F1 season betting preview, free tips & analysis

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Max Verstappen without Lewis Hamilton
3pts 7-4 general
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Max Verstappen to win the title
1pt 5-1 general
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Preview

Lewis Hamilton goes into the 2020 Formula One season as a deservedly hot favourite to land a record-equalling seventh world drivers championship.

His Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas will be keen not to let Hamilton have things all his own way, especially as the Finn is out of contract at the end of the season.

Meanwhile four-time champ Sebastian Vettel and speedy youngster Charles Leclerc are aiming to end Ferrari's 13-year title drought, while eight-time race winner Max Verstappen will be hoping Red Bull can give him the machinery to challenge more consistently.

Hamilton is the dominant driver of his generation and, showing no signs of slowing down at the age of 35, the six-times world champion is threatening to see off the next generation too.

It's not as though there's a shortage of exciting youngsters trying to overthrow the king.

Charles Leclerc, Esteban Ocon, Carlos Sainz, Lando Norris and George Russell all have at least ten years on Hamilton but have yet to suggest they are a worthy successor.

However, 22-year-old Verstappen has made a huge impact in his five years in the sport and this could be the year he is able to lay down a sustained challenge for the title.

There have been periods over the last few years when the Red Bull has looked at least a match for the all-conquering Mercedes.

Verstappen won races towards the end of the 2017 and 2018 seasons entirely on merit, and went into last year's summer break as the man in form, and trailing Bottas by just seven points.

Red Bull have tended to start seasons slowly in recent years, but they hit form earlier last season and have had an encouraging winter.

Indeed, there has been an air of quiet confidence about the team who dominated F1 between 2010 and 2013. The fact that they set their fastest pre-season time on a tyre other than the softest compound suggests they are capable of going quicker than they showed.

There's no doubt Mercedes and their innovative DAS steering system are going to be hard to beat. But the team experienced reliability issues with their new power unit that they will need to solve quickly, and if Verstappen can stay on terms in the championship through the early races then Hamilton could have a real fight on his hands.

Ferrari shouldn't be discounted, although they go into the season after a low-key winter.

Last year's car relied on it's significant straight-line speed advantage, which brought wins in Belgium and Italy for Leclerc and could easily have also done so in Baku and Bahrain.

This year's machine is a very different beast, however, seemingly much lower on power following a controversial settlement with governing body the FIA over allegations that last season's engine interpreted the rules a little too liberally.

It could take time to get the best out of their new design and by then the championship may well be out of reach.

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