Mercedes start favourites

London, March 13: The following are the team by team prospects for the Formula One season starting in Melbourne on March 25, listed in 2017 championship order.

The racing numbers before the drivers’ names are those they have chosen for the duration of their grand prix careers:

MERCEDES 44- Lewis Hamilton ( Britain), 77- Valtteri Bottas ( Finland).

Hamilton ( 33) is going for his fifth title and starts as a favourite with the new W09 car looking quick and very reliable. The Briton was fastest in the first pre- season test but the top teams could be closer this year. Bottas ( 28) needs to convince Mercedes to keep him on with others eyeing his seat.

Likely outcome: Champions for fifth year in a row. Hamilton to defend his title. ● Daniel Ricciardo is out of contract at the end of the year but the Red Bull team want him to stay. Much will depend on the Renault engine but Red Bull should be closer to the top and aiming for wins.

FERRARI 5- Sebastian Vettel ( Germany), 7- Kimi Raikkonen ( Finland). Vettel ( 30) was runner- up last year with five wins to Hamilton’s nine. This year is the 10th since Ferrari last won a title and the team hope to end that, with the focus on Vettel. Raikkonen ( 38) last won a race with Lotus in 2013 and is the oldest driver on the grid. He looks like being in his final season and will be expected to play a supporting role.

Likely outcome: Top three, but maybe only third.

RED BULL 3- Daniel Ricciardo ( Australia), 33- Max Verstappen ( The

Netherlands) Verstappen ( 20) ended 2017 strongly, his two wins in the last six races matched only by Hamilton. Ricciardo ( 28) is out of contract at the end of the year but the team want him to stay. Much will depend on the Renault engine but Red Bull should be closer to the top and aiming for wins.

Likely outcome: Top three, more likely second than first.

FORCE INDIA

11- Sergio Perez ( Mexico), 31- Esteban Ocon ( France).

Punching above their weight for the past two years, Force India face a big task to finish fourth for the third year in a row. Perez ( 28) and Ocon ( 21) are likely to be in the sights of Renault and McLaren, if not Williams.

Likely outcome: Dropping down. Fifth at best.

WILLIAMS

18- Lance Stroll ( Canada), 35- Sergey Sirotkin ( Russia).

The youngest line- up on the starting grid, with rookie Sirotkin ( 22) on one side of the garage and Stroll ( 19) on the other. The lack of experience could count against them.

Likely outcome: Only one direction and that’s downwards, possibly as low as seventh.

RENAULT

27- Nico Hulkenberg ( Germany), 55- Carlos Sainz ( Spain).

The former champions are on the way up, with hungry drivers and an engine that took Red Bull to three wins last year.