The upcoming 2011 Formula One World Championship marks the return of the Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) introduced in 2009 and subsequently sidelined last season. But KERS isn’t the only hybrid system slated to appear on the Albert Park circuit when the season kicks off with the Australian Grand Prix on March 24.

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Not unlike the regenerative braking system, the Celebrity Challenge is a fixture set to return to this year’s Australian Grand Prix. Though absent the past couple of years, the event campaigns a field of famous folks driving identical cars that typically changes from year to year. And this year the race will be going a more environmentally-conscious (and luxurious) route with the Lexus CT 200h.

The 27 examples of the luxury hybrid sport-hatch – likely to be only mildly modified with race-spec safety equipment – will be on hand for the event. Lexus is touting it as “the first hybrid-only race staged globally” and will serve as the vehicle’s launch in the market Down Under.