March is always a great time of year. Spring has arrived, you can start wearing white again, and racing is finally here. There is nothing more exciting than watching the opening race of any venue. Whether open-wheel or stockcar, finding out who the new players are for the season, is half the fun. Formula 1 ING Australian Grand Prix took place this weekend in Melbourne Australia. The exciting first race of the season did not disappoint. New faces popped up, new teams entered, and several familiar faces came back for another exhilarating year.

One of the most surprising things this season in FI is seeing Fernando Alonso back with his old team, Renault. After leaving a team, I did not think a racer would be so welcomed back, but obviously they parted on good terms, and Alonso is great for Renault, actually he is great to have on any team, they would be lucky to have such a talented racer. Last season he switched teams and moved over to McLaren. Alonso's teammate was rookie sensation Lewis Hamilton. Hamilton, who almost won the championship in his rookie debut, stayed with McLaren, getting a new teammate, Heikki Kovalainen. While the move might be good for both drivers and teams involved, their competitive spirits are sure to bring in a most enjoyable season of racing.

Hamilton won the first race of 2008, taking the checkered flag in the Australian Grand Prix. The impressive victory has everyone buzzing about him being the top contender for the championship this year. While it is too early to predict that, Hamilton sure has gotten off to a great start, placing himself in the number one spot. Alonso came in forth, and everyone's favorite racer, Jenson Button, retired early. Jenson who got his very first win last season, is still with Honda. Although this first race was unimpressive, he still has many loyal fans, and his talent is sure to bring him into the winner's circle at least once this season.

Another familiar face, Nick Heidfeld, is still with BMW Sauber, and looking fantastic this year, coming in second place. He is definitely one driver to watch this season, with his talent and experience, he is sure to bring home many victories. Another new but familiar face is the young Nico Rosberg. Rosberg is racing for team Williams again, and ever since his debut season in 2006, he has gained tremendous confidence and strength. He is definitely another racer to keep your eye on this season, taking a spectacular third place finish in Melbourne.

Another new face that popped up briefly last year is Sebastian Vettel. Vettel, who was the youngest driver in FI to score a point last season, is now a full time driver for team Toro Rosso. Although he too retired early in the race, he has the potential to be the next break out sensation of all the drivers. I would definitely keep an eye on him. He might not make it into the winners circle this season, needing to gain more experience, but he sure has the talent and drive, reminding me of another new racer a few years back, Rosberg.

And last, but certainly not least, is the talented Sebastien Bourdais. Bourdais makes his rookie debut in FI this season, also driving for team Toro Rosso. Bourdais is a delighted edition to FI. After winning four back-to-back championships in Champ Car, he has decided to make the move, and I am happy he did. He will definitely give Alonso and especially Hamilton a run at the championship. If you put your money on anyone this year, I would definitely keep my eye on Bourdais. I think he is the Formula 1 sleeper.

Next week is the Malaysian Grand Prix, and what an exciting race to look forward to. Who will emerge from the pack and become the leader in points? Who will take the checkered flag and be a favorite in the winner's circle? With so many different racecar drivers to choose from, who will be your favorite? I know mine, and it does not have to be just one!

Davin Colten's highly successful debut novel, Lie With The Devil, a suspenseful romance set in 1940's, was just published. Pursued by a spy and hunted by Germans, romance flourishes between an unlikely pair of allies in this incredible historical romance. A love affair transformed by war, Lie With The Devil is available from Amazon.com, Borders.com, Barnesandnoble.com, Amazon.co.uk, Foyles.co.uk, WHSmith.co.uk, Amazon CA, DE, FR, JP, and several other online bookstores in the US, UK, Europe, Australia, Japan, all over the globe.

Buy Davin's new novel here Lie With The Devil