopped. Sounds like they were all perfectly named!
Later on, I came out of the paddock to find Daniel Ricciardo being introduced to his namesake. He proffered a hand but there were no cuddles for the cute Labrador. Drivers are all very germ aware. Nico Rosberg was always reaching for the bottle of hand sanitiser his manager Georg carried with him and he is not alone in that.
You can understand they don't want to get ill when they need to be at the peak of their performance for nine months of the year.
On Thursday evening, it was another season-launch dinner, this time with Motorsport and Autosport.
It was a great evening in good company and another chance to catch up with friends in the paddock. Again I hit a wall at 10.30pm but that was probably a good thing! You may feel tired at 10.30pm but there is no guarantee you are going to sleep through, chances are you will be wide awake at 4am and looking for something to do. Box sets are usually the answer!
Friday Practice showed an in-form Lewis Hamilton on top of the times by half a second in both sessions. The omens for him looked good, while everyone else hoped the gap wasn't as big as it seemed.
I spoke to both Red Bull drivers at the end of the day and their body language spoke volumes. Max Verstappen seemed disappointed with the car he had and Daniel said they had work to do overnight.
We stay on the edge of the park in Melbourne and that means an enjoyable walk in each day across the park and the lake and into the track. I got a last-minute call to do an interview on Saturday morning so it was a rather rushed sprint across the park and through security, just in case I dashed past you!
Before we went on air, we learned that Pascal Wehrlein had withdrawn from the rest of race weekend due to a lack of fitness, and that Antonio Giovinazzi would deputise.
I remembered interviewing Wehrlein after his days in the car at testing in Barcelona and he said he felt good and had no issues but by the time we reach final practice he admitted Friday's running had been painful.
Sebastian Vettel topped the times on Saturday morning but once it came to qualifying, Hamilton took back the advantage comfortably. Vettel might have been P2 but, interestingly, Bottas got closer to Hamilton in Qualifying than Rosberg ever did around Albert Park.
For his first race, in a new team, a new car in a new era it was some lap from Bottas. I have no doubt that got Lewis' attention. His new team-mate may yet prove an even tougher opponent than his previous one.
On race day, there was a real sense of anticipation. The half hour or so before the race starts is always one of the best bits of the weekend. The cars are firing up in the garages, the pit lane is full of people and the atmosphere is building.
With new rules on the starts making them even more reliant on the driver no one was really sure what would happen. Ferrari at this race last year stole a march on both Mercedes by getting ahead at the start before their strategy saw their race unravel.
This time, we had the opposite. Mercedes got good starts while the Ferraris were a little sluggish, and then Mercedes lost the race with the wrong strategy while Ferrari won it with the right one.
I can only imagine the smile on Vettel's face as he re-joined the track to see Verstappen in his rear view mirrors with Hamilton stuck behind him. I had commented on Friday night's F1 show that Sebastian was sporting a rather thick beard and I joked that it was to hide his true feelings about this year's car, essentially a big grin.
While most acknowledge that the Mercedes shouldn't have been beaten, it was, and therein lies the key. In previous years all Mercedes had to worry about was reliability, and that rarely affected both cars, now they have more to be concerned with.
If they don't get it right, Ferrari are ready to pounce.
Will F1 2017 be Hamilton v Vettel?
If Lewis doesn't get it right, Valtteri is ready to pounce. I would also throw in Lewis' comments about overtaking. He said after the race that had he not pitted when he did he would have been 'overtaken on track', yet when he was told it was "race critical" that he overtake Max, who was on 22+ lap-old tyres, he said he couldn't. Is the Mercedes vulnerable when following? Or is that the same for all cars?
Finally a word on the fans. Every year the crowds get bigger and the support greater. I love the Melbourne Walk and think something similar should be introduced at all tracks. If it adds an extra 10 minutes to the time it takes a driver to walk into the paddock then so be it, it should be added to their schedules.
Also a big thank you to everyone who said hello over the weekend. Now roll on China…
RB
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