What’s new for Formula One in 2019?

There are rules on weight as well. Driver weight is now considered separately to the car. In the past, driver and car weights were taken together. This put drivers under pressure to be as light as possible, so that the car could be as light as possible.

But that’s over now, and it will come as a relief to taller and heavier drivers like Nico Hulkenberg.

New drivers

We’ll be saying hello to three rookies in 2019. Lando Norris begins his career with McLaren, George Russell has rocked up at Williams, and Alexander Albon will start life as an F1 driver with Toro Rosso.

The trio are part of a driver line-up overhaul during the winter. Only two teams, Mercedes and Haas, have retained the same drivers from 2018.

Max Verstappen is joined by Pierre Gasly at Red Bull, Charles Leclerc is taking the fight to Vettel at Ferrari, Daniel Ricciardo has found pastures new at Renault, and Kimi Raikkonen is team leader at Alfa Romeo.

And there’s the return of Robert Kubica. The Pole, back from a horrific crash and injury at a 2011 rally event, is raring to go again with Williams.

New champions?

Mercedes have won the last five Constructors’ Championships, while Lewis Hamilton has taken the driver’s crown in four of the past five seasons.

Will that domination come to an end in 2019? Ferrari were the team to beat in pre-season testing.

Winter running is never a concrete indication of pace, but there are plenty of murmurings that this might be the Italian squad’s year.

Ferrari haven’t won the constructors’ title since 2008, and they’re 6/5 to end that drought this year.

Mercedes are 19/20 favourites, with Red Bull lurking at 5/1.

And if Ferrari’s winter pace is genuine, then Vettel might finally get one over Hamilton after two years of defeat. The German is 13/8 to win a fifth world crown this year, with Hamilton currently favourite at 5/4.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing