AUTOSPORT predicts F1 2014

At the end of the most intriguing pre-season in years, the AUTOSPORT team submitted their predictions for the top 10 in the 2014 Formula 1 drivers' championship.

The scores were added up using the F1 points system (without using double points for the final voter!) to create our best guess of this year's final order. Here's the outcome, and selected thoughts from the AUTOSPORT writers' panel.

10th: KEVIN MAGNUSSEN

Top prediction: Fifth (Dieter Rencken)

Dieter Rencken: The most explosive rookie talent since Lewis Hamilton.

Glenn Freeman: The Dane will have the speed to give team-mate Button more than a few headaches this year, but in a season that is bound to throw up some chaos, an old head is likely to prevail in general.

Kevin Turner: Will push Button hard on occasion and show flashes of huge potential, but likely to come unstuck once or twice.

Pablo Elizalde: He will be a good match for Button, but can he overcome his lack of experience if the McLaren is not as competitive as the team hopes?

Sam Tremayne: One pre-season afternoon established everything you need to know about Magnussen: bags of confidence, ridiculous car control and a delicious nonchalance that suggests he'll take 2014 in his stride.

Simon Strang: I can't wait to see what this kid can do. I always rated Jan, and I'm excited to watch his son flourish having apparently avoided many of the mistakes of his dad.

9th: NICO HULKENBERG

Top prediction: Fifth (Pablo Elizalde)

Charles Bradley: Never go back, they say. Well, Hulk doesn't care, he goes where he likes and should finally break his podium duck.

Henry Hope-Frost: The underrated German will get the best of the car at his disposal but the Force India will once again keep him near the bottom of the top 10.

Kevin Turner: This will probably be another year of Hulkenberg getting the most out of a reasonable package, with some outstanding highlights thrown in. Surely his big break can't be far away.

Ben Anderson: A star driver in a car that will fight to be best of the rest behind Mercedes early on. Another chance for Hulkenberg to remind everyone of his supreme talents.

Jonathan Noble: Nico Hulkenberg's brilliance in the cockpit will produce some starring drives again in 2014, but in a year of rapid car development it will be the big-money manufacturers that will move clear, meaning consistent success will be hard to find for teams like Force India.

8th: VALTTERI BOTTAS

Top prediction: Fourth (Edd Straw)

Jonathan Noble: Bottas will emerge as one of the stars of 2014 with some sensational early performances, but as the development race hots up expect the big-money works teams to move ahead of Williams.

Scott Mitchell: With Mercedes power, strong reliability and a fundamentally sound car (on initial viewing anyway), Williams could be a dark horse early on. Bottas will be the man who makes the most hay while the sun shines.

Kevin Turner: Bottas showed well in his first F1 season, despite a dreadful car. With a good one, expect him to really show what he can do.

Edd Straw: The Williams will at least start the season very strongly, although question marks remain over whether the team can sustain its form. If Bottas can show the same speed and maturity he did in a bad car last year he will thrive.

Craig Scarborough: If the cards fall his way, why not a maiden GP victory in an attrition-filled race?

7th: FELIPE MASSA

Top prediction: Third (Dieter Rencken)

Matt Beer: Drivers who move down the grid at this end of their career would sometimes have been better off heading for Le Mans or the seaside. But Massa's story is a unique one and he still has a point to prove.

Dieter Rencken: In Bahrain Felipe was like a dog with three tails, bouncing about full of beans. But doubts linger over the team's ability to string it together and take the fight to Mercedes.

Simon Strang: He's going to have a great year, in a comfortable environment with his old mate Rob Smedley and all that wisdom from Pat Symonds. Long live the Williams revival.

Edd Straw: The Brazilian is a man reborn after his move from Ferrari and, if he can avoid having spells in races where he goes missing pace-wise, he will score heavily.

Ben Anderson: We should see more of the Massa that almost won the 2008 title now he's free of Ferrari's shackles.

6th: JENSON BUTTON

Top prediction: Champion (Craig Scarborough)

Craig Scarborough: In a year when taking care of the car and strategy will pay dividends, I think Button's mature race brain will pay off in a much-improved McLaren.

Simon Strang: Ultimately the focus on McLaren's Honda future may cost Jenson as the season wears on.

Charles Bradley: A return to podium form for McLaren, but there won't be enough for Jense to repeat his magical 2009. Is there retirement, as well as wedding bells, in the air?

Kevin Turner: After the first two pre-season tests, I would have put Button third or fourth on this list, but even the man himself has admitted McLaren found itself further back than expected during the final Bahrain running.

Henry Hope-Frost: The Brit's deft touch and experience will help him to some strong results but the McLaren will struggle against its rivals.

Edd Straw: The 34-year-old can be relied upon to score consistently, although he faces a tough fight to assert himself over his strong rookie team-mate.

5th: KIMI RAIKKONEN

Top prediction: Third (Simon Strang)

Ben Anderson: The Finn will do what he's made a habit of doing since he came back to Formula 1: stay out of trouble, rack up points consistently, and deliver when the car is capable.

Glenn Freeman: There probably won't be much in it between the Ferrari drivers this year, but Alonso's determination and drive to lead a team will give him the edge over Raikkonen.

Pablo Elizalde: While his speed will make him a contender on occasion, he will lack the depth needed to mount a title assault.

Henry Hope-Frost: The Finn will not be a match for Alonso and may struggle to find the motivation to overcome his number-two status at Ferrari.

Matt Beer: Gut instinct remains that Raikkonen is not quite in Alonso's class, but this enigmatic character has surprised before. His 2008-11 gave scant hint of how good his F1 comeback would be so Alonso could get a shock.

Scott Mitchell: Fans of the dependable and lightning-quick (on his day) Kimi Raikkonen will not fathom how he could possibly place lower than Alonso this year. But whether he can hustle and hassle Ferrari like his new team-mate remains to be seen.

Jonathan Noble: Raikkonen's consistency will deliver some hefty points for Ferrari, and he will give Alonso plenty to think about, but don't expect a full-on title tilt.

4th: SEBASTIAN VETTEL

Top prediction: Third (Scott Mitchell)

Dieter Rencken: Seb will learn what it's like to make do, and it will do him the world of good if he grins and bears it.

Edd Straw: Vettel is a great driver and aerodynamically the Red Bull is fundamentally good, so it's all going to be about how quickly the team and Renault can get their collective acts together.

Charles Bradley: Thanks to victory in the double-points finale, Vettel will leapfrog up the order after a stinker of a first half of the season.

Kevin Turner: It's hard to imagine Red Bull not having the fastest chassis, at least by the end of the season. The issues surrounding the Renault engine will probably prevent a title challenge, but Vettel could tick one of the few boxes on his CV that are still blank: put in a world-class full season as the underdog.

Ben Anderson: Red Bull will start the season in big trouble, but it has the money, the expertise, and a four-time world champion driver, so it will dig itself out of the hole eventually.

Glenn Freeman: If Red Bull takes a few races to find its feet this year, then everyone had better enjoy it while it lasts. Vettel will be winning races by the second half of the year, but it will probably be too little, too late for a fifth straight world title.

3rd: FERNANDO ALONSO

Top prediction: Champion (Pablo Elizalde and Matt Beer)

Pablo Elizalde: He's shown time and again that he doesn't need the fastest car to be in the fight for the title, and he will do it again.

Kevin Turner: The Spaniard has made a career out of finishing higher up the championship than his machinery should allow.

Ben Anderson: The Ferrari isn't quick enough to match Mercedes, and Ferrari's recent track record in development isn't great, but trust Alonso to wring every last tenth from the F14 T.

Craig Scarborough: A Ferrari driver is a safe bet for third, though it could easily be Raikkonen not Alonso. Early-season performances and team familiarity are likely to pay off for the Spaniard.

Sam Tremayne: An amorphous pre-season did little to suggest the Scuderia will be an immediate frontrunner, but betting against Spanish heroics has become a fool's errand in recent seasons.

Matt Beer: Chaos all around is opportunity for the relentless Alonso. If Ferrari can win the reliability war and be close enough on pace, that may be enough.

Glenn Freeman: At this stage it looks like another year of playing the plucky underdog, snapping at the heels of rivals with a stronger package.

Scott Mitchell: Expect Alonso to bank plenty of points early on, take the odd win when the F14 T is rapid, and be lurking close to the title battle.

2nd: NICO ROSBERG

Top prediction: Champion (Edd Straw, Scott Mitchell and Dieter Rencken)

Glenn Freeman: Rosberg won more races than Hamilton for Mercedes last year, and he is bound to be a thorn in his side throughout 2014. He may need to find another gear if he wants to conquer the Briton over the course of a season though.

Jonathan Noble: Rosberg will enjoy his most successful season in F1 and feature heavily in the title fight as there will be days when he does a better job than his team-mate, but over the course of the season he will just miss out.

Scott Mitchell: This is the year that Mercedes' recruitment drive and massive investment pays off, and it's incredibly difficult to separate Rosberg and Hamilton. The German is smarter compared to Hamilton than he is slower.

Dieter Rencken: Always had the cerebral qualities required to strategise a title challenge, but at last has the car and kit to do his approach justice. Wasn't always robust in duels, but came of age last season.

Henry Hope-Frost: Not quite as blisteringly fast as his Mercedes team-mate but a formidable package - it'll be close between the Brackley boys.

Edd Straw: There will be days where Rosberg simply can't live with his team-mate, but his engineering-led mindset could make up for any deficit to Hamilton on pace, meaning that if he is ever destined to win a world championship, it probably has to be this year.

1st: LEWIS HAMILTON

Top prediction: Champion (Jonathan Noble, Ben Anderson, Charles Bradley, Glenn Freeman, Kevin Turner, Sam Tremayne, Simon Strang and Henry Hope-Frost)

Jonathan Noble: There may be many people doubting how well Hamilton will cope with 2014's regulations, but his speed and adaptability - plus some guidance from Mercedes team chiefs - will be enough to overcome the challenge of Rosberg.

Edd Straw: In most circumstances you would back Hamilton over Rosberg in equal machinery and it will be close, but perhaps there will be enough days when Hamilton loses his way during a race weekend.

Ben Anderson: Mercedes has built the strongest package for the new season, so this is the best chance yet for Hamilton to add to his 2008 crown. We all know he has the ability.

Charles Bradley: Finally, the stars are going to align for Hamilton's second world title - and this time he won't even need a pootling Timo Glock to help him.

Glenn Freeman: It's impossible to look beyond a Mercedes driver for the title, and Hamilton's speed - which will sometimes put him out of reach of the ever-improving Rosberg - will eventually make the difference.

Sam Tremayne: It's incredibly tough to separate Hamilton and Rosberg, which in itself is a tantalising prospect and a ready-made silver lining should Mercedes run away with the season. The dynamic is far more complex than just blistering speed versus quick thinking.

Henry Hope-Frost: Has everything in his arsenal to deliver a second title: a fast car, a great team and speed and commitment to give away.

Pablo Elizalde: Is it a myth or will Hamilton really struggle to cope with the more-complex rules? Hamilton's speed is undoubted, but even with the help from the pitwall, it's hard to imagine him matching Alonso or Rosberg in this regard.

OUR CONSTRUCTORS' CHAMPIONSHIP PREDICTION:

1. Mercedes
2. Ferrari
3. Red Bull
4. McLaren
5. Williams

JUST MISSING THE TOP 10 CUT...

DANIEL RICCIARDO

Daniel Ricciardo © LAT

Jonathan Noble: Daniel Ricciardo will put Sebastian Vettel under more pressure than many people are expecting this year, but it could well be a year of frustration for the Australian due to Red Bull's reliability woes.

Things will get better over the second half of the campaign, which will help us see better how quick he is, but 2014 will be what is known as a 'character-building' campaign.

ROMAIN GROSJEAN

Dieter Rencken: Lotus's well-known woes will scupper what should have been a wonderful season. Grosjean is hamstrung just as his maturity blossoms.

SERGIO PEREZ

Simon Strang: I think Force India's will be the most fascinating intra-team battle of them all. Perez is better than McLaren made him look last year. They'll get dropped by the big boys in a year where development is so important, though.

PASTOR MALDONADO

Matt Beer: Maldonado has yet to complete the maturity journey that Grosjean conquered last year, and it'll be harder to do that in a team facing as many issues as Lotus.

You've read AUTOSPORT's predictions - now it's time to make your own.

The Castrol EDGE Grand Prix Predictor returns for 2014 with new prizes and new functions. Free and easy to play, all you have to do is predict the top 10 and more ahead of each grand prix. The highest scorer after Australia could win a PlayStation 4.

To play just log-in or sign-up at www.gppredictor.com