With the Formula One season about to get under way, we preview the ten teams competing in the championship.

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MERCEDES

Drivers: Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas

Verdict: Winners. Strong in testing, Mercedes are reliable, the drivers believe in the car and team is considerable favourites to clinch a fifth consecutive championship. With Lewis Hamilton at the helm, they are once again the team to beat.

FERRARI

Drivers: Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen

Verdict: 3rd. The Italian marquee have not moved on as far as Mercedes over the winter but retain strong balance. Have the potential to cause an upset but will be on the backfoot in Australia.

RED BULL

Drivers: Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen

Verdict: 2nd. Showed they have a competitive car during testing and can expect to kick-start their season on a positive note in Melbourne. Although they are curtailed by the Renault engine, they look closer to Mercedes than Ferrari.

FORCE INDIA

Drivers: Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon

Verdict: 4th. With the improvements of Renault and McLaren, it could be a tougher battle in the midfield this season. New upgrades will dictate their competitive level in Melbourne.

WILLIAMS

Drivers: Lance Stroll and Sergey Sirotkin

Verdict: 7th. The youngest and most inexperienced team on the grid, but Paddy Lowe’s ambitious plan has the potential to push his team to the max with development driver Robert Kubica gunning for a chance to shine.

RENAULT

Drivers: Nico Hulkenberg and Carlos Sainz

Verdict: 6th. It’s unlikely we will see signs of their improvements until the second half of the season as the team focus on reliability first with power expected in latter races. It’ll be interesting to see how far they are off the top three.

TORO ROSSO

Drivers: Brendon Hartley and Pierre Gasly

Verdict: 9th. If Honda can deliver expectations, it could be a big step forward for the duo who are the only F1 pair without a point. Expect them to throw in a surprise or two.

HAAS

Drivers: Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen

Verdict: 8th. Showed consistent single lap times in testing and have serious potential to threaten their midfield rivals. With a car boasting pace and balance, they could be the surprise package of 2018.

McLAREN

Drivers: Fernando Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne

Verdict: 5th. With a strong engine and the promise of challenging for podiums, this should a rewarding year for both drivers. Failure to achieve formidable results will be a major negative for what is meant to be an improving side.

SAUBER

Drivers: Marcus Ericsson and Charles Leclerc

Verdict: 10th. Although the car lacked grip and pace in Barcelona, the team is still optimistic about their season, especially with the new Ferrari engine. It’ll be exciting to see how Charles Leclerc fares on the grand stage.