F1: Top 5 Contenders for 2019 Drivers' Championship

It's now February which can only mean the pre-season testing is just days away and we're another step closer to the 2019 Formula 1 world championship.

10 teams, 20 drivers will be racing at 21 circuits all over the world to determine who is the best driver in the world.

As always, the main focus will be on the drivers' championship as many will be wondering if anyone can challenge Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes' dominance.

In a way, the new season will be seen as a new era with Fernando Alonso bowing out of the series for new drivers to come in including Lando Norris at McLaren and Charles Leclerc receiving the promotion to Scuderia Ferrari.

It is an exciting season ahead.

Here are five possible contenders for the 2019 F1 world championship...

#5 Lewis Hamilton - Mercedes

Let's start off with the obvious one of the current world champion, Lewis Hamilton.

Last year saw the Briton achieve a 5th world championship making it his 4th driver's title with Mercedes since he joined the Silver Arrows in 2013 after leaving McLaren.

And boy what a decision that proved to be after many feared his decision to leave his boyhood team could have been a bad move.

But here we are six years later - now just two world championships off current record holder Michael Schumacher.

Hamilton is no doubt the favourite to defend his world championship after showing another year of pure masterclass driving.

Ever since rival and ex-teammate Nico Rosberg retired from F1, Hamilton has had another German to fear in Sebastian Vettel.

But after beating the Ferrari man in the last two world championships, many believe the experience and scintillating skills of Hamilton will win once more.

Can anyone stop him?

#4 Charles Leclerc - Scuderia Ferrari

F1 End of Season Testing in Abu Dhabi - Day Two

Charles Leclerc is arguably the most exciting up and coming driver in Formula One right now. Only one season under his belt with Sauber has already got him a seat at Scuderia Ferrari for the new championship.

Leclerc is only 21 years old and has a very promising future ahead of him if he plays his cards right. Last season saw Leclerc achieve high-end race results for Sauber to help the Swiss team finish 8th out of 10 in the constructors' championship. The man from Monaco also outscored his Sauber teammate, Marcus Ericsson, in his debut season.

Ferrari have brought in a driver they really believe can stop Hamilton's dominance and put the Italian team back at the top of the sport. Hamilton won his first world championship in his second season, why can't Leclerc?

#3 Sebastian Vettel - Scuderia Ferrari

Vettel has not won a driver's championship since 2013

Sebastian Vettel is starting to become a forgotten world champion, a driver in the shadows of Lewis Hamilton's current success and dominance. It is now been nearly six years since Vettel achieved his fourth world championship when winning the 2013 Indian Grand Prix for Red Bull.

How times have changed since we last saw Vettel at his very best. But there is no doubt that the German will be a championship contender in 2019. Ferrari have been Mercedes' main rivals for the last two seasons - ever since Nico Rosberg retired.

They have come close with Vettel by trying to stop the magnificent Mercedes group but the runners up position is just not enough. Vettel does have the worry of Leclerc's rise as the man from Monaco will hardly accept a number two role at the team - not if he starts the campaign with electric form that is.

#2 Pierre Gasly - Red Bull

Now it is without a doubt that Red Bull's new recruit Pierre Gasly is going to be an outsider in this year's drivers' championship. But the Frenchman will also, without doubt, be determined to get the ground running when he debuts for Red Bull at next month's Australian Grand Prix.

Who would have thought Gasly would be at Red Bull because of Daniel Ricciardo shocking the F1 community by saying no to a contract extension before leaving the team.

Well... here we are.

Max Verstappen is expected to be Red Bull's priority when it comes down to the championship battle. But it's a big if for Red Bull competing in the driver's championship as they have struggled since the glory days of Sebastian Vettel.

The two young determined drivers of Verstappen and Gasly could be a very exciting prospect.

#1 Max Verstappen - Red Bull

Another name in the new generation of F1 drivers that many expect to one day win a world championship. Maybe the taste of a first world championship could be coming this year?

Max Verstappen is going into his third full season with Red Bull after joining the team in 2016 to replace Daniil Kvyat. But this will be his first season at Red Bull without his good friend Daniel Ricciardo.

A majority of the races in 2018 showed that Verstappen was the team's priority especially after Ricciardo announced his departure for Renault.

We saw some cracking drives from the Dutchman in 2018 especially in the second part of the season by securing consistent podium finishes to help forget some of the disastrous races he had at the start of the season.

If the car looks to be competitive at the front, then Verstappen has a shout.

Who do you think will win the F1 2019 championship? Comment below...

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