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Formula One: 2018 preseason driver power rankings

By Asher Fair

MEXICO CITY, MEXICO - OCTOBER 29: Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (33) Red Bull Racing Red Bull-TAG Heuer RB13 TAG Heuer, Sebastian Vettel of Germany driving the (5) Scuderia Ferrari SF70H and Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain driving the (44) Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team Mercedes F1 WO8 battle for position into turn one at the start during the Formula One Grand Prix of Mexico at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on October 29, 2017 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)
MEXICO CITY, MEXICO - OCTOBER 29: Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (33) Red Bull Racing Red Bull-TAG Heuer RB13 TAG Heuer, Sebastian Vettel of Germany driving the (5) Scuderia Ferrari SF70H and Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain driving the (44) Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team Mercedes F1 WO8 battle for position into turn one at the start during the Formula One Grand Prix of Mexico at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on October 29, 2017 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images) /
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ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – NOVEMBER 26: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain driving the (44) Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team Mercedes F1 WO8 (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)
ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – NOVEMBER 26: Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain driving the (44) Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team Mercedes F1 WO8 (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) /

#4 through #1

#4. Among active drivers who have won at least one career Formula One race, Kimi Raikkonen’s win drought is the longest despite the fact that he drives for Ferrari, one of the sport’s top teams. That said, he still finished in 4th place in the drivers standings last season and is poised to have similar success in the 2018 season with the new and improved Ferrari car. At least one victory, which would be his first since the 2013 season, may be included in that success.. No. 7. Scuderia Ferrari, Ferrari. KIMI RAIKKONEN

No. 77. Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport, Mercedes. VALTTERI BOTTAS. #3. Despite finishing in a career-high 3rd place in the drivers standings after earning his first three career wins in Formula One, Valtteri Bottas had the worst season that a Mercedes driver has had since 2013. Expect him to contend for more victories in the 2018 season and be much closer to winning the championship than he was in 2017 even if that means he ends up in 3rd for the second consecutive season.

Scuderia Ferrari, Ferrari. SEBASTIAN VETTEL. #2. Sebastian Vettel was strong throughout much of the 2017 season and looked like the favorite to win the championship, as he sat atop the drivers standings for most of the season. However, he had to settle for 2nd place. Expect him to be in championship contention once again in the 2018 season in attempt to win his fifth career title. If he doesn’t experience the amount of misfortune he experienced late in the 2017 season in 2018, he could have a great chance to pull it off.. No. 5

Lewis Hamilton is set to enter the 2018 season as the favorite to win the championship, which would be the fifth title of his career and fourth in the last five seasons. Having won a field-high nine races last season and a record 40 races in the four-year span from the 2014 to 2017 season, there is no reason to believe that he won’t have what it takes to win yet another title in 2018.. No. 44. Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport, Mercedes. LEWIS HAMILTON. #1

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