Mercedes: the team to beat for the Drivers' and Constructors' Championship this year. F1 W09 EQ Power+ looks fast and reliable in testing with many laps. Lewis Hamilton looks to retain his title. While, Valtteri Bottas retains for another season, who looks fast in testing.
Ferrari: Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen are retain for another season. SF71H looks fast in testing, better car, better power units in testing so far. Challenging for both championships is a must for Ferrari.
Red Bull: Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen are retain for another season. Retain the Renault power-units for another season under the Tag Heuer name, maybe still around 40-60bhp less than the Mercedes power-units. If the RB14 is on the right track Red Bull may shine. Top three in the constructors' standings must be their target at Red Bull this season.
Force India: Esteban Ocon and Sergio Pérez are retain for another season. VJM11 looks like an evolution from the VJM10 from last season. Looks fast in testing, and possible for Force India to retain fourth in the constructors' standings once again this season.
Williams: Out goes Felipe Massa into retirement. In comes Sergey Sirotkin alongside Lance Stroll who is retain for another season, although signing of Sergey Sirotkin could be question as both race drivers looked slow in testing compared to test-driver and former Grand Prix winner Robert Kubica. FW41 looks slow compare to last seasons car FW40, sixth in the constructors' standings must be their target this season at Williams ahead of the likes of Haas, Force India and Toro Rosso.
Renault: Nico Hulkenberg alongside Carlos Sainz, Jr. are retain for another season. R.S.18 look fast in testing. A few podiums may happen this season and fourth in the Constructors' standings might be the realistic target for Renault this season.
Toro Rosso: Renault power-units are out, Works Honda power-units are in. While, Pierre Gasly and Brendon Hartley are retain for another season. STR13 look fast in testing despite the Honda power-units are still lacking in power (maybe still around 60-80bhp less than the Mercedes power units). Sixth in the Constructors' standings might be the realistic target for Toro Rosso this season.
Haas: Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grosjean are retain for another season. The Dallara built VF-18 looks fast in testing matching times of Renault, Toro Rosso, Force India and McLaren. Retaining eighth in the Constructors' standings might be the realistic target once again for Haas this season.
McLaren: Works Honda power-units are out, customer Renault power-units are in. While, Fernando Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne are retain for another season, although Alonso will share his McLaren duties with Totota in World Endurance Series throughout 2018. McL33 looks more reliable car in testing compare to last season, although not bulletproof. McLaren will be a contender for podiums, if not race wins and fourth in the Constructors' standings might be the realistic target for McLaren this season.
Sauber: Out goes Pascal Wehrlein and in comes Charles Leclerc alongside Marcus Ericsson for another season. C37 looks reliable in testing, with the team using 2018 spec power-units from Ferrari with sponsorship coming from Alfa Romeo. Sauber target for this might be finishing ninth in the constructors' standings ahead of the likes of Williams, Force India and Toro Rosso.
So predictions time, who's going to win the World Drivers' Championship this season for 2018? My prediction is Sebastian Vettel for his fifth World Drivers' Championships this season because of performance and reliability in testing. The improvements from Ferrari might be enough for Vettel to win this seasons title.
But, if Vettel doesn't step up Lewis Hamilton could take his fifth World Drivers' Title if things goes his way. Don't count out either Valtteri Bottas and Kimi Raikkonen will also challenge for this years title as-well. Don't even count out both Red Bull drivers as-well, Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen and even Fernando Alonso too will go into this season as the dark horses for this season title if both Mercedes and Ferrari drivers' struggle. It will be another close drivers' championship once again this year in my opinion, as it might go down to the wire.
My top three prediction for the Drivers' Championship are:
1st Sebastian Vettel
2nd Lewis Hamilton
3rd Valtteri Bottas
Constructors' Championship: I will predict that Mercedes to win the constructors championships once again. And don't forget Ferrari and Red Bull, they will be certainly be challenging the constructors championship as-well.
My top three prediction for the Constructors' Championship are:
1st Mercedes
2nd Ferrari
3rd Red Bull
Predictions for this weekends Australian Grand Prix in the next post, for now, Bye.
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