[Dutton]

Just like every other year it will be Ferrari. As a young kid too young to really understand what was going on (and have but the briefest flashes of memory of F1 at that point) I liked red, as I do now, and they were red ones that were prominent so there you have it. I can't see it changing in the future. Definitely lucked out that it is a team that is certain to have a stab at titles every few years which makes it easier to endure the years of domination by other teams (one can focus on the light at the end of the tunnel).

I really hope the team is bit more with it in 2019. It is Ferrari, so you entirely expect them to get in their own way in a pretty painful fashion (the Todt-Brawn-Schumacher era was different as they made a point of, well, kinda taking the Ferrari out of Ferrari). It'd be nice if Binotto could manage a bit of that; obviously I mean the side that gets in the way. However, I am prepped for the more usual ****ing things up: this is the way Ferrari roles, so it is unwise to really expect too much outside of that.

I am very excited at the prospect of seeing what Leclerc can do: now we find out if he really is the real deal (which it tentatively seems like he just might be), or just another very good driver. It is mostly for the big picture of F1 that I truly hope he is, but, of course, that he would be driving for Ferrari for the next some years in that event would be a delightful bonus without question.

Vettel I have nothing against but he has never really excited me. I would certainly appreciate a season with him easing off on the rashness a touch. I may be wrong but I am assuming Ferrari are ultimately eyeing up shuffling him out the door in a couple of years if Leclerc is up to snuff.

So, in short, I am rooting for Ferrari (so clearly I want their drivers to achieve the most), but as for others I am interested in paying attention to as opposed to actively supporting:

- there is rational self-interest in seeing AR and HAAS succeed (particularly AR given the path they and Ferrari are taking).

- now that Hulkenberg has Ricciardo as a team-mate we can really get a handle on just how good he is.

- seeing how Honda get on with RBR.

- Williams. Oh, my. I concluded a couple of years ago, despite a couple of reasonable years, that I felt they had passed the event horizon of the death spiral, and, well, this year may well be a real confirmation of that hypothesis. It is so sad when you watch former goliaths whither away, but it is part of the sport.