F1: Preview of 2014 season

22 F1 cars will grace the streets of Albert Park on the 16th of March. That said, not all may finish the season, for only 5 of 11 teams are financially stable- Red Bull and sister team Toro Rosso, Mercedes, Ferrari and Mclaren. The other mid-pack teams are not so stable, although various sponsorships and prize money should enable the likes of Force India, Lotus, Sauber and Williams to pull through the season. Caterham should be safe too, for owner Tony Fernandes is worth $625 odd million. Same can’t be said for Russian team Marussia, for the last time someone checked, they were in the red. Finances aside, let’s see what sort of machine the teams will bring to the races. Red Bull has dominated the sport for the past few years now. Will their RB10 be competitive enough to make it 5 in a row? We shall see. Most tip Mclaren to produce the best car for 2014. Out of the front runners they were the first to start the development of their 2014 challenger, and as history teaches us, Mclaren are renowned for bouncing back from tough seasons to fight for championships the next season. Ferrari should be a force as well; we expect Raikkonen and Alonso to have brilliant on track battles all season long, and if Ferrari makes a decent car, they should be up there as well. Mercedes have a strong lineup too; they surprised many in 2013 as they battled with the Red Bulls for poles and wins. As for the rest of the field, many anticipate an increase in competitiveness, as the new regulations means a level playing ground for the teams. 5 world champions, all in front running cars. Kimi Raikkonen, Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button and Sebastian Vettel. Who will take home the title in 2014? We’ll know in Abu Dhabi on the 23rd of November. Pictures used for illustration purposes only.