Usain Bolt is a slow starter. It's all relative of course, as he's still fast enough out of the blocks to outsprint anyone over 100 or 200 metres, but he doesn't have to be ahead from the start to win spectacularly.
Some will have you believe the same is true of a grand prix season. A bad Australian Grand Prix? Don't worry about it, it's an unusual track, strange things happen. A bad first four races of the season? No matter - wait until the Spanish Grand Prix and all the upgrades change the game.
Already there is talk from some teams that even if they are not on the pace this weekend they can turn things around when they really get going later in the year. But does the game ever really change? And how powerful a predictor of what is to follow will 2017's season opener at Albert Park be?