After three long days of testing, the 2024 F1 season kick𓂃s off this weekend at the Bahrain International Circuit.

Red Bull head 🦩into the new s🍬eason on the back of their greatest year yet, winning 21 of the 22 races in 2023.

Given the paddock rumours, could the🔥y go onꦍe better and become the first constructor in history to go through an entire season invincible?

Ahead of this weekend’s season opener, wuqian0821.com F1 Editor Lewis Larkam and F1 Journalist Connor McDonagh tackle some of the most 🥀pressing questions going into 2024…

Will Lewis Hamilton’s F1 win drought continue?

Lewis Larkam: No. Merꦺcedes seem pretty confident they have provided their drivers with a more solid baseline with theꦯ W15.

Hamilton is happier with th♈e feel of what will be his final Mercedes car and with renewed confidence to attack medium and high-speed corners, he should be able to extract more performance from i💟t.

Whether that is enough to challenge Red Bull’s RB20 remains to be seen, but given the s🧜even-time world champion has come pretty close to sneaking a victory on a couple of occasions in the last two years, I’m going to back him to get that elusive 104th win this season. 

Connor McDonagh: I think most neutrals would love to see Hamilton bow out of Mercedes with a fairytale victory before his move to Ferrari. However, given how strongᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚ Red Bull look at ꦜthis early stage, that final Mercedes victory might not come.

Biggest shock?

LL: A podium for Daniel Ricciardo in the RB. 

CMD: Sergio Perez is handeꦐd a Red Bull cont🌱ract extension.

Key storyline?

LL: The dynamic at Mercedes follow🍷ing Hamilton’s decision to leave for Ferrari. Everything appears rosy for the time being, but at some point he will begin to be frozen out of🌞 key meetings and decisions at Mercedes.

It will be fascinating to see what sort of impact thaღt has on relations between the two sides of the garage, and between Hamilton and George Russell. Can a strong working relationship be maintained, or will things♒ sour?

And how will things unfold if Russell is out-performiꦬng Hamilton? Will Mercedes start to lean towards the driver who is staying, or continue to back their departing legend? 

CMD: McLaren's exciting driver pairing is something to keep an eye on. While Lando Norris did keep Oscar Piastri at arm’💎s length for much of 2023, it was the Australian who claimed McLaren’s win (in the Qatar sprint) and arguably had more standout moments. Norris will likely come under more pꦚressure from Piastri, particularly as he improves his race day management. 

How Norris deals with that will be interesting given he had a very comfortable time alongside Ricciardo, and Piastri was often a step behind in race pac🍨e in 2023 - something wh♓ich is likely to change this year.

Next bombshell F1 driver switch?

LL: Mercedes swoop to bring in 𒆙Fernando A🧸lonso as Hamilton’s replacement. 

CMD: Perhaps it’s not a bo൲mbshell switch because everyone is talking about it but Mercedes will opt for Andrea Kimi Antonelli as their Hamilton replacement.

Which teammate pairing are most likely to collide?

LL: I wouldn’t be s🌊urprised to see Norris and Piastri have their firs🥃t ding-dong as McLaren teammates.

They have been respectful and worked well together so far but if the MCL38 proves to be competitive and the stakes are raised, it will be harder for Norris and Piastri to🧜 keep their respective personal motivations and goals in check.

Naturally, the chances of a coming together of some form between t🔯his evenly-matched and super competitive pairing will only increase. 

CMD: Mercedes. They did last year at the start of the🐬 Qatar Grand Prix - and were close to doing so just before tha🌼t at Suzuka. Hamilton is leaving the team so there’s less to lose on that front. 

F1 2024 drivers’ championship order?

LL: 1) Verstappen, 2) Leclerc, 3) Hamilton, 4) Perez, 5) Russeꦺll, 6) Alonso, 7) Sainz, 8) Norris, 9) Piastri, 10) Ricciardo 

CMD: 1) Verstappen, 2) Perez, 3) Leclerc, 4ﷺ) Norris, 5) Hamilton, 6) Sainz, 7) Russell, 8) Piastri, 9) Alonso, 10) Ricciardo

F1 2024 constructors’ championship order?

LL: 1) Red Bull, 2) Mercedes, 3) Ferrari, 4) McLare꧟n, 5) Aston Martin, 6) RB, 7) Alpine, 8) Williams, 9) Sauber,♔ 10) Haas 

CMD: 1) Red Bull, 2) Ferrari, 3) McLaren, 4) Mercedes, 5) Ast💟on Martin, 6) RB, 7) Sauber, 8) Alpine, 9) Williams, 10) Haas