Formula One 2011 season preview: The long track to glory

From Will Gray, CNN Traveller STORY HIGHLIGHTSCNN previews the 2011 Formula One Championship which starts in Melbourne this weekend Sebastian Vettel became the youngest driver to win the title in last season's contestRed Bull are favorites again this year with designer Adrian Newey on boardMichael Schumacher and Mercedes are feeling confident after making changes to car (CNN) -- This preview features in the March - April edition of CNN Traveller magazine.

After a frantic fight to the finish in 2010, Formula One returns in March for its longest season ever -- with five world champions in the hunt for glory, it is shaping up to be an absolute classic.

German Sebastian Vettel became the youngest driver to win the world title last year, making good his promise to follow in the tire tracks of compatriot Michael Schumacher, in a season that saw the seven-times champion himself struggle on his comeback from a three-year layoff.

This year, Vettel starts as favorite having shaken off the mistakes that dogged the middle of his championship season to show a new level of composure in last season's thrilling showdown.

There is little doubt that with top designer Adrian Newey at the drawing board, Vettel's Red Bull machine will be the class act of the field once again, and on paper the title should be theirs for the taking.

That, however, is not always how Formula One works, and there are plenty of cards to be dealt in a season that sees some significant changes that could upset the established order.

The arrival of new tire manufacturer Pirelli will see teams having to design their cars to cope with a different type of rubber compound that will not only alter the way that the cars react in normal conditions, but has also been deliberately designed to create the need for two stop races, making strategy more important than before.

On top of that, new technology tricks have been brought in to try and make it easier for chasing cars to overtake. A new movable rear wing will allow any car within a second of the car in front to boost their speed and attack (with the lead car unable to defend) while Kers, which turns breaking energy into a power boost deployed at the touch of a button, will return to give an additional overtaking solution.

Vettel's Red Bull machine will be the class act of the field once again, and on paper the title should be theirs RELATED TOPICSFormula One RacingFormula One World ChampionshipSebastian VettelRed Bull RacingMichael SchumacherMcLaren, with their all-British line-up of Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button, and Ferrari, who will be lead by Spaniard Fernando Alonso with Brazilian Felipe Massa in support, are the two teams expected to lead the chasing pack.

Ferrari are altering their pitwall team to prepare for the strategy filled races while McLaren are pinning their hopes on an innovative approach to the new rule changes, which also includes a ban on the double diffusers introduced two years ago.

Lying in wait, however, are the Silver Arrows of Mercedes, who were out of the title race early last year and subsequently spent more time working on this year's model instead of spending resources on the development of last season's machine.

That is an approach that those in the title battle could not take, and with Schumacher also expected to benefit from the style of the new tires he will be eager not only to get to grips with teammate Nico Rosberg but to put himself back up to the front.

Further down the grid Williams and Sauber have new investors, from Venezuela and Mexico respectively, which could mean they spring the odd surprise, while the new teams that arrived last year -- CNN-sponsored Team Lotus (not to be confused with Renault Lotus), HRT and Virgin -- will still be chasing their first point.

The championship will be making its debut in India following new races in Abu Dhabi and Korea in the last two years. The relentless racing will continue until November, and the contest should still be gripping.

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