Lewis Hamilton has been tipped for a Formula 1 title tilt again this year by a supercomputer – but the Mercedes man is still expected to be beaten to the chequered flag by rival Max Verstappen.
Pre-season testing begins next week and the Bahrain Grand Prix follows just another week later. Alpine's car reveal on Thursday night means all 10 teams have now shown off their machines for the upcoming campaign.
Red Bull dominated the 2022 season, with a car which was unmatched once the team had got a handle on their early-season reliability niggles. The same was true for Verstappen, who finished the campaign a whopping 146 points clear of nearest challenger Charles Leclerc.
Hamilton endured one of the most difficult seasons of his F1 career and could only manage sixth in a less competitive Mercedes car. He will be desperately hoping his new W14 machine can push him back into the title battles with which he is so familiar.
An F1 supercomputer used by BonusCodeBets believes that the Brit will do exactly that. Using a wide range of outright odds markets to assess who is the most likely champion of the 2023 season, Hamilton has odds of 10/3 to pick up what would be a record eighth drivers' crown.
But while the supercomputer clearly thinks Hamilton will be in the fight, the 38-year-old was not picked as the expected champion. Instead, the brainy bot believes Verstappen is best-placed to complete a remarkable hat-trick of title successes, with odds of 5/4.
Leclerc may have been runner-up last year but the supercomputer is not quite as keen about Ferrari's chances this time around. The Monegasque is predicted to end up third in the drivers' championship, with team-mate Carlos Sainz in fifth behind George Russell – predicted to complete back-to-back fourth-placed finishes.
Even though Sergio Perez is predicted to finish sixth in the drivers' standings, Red Bull are the comfortable odds-on favourites to successfully defend their constructors' title. Mercedes are tipped to reclaim second spot with a price of 11/8 – well ahead of Ferrari's odds of 11/2.
Outside of the top three, another close battle is predicted between Alpine and McLaren for fourth place with the French outfit tipped to pip their rivals to the post once again. But Lando Norris has been backed to get the better of both the Alpine drivers to once again scoop seventh spot in the drivers' championship.
