World champion Sebastian Vettel and his Red Bull team face a big challenge from Fernando Alonso's Ferrari when the Formula One season gets underway two weeks behind schedule on Sunday in Australia.
Vettel stole the 2010 title in the last race against Alonso and his own team-mate Mark Webber, arguably helped by a poor Ferrari pit stop strategy in Abu Dhabi.
Ferrari in general and Alonso in particular are out to make amends as they seek their first drivers' title since Kimi Raikkonen's 2007 crown.
But Vettel and his team expect to be ready for the challenge despite the usual uncertainty ahead of the season-opener.
"The situation is a little bit difficult because you don't know how competitive you are," said Vettel.
All teams have had several rounds of pre-season testing but only race action will show how everyone copes with the new Pirelli tyres, the return of the Kers power-boost system and moveable rear wings.
"A new Formula One starts here in Melbourne," said Alonso. "It is always a challenge when you have regulation changes. You have many new things to test and learn about.
"So now it's great to finally be racing, especially as we had to wait these extra fifteen days because the Bahrain event was cancelled."
Under the original calendar, teams would have a first indication by now, but political unrest in Bahrain led to the postponement of the March 13 race.
If the Bahrain event is held later in the season, and the ruling body FIA gives its final nod to the inaugural Indian GP on October 30, the season will feature a record 20 races until the November 27 finale in Brazil.
Rule changes and postponements aside, the top picks have clear ideas about their goals.
"If you race for Ferrari, you always have the goal of fighting for the world championship, because that is the history of Ferrari: this team is all about passion, motor racing and winning again is our goal for the 2011 campaign," said Alonso.
Vettel said: "It is our aim to carry the momentum over and to continue where we left off last year."
Vettel, at age 23 the youngest world champion in the sport, has extended his contract at the team until 2014. Webber will hope for victory in his home race on Sunday and has suggested that there should be less bad blood between the two drivers than last year.
Team principal Christian Horner named morale "fantastic" and said the 2010 drivers' and constructors' titles had made everyone even more determined.
"Following the euphoria of last year people get a taste of success. We've got the constructors' trophy in our cabinet in the reception in Milton Keynes and every individual walks past it every day. It's a source of great motivation to try to retain it and of what was achieved," said Horner.
While F1 pundits expect a main duel between Red Bull and Ferrari, there are three other ex-champions who also aim to do well: the McLaren duo of Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button, as well as record champion Michael Schumacher of Mercedes.
"I am confident that we can compete for podium finishes, and I am hopeful we can also fight for victories at some of the GPs. Saying that, we will see the truth in the races only, so having finished all the testing now, I can hardly wait to go to Melbourne to finally see what the real picture is," said Schumacher.
While Schumacher hopes to do better than in a modest 2010 campaign in the second season after coming out of retirement, Melbourne will see the debut of four drivers in the fast sport.
Pastor Maldonado of Venezuela races for Williams, Briton Paul di Resta has a Force India car, Sergio Perez of Mexico was hired by Sauber and Belgian Jerome d'Ambrosio is with Virgin.
The action on the 5.303-kilometres Albert Park course starts with two practice sessions on Friday, qualifying is on Saturday and the 58-lap race on Sunday.
Vettel stole the 2010 title in the last race against Alonso and his own team-mate Mark Webber, arguably helped by a poor Ferrari pit stop strategy in Abu Dhabi.
Ferrari in general and Alonso in particular are out to make amends as they seek their first drivers' title since Kimi Raikkonen's 2007 crown.
But Vettel and his team expect to be ready for the challenge despite the usual uncertainty ahead of the season-opener.
"The situation is a little bit difficult because you don't know how competitive you are," said Vettel.
All teams have had several rounds of pre-season testing but only race action will show how everyone copes with the new Pirelli tyres, the return of the Kers power-boost system and moveable rear wings.
"A new Formula One starts here in Melbourne," said Alonso. "It is always a challenge when you have regulation changes. You have many new things to test and learn about.
"So now it's great to finally be racing, especially as we had to wait these extra fifteen days because the Bahrain event was cancelled."
Under the original calendar, teams would have a first indication by now, but political unrest in Bahrain led to the postponement of the March 13 race.
If the Bahrain event is held later in the season, and the ruling body FIA gives its final nod to the inaugural Indian GP on October 30, the season will feature a record 20 races until the November 27 finale in Brazil.
Rule changes and postponements aside, the top picks have clear ideas about their goals.
"If you race for Ferrari, you always have the goal of fighting for the world championship, because that is the history of Ferrari: this team is all about passion, motor racing and winning again is our goal for the 2011 campaign," said Alonso.
Vettel said: "It is our aim to carry the momentum over and to continue where we left off last year."
Vettel, at age 23 the youngest world champion in the sport, has extended his contract at the team until 2014. Webber will hope for victory in his home race on Sunday and has suggested that there should be less bad blood between the two drivers than last year.
Team principal Christian Horner named morale "fantastic" and said the 2010 drivers' and constructors' titles had made everyone even more determined.
"Following the euphoria of last year people get a taste of success. We've got the constructors' trophy in our cabinet in the reception in Milton Keynes and every individual walks past it every day. It's a source of great motivation to try to retain it and of what was achieved," said Horner.
While F1 pundits expect a main duel between Red Bull and Ferrari, there are three other ex-champions who also aim to do well: the McLaren duo of Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button, as well as record champion Michael Schumacher of Mercedes.
"I am confident that we can compete for podium finishes, and I am hopeful we can also fight for victories at some of the GPs. Saying that, we will see the truth in the races only, so having finished all the testing now, I can hardly wait to go to Melbourne to finally see what the real picture is," said Schumacher.
While Schumacher hopes to do better than in a modest 2010 campaign in the second season after coming out of retirement, Melbourne will see the debut of four drivers in the fast sport.
Pastor Maldonado of Venezuela races for Williams, Briton Paul di Resta has a Force India car, Sergio Perez of Mexico was hired by Sauber and Belgian Jerome d'Ambrosio is with Virgin.
The action on the 5.303-kilometres Albert Park course starts with two practice sessions on Friday, qualifying is on Saturday and the 58-lap race on Sunday.
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