The new Formula One campaign gets underway on Sunday and our F1 Insider is backing Ferrari to lead the way this season.
Recommended bets
5pts Ferrari to win the constructors' championship at 11/8
5pts Daniel Ricciardo to win the drivers' championship without the 'big 6' at 9/4
All in Red
The oldest and most famous name in Formula 1 has gone 10 seasons without a constructors' crown after a turbulent decade. But the pieces now look in place for the Scuderia to go toe-to-toe with the Mercedes juggernaut in 2019.
The design team that created Maranello's most impressive machine since the Ross Brawn/Rory Byrne days remain, and is now led by Mattia Binotto, looking to be this era's answer to Jean Todt.
So much is expected of lead driver Sebastian Vettel, whose mistakes contributed to the fading of their challenge last season, but the key to constructors' success could be the arrival of Charles Leclerc, who replaces Kimi Raikkonen in the second seat.
As the odds for the drivers' championship suggest, Leclerc looks a sharper prospect this season than Mercedes number two Valtteri Bottas, which may make the difference in what is expected to be a closely-fought title race.
Vettel has his best chance yet to end Lewis Hamilton's string of drivers' titles, but the best outright bet invites Leclerc to play his part in helping to dethrone Mercedes from their hybrid-era dominance.
Daniel Ricciardo to prove best of the rest
Renault's big-name signing Daniel Ricciardo starts a solid favourite to take "best of the rest" honours behind the Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull sextet this season, and that confidence is justified.
Ricciardo took seven wins in his five seasons at Red Bull and will be keen to show that his ambitious move to be Renault's lead driver will not be regarded as a step down in the long-term.
This market sees the Australian head team-mate Nico Hulkenberg, who won this heat convincingly last year and merits respect, but Ricciardo has a proven ability to drag an extraordinary race result from an ordinary car.
Renault's budget and development potential should see off a spirited challenge from Haas and the other midfield contenders.
Back Magnussen at mighty odds
Haas have gone about their pre-season without fanfare, largely staying under the radar as they bid to build on an impressive third season that saw them beat the likes of McLaren and Force India in the constructors' championship.
A stable and experienced driver line-up of Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grosjean might not set the pulses racing but the Dane especially is a safe pair of hands who notched 56 points in 2018, 47 of them scored in the first half of the season.
Their bright start could be repeated this year and Magnussen in particular looks worth taking a chance on in the podium market at 66/1 - he qualified fourth in Melbourne last year and would have finished fifth if not for a cross-threaded wheel nut which ended his race.
Everything points to bold show from Giovinazzi
The rebranded Sauber team look set to hit the ground running after their reincarnation as Alfa Romeo.
The iconic marque will be represented on the grid for the first time in 34 years and their partnership with the Ferrari works team once again looks set to be crucial. They have lost last season's driving revelation, Charles Leclerc, to the Scuderia but have gained Kimi Raikkonen, a veteran of 291 Grand Prix's, including 21 victories.
But while Raikkonen will spearhead Alfa's challenge this season, the opening-race value looks to lie with his team-mate Antonio Giovinazzi, another young driver in the Ferrari stable.
The Italian is 4/1 to finish in the points in Melbourne, which looks a point or so overpriced.
