2010 sees Bahrain hosting the Formula One season opener, with last year’s race winner, Jenson Button, returning as World Champion – and with a new team to boot as he joins Lewis Hamilton at McLaren. Title winning constructor Brawn is now Mercedes GP with Michael Schumacher returning to Formula 1, while at Ferrari, the Italians will be putting their faith in Fernando Alonso. Meanwhile, Red Bull will be all about stability as the one major team maintaining its 2009 line-up. Coupled with a number of rule changes and a pack of hungry new teams, there are always plenty of questions before the season starts and Bahrain provides the first opportunity for answers. The first race isn’t always an accurate barometer of the year but here are a few of my questions for the year ahead…

1. Who is at the front?
The end of refuelling has further complicated interpretation of testing as teams carried widely varying fuel loads. The general consensus is that Ferrari, McLaren, Red Bull and Mercedes are up front with Williams, Force India and Sauber not far behind.

“The first race of the season is always an exciting weekend as none of the teams really know where their car is in performance terms until we hit the race track for the first time in competitive conditions.” - Jenson Button

That that is such a big group just tells me that nobody has a clue! However, Bahrain isn’t necessarily a good indicator to how the season will turn out anyway. The race may have been won by the eventual World Constructor’s Champion in every season that the race has been held but there are plenty of anomalies in the other positions: Look at Toyota locking out the front row in last year’s qualifying session for example.

2. Which of the new teams can make their mark in the established order?
Realistically, only Hispania. And then only because we have no idea of their performance and I wouldn’t get my hopes up. No, the main aim for the back of the established order will be to remain well clear of the new teams. Instead, it looks like being a private battle between the three new comers, a battle that Bruno Senna has stoked by claiming to be a second a lap faster. Virgin seem a little faster than Lotus in qualifying trim, Lotus seem a lot more reliable. And who knows where Hispania is – is Senna’s assessment spot on or are they simply keen to start hiding that livery under a few sponsor’s logos?

3. What will be the effect of the re-fuelling ban?
The big change from a spectator’s point of view will be the end of in-race refuelling and the effect that many will be hoping for is an increase in overtaking. Tyre management will be crucial but with tyre strategy restricted by the need to run two different compounds, strategy is unlikely to vary by much. It seems more likely that the presence of the slower, new teams will do more to increase overtaking than any other rule change. One issue, that has rarely raised its head while refuelling was allowed, is the sight of cars coming to a stop with insufficient fuel in the car. We may not see it in Bahrain but at circuits with a higher probability of a safety car there will be pressure to run with insufficient race fuel in the hope of making up the difference in fuel saving mode behind the safety car.

4. Can Schumacher challenge for the Championship?
The return of Michael Schumacher is the year’s big talking point but how will the year pan out? The German is undoubtedly fit enough but as ever, he still needs the right car. If he doesn’t, will he see out the year, never mind a three-year contract? World Champions have returned after a break before: Some returned to claim more glory, others only added an embarrassing endnote to their career.

5. Will Hamilton join twitter?
Or, for that matter, Alonso, Schumacher, Massa and others? The social networking site reinvigorated pre-season testing and looks like adding a new dimension to the upcoming season. Last year just a handful of drivers used the service, most notably bringing an insight into happenings at Brawn as both Button and Barrichello took Formula 1 to new levels of accessibility. Every team has at least one driver with an account, although it’s debatable whether Rosberg himself has ever been near his, and fans can only hope that others follow suit.