Which Driver Will Win the First Formula 1 Race of the Year?

Four months after Lewis Hamilton conquered the world of F1 racing, the points have been reset. 20 drivers will be starting afresh, as they race their way through different continents and gather points in their quest to lift the 2018 Formula 1 drivers’ title in Abu Dhabi in November.

Things start off in Australia this weekend with the first race. As we count down to the practice races, the qualifying races and the main race itself, we take a look at the several drivers who can win the first maximum 25 points of the F1 season.

1. Lewis Hamilton

The Englishman will be getting ready for what should be a tightly-contested F1 season. He’s the reigning champion and he knows that the likes of Sebastian Vettel, Daniel Ricciardo and even his team mate, Valtteri Bottas will be looking to get the better of him whenever those lights go off and the race tracks come alive.

But Lewis Hamilton has the advantage of being on the Mercedes team, a team that might as well dominate the Constructor’s standings for years to come. With an amazing car that has been upgraded, it’s hard to bet against Hamilton.

2. Sebastian Vettel

The German driver finished second overall last season no thanks to losing his head in Azerbaijan and letting Hamilton run away with the title. To an extent, he must have learnt his lesson and will now be plotting a comeback to snatch the title from under Hamilton’s nose.

The Ferrari cars have been greatly improved too: an upgrade from the SF70H to the SF71H is all part of the big plan to break Mercedes’ stranglehold in the sport. This is good news for Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen who are Ferrari team mates. But like the old-age saying goes, “It’s about the driver of the car, not the car.”

3. Max Verstappen

The Red Bull driver was able to win two races last year. This is good enough to throw him into the mix this year, the mix of drivers who stand a chance of winning not only the Australian Grand Prix this weekend, but also the 2018 F1 title.

The cars may not be able to stand toe-to-toe with the likes of Ferrari and Mercedes, making Max’s quest to conquer the world a very tall order. But then again, the driver who finished in sixth last year shouldn’t be completely ruled out.

4. Valtteri Bottas

Bottas is on the same team as Lewis Hamilton. This is enough for the driver who hails from Finland. He won three races last year and finished third on the overall standings (albeit a whooping 58 points behind Hamilton) and should be a strong contender for the race set to take place in Australia this weekend.

But he has to find a way to break through the duopoly of Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel. If he must make it this season, he must better that duopoly or at least make it a trio-poly… if there’s anything like that.

All things being equal, one of these drivers will definitely win the race in Australia. The question is, which of them will? Leave us a comment and let us know what you think.