#2 Nico Hulkenberg beats Daniel Ricciardo
One driver has a single pole and no podium in his career. The other is a multiple race-winner and the most daring overtaker currently operating an F1 steering wheel. One is 31 and German. The other is 29 and Australian.
One is in the last year of his contract at Renault, the other is on his first. One has out-qualified and outscored his team-mate in 2018 and the other has not. One is the incumbent and the other is the threat.
One is Nico Hulkenberg, the other is Daniel Ricciardo. It is difficult to pick a winner here; while Ricciardo comes with the higher pedigree, Hulkenberg is well-settled in the French team.
The Aussie, in fact, might have to adjust to the new car and the surroundings and might find it hard to beat a very motivated and capable driver, determined to not lose his number 1 status. It should be close and can go either way.