Several changes to the Formula One rulebook for the 2003 season - from the new one-lap qualifying format to the banning of traction control by July - are likely to create a renewed interest among racing fans. Karl Ludvigsen looks at the reasons why 2003 is a year to look forward to

A win is a win, but some wins are better than others. Any driver will tell you that. When he was driving for McLaren, Dan Gurney recalled that "I won a Can-Am race and didn't get any satisfaction out of winning. Who had I whipped?" The guys finishing behind him weren't the rivals he was used to testing himself against, the Clarks and Mosses with whom he'd dueled in the past. Gurney's philosophy was pure: "I aim for a win where you beat the best guys there are without them being in any kind of trouble, but that kind of race doesn't happen very often." No, it doesn't, but to win under such circumstances is what a driver most savors.

Take World Championships, for instance. No one doubts the capabilities of Damon Hill and Jacques Villeneuve, but their Championships in the dominant Williams-Renault will always be subject to question. Did their skill bring them the cup, or did they owe their success to a superior car? The same must apply to some of Michael Schumacher's Championships. If Michael hadn't been driving for Ferrari last year, Rubens Barrichello would have been the champ. Nobody doubts Rubinho's ability, but is he the world's best racing driver? We are entitled to have our doubts.

Accordingly I'm delighted by the FIA's move to go back to basics in Formula One, to strip driver aids from the cars in a way that will put their pilots more in command. We can rightly assume, I think, that some Grand Prix car designers made better use of these systems than others, and that some drivers did likewise. Without these aids, we'll be giving the better drivers a chance to show what they're made of. Some, the up-and-coming talents of this world, have never driven Formula One cars that didn't have these helpful systems. I'll look forward to seeing how they cope. We aren't quite back to the gate-style shifting that Alain Prost wanted, but we're getting close.

This would seem to be an environment in which the young da Matta could flourish. The 29-year-old Brazilian comes to Formula One from the rough-and-tumble world of CART, where driver aids are unknown. Although his seemed to be a highly political appointment blessed by Toyota's global strategy, it could just be a shrewd one.

It will suit Cristiano that he won't be expected to know all the tracks in his first season; Panis is the driver expected to carry the mail for the Cologne-based team. But in his electrifying debut season for Sauber, Kimi Raikkonen showed that learning the circuits can come easily to a talented racer. And 2003 should be the best year yet for drivers new to the Formula One circus. They won't have to cope with that daunting Spa track, and all the other circuits are being modified to make them as much alike as possible.

Adding to this season's appeal is the signing of drivers on the basis of demonstrated skill instead of deep pockets. To be sure, money has helped Justin Wilson get his seat, but talent has been generously in evidence. And Formula One has found the cash needed to let Jordan sign Ralph Firman, another Brit with excellent credentials. Both have the potential to do well in Grand Prix racing. What they conspicuously lack, however, are nicknames. Justin Wilson? Ralph Firman? As Homer Simpson would say, "Booooring!" Wilson should take a tip from 1940s American racer William Cantlon and adopt the nickname "Shorty." Firman? That's a toughie, but "Duke" Nalon could provide a hint.

Speaking of nicknames, the best news I've had about the 2003 season so far is the return of Jos "The Boss" Verstappen. Jos may not be the most subtle racer ever to take to the track, but he knows how to pick a car up by the scruff of its neck and make it perform. This has every chance of helping Minardi cope with the new one-lap qualifying format. Until the news of his hiring came through, I was downcast after the 2002 season with all its controversies on and off the track. I thought I'd lost interest. Now I'm quite looking forward to 2003, which will get even better during the season with the changes in the cars and the launch of the new McLaren.

But I will miss Spa - big time.