A year ago, the famed Williams squad was enduring a downright embarrassing season, one which yielded no points through the first five events on the F1 calendar.

It was a nearly unimaginable start for a team that had accomplished so much in the sport, and the remainder of the season was not much kinder.

In the end, the team under Cosworth power collected just five more points than Lotus, HRT and Virgin.

What a difference a few months can make. This season has seen Williams return to competitive form, running mid-pack for much of the early season.

But Pastor Maldonado accomplished much more than that in Spain as he defended the lead from the likes of former world champions Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen.

Because of his incredible drive, Williams was on the top step for the first time since Juan Pablo Montoya won in 2004.

The 131 events between wins was by far the longest in the team's history, more than double the next-closest streak set between 1997 and 2001.

When this latest drought began at the start of 2005, Alonso had yet to win a world championship and Red Bull was in its maiden season.

For a team with such a pedigree, it was a drought that shocked the sport, yet the end of that run in Spain was arguably even more surprising.

In his young career, Maldonado had never finished better than eighth and had just two finishes in the points entering Spain. His victory must certainly give hope to many others on the grid that perhaps their first F1 win isn't as distant as they once thought, and with so much of the season still to come, it is difficult to imagine what surprises could possibly remain.

The nation of Venezuela certainly had reason to celebrate as well, considering it was the first victory and podium for a driver from the country in Formula One.

In addition, this season now has multiple first-time winners before June, a feat that had not occurred since 2003 (Giancarlo Fisichella and Raikkonen).

Team principal Sir Frank Williams was certainly candid about Maldonado's hiring, but he was also quick to support his driver.

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Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP/Getty ImagesWilliams team principal Frank Williams celebrates with teammates after Venezuelan driver Pastor Maldonado's win at the Circuit de Catalunya.

"Yeah, he was to some extent [initially with the team because of money]; I'm not denying that," Williams told Autosport. "But if we thought he'd been a wanker, he wouldn't have got in the team no matter how much money he had. He did a very sensible job in GP2 and he fully deserves to be in the team with or without the dosh.

"The truth is that if you haven't got the dosh, you can't go Formula One racing. But we've got a real racing driver as well. I am just astonished by the way he just controlled himself, and didn't make a mistake at all."

For Maldonado, that's undoubtedly high praise from one of the most respected individuals in the sport, and the concept of drivers paying for a seat may have just taken on a completely new form thanks to his victory.

Maldonado is now the seventh straight different driver to win an F1 event, a remarkable occurrence considering that between 2010 and 2011, only five different drivers won.

There is plenty of talent on the grid that could extend that streak even further, and with Monaco next on the schedule, there is hardly a larger stage for an upset.

But Spain could easily have played out differently had Lewis Hamilton not suffered misfortune yet again.

After a fuel error cost him his pole position, he was forced to fight through the field throughout the day to finish eighth, and one can only guess what the outcome would have been had he started from the front.

Close, competitive racing has been the recipe throughout this Formula One season, but if this trend continues up front in Catalunya, it will prove to be a considerable exception for the circuit.

While the track is a familiar one for teams, it has not been known for providing close finishes. Last year was very much a rarity, with Sebastian Vettel holding off Lewis Hamilton by a mere 0.6 seconds. Aside from that result, no event at Catalunya has been decided by fewer than three seconds.

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Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty Images Michael Schumacher owned the Grand Prix of Spain in his heyday, winning it six times.

In fact, of the 21 previous grands prix held, 19 have been won by more than a margin of five seconds and 14 have been decided by over 10 seconds.

While that certainly does not bode well for a memorable finish in Spain, if any season can deliver an exciting battle, this would certainly be among the top contenders.

The combination of tires that degrade quickly and an increase in the number of competitive teams has made this season very much a guessing game, and with any luck Spain will see a continuation of the 2012 excitement.

It certainly has been an unpredictable grand prix recently, as the last six events here have produced as many different winners. In addition, of the six former F1 champions on the grid, only Hamilton has yet to capture a win at this venue.

If Hamilton wants a legitimate chance at a victory here, he'll want to start on pole, or at least the front row. A staggering 10 of the last 11 winners have come from the pole, with the lone exception coming last year (Vettel won after starting second).

Since Catalunya began hosting F1 in 1991, only once has a driver won after starting outside the front row, and that was merely a third-place start from Michael Schumacher in 1996.

By comparison, a track such as Monaco, which stresses qualifying more than most venues, has 20 winners from the top three starting positions in that span but has just 10 from pole, compared to 16 in Barcelona.

Clearly, a top qualifying effort in Spain is absolutely critical for those who wish to win, making qualifying all that more riveting.

Perhaps Schumacher can boost his season at Catalunya, as Spain is one of his strongest grands prix. His six victories at the Spanish Grand Prix trail only France (eight), San Marino (seven) and Canada (seven) for his most at any grand prix, and he is now facing heightened expectations after his teammate Nico Rosberg drove to victory earlier this year.

Schumacher will have to continue to adjust to the Pirelli rubber, an aspect of the sport he is not pleased with, as he recently detailed to CNN.

"I just think they are playing much too big an effect, because they are so peaky and so special that we don't put the cars or ourselves to the limit," he said. "We drive like we're on raw eggs and don't want to stress the tires at all, otherwise you just overdo it and you go nowhere."

He has suffered from some bad fortune this season and, as a result, has earned fewer points than the likes of Bruno Senna, Jean-Eric Vergne and Pastor Maldonado.

His campaign with Mercedes has thus far been a disappointment, but there is still plenty of time to turn it around this season, especially with a car that appears to be more competitive than in past seasons.

The sport will also be celebrating an anniversary in Spain, as it will mark, to the day, the 62nd anniversary of the first Formula One race. That inaugural event was run in Silverstone and was won by Nino Farina and Alfa Romeo.

Spain may be the next official stop on the Formula One schedule, but the Italian circuit of Mugello will garner its fair share of attention prior to the arrival of teams at Catalunya. The venue plays host to the return of in-season testing, and the sessions will provide a very valuable opportunity for teams.

With a fifth of the season already over, teams simply cannot rest on their accomplishments to date, as the driver standings are much too tight. Sebastian Vettel may be the leader, but there are six others who trail by fewer than the equivalent of a race victory. In addition, eight drivers already have reached the podium this season, one more than the total from 2011. With the field on significantly more level ground this season, any innovation by one team could provide a huge boost.

Jenson Button certainly understands how close the competition has been this season, as he explained to The Sun, "Every race you want to have a good result and you know that a no-score is massive and it really hurts. You've got to be consistently near the front. I don't think it means you hold back going out for a win. You're not going to hold back if there is a maneuver or a move to go for, but consistency is going to be very important this year."

With Vettel dominating last year, a poor showing may have cost a driver a chance at second or third in the drivers' championship. This year, it could mean spoiling a chance at the title.

It may be difficult to assess who the true championship contenders are, considering how condensed the standings appear, but one measurement seems to shed some light: Three drivers this season -- Lewis Hamilton, Vettel and Button -- have spent far more time running among the top three than anyone else and have therefore put themselves in position for good finishes. Hamilton has run among the top three for over 58 percent of laps this season, best in the sport. Just behind are Vettel (51.1 percent) and Button (46.7 percent), while no other driver is above 30 percent.

Additionally, drivers such as Mark Webber have struggled. While his consistent finishes have put him in the middle of the title chase, he has only run 11 total laps among the top three this season (4.8 percent). He's the ideal example of a driver who could certainly be a championship threat, but thus far his numbers do not reflect exactly that.

Webber should not be ruled out by any means, however, and although his initial results have not been overwhelming, he's done an excellent job of staying right in the mix. As a result, he's a mere five points shy of Vettel.

While running among the top three does not always equate to podium finishes, it certainly will be key over the course of an entire season. Considering the early-season chaos, it's an excellent indicator of which drivers are the strong runners, and right now Hamilton looks poised for a victory sooner rather than later.

Meanwhile, a team that deserves a tip of the hat this year is Williams. After enduring an arduous season last year, the historic squad has bounced back considerably, having already secured 18 points. There is still much room for improvement, however, as the team has cracked Q3 just once in four events. So far, it has been a theme of what could have been with Pastor Maldonado; he crashed very late in Australia and has suffered several misfortunes since. He'll be an interesting one to watch over the next few grands prix.

A familiar winner emerged in Bahrain, but the man on the top step had some unusual company in his mirrors throughout the race, and victory for Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel was far from certain until the very end, thanks to a remarkable effort from both Lotus pilots.

Both Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean had reasonable chances to give Lotus a win, and for the third straight event, a relative dark horse constructor has reached the podium.

This season appears to be absolutely wide open. A year rife with surprises has yet to let up, and it has so far created some very intriguing storylines.

One of the prime stories has been the relative struggles of Vettel, but he looked to be on top form en route to his 22nd career F1 win. His drive was even more impressive considering he won from the pole while also recording the quickest lap (hat trick), something he did just twice a season ago. He managed his tires very well and was admirable in keeping the competition in check, and because of his sensational drive, he is now just one win shy of tying Nelson Piquet for 10th on the sport's all-time wins list.

It was an unusually long wait for a defending champion to earn their first win of the next season, however.

Since Fernando Alonso's championship in 2005, only one defending title holder took longer than Vettel to win the season after. That would be Lewis Hamilton, who did not win until the 10th event of 2009. In that span, every other champion up until this year won within the first two races in the season immediately following their title.

Vettel's win also means four different drivers have claimed the first four races of 2012, a phenomenon that hadn't occurred since 2003.

It very well could have been Raikkonen celebrating victory in Bahrain, as he looked every bit a former champion while battling for the lead. His ability to adapt has been sensational, and it appears that he, as well as Lotus, could be very close to victory.

It was a superior performance for Renault as an engine supplier, as well. The power plant occupied the top four places for only the third time, and for the first time since 1997.

One of the men behind that finish was Grosjean, who tallied his first career podium. His stellar effort brought France its first podium in more than a decade, a drought that is difficult to imagine for a nation that has had so much success in Formula One. With the likely return of the French Grand Prix in the near future, Grosjean's finish was certainly timed well.

Deeper in the field, Felipe Massa finally claimed points after enduring a trying start to the year.

It may have been a mere two points, but it likely was a step in the right direction for the veteran.

Bahrain has generally been a welcoming site for Massa. He's endured four seasons in his career in which he did not earn points until at least the third race, and on three of those occasions, Bahrain provided the first points haul.

Through four events, this season has played out remarkably different compared to last year, and the championship battle will likely be alive until the final grand prix. For the most part, the past several F1 seasons have provided memorable competition, and one can only hope that this year stacks up with the likes of 2007, 2008 and 2010. So far, it certainly looks as if it will.

China very possibly left fans with more questions than answers, as a maiden Formula One victory for Nico Rosberg left many surprised. Doubts had been cast toward Mercedes ever since the famous name returned to the sport for 2010, but it has finally paid dividends with an impressive victory. Much like his team, Rosberg often was enshrouded among questions of when success would come at the highest level, and while those have been answered, it now leaves many wondering how this season will play itself out.

Nearly 57 years had passed since Mercedes' last F1 win at Monza in 1955. It came at the hands of Juan Manuel Fangio, and at that time Formula One had not yet hosted even 50 points-paying events.

Rosberg delivered a dominant performance right from the start and ended up winning by just over 20 seconds, the fourth-largest margin of victory by a first-time winner since 1995. Two of the three drivers ahead of him on that list, Kimi Raikkonen and Jenson Button, have since gone on to win championships. A title this season may seem unlikely, but Rosberg's father, Keke, won his lone championship in 1982, the very same season he earned his first F1 victory.

Rosberg even surprised himself a bit with his performance, as he explained to reporters after the race, "I'm very happy, very excited. It's been a long time coming for me and for the team as well over the past two years and a bit. Now, it's finally here. It's just amazing, and it's just nice to see how quickly we are now progressing. I didn't expect to be that fast today."

After a blistering pole lap, the underlying concern was that Mercedes would struggle to maintain pace during the grand prix, but that simply was not the case. The tires held remarkably well, and Rosberg was able to utilize a two-stop strategy.

Winning from pole has become a rarity of sorts recently, as Rosberg became the first man on pole to win since Sebastian Vettel in India last season. In between, there had been four straight events in which a driver claimed victory having started outside first.

Behind Rosberg, a sea of cars competed for the points-paying positions and the action rarely let up. The varying strategies provided for a very entertaining battle, and it now appears as if no single team has a significant, consistent advantage over the competition. The strongest team now appears to be McLaren, and Button and Lewis Hamilton did a remarkable job to earn podium spots in Shanghai. By virtue of three third-place finishes to start the season, Hamilton is now the championship leader.

But many other teams seem to be threatening in 2012, and the year is much more balanced throughout compared to last season. After all, just one race ago nine constructors managed to score points.

Overall, the on-track product in China continued to thrill, and for the second straight year in Shanghai, only one car suffered from a retirement.

The heat of Bahrain may mean the attrition rate is considerably higher, but that is certainly not the primary concern of teams as they prepare for the fourth event of the season. Despite continued protests and upheaval, Formula One will compete in Bahrain after canceling last year's event, and safety will no doubt be a primary concern for all attending.

In the last visit there, the layout was revised, with an additional group of slow turns added following Turn 4. It lengthened the lap by nearly a full kilometer, but the alteration was not generally well received, and the track will revert to its former layout this year.

The track has witnessed two hat tricks (win, pole and fastest lap) in its limited time (Michael Schumacher in 2004 and Felipe Massa in 2007) and is one of six grands prix to host multiple hat tricks since the 2004 season.

China showcased one of the most exciting events on the 2011 Formula One calendar, with Red Bull and McLaren constantly battling for the top step. Lewis Hamilton emerged on top after overtaking Sebastian Vettel in the late stages, a remarkable due to mechanical issues. It also featured Mark Webber finishing on the podium after starting 18th as well as some great battles throughout the field. It was an entertaining race throughout, and this year could certainly be so again.

Overall, the host nation is an interesting example of F1's expanse. A country with over 1 billion people, China has yet to produce a single Formula One competitor. That may change in the near future, however, as HRT recently signed Chinese driver Ma Qing Hua to its driver development program. It is an important step for China, as the nation could certainly use a rooting interest. China is still relatively new to hosting F1, as this will be just the ninth event, and it continues to be a largely untapped market for the sport.

Home drivers matter, as India demonstrated last season in its F1 debut. For the event, Narain Karthikeyan, who had not competed for months, returned to drive for HRT in order for the grand prix to have representation. Perhaps China will have that luxury soon, as well.

From a technical perspective, Shanghai International Circuit is a venue that provides several good passing opportunities, most notably entering the very long right-hander just off the starting line and along the extremely lengthy straight prior to the 14th turn. It's nearly the same length as the Malaysia track and features numerous slow corners, meaning it is not an easy track to come to grips with.

The pole has not been crucial at the circuit recently, as only two of the past six fastest in qualifying have converted that into a win.

Lately, the victor in China has not been riding a strong finish in the previous event, as the past four winners have not placed better than eighth in the race immediately preceding China. Last season, Hamilton was coming off an eighth-place result in Malaysia, much like 2010 winner Jenson Button.

That bodes well for Vettel and Button, who both failed to score points last time out. Weather permitting, it should be Red Bull and McLaren battling for the win, with Ferrari struggling to keep pace.

For the championship contenders who have yet to win this season, China is pivotal. Since 1990 only one driver, Michael Schumacher in 2003, has gone on to claim the title after failing to win any of the first three races of the season. That season, Schumacher failed to post even a podium finish until the fourth race of the year.

Clearly, any driver who has yet to win will need a victory this week or be forced to overturn some serious history. With the amount of competition this season, it appears that any significant deficit in points early on will be very difficult to make up.

Hamilton is one of those drivers seeking his first victory of 2012, and he is the only multiple winner of this event. The speed of the McLarens should provide for a superb starting grid spot, and Hamilton's success here means he may just be the favorite to win in Shanghai.

After the fireworks in Sepang, this event certainly has high expectations to meet, but if it's anything like last year's edition, few will be left disappointed.

There was a brief moment in 2008 when it appeared that Felipe Massa was a world champion.

At the season finale in Brazil, Massa was the man to cross the line first, and the celebrations began for Ferrari. But in the waning moments, Lewis Hamilton claimed the position he needed to secure the championship from Massa by just a single point.

It was an unimaginably heartbreaking defeat for the Brazilian in front of his home crowd after coming so close to the ultimate achievement. While one driver was celebrating a title, another was reeling from a cruel twist.

Since that close call, Massa has been forced to endure some very trying times.

The following year, Massa was struck in the helmet by debris while qualifying in Hungary. He was sidelined for the rest of the year while recovering, but made a triumphant comeback at Bahrain to open the 2010 season, finishing on the podium.

Despite the impressive return, he has yet to win since that 2008 campaign, a year in which he enjoyed a half-dozen victories, and has consistently been overshadowed by his latest teammate, Fernando Alonso.

While this season is still young, it has been anything but positive for Massa, as he's started outside the top 10 in both events. China is certainly going to be a pivotal qualifying session, considering the veteran hasn't started three straight races from 10th or worse since his days with Sauber in 2005.

Alonso's victory in Malaysia only brought Massa's troubles more into the spotlight. Rumors have swirled over a possible replacement driver at Ferrari, much as they did during last season. A podium finish would seemingly go a long way toward quelling doubts, but that appears to be a lofty goal, considering he has not finished among the top three since 2010.

Following his near brush with a championship in 2008, it appeared as if Massa was destined to compete among the top drivers for years to come, but that has simply not been the case. He has since struggled to keep pace with the strongest runners, posting just six podiums in 49 races since 2009.

Compare that with his first three seasons with Ferrari, when he tallied 27 in 53 grands prix.

It has often appeared since his comeback that he has simply been the victim of plain misfortune, with a prime example occurring in Germany in 2010. Massa was looking strong and fighting for the victory, but team orders prevailed, and he was essentially forced to move aside and allow Alonso to overtake.

Even on a day when Massa was excelling, he ultimately had to experience bitter defeat.

Massa is not backing down, however, and has been working hard to turn his fortunes around, as he described on Ferrari's website: "I met my engineer Rob Smedley and I spent a lot of time with Pat Fry, going over everything that happened, because this is the only way I think we can understand the reasons behind these two bad weekends. I am disappointed, there is no denying it: not scoring any points in two races hurts, but now it's time to turn the page. It's not the first time I've gone through a difficult moment like this and I know well that things can change quickly."

It's looking pretty bleak for Massa these days, and his time with Ferrari certainly appears limited. The pace of the Ferrari will be a major storyline over the coming weeks and months. Perhaps with some innovations, the car -- and Massa -- can become a consistent competitor.

It's exceedingly difficult to classify a Ferrari victory as a bit of an underdog story, but in Malaysia, that seemed to be precisely the case. The most prestigious team in F1 history was certainly off the pace in both testing and the opening round in Australia, and many had raised concerns about the competitiveness of the F2012. Yet two races into the season, Ferrari already has extended its Formula One record of 19 straight years with a victory.

In one of the most thrilling grands prix in recent memory, Fernando Alonso emerged victorious, but the results were very much in doubt until the very end. Sergio Perez, in just his second F1 season, pushed his Sauber to the limits and very nearly won the event in the closing laps, narrowing in on Alonso before running a corner wide. The pair made for a classic event, as did the constantly changing weather. Both drivers were incredible, considering their teammates finished well out of the points -- Kamui Kobayashi struggled throughout while Felipe Massa was nearly lapped by his teammate.

Perez on the podium meant Mexico had a driver finish within the top three for the first time since 1971 (Pedro Rodriguez). In addition, Perez is just the second Mexican driver, alongside Rodriguez, to post a podium finish. In between, Hector Rebaque had come the closest, finishing fourth on several occasions in 1981.

But it was ultimately Alonso's day, which came as a shock to many, including the man himself.

"I would never have bet on this win, and I would think anyone who did so must have picked up a tidy sum!" Alonso told reporters. "As I returned to the pit lane on the cool-down lap I didn't even know where to park the car: To win with all the problems we have got is something quite extraordinary."

His 28th career victory puts him alone in fifth all time and just three shy of Nigel Mansell for fourth. He flashed his entire array of skills in Malaysia and arguably had one of his best career races. Ferrari is clearly still an underperforming car relative to the top competition, and it took sound strategy as well as good fortune to ensure that Alonso was on the podium's top step.

He spent the least amount of time on pit road in comparison to the usual contenders, and when asked by reporters what the win did for his team, he responded, "I think it changes nothing, to be honest. We are in a position that we don't want, to be fighting to go into Q3 and then fighting to score some points."

Filling out the podium was Lewis Hamilton, again finishing third after starting from the pole. Hamilton paced the first two practice sessions, which has recently been a bad omen at the track, as no driver has led either first or second practice at Malaysia and then won the event since Michael Schumacher in 2004. Drastic weather changes certainly play a factor, but the track itself also provides ample overtaking opportunities, with long straights and a wide racing surface. The two have combined to make this event rather unpredictable throughout the years.

An additional element surprised in the late going, when Sebastian Vettel slashed his tire while overtaking Narain Karthikeyan. Vettel was primed for a finish just outside the podium, but instead he finds himself trailing leader Alonso by 17 points. He has been worse off before, however. In 2010, Vettel trailed the leader (again Alonso) by 25 through two events and still managed to finish the year on top.

Once again, Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park provided some measure of chaos, uncertainty and surprise.

The bulk of the shakeup came in qualifying, where both Red Bulls sat in the third row and the most successful team in the sport's history, Ferrari, failed to reach Q3 for the first time since Malaysia in 2010, nearly two years ago.

Lotus driver Romain Grosjean initially impressed in his F1 return with a third-place slot on the grid, and it appeared as if the team would have another strong run in Melbourne. The fates quickly indicated otherwise, however, as Grosjean lost three positions early and then collided with Pastor Maldonado, ending his race.

Ultimately, the day belonged to Jenson Button, who captured his third win in Australia, now his most at any grand prix.

A sublime start off the grid meant Button was in control early, and the pace of this year's McLaren was on full display. Button is a notoriously early starter, with 10 of his 13 career victories coming before July. Six of those have come in March and April alone.

Even a safety-car period could not hinder Button's progress, as he executed a fantastic drive throughout. Runner-up Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull perhaps said it best to reporters, "Congratulations to McLaren and to Jenson, I think he drove a fantastic race and was unbeatable today."

It will be interesting to see if McLaren can win in Malaysia this weekend as well, as the team has not taken the first two races of the year since 2003.

While qualifying shook up the grid from last year's relatively predictable order, the race seemed to shuffle out any irregularities. McLaren's Lewis Hamilton rounded out the podium, while Red Bull's Mark Webber finished fourth and Ferrari's Fernando Alonso checked in fifth after a very remarkable drive.

Also impressive was Lotus' Kimi Raikkonen in his F1 return. A dismal qualifying effort left him deep in the grid, but he rebounded nicely for a seventh-place finish. He adds to the list of notable drivers who have missed at least a season, yet scored points in their first race back; Niki Lauda, Alain Prost (won) and Michael Schumacher to name a few.

Raikkonen could be strong in Malaysia, as he's won at Sepang twice (2003, 2008). The 2003 edition was the site of his first F1 win, and it came with a margin of victory of over 39 seconds.

Malaysia has witnessed utter dominance by Vettel each of the last two years, as the young German has led more than 96 percent of the laps run.

But McLaren should provide considerable competition, especially from Button. As for Hamilton, Sepang has not been a kind host; he's never won there and has led just two laps (both of which came in his rookie year of 2007). Last year was especially painful, as he was nailed with a post-race penalty for excessive blocking on Alonso. This time around, he may well have the car to beat, so a strong finish is crucial.

It's a difficult race, as the track features a variety of twists and turns as well as double straights surrounding the grandstands. It's also extremely hot, with temperatures often easily tipping over 90 degrees. Coupled with high humidity, this is an event where offseason conditioning can pay dividends.

Webber could very well be the man to lay down the pace this weekend, as he has posted the fastest lap at Sepang in each of the last two seasons. In fact, since 2009 no one has claimed the fastest lap more often than Webber, who has 13. He's still seeking his first victory in Asia at the top level, and perhaps that will come at Sepang.

The 63rd season of Formula One racing is about to get under way, and, at this point, every driver has high aspirations. The Australian Grand Prix (Sunday, 2 a.m. ET, Speed) should provide a reality check for many, however.

Although it's only the first of 20 scheduled events this season, the year's debut has been telling in the past several decades. Fans have gained a fairly clear picture of the title favorite after just the first race, as 17 of the past 22 season-opening winners have gone on to claim the championship that same year.

An opening-round win no doubt has been an accurate forecast of season success recently, as has a runner-up finish. A second-place result has been anything but good news, though, as no driver has finished second in the first race of the year and then taken the championship since Alain Prost in 1989 while driving for McLaren.

In addition, no eventual champion has finished outside the top four spots in the opener since 1999, when Mika Hakkinen retired from the pole position.

Two-time defending series champion Sebastian Vettel will be looking to defend his dominant victory here last year, and it's a very likely scenario entering the season. Vettel is attempting to become only the third driver in F1 history to win three straight championships, alongside Juan Manuel Fangio and Michael Schumacher. Neither of those legends, however, won his first three championships in successive fashion.

Melbourne's Albert Park is a narrow track with very little runoff room, and two-time event winner Jenson Button described the circuit to reporters leading up to the race: "I think the circuit is a nice challenge too -- it's not a particularly technical track, but the surface is always rubbering in across the whole race weekend, and it's a place that encourages nip-and-tuck racing. For a street track, it's got a really good flow, you can really find a good rhythm -- and it's got some fast corners too, which is unusual for a road course. I think the new rules have definitely made it a more competitive place -- it's easier to pass here now than it ever was."

Aside from Vettel, the driver to watch throughout the weekend could be Mark Webber. Not only is he the most recent race winner but Webber will be in front of his home crowd. Oddly enough, this track has been a nightmare for him throughout his career, with the exception of his F1 debut.

In 2002, Webber marched onto the scene with Minardi and scored a surprising fifth-place result in his home nation. It would be the only points the team accrued that season and arguably remains the high point of his competition in home events.

In nine events since, he's been forced to retire four times and has never finished on the podium. Since 2003, Webber has earned points in Melbourne on just three occasions, and his 10 races without a podium are tied for his most starts at any active grand prix without such a result (Italy).

This race has been known to deliver some surprises recently, as well. Vitaly Petrov notched a podium finish last year, and Brawn GP delivered a shocking 1-2 result three years ago. The year before that witnessed Nico Rosberg claim his first podium spot.

Australia should help answer many preseason questions, but, until a few races have been logged, fans might not truly know who has made the biggest offseason strides. One thing is certain: The 2012 season is finally here.

Clive Mason/Getty ImagesF1 champ Sebastian Vettel tries his hand at beach cricket on St Kilda Beach in Melbourne, Australia.