Vodafone McLaren Mercedes
Car: MP4-22
Drivers: Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton.
Alonso is obviously the driver to beat as he is the current world champion. He is also the only one on the grid to have won a world championship. Lewis Hamilton is hugely talented, but it remains to be seen if he can sustain the pressures of Formula 1 and being compared to his much more experienced team mate.
Also, the reliability of the McLaren is shaky. The new MP4-22 has shown it's reliability in the pre-season testing and has awesome speed as well. But speed was one thing the old unreliable McLaren never lacked.
Scuderia Ferrari
Car: F2007
Drivers: Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa
Kimi Raikkonen is long overdue for a world championship. He has come close 2 times in the past. In 2003 and in 2005. In 2005, he was let down big time bu his unreliable McLaren. Let's see if he shows the same speed in the Ferrari. Felipe Massa is young and inexperienced compared to Kimi. But he has shown immense promise in his first season at Ferrari alongside 7-time World Champion Michael Schumacher. He won two races and took 3 pole positions.
The Ferrari F2007 has shown immense speed and reliability in the testing period. Even though the whole team has been shaken up with the departure of Schumi, Ross BRawn, Jean Todt and Paolo Martinelli, Ferrari is still a very strong team. They are young and have great potential.
ING Renault
Car: R27
Drivers: Giancarlo Fisichella and Heikki Kovainen.
Renault are defending the constructor's world championship but very few people believe that they can bring home the trophy again this year. Fisichella is talented but he has always been overshadowed by his faster teammate Alonso. Now is his chance to show the world what he is capable of. Heikki Kovalainen is a newbie who will be making his race debut on March 18th in the Renault. He has shown he can be very fast in the testing he has done for Renault. But whether he and Fisichella can bring home any championship is the big question.
Renault have an all new design after their tie up with Dutch bank ING. Instead of the distinctive Yello and Blue colour, the new car is now Orange and Yellow. I think it looks really good....but then the 2005 McLaren MP4 was a stunner but was unreliable as hell
Honda
Car: RA107
Drivers: Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello
The Honda team really have a point to prove. They won their first race at last year's spectacular Hungarin Grand Prix. Jenson Button has been in F1 for a really long time and after finally getting his first win last season, is more confident. Rubens Barrichello struggled a lot last year with the Honda. But this year, he will be on Bridgestones. Let's hope that can make him fast again. He has somehow not shown the speed he showed at Ferrari.
BMW Sauber
Car: F1.07
Drivers: Nick Heidfeld and Robert Kubica
Kubica is an immensely talented driver and he made a very impressive debut last season. He is definitely on course to accomplish a lot in F1. Nick Heidfeld is the more experienced one iin the line-up. He has had 115 Grand Prix starts but not a single win.
The new car seems to very fast and BMW are already ahead of their schedule. The original plan had been to get points in 2006 and be on the podium in 2007. But they have already been on the podium in 2006. Expect this team to do very well.
Panasonic Toyota
Car: TF107
Drivers: Ralf Schumacher and Jarno Trulli
These two are really experienced drivers. Among the most experienced on the grid. But it has never translated to good results. Ralf claims he is among the top 3 drivers on the grid. Time for him to show that what he believes is the truth.
An intense rivalry is developing between the Toyota team and the Honda team. Honda drew first blood by winning their first grand prix before Toyota. Let's see if Toyota can take the fight to Honda this year.
Red Bull Renault
Car: RB3
Drivers: David Coulthard and Mark Webber
This is a team to watch out. They have huge funds, have very good drivers in DC and Mark Webber. DC is the oldest driver on the grid and will have a point to prove to make his critics eat the humble pie. He has often been called a better hotelier than a driver.
Mark Webber has yet to fulfill his potential. He made an impressive debut, scoring points in his first race in 2002 with Minardi.
AT&T Williams
Car: FW29
Drivers: Nico Rosberg and Alex Wurz
Alex Wurz finally gets a race seat after years of testing for McLaren. Nico Rosberg is also fast as he showed in flashes last year.
The big talking point is that Williams are so low that they have no place to go but up. This year will definitely be a better one for them. They really need to do well after 2006 which was the worst year in 30 years of F1.
Spyker
CAR: F8-VII Ferrari
Drivers: Christijan Albers and Adrian Sutil
Spyker are a new entry. They will find it difficult to score points too. They are using a Ferrari engine and while that will be reliable, they will need to work very hard to get the balance of the car right.
Scuderia Toro Rosso and Super Aguri
These teams will be bringing up the tail of the grid. Expect them to struggle throughout the year to score even a few points.
These 2 teams have been in the news for all the wrong reasons as the FIA didnt give them the green signal for racing untiul the last moment as some teams claimed that the cars were just clones of last years' Red Bull and Honda cars respectively.
Drivers for Toro Rosso: Vitantonio Luizzi and Scott Speed
Luizzi is very talented. Scott Speed doesnt really do justice to his name. But they are capable of scraping in a few points.
Drivers for Super Aguri: Anthony Davidson and Takuma Sato.
Anthony Davidson finally gets the race seat he deserves
Conclusion:
The main battle this season will be between Ferrari and McLaren. Renault will be third I guess. Honda could challenge them if they get their act together. I miss the days when Williams was at the front. Williams, Toyota, BMW and Red Bull will make the middle of the grid. Williams could move up ahead if they really get going but I dont see that happening this season.
The rest of the teams like Super Aguri, Toro Rosso and Spyker will make up the last few rows of the grid.
Car: MP4-22
Drivers: Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton.
Alonso is obviously the driver to beat as he is the current world champion. He is also the only one on the grid to have won a world championship. Lewis Hamilton is hugely talented, but it remains to be seen if he can sustain the pressures of Formula 1 and being compared to his much more experienced team mate.
Also, the reliability of the McLaren is shaky. The new MP4-22 has shown it's reliability in the pre-season testing and has awesome speed as well. But speed was one thing the old unreliable McLaren never lacked.
Scuderia Ferrari
Car: F2007
Drivers: Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa
Kimi Raikkonen is long overdue for a world championship. He has come close 2 times in the past. In 2003 and in 2005. In 2005, he was let down big time bu his unreliable McLaren. Let's see if he shows the same speed in the Ferrari. Felipe Massa is young and inexperienced compared to Kimi. But he has shown immense promise in his first season at Ferrari alongside 7-time World Champion Michael Schumacher. He won two races and took 3 pole positions.
The Ferrari F2007 has shown immense speed and reliability in the testing period. Even though the whole team has been shaken up with the departure of Schumi, Ross BRawn, Jean Todt and Paolo Martinelli, Ferrari is still a very strong team. They are young and have great potential.
ING Renault
Car: R27
Drivers: Giancarlo Fisichella and Heikki Kovainen.
Renault are defending the constructor's world championship but very few people believe that they can bring home the trophy again this year. Fisichella is talented but he has always been overshadowed by his faster teammate Alonso. Now is his chance to show the world what he is capable of. Heikki Kovalainen is a newbie who will be making his race debut on March 18th in the Renault. He has shown he can be very fast in the testing he has done for Renault. But whether he and Fisichella can bring home any championship is the big question.
Renault have an all new design after their tie up with Dutch bank ING. Instead of the distinctive Yello and Blue colour, the new car is now Orange and Yellow. I think it looks really good....but then the 2005 McLaren MP4 was a stunner but was unreliable as hell
Honda
Car: RA107
Drivers: Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello
The Honda team really have a point to prove. They won their first race at last year's spectacular Hungarin Grand Prix. Jenson Button has been in F1 for a really long time and after finally getting his first win last season, is more confident. Rubens Barrichello struggled a lot last year with the Honda. But this year, he will be on Bridgestones. Let's hope that can make him fast again. He has somehow not shown the speed he showed at Ferrari.
BMW Sauber
Car: F1.07
Drivers: Nick Heidfeld and Robert Kubica
Kubica is an immensely talented driver and he made a very impressive debut last season. He is definitely on course to accomplish a lot in F1. Nick Heidfeld is the more experienced one iin the line-up. He has had 115 Grand Prix starts but not a single win.
The new car seems to very fast and BMW are already ahead of their schedule. The original plan had been to get points in 2006 and be on the podium in 2007. But they have already been on the podium in 2006. Expect this team to do very well.
Panasonic Toyota
Car: TF107
Drivers: Ralf Schumacher and Jarno Trulli
These two are really experienced drivers. Among the most experienced on the grid. But it has never translated to good results. Ralf claims he is among the top 3 drivers on the grid. Time for him to show that what he believes is the truth.
An intense rivalry is developing between the Toyota team and the Honda team. Honda drew first blood by winning their first grand prix before Toyota. Let's see if Toyota can take the fight to Honda this year.
Red Bull Renault
Car: RB3
Drivers: David Coulthard and Mark Webber
This is a team to watch out. They have huge funds, have very good drivers in DC and Mark Webber. DC is the oldest driver on the grid and will have a point to prove to make his critics eat the humble pie. He has often been called a better hotelier than a driver.
Mark Webber has yet to fulfill his potential. He made an impressive debut, scoring points in his first race in 2002 with Minardi.
AT&T Williams
Car: FW29
Drivers: Nico Rosberg and Alex Wurz
Alex Wurz finally gets a race seat after years of testing for McLaren. Nico Rosberg is also fast as he showed in flashes last year.
The big talking point is that Williams are so low that they have no place to go but up. This year will definitely be a better one for them. They really need to do well after 2006 which was the worst year in 30 years of F1.
Spyker
CAR: F8-VII Ferrari
Drivers: Christijan Albers and Adrian Sutil
Spyker are a new entry. They will find it difficult to score points too. They are using a Ferrari engine and while that will be reliable, they will need to work very hard to get the balance of the car right.
Scuderia Toro Rosso and Super Aguri
These teams will be bringing up the tail of the grid. Expect them to struggle throughout the year to score even a few points.
These 2 teams have been in the news for all the wrong reasons as the FIA didnt give them the green signal for racing untiul the last moment as some teams claimed that the cars were just clones of last years' Red Bull and Honda cars respectively.
Drivers for Toro Rosso: Vitantonio Luizzi and Scott Speed
Luizzi is very talented. Scott Speed doesnt really do justice to his name. But they are capable of scraping in a few points.
Drivers for Super Aguri: Anthony Davidson and Takuma Sato.
Anthony Davidson finally gets the race seat he deserves
Conclusion:
The main battle this season will be between Ferrari and McLaren. Renault will be third I guess. Honda could challenge them if they get their act together. I miss the days when Williams was at the front. Williams, Toyota, BMW and Red Bull will make the middle of the grid. Williams could move up ahead if they really get going but I dont see that happening this season.
The rest of the teams like Super Aguri, Toro Rosso and Spyker will make up the last few rows of the grid.
