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With Ferrari and Sebastian Vettel ahead after 2 races of the 2018 Formula One Season, we go to China for the next chapter in this scintillating season.
Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton are close behind, and so early in the season a number of teams are in the mix for third. McLaren, Red Bull, Haas, Toro Rosso? It's all going down!
With everything to drive for so early in the season, the always unique Chinese Grand Prix could throw anything at the teams and drivers this year. Another wet race? A consecutive tire burner?
Mercedes and Ferrari are firmly on top, but at this point, and at this circuit, does anyone really know what's going to happen?
We sure don't, but like always, that won't stop us from trying!
#1 Hamilton on pole
Having secured a pole position this season in Australia, and after being ousted from the front row in Bahrain by the furious Ferraris, Hamilton will be looking to extend his pole position record to 74 this weekend in China.
A Mercedes has been on pole in China for every Grand Prix here from 2012 until today, hinting that the German team has got something right when it comes to this circuit.
No doubt, part of this comes from the powerful Mercedes engine which is heavily suited to main straights. The Chinese circuit has the joint longest main straight of the season (joint with Baku and Yas Marina,) allowing the silver arrows to get more out of this circuit than many others.
We would also be remiss if we didn't mention Mercedes infamous 'Party Mode'. No doubt, turning up the engine power over a 1 lap stint does wonders on this power hungry track.
#2 Toro Rosso double failure
F1 is sometimes a cruel sport, and just a week after Toro Rosso's sister team Red Bull, was the victim of a double failure in Bahrain, we predict that the same ailment will befall the Scuderia in China. After a stunning performance in Bahrain produced a P4 for Pierre Gasly, we can only hope that the team has continuous luck like this in the future.
However, if we've learnt anything from Honda's recent re-entry into F1, it's to always wait with bated breath when it comes to their engines. After being pushed so hard in Bahrain by Pierre Gasly, if there's ever a time for a Honda Engine failure it's right now.
On top of this, Gasly shaved his lucky beard ahead of the Chinese GP, yet another omen looming over Honda's engine this weekend.
As for Brendon Hartley, after finishing P15 in Australia and P17 in Bahrain after a shunt with Sergio Perez, he will be looking for a break in China. However, looking at his luck as of now, the only thing that seems likely to break is his engine.
#3 Force India resurgence
After a great 2017 season, finishing 4th behind Red Bull and over a 100 points ahead of 5th place Williams, Force India has had a rocky start to the 2018 season.
With Esteban Ocon picking up a solitary point at the Bahrain Grand Prix, Force India stand second from last, only ahead of Williams who haven't had a car in the points yet.
Force India managed to make the best of a smaller budget and put a solid chassis on the Mercedes engine, scoring double point-finishes in all but 4 of the races in 2017. This year, Force India will need to compete against promising challenges from McLaren, Toro Rosso, Haas and Renault, as well as with the top 3 teams in Ferrari, Red Bull and Mercedes.
With the improvements that seem to be coming quickly for the 'Pink Panthers', and hopefully a lack of incidents in Shanghai, we hope that Force India will bounce back and assert their dominance in the midfield in China once more.
Last year, Force India garnered a P9 and P10 finish in China, so this track was not the worst for them. Let's see if the 'Pink Powerhouse' can salvage the start of this season.
#4 Verstappen on the podium
With rain showers being forecast all weekend long in China this year, it seems all but certain that we will see another wet derby this time around.
After a brilliant drive last year saw Verstappen charge in the wet from 19th to 3rd, and with a similar performance in the wet in Brazil, the stage seems set and ready for Verstappen to bounce back from a DNF in Bahrain, and throw his Red Bull onto the podium in China.
Last time around in China, Verstappen managed to get past all of the midfield, plus Valtteri Bottas, and Kimi Raikkonen, before battling it out with teammate Daniel Ricciardo to secure the last podium position.
With a consistently quick car, the Red Bulls could be serious title contenders this year, and with rain on the horizon, we see the Dutchman flying through the pack to a top spot on Sunday!
#5 Mercedes 1-2
After two Grands Prix, and two less than ideal situations for Mercedes, it's hard to believe that the German outfit won't bounce back and pull one over on the 'Prancing Horse' Ferrari.
If Sebastian Vettel doesn't win the World Championship this year, it will be the first time since 1982 that the winner of the first 2 races didn't win the Championship.
This is a stat that Mercedes will most certainly want to bring into reality this year and, to do so, they will need to ensure that Hamilton and Bottas don't fall too far behind Vettel and the Ferraris.
Having won 3 of the last 4 Chinese Grands Prix, Lewis Hamilton seems to be at exactly the right circuit to return to his winning ways this season.
If there's anything Mercedes is good at, it's consistency. While everything is up for grabs on Sunday, we predict that Hamilton will lead Bottas to a 1-2 for the silver arrows in the wet, hopefully with a close battle on their hands to determine the result!
