Jonathan Legard BBC motor racing correspondent looks ahead to 2003

FUTURE STARS

Kimi Raikkonen (McLaren)

RAIKKONEN FACTS Born: 17 October, 1979, Espoo, Finland Height/weight: 6ft/11 stone Formula One debut: 2001. Finished 10th with Sauber Grand Prix record: Starts: 34. Podium finishes: Four Review of 2002

If the young Finn is given a decent Mercedes engine he could be the flier to stick it to the Ferrari team up front.

The victory that slipped out of his grasp so agonisingly last year in France should not be far away.

The public speaking can come later.

Fernando Alonso (Renault)
He is another whizzkid who prefers to let his car do the talking, and his F1 debut season in a Minardi in 2001 showed why.

At 21, he now has the chance to shine as part of Renault's renewed bid for glory, and the team has every confidence they have a champion in waiting.

The way Jarno Trulli found a new gear once Alonso was announced as his team-mate is a pointer to a future star.

PREDICTIONS

Schumacher to take sixth title
If Michael Schumacher doesn't overtake Juan Manuel Fangio to wrap up championship number six, he's either taken a shock sabbatical or Bernie Ecclestone's banned him for dangerous driving.

TOP TIPS Record sixth title for Schumi Ferrari's fourth straight constructor's title Jordan to finish ahead of Jaguar No cost-cutting reform Villeneuve's last chance

Even if Ferrari choose to repeat their trick of wheeling out their old car, the world's best driver seems guaranteed to disappear into the distance.

So, here's to a team order to race with no more fixed finishes, please.

After Ferrari's technical supremacy in 2002, Williams and McLaren must be quaking on their jacks at the prospect of yet another game of trivial pursuit in 2003.

Like the rest of us, Juan Pablo Montoya and David Coulthard are praying their engineers have learnt significant lessons over the winter.

Villeneuve out in cold?
Jacques Villeneuve could be driving to save his F1 future - and that could be just the sting the 1997 champion needs to put his car where his mouth is.

Villeneuve's relationship with BAR-Honda team principal David Richards was frosty enough before Takuma Sato arrived on the promise of a race drive in 2004.

Will Villeneuve return to form in 2003?

New arrival Jenson Button is on a long-term deal so guess who could be out in the cold at the end of the year?

Villeneuve certainly knows how to race. Whether the fifth generation BAR design allows him the chance is another matter.

For the sake of his career, he has to hope so. Either way, the Jacques and Jenson Show should be worth watching.

No cost-cutting
As for some serious thinking in 2003 with regard to cutting costs in grand prix racing - don't hold your breath.

As long as team bosses consider private jets and helicopters as some of life's bare necessities, progress over talks about limiting spending on electronics, engines and testing is as likely as an appearance by Arrows.

Jaguar and Ford
It was tempting to say that it would be a major shock if Jaguar didn't sack another team principal in 2003. After all the team is currently averaging one per season.

Mind you, when Jordan Ford start beating the blue oval's in-house F1 outfit, the knives could be out again.

POTENTIAL SHOCK