INFINITI RED BULL

Last year: 1st

Drivers: Sebastian Vettel (1), Mark Webber (6)

Assessment: Untouchable in 2011, Red Bull had to come from behind to reel in Ferrari last year. The concern is whether they put development on the back burner during that late charge, but they are still favourites to make it four constructors' titles on the trot.

FERRARI

Last year: 2nd

Drivers: Fernando Alonso (2), Felipe Massa (7)

Assessment: More of a workhorse than a prancing horse as the team from Maranello discovered a level of mechanical reliability that could give Italian cars a good name. That could provide the platform for another serious title push.

VODAFONE McLAREN MERCEDES

Last year: 3rd

Drivers: Jenson Button (5), Sergio Perez (10)

Assessment: Lewis Hamilton has moved on, but Button will face stiff competition from his new team-mate, young Perez, who has raw ability and natural pace, and after his move from Sauber, now has a car to show it.

LOTUS

Last year: 4th

Drivers: Kimi Raikkonen (3), Romain Grosjean (8)

Assessment: In 2012, Raikkonen proved he had lost none of his wondrous ability during his two-year break, giving Lotus a race win for the first time in 25 years. Lotus had speed and reliability, but were let down by Grosjean's errors.

MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS

Last year: 5th

Drivers: Nico Rosberg (9), Lewis Hamilton (4)

Assessment: Not since Michael Schumacher turned up at Ferrari in 1996 have a team invested as much hope in a driver as Mercedes have in Hamilton. The 28-year-old will need all his skill and speed to help them break into the top four.

SAUBER

Last year: 6th

Drivers: Nico Hulkenberg (11), Esteban Gutierrez (n/a)

Assessment: After a solid but unspectacular 2012, the Swiss outfit may struggle to get among the points now they have an all-new driver line-up. Great things are expected of the 22-year-old Gutierrez – but probably not yet.

SAHARA FORCE INDIA

Last year: 7th

Drivers: Paul di Resta (14), Adrian Sutil (n/a)

Assessment: Force India put in a series of good performances last season, but were caught in a squeeze as other teams upped their games as well. They have experience aplenty in their two drivers, but neither has won a grand prix.

WILLIAMS

Last year: 8th

Drivers: Pastor Maldonado (15), Valtteri Bottas (n/a)

Assessment: Returned to the winner's circle in 2012 after an eight-year absence when Maldonado pulled off a stunning victory in Spain, but probably should have done even better. Frank Williams has shaken up the backroom team.

TORO ROSSO

Last year: 9th

Drivers: Jean-Eric Vergne (17), Daniel Ricciardo (18)

Assessment: It's not a great surprise that the Austrian-owned, Italian-based team who do much of their development work in England have been all over the place results-wise too. Found reliability last year, but need more pace.

CATERHAM

Last year: 10th

Drivers: Charles Pic (21), Giedo van der Garde (n/a)

Assessment: The Malaysian-owned team have a big budget and big ideas. However, they lack track miles and will have to learn to walk before they can run. Recruiting young Pic from Marussia may prove to be a smart move.

MARUSSIA

Last year: 11th

Drivers: Max Chilton (n/a), Luiz Razia (n/a)

Assessment: Endured a pretty hopeless 2012, failing to score a single championship point. And things don't look a lot brighter this year, with a tight budget and two drivers who have no F1 race experience. Still, hope springs eternal.