TEAM-BY-TEAM

0 Comments | Sunday Herald, The, Mar 9, 2008

Australian Grand Prix, Albert Park, Melbourne.

Qualifying: Saturday March 15, 2am, ITV1

Race: Sunday March 16, 3.30am, ITV1

Ferrari Engine: Ferrari 1: Kimi Raikkonen Age: 28, Finland Debut: Australia 2001 Record: 120 GPs, 15 wins, 14 poles Last year: World Champion 2. Felipe Massa Age: 26, Brazil Debut: Australia 2002 Record: 87 GPs, 5 wins, 9 poles Last year: 4th If Ferrari was deemed strong in the Schumacher era, the pairing the Maranello outfit will boast through 2008 seems unbeatable. Having nicked the world title at the last gasp, Raikkonen starts the season confident, and with the loss of many electronic aids he should win races at a canter. Massa is eager to pressure to his team-mate and between them they should easily win the manufacturers' championship. The drivers' title? That's a tougher call.

BMW/Sauber Engine: BMW 3. Nick Heidfeld Age: 30, Germany Debut: Australia, 2000 Record: 132 GPs, 0 wins, 1 poles Last year: 5th 4. Robert Kubica Age 23, Poland Debut: Hungary 2006 Record: 22 GPs, 0 wins, 0 poles Last year: 6th Following the exclusion of McLarenMercedes from last year's constructors' championship, Heidfeld and Kubica find themselves in the No2-ranked team. Between them they only managed two podiums last year, so their elevation flatters them. The demands, and expectations, from the Board members at BMW is to achieve race wins this year. In all honesty, barring the non-finish of both Ferraris and McLarens, that seems unlikely.

Renault Engine: Renault 5: Fernando Alonso Age: 26, Spain Debut: Australia 2001 Record: 103 GPs, 19 wins, 17 poles Last year: 3rd 6: Nelson Piquet Jnr Age: 22, Brazil Record: n/a Last year: n/a The Million Dollar Question: How will Alonso react to his miserable 2007 season at McLaren? Until the first race, we won't know. Fair to say though that the Renault has looked short of pace compared to the Ferrari and McLaren and that, combined with the absence of traction control, would further widen the gap between the double world champ and his two main rivals. Piquet Jr meanwhile promises to be one of the season's mustwatch young drivers.

Williams Engine: Toyota 7: Nico Rosberg Age: 22, Germany Record: 35 GPs, 0 wins, 0 poles Last year: 9th 8: Kazuki Nakajima Age: 23, Japan Record: n/a Last year: n/a Williams have retained the services of Rosberg for 2008 and that guarantees continuity for a team slowly emerging from the doldrums.

The German though must continue his high standards and deliver slightly more than 2007 if Williams is to retain its position at the head of the midfield. The decision to sign the fast Nakajima, remains open to debate. Testing's one thing; how he copes with the heat of a grand prix is another.

Red Bull Racing Engine: Renault 9: David Coulthard Age: 36, Scotland Record: 228 GPs, 13 wins, 12 poles Last year: 10th 10: Mark Webber Age: 31, Australia Record: 103 GPs, 0 wins, 0 poles Last year: 12th Coulthard remains one of the most professional, and fastest, drivers on the circuit. Webber, meanwhile, continues to flatter to deceive, though this might just be the year he makes the leap forward. But what both drivers seriously need this season is a car which will consistently get them to the end of races. With the 2008 car penned totally by design guru Adrian Newey, both drivers will be making sure they are gunning for podiums.

Toyota Engine: Toyota 11: Jarno Trulli Age: 33, Italy Record: 181 GPs, 1 win, 3 poles Last year: 13th 12: Timo Glock Age: 25, Germany Record: n/a Last year: n/a Each season seems to be 'the' season Toyota might get it right.

This season is no different; they will deliver the odd race of promise and inspiration, and the next grand prix they will be back among the alsorans struggling to get points. Trulli has the ability to produce racewinning laps, but so often gets bogged down in races. The one big positive is the lacklustre Ralf Schumacher has gone, replaced by Glock who can't do any worse than his fellow countryman.

Toro Rosso Engine: Ferrari 14: Sebastien Bourdais Age: 29, France Record: n/a Last year: n/a 15: Sebastian Vettel Age: 20, Germany Record: 8 GPs, 0 wins, 0 poles Last year: 14th This might just be the ultimate surprise team of 2008. Vettel, we know, is fast. Bourdais meanwhile has shone in Champ Cars in the United States where he bagged no less than four titles. Throw in the fact that, like Red Bull (this is the sister team) it has an Adrian Newey- designed car and boasts Ferrari power, Torro Rosso could well go on to ruffle more than a few feathers.

Honda Engine: Honda 16: Jenson Button Age: 28, England Record: 135 GPs, 1 wins, 3 poles Last year: 15th 17: Rubens Barrichello Age: 35, Brazil Record: 249 GPs, 9 wins, 13 poles Last year: 20th Let's take one thing for granted, this season can't be any worse than 2007. Last year's car was a complete dog, and almost unraceable. Understandably both drivers struggled and heads dropped. By mid- season all focus was on 2008. With introduction of ex-Ferrari maestro Ross Brawn to a senior technical management position, things are well and truly on the up.