For 15 years, Formula One had a brand ambassador, a name that was more associated to it than anything else. It had Michael Schumacher at its helm with his absolute genius, outstanding talent and shades of grey…his charisma will be definitely missed, as F1 stares at the new era.

This year is newer is various ways. Change in tyre policy meaning that all teams are using Bridgestone radial. After toying around with the policy for the past few years, the sport's world governing body, the FIA, has finally reached a consensus as regards the number of sets of tyres per driver during a race weekend. The major concern for most teams is the quite famous ‘homologation’ of engines which freezes engine development for the next two seasons.

Also, since no car can go into the pits while the safety car is out on the track until all cars are lined up behind it in race position order (rather than physical position as used to be the case) the tendency of drivers to pit as soon as the safety car is deployed will have to stop. All this has made the 2007 season very interesting from the outset.

The biggest change this season however is the move of two-time defending champion Fernando Alonso from Renault to McLaren Mercedes. To leave a winning team after two consecutive drivers’ and constructors’ championships will have a strong impact on both the teams but it is too soon to tell if the impact will be positive or negative.

So, who will lift the Drivers’ and Constructors’ trophy at the end of the season? It's a big question but Ferrari have the strongest package in terms of talent and experience. Renault have a super team and McLaren have ample talent and a super Alonso. I rate Kimi Raikkonen to take the title along with Ferrari gaining the coveted team crown.

McLaren Mercedes:
Acquiring a driver of the calibre of Alonso might just give McLaren the desired impetus to their title aspirations that have gone awol since their success in 1999 with Mika Hakkinen (who won the driver’s title in 1998 as well). Now they have Alonso and a talented rookie in Lewis Hamilton who is the first black driver ever to race in F1. McLaren have nurtured Hamilton for a while and in having picked him ahead of the experienced Pedro de la Rosa it shows the trust that McLaren have in his ability. Whether McLaren can conquer their demons and the lack of consistency and reliability that denied them titles in 2003 and 2005 with Kimi Raikkonen and whether Alonso can get a hat trick of driver championships will be the big question this season.

Renault:
Renault might not find a talisman like Alonso and the Spaniard will find it impossible to get a more flamboyant and supportive boss than Flavio Briatore. Renault have a seasoned Giancarlo Fisichella in their wings and F1 rookie Heikki Kovalainen, who has been a test driver with them for the past two years. Fisichella has driven for five different teams in his 10 years in F1, but still has to find his feet. He lacks the killer punch or the leadership quality that is required for being a champion or even a contender. Kovalainen knows the setup well enough and he now has a chance to show his skills at the forefront of the sport as a race driver. Nevertheless Renault's is a modest line-up but their quality in the pits and in the back rooms will still keep them in contention for another championship.

Ferrari:
“There is no replacement for Michael”, is the overall feeling in the contingent and with the retirement of their technical director Ross Brawn, the team relies more on Jean Todt to develop a working relationship with Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen so that they can return to the winning ways of the 2000-2004 seasons. Massa did exceptionally well as an understudy to Schumacher, even challenging him at times and it will be interesting to see how he manages all by himself with Raikkonen. The Finn will be under tremendous pressure mostly due to the franatical fans' expectations as he tries to fill Schumacher’s shoes. The man who missed out on opportunities because of an unreliable car, and whom many believe should have won the title at least once has a tough task ahead.

Honda, Toyota, BMW and Williams:
The group that forms the next tier in title contenders sees Honda, with an established setup and experienced drivers in Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello. They powered themselves into a more than convincing fourth position in last years’ championships and their performance, especially in the latter half was delightful. Toyota and BMW were left reeling in misery and Toyota must have been bitter as their fellow Japanese team finished above them. They will hope that Ralf Schumacher and Jarno Trulli will give them some smiles this season and cause an upset or two but to do this they will need to get off to a good start. Toyota have managed one psychological gain as the Honda-owned Suzuka circuit, venue of the Japanese Grand Prix until now has been replaced by the circuit in their own backyard at Mt. Fuji. BMW has the ever-consistent Nick Heidfeld and the extremely impressive Robert Kubica to bank on. In order to keep in the running they will need consistent performances. Williams have an impressive Formula 1 history to uphold and they must be more determined than ever. With new sponsor in AT&T on board it may have solved some of their financial issues and they too have a decent line-up in Nico Rosberg and Alexander Wurz to help them move back to the top of the grid, a place they once made their own.

Red Bull, Scuderia Toro Rosso, Spyker F1 and Super Aguri:
These teams form the also-rans who nevertheless want to impress. Some notable drivers here are David Coulthard for Red Bull. He may have been over-rated for many but he is still on the circuit. Mark Webber, who moved from Williams will have a thing or two to prove as will Anthony Davidson at Super Aguri where he has years of testing experience with the Honda team.