The Formula 1 2019 Season is ready to start

The 2019 Formula 1 Season is not the inevitable affair many are making it out to be. We agree that favorites Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel must be taken seriously, but there are plenty of other names to keep track of throughout this year's campaign. Our breakdown of the 2019 F1 Drivers Championship includes:

Complete Formula 1 Schedule
Complete Formula 1 Odds for the Drivers Championship
Information on the USA Grand Prix: Formula 1 Austin Odds
Analysis on what to watch for
Much More

Please note that all of our betting odds for the Formula 1 season come from Bovada and are subject to change over the course of the schedule.

2019 Formula 1 Season Breakdown

Complete Formula 1 Race Schedule

This year's Formula 1 docket includes 21 races. The festivities begin on March 17 with the Australian Grand Prix and conclude on December 1 with the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Below you'll find the when and where for all of the races:

March 17: Australian Grand Prix
March 31: Bahrain Grand Prix
April 14: Chinese Grand Prix
April 28: Azerbaijan Grand Prix
May 12: Spanish Grand Prix
May 26: Monaco Grand Prix
June 9: Canadian Grand Prix
June 23: French Grand Prix
June 30: Austrian Grand Prix
July 14: British Grand Prix
July 28: German Grand Prix
August 4: Hungarian Grand Prix
September 1: Belgian Grand Prix
September 8: Italian Grand Prix
September 22: Singapore Grand Prix
September 29: Russian Grand Prix
October 13: Japanese Grand Prix
October 27: Mexican Grand Prix
November 3: USA Grand Prix
November 17: Brazilian Grand Prix
December 1: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

2019 F1 Drivers Championship Odds

Twenty drivers are currently laying odds for the 2019 F1 Drivers Championship. Scroll down and you'll see the lines for all of them as of March 10. We've also included the racing teams they represent in parentheticals and looped them into same-odds categories to save you time:

Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes): +125
Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari): +170
Charles LeClerc (Ferrari): +600
Max Verstappen (Red Bull): +900
Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes): +2500
Pierre Gasly (Red Bull), Daniel Ricciardo (Renault): +4000
Nico Hulkenberg (Renault): +9900
Kimi Raikkonen (Alfa Romeo): +15000
Carlos Sainz (McLaren): +20000
Kevin Magnussen (Haas), Romain Grosjean (Haas), Sergio Perez (Racing Point), Lando Norris (McLaren): +30000
Lance Stroll (Racing Point), Robert Kubica (Williams): +50000
Antonio Giovinazzi (Alfa Romeo): +75000
George Russell (Williams), Daniil Kvyat (Toro Rosso), Alexander Albon (Toro Rosso): +100000

Who Will Win the 2019 F1 Drivers Championship?

Although a few names are getting more attention as contenders for the F1 Drivers Championship, we're taking things a bit further. Here's every name to monitor in the conversation, from the top favorites to the best dark-horse bets.

Lewis Hamilton (+125)

Lewis Hamilton is getting the usual incumbent treatment, in a big way. But he deserves it. He has won the last two F1 Drivers Championships and four of the last five.

It also helps that Mercedes' machines have tested well leading into the start of the season. Combined with his experience and tight maneuvering, he cannot be spun as a bad investment when he's laying more than even money.

Sebastian Vettel (+170)

Sebastian Vettel is fairly far removed from his stretch of dominance a few years back. He earned four straight titles from 2010 through 2014, which somehow feels like forever ago. It isn't, and it's important to remember as much.

Oddsmakers surely are, which is why they not only have him as the runner-up favorite, but also so close to Hamilton in general. The cars for Ferrari once again tested really well this year. That might even be an understatement. Many believe they're actually beginning the year with an appreciable edge over Mercedes, which should be seen as motivation for anyone who's looking to bet against Hamilton.

Charles LeClerc (+600)

Though there is a large gap separating Charles LeClerc from the aforementioned two, he's laying the third-best odds of the bunch. That would have rendered him a nice bet by default; any time you can get whoever's deemed the third- or fourth-best championship contender for what amounts to a dark horse line, you're receiving excellent value.

But LeClerc's case is made ever stronger by two significant factors. First and foremost, Ferrari tested so well ahead of the regular season that he gets an automatic bump. Beyond that, there are many who believe he's more adept at driving the latest models and specs than his teammate, the ever-popular Vettel. Don't be surprised if it's LeClerc who ends up pacing the Ferrari squad in the standings.

Pierre Gasly (+4000)

One of the biggest races on the calendar this year is expected to be the 2019 USA Grand Prix, which will be held in Austin, Texas. As someone who is extra familiar with the terrain, expect Pierre Gasly to be among the favorites in that race, as well as one of the most popular bets in some of the more local European competitions—Italian Grand Prix, French Grand Prix, Spanish Grand Prix, etc.

Granted, funnelling money into him comes at a risk. The Red Bull team tested only so-so before the regular season began. Still, Gasly is a pedal-to-the-metal go-getter. There might be a chance you can get him at a higher price after the first race or two of the season, maybe at +5000 or something, but we wouldn't wait too long before scooping him up.

Kimi Raikkonen (+15000)

This pick is all about the engine. Don't get us wrong: Kimi Raikkonen is a very skilled driver, and someone who is expected to step up during the Australian Grand Prix. However, with that being said, Alfa Romeo has enjoyed one of their best testing years in recent memory.

This is a team that figures to hang with the tier just below Ferrari and Mercedes, perhaps rivaling or exceeding Haas, Renault and the up-and-coming Torro Rosso. With this in mind, if you're looking for a super dark-horse wager, we're not opposed to Raikkonen's teammate, Antonio Giovinazzi, who you can currently get at +75000.

Check out this list of the best online sportsbooks below so that you can figure out which one best meets your Formula 1 betting needs: