Schumacher back in the driving seat as F1 returns

Formula 1 returns this weekend and there is no doubting the star of the show will be. After three years out of the sport Michael Schumacher is back behind the wheel at the age of 41, and on the first day of practice at Bahrain he posted the third fastest time.

In a season that has so many storylines the return of Schumacher is the biggest. And if the early indications are anything to go by it could be quite a comeback. While the German legend was third, his compatriot and team-mate Nico Rosberg was fastest, indicating that the Mercedes car has plenty of pace.

Sandwiched between the two German drivers was Lewis Hamilton, the man who inherited Schumacher's mantle as the driver to beat, but has never raced against him.

The battle between the two looks as though it could be the highlight of the season. Hamilton will be desperate to prove that he has the edge over the old master, but Schumacher will want to prove that he can bring the young pretender to heel. The battle between the all-German Mercedes team and the all-British McLaren outfit could also be a recurring theme in 2010.

The bookies are tipping the McLaren to outperform the Mercedes, and have installed Hamilton as second favourite for the title, with Schumacher on longer odds of 5/1.

The bookmakers favourite to win this season is neither British or German, but a Spaniard in an Italian car. Fernando Alonso and the new Ferrari set the pace in pre-season testing and look a formidible proposition. It is also worth remembering that Alonso is the only man on the grid to have won the title while the Schumacher was driving, having taken the crown in 2005 and 2006. Although he could only manage ninth in the first practise sessions at Bahrain he will begin the race from much higher up the grid.

The fourth and final World Champion in this season's competition is the reigning champion Jenson Button who everyone has already, and rather unfairly, written off. He is on very long odds of 12/1 to retain his title despite having the same McLaren car as Hamilton. He did not perform badly in pre-season and kept pace with the big guns in the first laps in Bahrain and finished fourth in practice.

Other contenders for the title are Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull and Felipe Massa, who drives the other Ferrari.

As expected, the three new teams on the grid Lotus, Virgin and Hispania fared badly on the first day of practice and are not expected to improve very much, if at all, until later in the season.

But at least they have gone one better than USF1, who were supposed to be joining the circus, but bailed out at the last minute. They are hoping to be allowed onto the grid next season.

The Hispania team may be well down in terms of speed, but it has at least selected some interesting drivers. First there is Bruno Senna, the nephew of the great Ayrton. Which means that there will be a Schumacher and a Senna on the grid once again this year.

Senna's team mate is Karun Chandhok who becomes only the second Indian driver to race in F1, after Narain Karthikeyan in 2005. He will be hoping his career goes rather better than his predecessor, who managed just five points in 18 races for Jordan.

The whole shebang kicks off when the Bahrain Grand Prix gets underway on Sunday lunchtime. ·