Vettel the early favourite for victory in Australia according to users of the Grand Prix Predictor

The 2010 and '11 champion is the stand-out favourite to get his title defence off to the perfect start in the Grand Prix Predictor, which allows users to compete for prizes by forecasting the top 10 in every grand prix over to the 2012 season.

Users can also play against a panel of motorsport Experts, including three-time grand prix winner Johnny Herbert, triple WTCC champion Andy Priaulx, sportscar ace Darren Turner and AUTOSPORT itself.

A new feature of this year's game is the ability to track real-time what other users of the Predictor have chosen, and Vettel emerges as the obvious favourite.

The German is tipped for victory by around sixty per cent of users, easily the highest concentration of any driver.

Fans seem to believe it will be one of McLaren's Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button who will offer Vettel the sternest test, with almost nothing to choose between the British duo.

Interestingly Button is the most selected driver, narrowly ahead of Vettel.

While Mark Webber and Fernando Alonso are fairly steady choices for fourth and fifth respectively, the general spread in the lower points-paying positions reflects the high degree of uncertainty ahead of the 2012 opener.

Mercedes' Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher are both in the mix for sixth through to 10th according to users, but so too are Felipe Massa and Lotus's 2007 world champion Kimi Raikkonen.

In fact some have even tipped Raikkonen to win in Melbourne, although the majority have him finishing slightly further down in the points.

The fight for tenth is equally fraught, with Romain Grosjean, Paul di Resta and Kamui Kobayashi among the favourites for the final point of the opening round.

Registering a team in the Grand Prix Predictor is free, and predictions can be changed up to five minutes before the start of qualifying.

To visit the site, and to compete against AUTOSPORT and the other Experts, visit predictor.autosport.com.