| The 2008 Formula One season promises to be every bit as close and competitive as the thrilling and controversial battle last year. We asked leading figures in the sport for their views on six key questions before the cars roar into action at the Australian Grand Prix on Sunday.
Mark Webber, Red Bull driver and BBC Sport columnist Who will be world champion?
Kimi Raikkonen. Who or what will be the surprise of the year?
Red Bull.  | I did not very much like the way the McLaren affair was dealt with by the FIA Patrick Head
Co-owner, Williams team |
Who or what will be the disappointment of the year?
Honda. They need time to get out of the situation they're in. Will there be more off-track scandal?
I could be cheeky but I won't. No, all clear this year. Will the night race be a success?
A raging success. Name one thing you'd change about F1
Brazil. No, slash the aerodynamics.
Patrick Head, co-owner Williams team Who will be world champion in 2008?
It will be either Kimi Raikkonen or Lewis Hamilton. It's going to be a piece of paper, circumstance or luck, that will decide it. Who or what will be the surprise of the year?
Nico [Rosberg] in the Williams will be very strong, but I think as a team Toro Ross will surprise people during the year, because I like the [Sebastian] Vettel, [Sebastien] Bourdais driver combination. | The championship will be won by Ferrari easily and it will get so boring that in the middle of the season they will need to make up another scandal to make it interesting again Mika Salo
Former F1 driver |
Who or what will be the disappointment of the year?
If anything of any nature like the McLaren affair from last year [happens]. I personally did not very much like the way it was dealt with by [governing body] the FIA and I would be very disappointed if anything of that ilk occurred in 2008. Will there be more off-track scandal?
I hope not. Will the night race in Singapore be a success?
I don't see any reason why it shouldn't be a good race. If I was Singapore, I'd be saying, well, we're putting up all this money, why don't we have a Grand Prix at the time that suits us? I'd be rather nose out of joint if I was told the only reason you're having the race on at that time is to suit Europe, or someone else. Name one thing you'd change about F1.
I would like to see the grids positioned in the reverse order of championship position.
Mika Salo, former Ferrari, Toyota, Sauber, Arrows, Tyrrell and Lotus driver Who will be world champion in 2008?
Kimi Raikkonen again. Now he has won it once, he knows how good it feels and he's got confidence now. Who or what will be the surprise of the year?
BMW. Who or what will be the disappointment of the year?
Toyota again. Will there be more off-track scandal?
| I would make it so there were 10 drivers able to win every race, rather than just two |
For sure there will be something because the championship will be won by Ferrari easily and it will get so boring that in the middle of the season they will need to make up another scandal to make it interesting again. But I can't imagine what. Will the night race be a success?
It will be very nice - a huge success. Name one thing you'd change about F1
It's already done - ban most of the computers.
John Watson, world championship runner-up, 1982 Who will be world champion this year?
It depends on which team is dominant. If Ferrari are dominant it will be Kimi Raikkonen, and if McLaren are then Lewis Hamilton will be world champion. Who or what will be the surprise of the year?
I hope Renault and Fernando Alonso Who or what will be the disappointment of the year?
The Japanese manufacturers. Will there be more off-track scandal?
I hope we have lots of them; and I hope they involve sex and rock n' roll. I want motorsport to occasionally get off the back pages and it could well be that Lewis gets loved up with some princess. I don't want to see drivers just being automatons; I want to see a little bit more of a human side of racing drivers. Will the night race be a success?
I hope it will and I think it's great. Innovation, such as a night-time race, and anything that takes away predictability, that has got to be good for Formula One and most importantly good for the public. Name one thing you'd change about Formula One.
The sport has become too remote and too detached from the public.
JJ Lehto, former Benetton and Sauber driver Who will be world champion?
Kimi Raikkonen. Ferrari have been very good in winter testing and it seems Kimi is really happy about the car and that means a lot. Last year when he started at Ferrari things were not so easy, but now he has won it already, there is no pressure, he has so much more confidence and he is in the second year with the team, so everything should be much easier. Who or what will be the surprise of the year?
It has to be the other team, McLaren with Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen. We Finns are expecting as lot from Heikki and everybody knows Lewis is very, very quick and very talented. So it is a nice combination of drivers. Who or what will be the disappointment of the year?
BMW was almost there last year and they were quite good at the end of the season and I was expecting they were going to make a step forward but it hasn't been that way in winter testing. It has been a disappointment, at least so far. | 606: DEBATE Andrew Benson - BBC Sport |
"Will there be more off-track scandal?
The scandal has been always Toyota so far, with the money they have used, everything they have but they haven't been able to do anything. It still looks as though they are not going to be very competitive. Will the night race be a success?
It will be good fun. It's going to be a completely different world when you see the glowing brakes in the darkness with the lights and everything. It's going to look nice. Name one thing you'd change about F1.
I would make it so there were 10 drivers able to win every race, at least five teams who had a chance to win every race, rather than just two.
Maurice Hamilton, BBC Radio 5 Live analyst Who will be world champion?
Kimi Raikkonen. Who or what will be the surprise of the year?
Either Heikki Kovalainen or Red Bull. Who or what will be the disappointment of the year?
BMW. Will there be any off-track scandal this year?
It wouldn't be Formula One if we didn't have something. Will the night race be a success?
That's a good question. I don't know but I'm looking forward to finding out. Name one thing you'd change about F1
I'd make the teams give the media more information. Interviews by Andrew Benson and Sarah Holt
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