Formula One World Championship (image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)

Dubbed as the pinnacle of world motor sport, the Formula One World Championship returns this year at the Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit. 20 drivers will be competing in all the other venues throughout the season, which will culminate at Abu Dhabi on November 26. 

Throughout its rich history, F1 has reflected manufacturers’ and rule-makers’ concerns with technical innovation, from super-charging and turbo-charging to normally aspirated engines and on to the highly sophisticated ‘power units’ in the Grand Prix world of today. With the early retirement of 2016 World Champion Nico Rosberg, there are high hopes and expectations for the current batch of drivers:

Nation: France
Engine: Mercedes
Date of birth: 17 Sep 1996
Place of birth: Evreux, France
Other Championship titles: 2015 GP3 Series and 2014 European Formula 3 Championship

Formula One World Championship Career
Championships: 0
Wins: 0
Podiums: 0
Career points: 0
Pole Positions: 0
Fastest laps: 0
First entry: 2016 Belgian Grand Prix
Last Entry: 2016 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
2016 position: 23rd (0 pts)

Nation: Mexico
Engine: Mercedes
Date of birth: 26 Jan 1990
Place of birth: Guadalajara, Mexico
Other Championship titles: 2007 British Formula 3 – National Class and ranked second in the 2010 GP2 Series 

Formula One World Championship Career
Championships: 0
Wins: 0
Podiums: 7
Career points: 367
Pole Positions: 0
Fastest laps: 3
First entry: 2011 Australian Grand Prix
Last Entry: 2016 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
2016 position: 7th (101 pts)

Kevin Magnussen
Nation: Denmark
Engine: Renault
Date of birth: 05 Oct 1992
Place of birth: Roskilde, Denmark
Other Championship titles: 2013 Formula Renault 3.4 Series and 2008 Formula Ford

Formula One World Championship Career
Championships: 0
Wins: 0
Podiums: 1
Career points: 62
Pole Positions: 0
Fastest laps: 0
First entry: 2014 Australian Grand Prix
Last Entry: 2016 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
2016 position: 16th (7pts)

Nation: France
Engine: Ferrari
Date of birth: 17 Apr 1986
Place of birth: Geneva, Switzerland
Other Championship titles: 2003 Swiss Formula Renault 1.6, 2005 French Formula Renault, 2007 Formula 2 Euro Series, 2008 GP2 Asia Series, 2010 Auto GP, 2011 GP2 Asia Series, 2011 GP2 Series 

Formula One World Championship Career
Championships: 0
Wins: 0
Podiums: 10
Career points: 316
Pole Positions: 0
Fastest laps: 1
First entry: 2009 European Grand Prix
Last Entry: 2016 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
2016 position: 13th (29 pts)

Nation: Belgium
Engine: Honda
Date of birth: 26 Mar 1992
Place of birth: Kortrijk, Belgium
Other Championship titles: 2010 F4 Eurocup 1.6. 2012 Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0, 2015 GP2 Series

Formula One World Championship Career
Championships: 0
Wins: 0
Podiums: 10
Career points: 1
Pole Positions: 0
Fastest laps: 0
First entry: 2016 Bahrain Grand Prix
Last Entry: 2016 Bahrain Grand Prix
2016 position: 20th (1 pt)

Nation: Spain
Engine: Honda
Date of birth: 29 July 1981
Place of birth: Oviedo, Spain
Other Championship titles: none 

Formula One World Championship Career
Championships: 2 (2005 and 2006)
Wins: 32
Podiums: 97
Career points: 1,832
Pole Positions: 22
Fastest laps: 22
First entry: 2001 Australian Grand Prix
Last Entry: 2016 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
2016 position: 10th (54 pts)

Nation: United Kingdom
Engine: Mercedes
Date of birth: 07 Jan 1985
Place of birth: Stevenage, England
Other Championship titles: none

Formula One World Championship Career
Championships: 3 (2008, 2014, 2015)
Wins: 53
Podiums: 104
Career points: 2,247
Pole Positions: 61
Fastest laps: 31
First entry: 2007 Australian Grand Prix
Last Entry: 2016 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
2016 position: 2nd (380 pts)

Nation: Finland
Engine: Mercedes
Date of birth: 28 Aug 1989
Place of birth: Nastola, Finland
Other Championship titles: 2008 Formula Renault 2.0 NEC, 2008 Formula Renault Eurocup, 2011 GP3 Series

Formula One World Championship Career
Championships: 0
Wins: 53
Podiums: 9
Career points: 411
Pole Positions: 61
Fastest laps: 1
First entry: 2013 Australian Grand Prix
Last Entry: 2016 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
2016 position: 8th (85 pts)

Nation: Australia
Engine: Tag Heuer (Renault)
Date of birth: 28 Aug 1989
Place of birth: Perth, Australia
Other Championship titles: 2008 Formula Renault 2.0 WEC and 2009 British Formula 3 

Formula One World Championship Career
Championships: 0
Wins: 4
Podiums: 18
Career points: 616
Pole Positions: 1
Fastest laps: 8
First entry: 2011 British Grand Prix
Last Entry: 2016 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
2016 position: 3rd (256 pts)

Nation: Netherlands
Engine: Tag Heuer (Renault)
Date of birth: 30 Sep 1997
Place of birth: Hasselt, Belgium
Other Championship titles: none

Formula One World Championship Career
Championships: 0
Wins: 1
Podiums: 7
Career points: 253
Pole Positions: 0
Fastest laps: 1
First entry: 2015 Australian Grand Prix
Last Entry: 2016 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
2016 position: 5th (204 pts)

Nation: United Kingdom
Engine: Renault
Date of birth: 20 Jan 1991
Place of birth: Horsham, England
Other Championship titles: 2006 T Cars Autumn Trophy and 2014 GP2 Series

Formula One World Championship Career
Championships: 0
Wins: 0
Podiums: 0
Career points: 1
Pole Positions: 0
Fastest laps: 0
First entry: 2016 Australian Grand Prix
Last Entry: 2016 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
2016 position: 18th (1 pt)

Nation: Germany
Engine: Renault
Date of birth: 19 Aug 1987
Place of birth: Emmerich Am Rhein, Germany
Other Championship titles: none 

Formula One World Championship Career
Championships: 0
Wins: 0
Podiums: 0
Career points: 362
Pole Positions: 1
Fastest laps: 2
First entry: 2010 Bahrain Grand Prix
Last Entry: 2016 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
2016 position: 9th (72 pts)

Pascal Wehrlein
Nation: Germany
Engine: Ferrari
Date of birth: 22 Feb 1996
Place of birth: Sigmaringen, Germany
Other Championship titles: 2011 ADAC Formel Masters and 2015 German Touring Car Championship

Formula One World Championship Career
Championships: 0
Wins: 0
Podiums: 0
Career points: 1
Pole Positions: 0
Fastest laps: 0
First entry: 2016 Australian Grand Prix
Last Entry: 2016 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
2016 position: 19th (1 pt)

Nation: Sweden
Engine: Ferrari
Date of birth: 02 Sep 1990
Place of birth: Kumla, Sweden
Other Championship titles: 2007 Formula BMW UK and 2009 Japanese Formula Three

Formula One World Championship Career
Championships: 0
Wins: 0
Podiums: 0
Career points: 9
Pole Positions: 0
Fastest laps: 0
First entry: 2014 Australian Grand Prix
Last Entry: 2016 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
2016 position: 22nd (0 pts)

Nation: Germany
Engine: Ferrari
Date of birth: 07 Mar 1987
Place of birth: Heppenheim, Germany
Other Championship titles: none

Formula One World Championship Career
Championships: 4 (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013)
Wins: 42
Podiums: 86
Career points: 2,108
Pole Positions: 46
Fastest laps: 28
First entry: 2007 United States Grand Prix
Last Entry: 2016 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
2016 position: 4th (212 pts)

Nation: Finland
Engine: Ferrari
Date of birth: 17 Oct 1979
Place of birth: Espoo Finland
Other Championship titles: none 

Formula One World Championship Career
Championships: 1 (2007)
Wins: 20
Podiums: 84
Career points: 1,360
Pole Positions: 16
Fastest laps: 43
First entry: 2001 Australian Grand Prix
Last Entry: 2016 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
2016 position: 6th (186 pts)

Daniil Kvyat
Nation: Russian Federation
Engine: Tag Heuer (Renault)
Date of birth: 26 Apr 1994
Place of birth: UFA, Russia
Other Championship titles: 2012 Formula Renault 2.0 Alps, 2013 GP3 Series

Formula One World Championship Career
Championships: 0
Wins: 0
Podiums: 2
Career points: 128
Pole Positions: 0
Fastest laps: 1
First entry: 2014 Australian Grand Prix
Last Entry: 2016 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
2016 position: 14th (25 pts)

Nation: Spain
Engine: Ferrari
Date of birth: 01 Sep 1994
Place of birth: Madrid, Spain
Other Championship titles: 2011 Formula Renault 2.0 NEC and 2014 Formula Renault 3.5 Series

Formula One World Championship Career
Championships: 0
Wins: 0
Podiums: 0
Career points: 64
Pole Positions: 0
Fastest laps: 0
First entry: 2015 Australian Grand Prix
Last Entry: 2016 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
2016 position: 12th (46 pts)

Nation: Canada
Engine: Mercedes
Date of birth: 23 Jan 1997
Place of birth: Montreal, Canada
Other Championship titles: 2014 Italian Formula 4 Championship, 2015 Toyota Racing Series, and 2016 Euro F3 Championship

Formula One World Championship Career
Championships: 0
Wins: 0
Podiums: 0
Career points: 0
Pole Positions: 0
Fastest laps: 0
First entry: 2017 Australian Grand Prix

Nation: Brazil
Engine: Williams Mercedes
Date of birth: 25 Apr 1981
Place of birth: Sao Paulo, Brazil
Other Championship titles: none

Formula One World Championship Career
Championships: 0
Wins: 11
Podiums: 41
Career points: 1,124
Pole Positions: 16
Fastest laps: 15
First entry: 2002 Australian Grand Prix
Last Entry: 2016 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
2016 position: 11th (53 pts)