Hamilton faces new challenges

MELBOURNE: Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton is ready to race his heart out in Sunday's Australian season-opener, even if his McLaren proves no match for the Brawn of fellow-Briton Jenson Button.

Hamilton made a winning start in Australia last year while Button, who scored points in only one of his 18 races for now-departed Honda in 2008, was not even remotely in the reckoning.

F1 has undergone a revolution since then, with new regulations levelling the playing field and testing times suggesting that Melbourne could see a sensational shake-up on the starting grid.