+ The Master
Lando Norris, McLaren, took home the overall title last year and broke Max Verstappen's streak of four consecutive World Championship titles. Ahead of this season, the 26-year-old Briton has been busy, among other things, driving a rally on ice in Värmland - with Oliver Solberg.
"It was cool. He was a little scared at first, but then it was okay. It was different and cool," Solberg tells Nya Wermlands-Tidningen.
The meeting was made possible thanks to a joint sponsor.
+ The debutant
Arvid Lindblad, 18 years and 212 days old when the race starts in Melbourne on Sunday at 05:00, will be the fourth-youngest F1 driver to date. The young Briton, who competes for the Racing Bulls, has roots elsewhere. Father Stefan is Swedish while mother Anita came to the UK from India. But don't expect any interviews in Swedish with the young star who won three Formula 2 races last year.
"I can speak a little Swedish and a few words of Hindi, but it's not great. I wouldn't be able to do an interview in another language other than English, but that's something I'm aiming for," he tells the BBC.
+ The desire for revenge
Lewis Hamilton has won the championship seven times in total (most recently in 2020), but did not have a good first season with Ferrari last year.
He only finished seventh. Now the tone in the team is more positive and the 41-year-old Briton hopes that things will go better in this year's new Ferrari car, the SF-26.
"Personally, I feel like I'm in the best place I've been in a very long time," says Hamilton.
+ The Newcomers
Cadillac supplied engines to the F1 circus in 1952 and 1953, but is now making its debut as its own team. The American car brand, which is part of General Motors, has an experienced duo, Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez, behind the wheel of its cars.
"I strongly believe that we have a foundation, as a team, to really continue to develop from. That's probably as much as you can expect from a new team, unless a complete miracle happens," says team manager Graeme Lowdon.
Audi has meanwhile taken over Sauber's place. The German car giant is pinning its hopes on veteran Nico Hulkenberg and 21-year-old Gabriel Bortoleto.
+ The rules
The cars are both smaller and lighter this year, as the F1 world undergoes what can be described as a rules revolution. The cars have a completely new powertrain and must run on 50 percent combustion and 50 percent electricity.
"The cars are brand new from last year, all the way down to every screw. It's cool but it's a tough challenge," says Viaplay's long-time F1 commentator Janne Blomqvist.
+ Question mark
After Melbourne, the season continues with races in China and Japan. But then what? There are concerns about the races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia in April, given the war in the Middle East. Mohammed Ben Sulayem, president of the International Automobile Federation (FIA), says that "safety and health" will be crucial in decisions about the races.
+ Competition program
8/3 Australia, 15/3 China, 29/3 Japan, 12/4 Bahrain, 19/4 Saudi Arabia, 3/5 Miami, 24/5 Canada, 7/6 Monaco, 14/6 Barcelona-Catalunya, 28/6 Austria, 5/7 Great Britain, 19/7 Belgium, 26/7 Hungary, 23/8 Netherlands, 6/9 Italy, 13/9 Spain, 26/9 Azerbaijan, 11/10 Singapore, 25/10 USA, 1/11 Mexico, 8/11 Brazil, 21/11 Las Vegas, 29/11 Qatar, 6/12 Abu Dhabi.
+ Television
Viaplay, at 5:00 AM.
