Setting the scene for Australia

Bahrain, Australia, Malaysia, the moon... wherever Formula 1 sets up shop it's the same paddock populated by the same familiar faces. How could a travelling circus so oblivious to its environs be anything other than introspective?

Navel-gazing is an occupational hazard, but to write off the latest bout of hand-wringing over the quality of racing as little more than self-indulgence would be a mistake. Be it drivers or teams, the feeling is that the Bahrain Grand Prix has set the template for races in 2010 - with the only real difference of opinion being whether the sport has merely shot itself in the foot, or gone the whole nine yards and blasted its whole leg off.

That's just a question of degree. The real question that will vex the paddock this weekend is what is to be done? In every press conference, media briefing and paddock conversation, this topic has rarely been far below the surface.