F1 2018: Assessing each team's chances in the new season 

There's plenty at stake for the constructors in the 2018 F1 season. Prize money, wins, podiums, brand association and prestige. Yes, it's not a battle of equals but that won't stop F1 from providing a riveting season in a heady cocktail of speed, technology and politics.

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Mercedes

It's the most reliable engine and the fastest car on the grid. Everyone is deflecting the pressure off themselves by pointing to the four-time defending champions as the favourite.

It can be assumed with certitude that this title will the hardest of them all with a converging field of constructors. If they win, Mercedes will become the second team after Ferrari to win 5 consecutive titles.

There's civil harmony in both Hamilton's and Bottas's side of the garage as compared to the Rosberg years and that will be an added benefit for the Silver Arrows.

Ferrari will look to upstage Mercedes for the Constructors championship

Ferrari

Last year's constructor's title was Ferrari's for the taking but they failed. There's no sugar-coating the fact that the prancing horse blew it.

They will come back with all the horsepower they can muster to upstage reigning champs - Mercedes. But look over their shoulders and they'll see in-form Red Bull drivers with enough gusto to upset their cart.

There's a clear demarcation of No.1 and No.2 driver at Ferrari and to such an extent that Kimi Raikkonen is not allowed to win even when he is faster. It takes two cars to win a title and the Italian team is not on pole position for the constructor's title at least.

Red Bull will look to be title contenders

Red Bull

Unlike last year, Red Bull is expected to be on the pace right from the first race. Red Bull is itching to win more races and the RB 14 designed by Adrian Newey should be fast off the blocks. Both Renault and McLaren see them as the benchmark and rightly so, as they have has the most aerodynamically efficient car for most of the last decade.

With the most talented driver pairing, if Red Bull start winning regularly, both Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo will be winning. Which means they will be in the driver's title hunt, which means more drama and tension in the team. What a tantalizing prospect!

Esteban Ocon and Sergio Perez will look to score points regularly

Force India - Mercedes

Amid rumored name change last year, Force India finished fourth for the second year running last year. The team packs the most punch with the budget they have; but maintaining the status as leader of the midfield this year is a very challenging task. They have two pugnacious drivers in Ocon and Perez, regularly scoring points for Vijay Mallya's team.

The midfield is expected to cram up with Renault, Toro Rosso, McLaren if not more. When they start in Melbourne, they might not even be called Force India.

Williams are currently crippled with inconsistency

Williams

Williams have been on a downward curve since starting promisingly in the V6 era in 2014. They run a compromised driver line-up and that doesn't augur well even if they have a pacy car, let alone a middling one.

Sure they bring in the dollars to hike up the team budget in a hyper-competitive environment, but what good is it when the car is not being pushed to eke out every ounce of potential from it?

Williams is crippled with inconsistency and doesn't really have the drivers who will outperform the car and put in higher up the grid.

Carlos Sainz has impressed since his move to Renault

Renault

Carlos Sainz and Nico Hulkenberg have never been on a podium. Even more so, Renault needs to get on to the podium and lead the mid-field train to be on target for their main aim - to be title contenders by the 2020 season.

A works team languishing behind their customer teams will be embarrassing for Renault if both Red Bull and McLaren are quicker with their engines.

But if the engine is any good, there very well might be three Renault powered teams fighting for the podium. That's something to look forward to.

It will be interesting to see how Honda and Toro Rosso will work together

Toro Rosso Honda

The fourth works team on the grid; with engine partner Honda on a mission to prove their mettle, after a humiliating stint with McLaren.

Looks the most stable team in terms of driver pairing with Gasly and Hartley. Toro Rosso encouragingly and surprisingly, raked up the most mileage in the first leg of winter testing.

It's the RedBull B team and how they perform holds key to whether Red Bull too switches to Honda in 2019. They are aiming for fourth, however lower midfield seems to be their likelier default position.

Haas Ferrari has been on a backward spiral

Haas

Ferrari engines will boost them but they are going backwards if not holding steady after debuting in 2016. Haas is expected to be at the tail-end of the midfield train.

The first car to break cover this season, Haas has a driver pairing that is not renowned for race craft in Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen.

Ultimately the American team might have to fight off the Ferrari powered Alfa Romeo Sauber and Mercedes powered Williams and Honda powered Toro Rosso on a regular basis in the bottom half of the grid.

McLaren looks to be the most improved team

McLaren

F1 needs a strong McLaren. It's been damaging for the brand to have had no victories since Jenson Button won Brazil in 2012. They now have the Renault lumps to mount on to their very promising chassis. They have to be the most improved constructor from last year. There's nowhere to hide if they aren't close to the class of the field.

Lead driver Fernando Alonso will be a busy man, donning helmets for 27 races this year including the WEC. The Woking based outfit would be wise to not test his patience any further and give him a mean machine.

McLaren has been brave with their engine switch and even with their papaya livery. Now to be brave on track.

Sauber has entered a long-term relationship with Ferrari

Alfa Romeo Sauber

Finishing dead last can't be repeated this year as Sauber is now in a long-term partnership with Ferrari through Alfa Romeo. It is an audition though for Charles Leclerc for the Ferrari seat as and when it vacates.

It is an interesting driver line up of rookie Leclerc and into his fourth season with the Swiss team Marcus Ericsson; with assured budget and renewed engine deal.

Often, there's more fun at the back of the grid, with lesser at stake. Back-markers make for interesting drives when the leaders are in a predictable procession. Each constructor plays its role and the Swiss team can look to build again from the back.