Australian Grand Prix, Melbourne
Damon Hill opens the defence of his title at the start of what promises to be one of the most intriguing Formula One seasons for some time. Jacques Villeneuve is favourite to succeed Hill, but the step up from rookie to champion is no formality. He is sure to be pressed hard by German Michael Schumacher, providing Ferrari can give him the package he needs. Their prospects and those of Hill's Arrows and the new Stewart team should keep fans enthralled over the weekend.
Britain's Damon Hill has no intention of being kept out of the timelight for long despite joining Arrows following his surprise release by Williams. He acknowledged that he is unlikely to be spraying champagne from the podium during the 1997 campaign. But he said: "I want to make progress with Arrows this season and there is room and potential to do so. Then I can start thinking about winning again. The will is still there to win."
Title favourite Jacques Villeneuve is intent on taking the fast track to success this season. "It's vital to get a good start and build up points as quickly as possible. These first few races are the most important," the Canadian said. "If you can put points in the bag, then you can have a race strategy and play on that lead," he added. Villeneuve led for 53 laps at Albert Park 12 months ago before oil problems handed victory to Damon Hill.
German Heinz-Harald Frentzen is aware that the weight of expectation will be on him when he makes his competitive debut for Williams this weekend. He was head-hunted by the team after champion Damon Hill learnt that his services were no longer required. "This season will be the biggest challenge of my life. Everybody in the world will be looking at me and analysing any mistakes," said Frentzen. "The air at the top is very thin, it's going to be interesting for everyone."
David Coulthard believes he has the car and the ability to give McLaren their first win since 1993 this season. "We are much better prepared for this season than we were for the last one," the Monaco based Scot commented. "It's difficult to tell just how good the car is from testing, but it is looking a lot better for us. My target is to win a few races and finish as high up the championship as I can. I still believe I can win the title one day," he added.
Irishman Eddie Irvine believes Ferrari teammate Michael Schumacher will be the man to beat in this seaon's battle for the driver's title. They have a lot of ground to make up after Williams won 12 of the 16 races last season. "I would certainly tip Michael. If more teams win races then you do not need to win many to take the championship. The thing about Michael is that he does not make mistakes," said Irvine, who was third in Australia last year.
Jackie Stewart is on tenterhooks ahead of Sunday's race when the gap between his new F1 outfit and the leading teams will finally be revealed. "This is the single most important race of my life," said Stewart. "It's a bigger challenge than any I faced as a driver - sometimes I think winning those three competitions seemed very easy by comparison. It took Frank Williams about ten years to get the top. I hope it will take us a few years less."