The 2008 season of the Formula 1 Grand Prix starts with this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne albeit in slightly unusual circumstances with all driving aids removed and as usual the scarlet cars from Italy are the firm favourites with both the 2008 car and 2008 champion Kimi Raikkonen seemingly getting better during the off season. Added to that, in what could be a problem of plenty, their number 2 driver Felipe Massa is anything but that and is well nigh capable of claiming the top step of a few podiums himself. It will indeed take some racing to prevent the team from Maranello to the title.

For McLaren, you might say last year was Shakespearean – the best of times, the worst of times – with the reigning World Champion, the hottest rookie driver in the midst of a dream debut and an increasingly competitive and at times the best car the team started out with a bang and led the Driver’s and Constructors titles for a long time before ending in a whimper in the much publicised Alonso – Hamilton spat and the infamous ‘Spygate’ scandal to finish with 0 points. This year sees McLaren in a strong position to challenge Ferrrari with Hamilton going on to be the numero uno driver in only his second year and accompanied by another ambitious youngster Heikki Kovalainen and the new MP4-23 chassis setting the early pace this season.

The Middle Tier will be led by the two-time World Champion Fernando Alonso returning this year to his old stable at Renault. While Renault is predicted to be off-pace from the top-two with Fernando it would be more of a challenge for podium positions along with other contenders like BMW, Williams and Red Bull. Red Bulls driver Mark Webber is a local and will enjoy tremendous crowd support in his home Grand Prix.

The Top Half of the bottom rung are two teams which are in unfamiliar territory, the two Japanese teams of Toyota and Honda with a strong pedigree of passenger cars and deep pockets should have moved up by now, but after a forgettable season in 2007, will be trying hard to make it to the chasing pack.

Which brings us to sentimental local favourite Force India, looking to start off where it left as Spyker. Manned by one of the most experienced drivers in Fisichella who was champion in Australia and Adrian Sutil and Mike Gascoyne looking up the montiors in the pit lane, Force India has a reasonable roster. A tribute to Vijay Mallya’s reputation is that amongst F1 fans it is already spoken of as a serious middle level competitor even before its first race. For a quick reality check however Mr. Mallya will just have to look in front of him on the racing grid to see the Toyotas, Hondas and BMWs who with superior experience and long years of testing and racing are still middling teams to realize what he is up against. But he should also be able to see the Super Aguri team in his rear view mirrors and hope that one day it will be a Ferrari or a McLaren there.

First Posted at Prem Panicker's on March 14, 2008.