Do not be too surprised if Formula One's pit-lane personnel look a good few years older this season.
Rival designers and engineers have spent the winter frantically trying to build new cars to respond to the raft of regulations which have been introduced in an attempt to cut speeds, reduce costs and spice up the show.
But spare a thought for the drivers too as they brace themselves for the consequences out on the track.
Where Michael Schumacher used to turn up at circuits knowing he could drive them in his sleep, his Friday sessions this season are likely to be spent re-learning braking distances and cornering speeds.
New restrictions to limit downforce mean cars will no longer be glued to the track by massive aerodynamic downforce and super-sticky tyres.
And the fact one set of tyres must now be made to last through qualifying and an entire Grand Prix could lead to a few hairy moments at the business end of races.
"It's more difficult everywhere," admits Renault's Fernando Alonso. "High-speed corners are probably not that different, but in the slow-speed corners, braking areas, traction, for sure it's a big loss.
"This is probably the trickiest part for the drivers, especially at the end of the run when the tyres have 300km behind them.
"In pre-season tests we saw a lot of people spinning, and at the end of races we will have to be very careful if we don't want to end up in the gravel.
 |  Overtaking is going to be more and more difficult |
"If you drive too aggressively, you could well lose too much time because the rear tyres won't be there.
"If you're fighting with someone, it will be difficult to be careful.
"But if you're alone and safe in your position, saving the rear tyre especially will be a help later in the race."
Toyota's new recruit Ralf Schumacher expects tyre conservation to be more of an issue in hotter conditions, and says the downforce rules could lead to less overtaking.
"That is going to be more and more difficult. Straight away, if you follow another car, you lose downforce even more," he said.
While many of the new rules were introduced to stop cars getting quicker, the indications so far have been that advances are still being made.
It appears tyre suppliers Michelin and Bridgestone have responded by developing impressively durable compounds with very consistent performance that allow speed to pick up as the weight of the fuel in the car is burnt off.
There is also confusion about the application of the tyre rule, which says tyres can be changed only if they are "punctured or damaged".
As it is up to race officials to decide if a change was legitimate, teams fear several race results may end up decided in the stewards' office.
Another issue at the back of the drivers' minds will be the engine rules.
| RULE CHANGES FOR 2005 One set of tyres to last through qualifying and the race Restrictions which could cut downforce by 25% Engines to last two race weekends. Changes penalised Qualifying Saturday pm and Sunday am - times aggregated |
Engines are now required to last for two whole race weekends, with drivers demoted 10 places down the grid or to the back - depending on the timing - if the engine has to be changed.
But Alonso believes the biggest adjustment for the drivers will be for the new qualifying format.
The first session on Saturday will see cars run a single qualifying lap with unrestricted fuel.
They will then have to run Sunday's final one-lap qualifying session with race fuel, with no further refuelling allowed before the race, with pole going to the driver with the quickest aggregate time.
"On Saturday you will have to do a perfect lap to have a little bit more room to play with strategy for Sunday morning," said the Spaniard.
"Maybe you can put some more fuel in if you do well on the Saturday. If not, you might have to be very light to be on the front of the grid."
The upshot of all the changes, according to Alonso's Renault team-mate Giancarlo Fisichella, is that drivers will have to be more focused than ever.
"It is going to be a little more difficult both mentally and physically because the car is more slippery," said Fisichella.
Whether the new rules will be enough to stave off yet another season of domination from Michael Schumacher and Ferrari, of course, is another matter entirely.
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