Formula 1 2024 season preview: Who will take the Bahrain Grand Prix and kick the new season into gear?

The Formula 1 2024 season gets going on Saturday with the Bahrain Grand Prix. Will Red Bull dominate the standings for a third year in a row?

We preview the season and the first Grand Prix below.

Drivers’ Championship favourites

Formula 1 returns with the Bahrain Grand Prix this week and with it the excitement of high-octane drama, with the drivers’ battle for supremacy dominating the motor sporting world for the next eight months.

Nothing else in Formula One is as important or as exhilarating as the Drivers’ Championship, and any fan will be aware of the incredible 2023 season which saw Max Verstappen walk away with first place on 19 occasions.

The winner of the Drivers’ Championship is almost always determined by the quality of the car and last year’s was no different as victor Max Verstappen drove the best car on the field. Looking yet again to have one of the most well put together and high performing vehicles on the grid, the world champion Verstappen is understandably the favourite to win the Drivers’ Championship at 1/7 and is the favourite to triumph in Bahrain at 3/10.

Next in line to win in Bahrain is Charles Leclerc, who didn’t manage to finish in last year’s renewal, at 8/1. Based on the good-looking performance of the Ferrari in preseason testing, Leclerc could find himself close behind Max Verstappen and is 10/1 to win the race for the Drivers’ Championship.

The man one away from the record for most world championships of all time, Lewis Hamilton, is of course in the running again but his difficulties with his car may prove to be too strong and may see the bold Brit halted from unleashing his potential as the quicker Ferrari and Red Bull overtake.

Hamilton is the fourth favourite to win the championship, behind Lando Norris in third (12/1), at 16/1. He is also the fourth favourite to win in Bahrain at 18/1. It remains to be seen if Hamilton’s new car will allow him to race at his best ability but if it is even slightly better than it was last year, he will surely be in with a chance of taking a few Grand Prix’s this season.

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Constructor’s Championship favourites 

Red Bull are again the favourites to win the Constructors Championship after a successful 2023 that saw them finish over 450 points above second placed Mercedes.

They could end up being the next dominant force in Formula One if their drivers keep performing well and after a very impressive preseason test, Red Bull look to be set for another title winning campaign. They are 1/7 to win the Constructors Championship for the third year in a row.

Ferrari are next in the running, finishing third last season, and will also be pleased with the way their preseason test turned out, though they still look to be in the shadow of Red Bull who could control the grid from the beginning.

Ferrari are 7/1 to triumph this season though they will have a tough battle and will hope to eradicate the mistakes that hampered them last season if they are to be in with a chance of catching Red Bull.

The one other team that could be in the running for the title are McLaren who are 8/1 to claim the Constructor’s Championship title. However, after their performances last season which saw them finish fourth, it will take some drastic improvements in consistency and quality if they are to be in with a chance. With the drivers they have though, do not write them off from pulling off a shock.

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