"After the build up, the hype, the usual fanfare does anyone else think this is a bit of a choke ?"
Not at all.
And who is 'DC'? David Coultard retired years ago.....
Regardless, these are F1 drivers you are talking about - if they see a gap, an opportunity, particularly at the start of a GP AND at Albert Park, a notoriously difficult circuit to overtake on, they go for it.
DR might have paid a bit more attention to detail on his track walk, particularly given his starting position of the inside of the grid, but sometimes @#$% happens. Actually, Dan deserves great credit for stopping the car into turn 1 - my heart was literally in my mouth watching him stop the disabled car without hitting anyone!!
As for the rest of your post, Hulkenberg's finish of 7th is around where most knowledgeable F1 pundits thought Renault would be - 6th to 9th, depending on how HAAS went, which was particularly well yesterday, as it turned out.
The demands on 'the local' driver are always huge, and its the start of the season. Lets see how DR goes over the next two races.
