It is that time of the year when the Formula 1 season is about to begin again, and it could be a very interesting 2017 ahead of us.
Mercedes have totally dominated the sport over the past few years, but some major rule changes could bring about an end to that.
The cars are faster – much faster – and they are a lot more demanding, which means the drivers have a lot more responsibility than they have had in previous seasons.
Ferrari have been outstanding in pre-season testing, and there are real hopes that they could close the gap in a sport that has become something of a one-team affair over the past couple of years.
In Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel, they have two of the best drivers on the circuit, and it would be fantastic for the sport to see the Italian car maker back at the top of the sport.
World champion Nico Rosberg retired at the end of the campaign for Mercedes, which has opened the door for Valtteri Bottas to take his place, so it will be interesting to see how quickly he takes to his new, powerful car.
Of course, talk from Lewis Hamilton that Ferrari are the favourites should be taken with a pinch of salt.
There is no doubt that he is the man to beat – he is arguably the best driver in the best car – and now that his main rival Rosberg is gone, that could clear his path to victory.
Don’t rule out the Red Bulls as well, with Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen proving they have loads of potential last year. It will be interesting to see if they can realise some of that potential in 2017.
One thing that seems certain though is that McLaren look set to struggle. It’s a shame seeing such a big name doing so badly – let’s hope they can turn the corner throughout the season.
Let’s all get ready to start our engines for the upcoming season!