KEY POINTS:
Perhaps the most telling pointer to just how close the A1GP Grand Prix of Nations series will be this year came at the recent testing session at Silverstone when 20 of the 22 cars tore off laps within a second of the record-setting time posted by India's driver Narain Karthikeyan.
Germany were runaway winners last year but hot-shot driver Nico Hulkenberg has moved on, working his way towards an F1 drive, and the field is wide open.
While the top six last year were almost always evident - Germany, New Zealand, Britain, France, the Netherlands and Malaysia - this season's test results already point to a levelling of the field.
New Zealand finished second last year and, with Jonny Reid in sole charge this year, are hoping to go one better. But the signs are the competition will be hotter and that strategy will be more important.
The season opens at Zandvoort, in the Netherlands, tonight with rule changes also expected to cloud matters. A second pit stop has been introduced to the main race - which will bring tactics and pit performance more strongly into play - and qualifying has been changed dramatically.
The best individual lap time for segments one and two will decide the grid for the sprint race. Then the best individual lap time from segments three and four will decide the grid for the feature race.
The points have also been changed. In previous years, the 20-minute sprint race offered fewer points but now carries the same number as the 70-minute main race. So speed and endurance will be even more heavily emphasised.
Reid said: "Every driver is going to have to be mentally strong because the racing will be tight and pressure-packed.
"Team work will be crucial too. Rule changes for qualifying and adding a second pit stop to the feature race will mean strategy and execution will be equally vital and everyone has to perform their role to perfection."
While New Zealand will be among the favourites, after a fourth in the first year and second last year, they will not have an easy time. Germany (with new driver Christain Vietoris), France (Loic Duval), Britain (Oliver Jarvis), the Netherlands (Jerome Bleekemolen) and Malaysia (Alex Yoong) will be highly competitive again.
Karthikeyan, who has F1 experience, will be among the quickest and India could show up as a result, although their challenge may be consistency in the longer race.
Other possible contenders include Switzerland whose driver Neel Jani (eighth last season) is one of the better-rated; Ireland, who performed poorly last year but could show their potential through driver Ralph Firman and maybe Canada, whose driver James Hinchcliffe is in his second season and may be ready to lift Canada from last season's 11th placing.
Another possible dark horse is Mexico's Salvador Duran (10th last season) and Mexico has engaged a new team, Interwetten, to run their engineering and techncial support.
All this means closeness of competition, as Britain's Jarvis explained, making the point that it is unlikely Germany's consistent winning of races will be repeated.
"That means this season will probably be different from the first two in that a team can win the championship with consistent podium finishes," he said.
"With Germany winning so many races last season that would have been difficult then, but the competition is that much higher this season that more people will win races, and it will be about scoring regularly.
"Don't get me wrong, wins are what we want, but if we came away from Zandvoort with a good points haul and two podiums - I would consider that a very good start to the season."
