With five World Champions and a number of competitive cars on the grid, Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton were understandably excited at the launch of the MP4-26.

Button and his McLaren team-mate Lewis Hamilton - the 2008 World Champ - will be joined on the grid by current title holder Sebastian Vettel, two-time winner Fernando Alonso of Ferrari and Mercedes GP's seven-times Champion, Michael Schumacher.

With such experience and talent on show, Button admits it's going to be a challenging campaign, but one he is ready for.

"I have had good years and bad years, but this season promises to be one of the best I have been involved in," said Button.

"We will have five World Champions on the grid, plus guys like (Red Bull's) Mark Webber who have gone close to winning in the past.

"It's going to be close and it is going to be a good fight."

While there is plenty of competition across the paddock, having two hungry racers in the McLaren garage could be a recipe for trouble, but as was the case last year, Lewis Hamilton has no doubt that

Despite the plethora of talent across the paddock, Hamilton is confident that McLaren are well placed to claim the season's honours.

"We should have a more competitive season," he explained.

"We are pushing as hard as we can to be even more competitive than we were last season. I do feel optimistic."

Looking radically different from last year's model, the MP4-26 features a range of aerodynamic features designed to take advantage of new Formula One rules.

Beneath the skin, the car houses a new electric hybrid system as the team looks to build on last season's five Grand Prix victories.

McLaren finished second to Red Bull in the Constructor's competition while Hamilton was fourth and Button fifth in the Drivers' Championships.

There are several new changes for all the drivers to get used to this season.

Following Bridgestone's decision to withdraw their tyres at the end of last season after 13 years in Formula One, each team will now use Pirelli tyres.

There are more buttons on the steering wheel, partly because of the new electronically adjustable rear-wing system to make it easier for drivers to overtake and KERS has been re-introduced.

"There will be a lot of things to get used to, the amount of buttons, the tyres and the new wings, but it makes it all part of the fun," said Button.

"We'll all be used to the new changes once the new season starts."

Hamilton admits that the changes will provide a bigger challenge but is confident it's not one that cannot be adjusted to.

"We are always at the limit anyway, so if you give us more to do you're putting us more on the limit," he explained.

"But we're all in the same boat except for the people that don't have KERS.

"For the teams, it's a challenge to make it as simple as possible for us to use those devices. Our engineers have come up with some good ideas for us - it's quite easy to use really.

"Okay, when we're on full throttle on a qualifying lap, using KERS and the wing might be quite hard, but in the races it should be easier."

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Mclaren for WCC this year. Hamilton for WDC.