Motor-sports lovers will tomorrow morning wake up to the first Formula 1 Grand Prix of the season, ending a winter lull which is always hard for these enthusiasts.

This year they had to wait even longer, as the Bahrain Grand Prix, which was due to have been held two weeks ago, was postponed because of the uprising in that country. Whether a new date will be fixed for the event remains to be seen – as things stand now, and particularly due to the escalation of events there – it is hard to imagine that the Bahrain GP will take place.

It is hoped that the regularity of the season will not be affected by outside happenings. Thankfully, the Bahrain GP was at the start of the campaign so things will not change much. But the elimination of a race midway through the season or towards the end would create more controversy, as this would be giving an unfair advantage to the driver leading the championship.

The Japanese GP, scheduled for October, has so far not been affected by the earthquake and tsunami that hit the country last week. The MotoGP has had to be put off from 24 April to 2 October because of the disaster.

And so now the first race of the season will be in Australia, kicking off a string of 19 GPs (Bahrain excluded) till November when the new world champion will be known.

Sebastien Vettel is aiming for a second consecutive crown, but he will face tough challenges from his own team-mate Mark Webber and from the usual suspects – the Ferrari (Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa) and McLaren (Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button) teams.

One protagonist unfortunately has already been lost, as Renault’s Robert Kubica is still recovering from a nasty crash in Italy earlier this year.

The change of tyres – from Bridgestone to Pirelli – as well as other modifications to the competition rules will add to the expectations and elements of surprise in this thrilling sport.

The teams have worked hard during the winter but they all know that they will have to continue to develop the car as the season progresses, and that the conditions change with each race – type of track and weather topping the list of the variables.

What is sure is that the points system that was introduced last year made it a highly fascinating and exciting affair, as the leadership changed hands several times and four drivers were still in the running for the championship at the last race. It is hoped that this year we will have another exciting season as this will certainly be a bonus to the sport.