It seems a lifetime ago that the sun was setting in Abu Dhabi over the most expensive white elephant in F1 history. Four months later and the big hope for the 2010 season is that the product a state of the art circuit failed to deliver, spanking new technical regulations will.
This year it's all about action and overtaking. And Schumi.
When they line up on the grid on Sunday it won't be about Lewis vs Jenson in the same team, it won't be about Fernando at Ferrari, it won't be about the return of Lotus, the return of Felipe Massa, the return of the Senna name and Mercedes' silver arrows - even though all of those items would be enough to command a news story in world sports bulletins.
THE story is the return of Michael Schumacher, a man who has managed to dominate his chosen sport without having his wife hurl a three-wood through his rear windscreen.
And whereas another steely athlete, Lance Armstrong, was able to return to his chosen sport and be relatively successful, Schumacher still has all the tools to win. Pundits may be guessing that Mercedes are just a bit down on Ferrari and McLaren, but no-one has yet to fit their race-going aero package.
Schumi aside, if you combine all the above elements and then add in a fair sprinkling of rookies, some back-from-the-brink F1 teams (Sauber and Renault) and some new ones (Virgin and Hispania) then you have the ingredients for the Mother of All Opening Races.
Into this heady mix of expectation you have to add the fact...that nobody knows what is going to happen when the cars start racing on full tanks. Not even the drivers who've been out there on full tanks!
Take a lot of people's favourite Sebastian Vettel: "Everyone's starting with lots of fuel. We don't really know how the race will unfold yet. It could be exciting and crazy and everyone will enjoy it. But it could be very boring and the way you are after five laps it could be where you are at the chequered flag as well."
Or how about someone who's raced on full tanks in 1993, Rubens Barrichello: "I think there will be more overtaking most probably. I think it is going to be a mixed thing because there will be cars that are eventually better on low fuel than high fuel, or the other way around."
What about the man everyone rates as the most complete F1 driver, Fernando Alonso: "We need to give some time to the new regulations to see how the races are. If we see more overtaking, if not? Maybe the races are very spectacular or maybe the races are very boring. We need to wait and see a few races to see if the new regulations are working or not.
Given the choice, returning trophymeister, Michael Schumacher would sooner have the 2009 regs back, "...for the simple fact it leaves more scope for strategy. Naturally, as a race driver you want to drive the fastest car and if you have full tanks to half full tanks it naturally makes a big difference."
And what about the current World Champ, Jensinho: "I think the differences from qualifying to the races will be bigger than we've seen before. Some cars will be very good on light fuel, maybe not so good on 150/160 kilos of fuel, so it's going to be interesting to see."
So there you have it. They don't really know, do they.
As to who is likely to win the first round of the season it's likely to be one of the big four teams of Red Bull, Mercedes, McLaren and Ferrari. They have come out of the haze of winter testing with consistently fast times. McLaren were quickest of all with Lewis Hamilton's long-run pace edging out the Ferrari in the cool conditions of Barcelona.
Whether or not the McLaren pace translates to the abrasive track and warmer climate of Bahrain is anybody's guess.
On single lap pace the top four were incredibly close. Given the new switch to low-fuel runs in Qualifying 3, Saturday afternoons should have been banzai heaven...if only it weren't for the fact that the top 10 will all have to take their qualifying tyres into the race.
A lock-up in qualifying could prove to be very expensive. This will do very nicely for the uber smooth Jenson Button and not so well for the seat-of-the-pants Lewis Hamilton.
At the front of the grid it may be too close to call, but at the back of the grid there will be drama too. Lest it be forgotten Hibernia Racing have yet to roll a wheel in anger and they'll be keen to see the car putting in respectable lap time on Friday.
Felipe Massa was particularly outspoken about the new teams being a danger to other drivers because of their lack of pace, citing the gap of four seconds as being unacceptable. In the 'old days' when drivers had to qualify within 107% of the polesitter's time, on a lap of 1:20 seconds you could be five and a half seconds slower if you wanted and still get in the race.
If Lotus and Virgin extend their Barcelona progress then they should be within that window, it's only the latecomers Hispania where the jury is out.
The one good thing about the new teams for all the races this year will be the way they go out and hoover up the dust and dirt from the racing line in their bid to get mileage on the car. For that, the top drivers ought to be grateful.
We are on the brink of F1's most memorable season and once the dust has settled on Sunday afternoon we will know a lot more about the likely battles through to Abu Dhabi in November. Nobody will want a DNF, everyone will want to get some full-tank running, so expect a lot of caution into Turn 1. For a change.
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