Will a Challenge for Hamilton Come from Vettel and Ricciardo in 2018?
The drivers have taken to the track for the start of testing, which means that the 2018 Formula One season is almost upon us. Lewis Hamilton will be looking to secure the fifth Drivers’ Championship of his career following his triumph in the last campaign. Sebastian Vettel and Daniel Ricciardo have put down a marker in the early stages of the testing process, but will face a huge challenge on their hands to knock the Brit off top spot.
Vettel had an impressive start to the 2017 season, winning the opening race of the campaign with a brilliant drive in Melbourne. He maintained his form, claiming two further victories in Bahrain and Monaco along with three second-place finishes. However, the German lost his momentum midway through the term, allowing Hamilton him to surpass him to claim the crown. Vettel had the speed with his Ferrari, although he did have reliability issues down the stretch that held him back.
Ricciardo regressed from his 2016 term in 2017, which was partly down to a sluggish start. In his home Grand Prix, a fuel cell issue knocked him out of the race, while a problem with his brakes ended the Russian Grand Prix. However, he found his form with a run of five-straight podiums, including his lone win of the 2017 season. The triumph came at Azerbaijan when the Australian capitalised on a collision between Hamilton and Vettel to snatch the victory. Reliability and a lack of speed from his Red Bull prevented him from finishing strongly. Ricciardo and his team will have to raise their game to challenge Hamilton this term.
Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull RB14 Catalunya 2018
The German and Ricciardo are the two obvious contenders outside of Hamilton, which is reflected in their betting odds to win the crown. Odds are a low as 3/1 for Vettel to win the crown, although given his collapse in the 2017 term it’s not the best value. The Ferrari driver also has not won the Drivers’ Championship since 2013, despite his outstanding pedigree. Ricciardo averages in the 7/1 range for the title, which could descend if his Red Bull continues to display speed during testing.
Whether both drivers will fire compared to Hamilton’s Mercedes is another matter. As a result, it may be worth using a safer option with a bookmaker such as good welcome offer, such as a deposit bonus or even a free bet, given the task for either the Australian or Vettel to dislodge the Brit from the top of the sport. An offer from Betway for example, includes a £30 free bet for £10 put down, which could be a worthy punt given the potential of both drivers. So just go ahead and click here for a free bet.
Vettel may have had the answer last season when he put Hamilton under pressure from the off. However, he was unable to capitalise on his impressive start, while a challenge from Red Bull and Ricciardo never emerged after his third-place finish in 2016. Nico Rosberg has been the only man to disrupt Hamilton’s dominance since the 2014 campaign. The German was able to channel his form throughout the season to narrowly edge out his Mercedes teammate for the title.
Reliability and form have prevented Vettel and Ricciardo mustering the same challenge last term. However, if either driver is able to force the issue early on with flawless performances, which could pressure Hamilton and his team into mistakes then it could be enough to take the crown away from Mercedes for the first time in five years.
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