Two races into 2015 and at least we have seen a non-Mercedes winning a race already.
That was former perennial race winner Sebastien Vettel and at least it makes the season more interesting if a rejuvenated Ferrari can put up a bit of a fight.
Here are a few of my thoughts after the Malaysian Grand Prix.
Good for Ferrari, great for the season
The signs had been good for Ferrari ahead of this season according to our Inside F1 contributor Thomas Maher of FormulaSpy.com, with the likelihood that they would be the best of the rest after Mercedes.
But judging from Malaysia, they definitely have the performance and pace to take a few race wins from Mercedes by seasons-end.
Thanks to a couple of strategic decisions and a few issues for Mercedes, Sebastien Vettel was able to take victory with a fairly comfortable 8.5 second margin ahead of Hamilton.
The fact that Ferrari could mix it with the sport's leading team from time to time should invigorate a season which appeared to be nailed on to be a straight fight between Hamilton and Rosberg for the title.
Hamilton has the edge
The reigning champion still leads the standings, just three points ahead of Vettel. But in some ways, the most significant gap is to team-mate Rosberg who is 10 behind.
In the early stages of last season, Rosberg held the points edge even though he was the inferior driver. Hamilton roared back in the second half of the championship to win by a relatively comfortable margin.
So it does not bode well for the German if he has already been beaten in qualifying and races in both of this season's races so far.
At the end of 2014, Rosberg was magnanimous enough to admit that Hamilton had been the better driver last season. But you just wonder whether it has left any psychological scars for a driver who has yet to beat his more talented team-mate in a straight battle for the chequered flag.
Verstappen and Sainz (AP Photo/Joshua Paul)
Small signs of improvement for McLaren
One of the talking points on episode 2 of Inside F1 was whether Fernando Alonso's patience would hold in what already looks to be sub-par 2015 for one of the traditional top teams.
But in comparison to Australia where Jenson Button was well off the pace, Alonso was running in the lower points before he had to retire.
It's not where McLaren aspire to be, but it is a starting point.
Verstappen shows age is just a number
My Inside F1 colleague Annie Kane has picked Max Verstappen as her driver to watch for 2015 and judging from his results from the first two races, there should be few worries about the 17-year-old.
A seventh place finish ahead of his Toro Rosso team-mate Carlos Sainz Jr in Malaysia is impressive and one must also remember that he was running in the points when he mechanical problems forced him off in Melbourne.
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