KEY POINTS:
McLaren boss Ron Dennis could be forgiven for wondering which motor racing God he's offended.
Since Dennis's 1981 takeover, the team founded by New Zealander Bruce McLaren has remained comfortably near the top of Formula One. But 2007 was a disaster for the man who prides himself on
being a managerial perfectionist.
Armed with double world champion Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton, the best rookie in a generation, McLaren's first title of this decade appeared a certainty.
Instead a bare-fisted civil war broke out between Alonso and Hamilton.
McLaren was stung with a US$100 million ($125 million) fine by the FIA for snatching the secrets of rivals Ferrari. Still reeling from the financial loss, Dennis watched helplessly as McLaren's arch-rivals in red snatched the championship by a single point. Formula One followers could understand why Dennis was in tears on more than one occasion.
On the verge of the new season, the spy scandal rumbles on and Dennis faces mounting pressure to resign as McLaren team principal. Things are no easier at home - last month he separated from his wife of 22 years.
But the new season could offer sanctuary from the slings and arrows of 2007, the most testing year of Dennis' career. When Hamilton opens his second season in the top flight in Melbourne on Sunday, Dennis and the entire McLaren team can again focus on the fiddly business of making cars go fast.
The signs are propitious for Hamilton's chances of building on his fabulous debut season. The young Englishman has won every series in which he has competed in the second season, he took only one try to take the GP2 title and finished second in Formula One at his first attempt. In short: he's special and, unlike a year ago, he now knows the ropes.
Hamilton says he's fitter and smarter going into season two. He also remains a marketeer's dream. His new multi-year contract with McLaren is reported to be worth as much as $US125 million over five years. This prompted a quick and unpopular relocation from Stevenage north of London to Lake Geneva in Switzerland where the taxman isn't so quick to scoop both hands into the pockets of high-earning sportsmen.
One of his neighbours in Switzerland will be the the driver most likely to trouble him for this year's title.
Finnish World Champion Kimi Raikkonen is so laidback it's a surprise his head emerges from the Ferrari cockpit. He clearly enjoys the spoils of victory away from the track (pop "Kimi" and "drunk" into YouTube). Insiders at Ferrari say he's even more relaxed now his car carries number one.
In recent months, Raikkonen's testing pace has been intimidating, especially over long runs. Michael Schumacher has tried the team's new F2008 during testing to offer advice. With Ferrari teammate Felipe Massa also believing he has the speed to put together a title assault, confidence at Maranello is high.
If the season turns into another duel between Ferrari and McLaren, Finland's Heikki Kovalainen will be the fourth driver fighting for victory. Kovalainen had a miserable start to his F1 career in a difficult Renault but eventually outpaced teammate Giancarlo Fisichella, and came second at the Japanese Grand Prix.
Kovalainen climbs into the McLaren seat vacated by Fernando Alonso, the Spaniard whose reputation took a pounding in 2007. In the face of Hamilton's speed, Alonso - the incumbent champion - revealed a sulking and paranoid side. While he grabbed four wins, he also displayed the ability to throw a mighty tantrum, once kicking a McLaren motorhome door off its hinges after qualifying behind Hamilton.
Alonso returns to Renault, where he won consecutive world titles in 2005-06. His team are recovering from an awful 2007, but remain part of a tightly bunched pack someway behind McLaren and Ferrari.
On testing pace, Renault, BMW-Sauber, Williams and Red Bull are all close. Toro Rosso and (on a good day) Toyota could also join this group.
Alonso will need to produce the 0.6 of a second he claimed to have brought McLaren if he's to escape this midfield minefield and fight for victories.
Alonso will be partnered at Renault by one of the most revered names in Formula One history. Nelson Piquet has done away with the junior tag for his debut season, as he tries to mirror the achievements of his triple world champion father. With Renault apparently geared around Alonso, the Brazilian may face a tough debut season.
Williams will also feature two sons of famous drivers.
Nico Rosberg, son of 1982 World Champion Keke, is described by team boss Sir Frank Williams as part of the resurgent team's crown jewels. A big-money offer from McLaren to buy his contract was batted away, showing the 22-year-old's growing status.
While Piquet and Rosberg will do well to match the achievements of their fathers, Williams' number two Kazuki Nakajima should have no trouble eclipsing his dad. Satoru Nakajima was the first full-time Japanese driver in the sport, but could only manage a pair of fourth places in five seasons. Although Kazuki ran over his own mechanics on debut in Brazil, his testing speed has on occasion eclipsed Rosberg's.
Comfortably the third fastest team last year, BMW-Sauber appear to have slipped backwards. Bearded German Nick Heidfeld shadowed McLaren and Ferrari all last season, but has so far found the team's F1.08 car difficult. Robert Kubica was lucky to escape alive from last year's Canadian Grand Prix, and will have to beat Heidfeld this season if his reputation as a potential Hamilton-beater is to also survive.
Red Bull have kept on veteran David Coulthard and Australia's Mark Webber. Their new RB4, with its Flash Gordon-style dorsal fin, appears to have addressed the appalling unreliability of last year's machine.
Red Bull junior team Toro Rosso is sticking with a car which is last year's Red Bull, except powered by Ferrari. After four Champcar titles in succession, Sebastien Bourdais moves to Formula One with the team just as his old series files for bankruptcy. In a team of Sebs, he's partnered by 20-year-old German Sebastian Vettel.
Perennial underachievers Toyota have jettisoned the high-earning Ralf Schumacher, meaning there'll be no Schumachers in Formula One for the first time since 1991.
Ralf has been replaced by GP2 series winner Timo Glock alongside Italian Jarno Trulli. Toyota had a dismal 2007, though their paltry haul of 13 points makes them look like world champions compared with fellow Japanese big-spenders Honda.
Last year Honda ditched sponsorship stickers for a picture of the globe on their eco-friendly Earthcar. Its glacial speed may have impressed environmentalists, but meant a year at the back for long-suffering Jenson Button. Partner Rubens Barrichello will surpass Ricardo Patrese's record of 256 Grand Prix starts this season.
Incredibly, despite the late arrival of former Ferrari guru Ross Brawn, Honda's RA108 appears even slower than its predecessor.
Honda will be doing well to beat Force India. The former Spyker team has been transformed by new owner Vijay Mallya. The Indian billionaire has thrown a career lifeline to Giancarlo Fisichella after he was shown the door by Renault. German teammate Adrian Sutil certainly has speed, but needs that to end with chequered flags rather than hefty crashes.
Honda's second squad Super Aguri have been in dire financial straits. A last-minute buyout means the team will make Melbourne. But with only a handful of testing laps all off-season, expect drivers Takuma Sato and Anthony Davidson to sit firmly at the back come Sunday.
With the chasing pack likely to make a tasty scrap of the battle for third, Dennis will look to Hamilton to relieve his Ferrari-induced nightmare.
NEW FOR 2008
Standard ECU: Expect more wheelspins and smoky starts. Fancy electronic driver aids such as traction control, launch control and engine braking are banished thanks to a standard electronic control unit all teams must use.
Four race gearbox: Previously Formula One gearboxes were thrashed to near destruction after a couple of hours' racing. They must now last four races. Ratios can be swapped to suit each new track.
Enlarged head protection: Cockpit sides have been raised to give more protection for the drivers. The change was prompted by David Coulthard's crash with Alexander Wurz at last year's Australian Grand Prix
New races: Singapore and America's Cup venue Valencia are new venues on this year's 18-race calendar. Both are street races. Valencia will be Spain's second event of the year, as Formula One seeks to cash in on Alonsomania.
Racing at night: Singapore will be the first Grand Prix run at night. Formula One overlord Bernie Ecclestone thinks this will mean higher TV audiences in Europe. Pressure is on Australia to do the same.
