By sportswriter Michael Butterworth

BEIJING, March 11 (Xinhua) -- With pre-season testing over, Formula 1 teams and drivers have arrived in Melbourne ready for the first Grand Prix of at least 21 in the 2020 season. But who will be tasting the champagne glories, and who will be plumbing the depths of despair? Xinhua takes a look at the runners and riders in the 2020 Formula 1 world championship.

Mercedes (2019: 1st, 739 points)

44. Lewis Hamilton (2019: 1st, 413 points, 11 wins)

77. Valtteri Bottas (2019: 2nd, 326 points, 4 wins)

Having dominated the sport since 2014, Mercedes showed no signs of resting on their laurels during pre-season, with their innovative dual-axis steering system setting tongues wagging throughout the paddock. The car again looks the class of the field, though there has been a whiff of unreliability about the power unit. If reigning champion Lewis Hamilton keeps winning at his current rate, he will surpass Michael Schumacher's all-time record of 91 wins during the course of this season, and few would bet against him matching the German's record of seven world titles by the end of the year. Though 2019 brought Valtteri Bottas better fortune than his miserable 2018, the Finn might consider himself a touch fortunate not to have been cast aside in favor of Esteban Ocon, and he may find himself looking nervously over his shoulder if George Russell's upward trajectory continues this year. But with Mercedes having scooped both championships for the last six years, is there any need to change a winning formula?

Ferrari (2019: 2nd, 504 points)

5. Sebastian Vettel (2019: 5th, 240 points, 1 win)

16. Charles Leclerc (2019: 4th, 264 points, 2 wins)

After being widely considered to have the quickest car after pre-season testing in 2019, Ferrari suffered the ignominy of being blown away by Mercedes in the first few races of the year, and never mounted a serious title challenge. The Scuderia's edge in overall top speed has also been called into question, with rival teams unhappy at the FIA's decision not to investigate the legality of Ferrari's power unit - a state of affairs that may yet have further consequences. Charles Leclerc proved F1's breakout star of 2019, regularly outpacing four-time champion Sebastian Vettel, whose year was again pockmarked with individual errors that are threatening to tarnish his reputation. With his stock having fallen in recent years, and Leclerc rumoured to be the new favorite within the Ferrari stable, all signs point to 2020 being Vettel's last with the Prancing Horse. The new SF1000 failed to set the world alight during pre-season testing, and downbeat comments from team boss Mattia Binotto suggested that the Scuderia may be in for a tough season. Are they hiding their true pace, or is this a realistic acceptance of their situation? Unusually difficult to predict.

Red Bull Racing (2019: 3rd, 417 points)

23. Alex Albon (2019: 8th, 92 points, best result 4th)

33. Max Verstappen (2019: 3rd, 278 points, 3 wins)

Since their domination of the sport in the early 2010s, Red Bull have been reduced to no more than a handful of wins in more recent years, though there are signs that this may change for the better in 2020. The RB16 showed well in pre-season, and many within the paddock feel Max Verstappen will be Hamilton's closest challenger this year. Fresh from inking a new long-term contract with the Milton Keynes squad, the Dutchman clearly has confidence in Red Bull's ability to give him a car with which he can mount a season-long title challenge. Alex Albon was unlucky not to score a podium finish after his surprising mid-season promotion from Toro Rosso last year, and if the new car is as good as many feel it is, the British-born Thai racer must be a good bet to score his first Grand Prix win in 2020.

McLaren (2019: 4th, 145 points)

4. Lando Norris (2019: 11th, 49 points, best result 6th)

55. Carlos Sainz (2019: 6th, 96 points, best result 3rd)

For the first time in several years, McLaren exceeded expectations in 2019. The Woking squad pushed the reset button after the woes of the Honda era and the departure of Fernando Alonso, and new signing Carlos Sainz was a revelation in his stead. Showing great maturity in his first season as a clear team leader, a maiden podium finish at a chaotic Brazilian Grand Prix was richly deserved. Lando Norris also showed well in his rookie year, as McLaren emerged at the head of a very congested midfield. The big challenge for 2020 will be remaining the fourth best squad in the face of well-funded competition elsewhere on the grid, and McLaren may find themselves running to stand still in the development race.

Renault (2019: 5th, 91 points)

3. Daniel Ricciardo (2019: 8th, 54 points, best result 4th)

31. Esteban Ocon (2019: N/A)

After a disappointing 2019 in which Renault failed to close the gap to the front three teams and got overhauled by McLaren, 2020 represents a key year in deciding the fortunes of the Regie. Daniel Ricciardo could not have done much more with the equipment at his disposal, but with the Australian entering the final year of his deal, Renault need to provide him with a car worthy of a proven race-winner if he is to stick around. Alongside him, Esteban Ocon is back in a race seat after warming the bench at Mercedes, and will be itching to show that a year on the sidelines has not blunted his youthful promise. Pre-season testing indicated that Renault have made a step forward, but regular podiums may remain out of reach.

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