It's that time of year again where we predict (albeit, foolishly) how the 24 drivers on this elite grid will perform this year. Starting with the champion and ending with the two French newcomers, let's get started!

SILVER GREEN RACING (UNITED STATES)

RANDY CARPENTER (FRANCE) - CAR #1 - 2011 RED BULL WORLD SERIES WORLD DRIVERS CHAMPION
It really seems, in just 10 short races, that Randy Carpenter went from hated to loved. After wrecking the entire field in the Rookie Shootout to winning the Championship, he hopes to repeat this year. Silver Green Racing has looked impressive throughout testing, so lets see they can do this year to supply the defending Drivers Champion with cars to compete for another title. Carpenter, if consistant, can easily get the second WDC, just like his first.

NICK BRADSTONE (RUSSIA) - CAR #2 - RED BULL WORLD SERIES ROOKIE
Being a teammate to the defending Red Bull World Series World Drivers Champion is not easy, but this is what Russian Rookie Nick Bradstone must do. It'll be interesting to see what the young man can do behind the wheel of one of these abosolute beasts of a race car. SGR has been reported to be fair and supply both drivers on their team with equal equipment. Bradstone replaces the now retired Arthur Gillard, who did, in his words, "Absolutely jack [expletive]" during his return. Bradstone will probably end up in the midfield, judging how he has never performed at this high of a level in motorsport before.

MERTZ RACING TECHNOLOGIES (UNITED STATES) 14 TIME RED BULL WORLD SERIES WORLD TEAMS CHAMPION (1980, '83, '88, '91, 96, '98, '99-'03, '06, '11)

RON MERTZ (UNITED STATES) - CAR #3 - 9 TIME RED BULL WORLD SERIES WORLD DRIVERS CHAMPION (1980, '83, '88, '91, 96, '98, '99, '03, '06)
The Old Man, The Legend, whatever you want to call him. The 9 Time World Drivers Champion still has some drive left in him to get the big 1-0 in the Champion column before he retires. He will be under immense pressure from the rest of the grid, and especially his son Josh. If Ron can adapt to the new cars quickly, he'll be champion. The last times the series went to new cars, he won, in dominating fashion.

JOSH MERTZ (GERMANY) - CAR #81 - 4TH YEAR IN THE RED BULL WORLD SERIES
Always the bridesmaid, never the bride. Such a cliche fits the son of the 9-Time WDC, as Josh has yet to find his "groove" following in his fathers footsteps. He looked good in pre-season testing, so expect the #81 to be up front. He loves road racing, so he definitely will be up front unless something dramatic happens to the car.

TEAM JROD (UNITED STATES)

SHAWN PORTER (UNITED STATES) - 2ND YEAR IN THE RED BULL WORLD SERIES
Porter, as a rookie last year, nearly won the World Drivers Championship. He was consistant in a car that was not deemed competitive (The Pontiac). He surprised everyone as a former boxer and proved that African-Americans can drive a racecar just as good as Caucasian Americans. Expect Porter to be up front if Team Jrod, with support from new sponsor Mtn Dew, can hold the funding together to build good racecars.

JARED PIERCE (UNITED STATES) - 2ND YEAR IN THE RED BULL WORLD SERIES
Jared Pierce, a humble man from North Carolina with booming business interests, simply likes to race. Owner of the ASNs' affiliate the Jrod Entertainment Network, owns multiple instances of Team Jrod in German Touring Cars, Champ Car, and was looking to branch to Formula IS. Pierce is the type of driver that with enough practice, can jump on the top of the podium quite quickly.

LORENZO-SMITH MOTORSPORTS (UNITED STATES) - 2010 RED BULL WORLD SERIES WORLD TEAMS CHAMPION

NIK CARLSON (UNITED STATES) - CAR #09 - RED BULL WORLD SERIES ROOKIE
Carlson has been dubbed as a "Pay driver" by many, which is very unfair. Even though Carlson has brought along long time sponsor Mortal Kombat, in testing he was very fast. This young man drove in German Touring Cars for several seasons, so we shall see how he can adapt to these good 'ol American "Stock Cars".

RODNEY SMITH (UNITED STATES) - CAR #9 - 2010 RED BULL WORLD SERIES WORLD DRIVERS CHAMPION
Good ol Rodney Smith. Remember when he failed to qualify for Daytona and nearly handed the title to Kenny Dunigan. He persevered and clawed his way back to win the title. He hasn't found the magic, after a lackluster 2011. Smith, if consistent (boy, that sounds like a cliche now and I sound like a broken record) can easily contend for the WDC.

Tomorrow, we will start again with...

LOTUS TECHNOLOGIES (GREAT BRITIAN)
CHRIS HAAS (UNITED STATES) - CAR #48 - 3RD YEAR IN THE RED BULL WORLD SERIES
and
ADAM SWEET (SERTZ) - CAR #67 - 2ND YEAR IN THE RED BULL WORLD SERIES