Zoom The guessing game begins

With three weeks to go until the opening race in Melbourne, the Swiss newspaper Blick has published a predicted 'form guide' about the relative performance of Formula One's eleven teams.

Unsurprisingly, Ferrari and McLaren occupy the top two spots on the ranking, which was apparently compiled based on the performance of the teams so far at winter tests.

Regarding the seemingly close battle behind the Big Two teams, Blick names Toyota-powered Williams as F1's likely new third force, ahead of Renault and the Swiss-based team BMW Sauber.

Red Bull's two teams come next, embarrassingly outpacing the two Japanese giants on the grid, respectively Toyota and Honda.

Force India will be tenth best in Australia, Blick predicts, while the financially embattled Super Aguri rounds out the field.

Referring to Ferrari's apparent superiority with its new F2008 single seater, Toyota newcomer Timo Glock told the German newspaper Bild am Sonntag: "They are in a league of their own."

For the record, Bild agrees that BMW is likely to lose its status as F1's third force, with Renault and Williams reportedly trailing McLaren by about half a second per lap.

Ferrari test driver Marc Gene, for his part, believes the Renault team might be hiding its true level of performance. In an interview with sports daily Marca, Gene wondered if the Renault R28 was "a wolf in sheep's clothing."

D.B. © CAPSIS International
Source: GMM