Everything you need to know about the 2019 Formula 1 season: Drivers, teams, liveries, calendar, news and how to watch

Lewis Hamilton won his fifth world title - and fourth in the last five years - in 2018. Can he and Mercedes be stopped in 2019? 

It's the eternal question, and after two years of Ferrari's flounders after the Scuderia were in a strong position, the Italian powerhouse seems best placed to knock the Silver Arrows off their perch, with a prodigy in Charles Leclerc on their books alongside four-time world champ Sebastian Vettel.

Red Bull will look to jump higher with new Honda power units, while Renault - having acquired the services of Daniel Ricciardo - seem to have made more gains.

Force India is now Racing Point, McLaren are itching to get back to the top, Toro Rosso have gone back to the future with the torpedo, while Williams can't afford to keep stuttering.

Pre-season testing headlines can sometimes be a flash in the pan, and even after the first event in Melbourne, it's anyone's guess which teams can challenge for trophies all year long.

Bar Sergio Perez's Baku podium, the big three teams - Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull - shared the rostrum in 2018. Whether the playing field has levelled will remain to be seen, even as the championship heads to Europe after the early-season flyaway rounds. 

Will the 70th running of the world championship see a new champion crowned, or will a dominant force add another star?

Looking for everything you need to know about the 2019 FIA Formula One World Championship? Sporting News has you covered this season.

FORMULA 1 2019: DRIVERS & TEAMS

It was a busy silly season. Just 10 drivers remained in their 2018 seat, and Mercedes and Haas were the only two teams not to alter their driver line-up.

In fact, four teams - Toro Rosso, McLaren, Alfa Romeo and Williams - completely changed their line-ups.

There will be three debutants come Melbourne - Alexander Albon, George Russell and Lando Norris - while Robert Kubica returns for the first time since 2010.

The highest-profile move was Daniel Ricciardo's switch to Renault after five seasons with Red Bull. In his place arrives Pierre Gasly, who graduates from sister team Toro Rosso.

Meanwhile, in one of the more bizarre stories in the lead-up to Melbourne, Ferrari dropped 'Mission Winnow' from their team name.

FORMULA 1 2019: CARS & LIVERIES

ALL THOSE PURTY COLOURS: All cars and liveries for 2019 season

All 2019 cars were revealed over an 11-day period, with a bumper 'launch week' seeing all teams rip the covers off their new challengers.

The new-for-2019 regulation changes have encouraged simpler aerodynamics at the front and back of the cars, with an eye on hoped-for better racing.

The designs weren't overly different from 2018, and some teams - we're looking at you, Red Bull - barely changed their liveries.

However, some - including Williams and Haas - picked up new backers and changed it up completely.

There are some beauties, and some unsurprising liveries. However, the 2019 grid will be one of the most colourful yet.

FORMULA 1 2019: CALENDAR

New deals for Germany and Japan kept the schedule at 21 Grands Prix, even with an earlier start and later finish. However, there will be no triple-header like there was in 2018 when the French, Austrian and British events were held in three consecutive weeks.

With the Abu Dhabi race scheduled for the first day of December, the 2019 season will be the first since 1963 to finish in the final month of the year.

In 2019, there will be five back-to-back race weekends.

China - the third event of the season - will boast the honour of staging the 1000th championship Grand Prix.

FORMULA 1 2019: HOW TO WATCH

All practice, qualifying and races of the 2019 championship will be shown LIVE on FOX SPORTS in 2019. 

It will also be streamed LIVE on Kayo.

The Ten Network - on 10 and streamed live on 10 play - will show LIVE coverage of the Australian Grand Prix from Friday 16 March to Sunday 17 March. All other race highlights will be shown on 10 Bold.

FORMULA 1 2019: RULE CHANGES

Fastest lap bonus point: A bonus point will be awarded for the fastest lap when the new season gets underway. It was announced that an additional point will be up for grabs in both the drivers' and constructors' championship for the quickest car, on the condition that the driver finishes in the top 10. The F1 Commission approved the proposal, which has been ratified by the World Motor Sport Council. It will come into effect at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, where Lewis Hamilton will start the defence of his title. Hamilton's Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas won the Fastest Lap Award last season after clocking the quickest lap on seven occasions.

Grid penalties: We all hate them, right? Some penalties were so obscure that drivers copped whack into the 100s. Basically, if a driver copped 15 or more place drops, they’d start at the rear of the field, and the order they were in - triggered by who left the pits first - obscured things further. In 2019, drivers starting at the back will be placed in the order they qualify. Qualifying won’t go to waste now - but any driver outside the 107% rule must start from the rear.

Safety car procedure: Before 2019, drivers were allowed to overtake at the first safety car line, which was usually the start-finish line. Not any more. This season, no overtaking is allowed until drivers have passed the start-finish line following the restart. However, green flags won’t be waved on the restart until they reach the start-finish line. Turn one madness, anyone?

Formation laps: If, for any reason, you had to start from the pitlane, you’d be there until lights out. In 2019, pitlane starters can now join in on the formation lap, albeit at the back of the field. They’ll then need to enter the pits again, where they’ll start the race.

Chequered flag: Remember when supermodel Winnie Harlow was told to wave the chequered flag for last year’s Canadian Grand Prix? A good moment for her went bad when she was told to wave it - erroneously - one lap early. For 2019, a chequered flag light signal will accompany the waving of the flag, just to make sure. We’re sorry too, Winnie. It wasn’t your fault.

Assistance for big bodies: Drivers previously had to suffer through meagre diets to keep their figures as slim as possible, with the total weight of cars including the driver. The minimum weight limit for cars in 2019 is 743kg - however, the weight of the driver and his seat will be measured at the start of the year, and must be a minimum of 80kg. Teams can then have ballast fitted inside the cockpit to aide car performance.

Fuel limit raised: Higher drag cars from 2017 saw the original 100kg limit for a race raised to 105kg. It wasn’t enough, with lifting and coasting still affecting flat-out racing. So, for 2019, another five kilograms has been added, taking it to maximum 110kg.

Oil burn gone: The turbo hybrid era saw teams exploit many loopholes. One of them was the ability to burn oil to get engines’ thermal efficiency to new heights. Sorry Lewis, no more party mode! For 2019, teams must keep their auxiliary oil tanks empty throughout qualifying.

FORMULA 1 2019: NEWS

PRE-SEASON TESTING

Pre-season headlines can either excite or numb - regardless, Ferrari and Mercedes ended the testing period much like everyone expects 2019 to turn out, with both teams joined at the hip. On the final day of eight across two tests in Barcelona, Sebastian Vettel fired to the top with the fastest time of testing on a 1m16.221s, albeit just ahead of Lewis Hamilton by a scant 0.003s. Charles Leclerc set tongues wagging as he impressed in red, while the team itself can hold confidence after clocking up 2790 laps across testing. However, Vettel's heavy crash on day two thanks to a wheel rim failure, and cooling systems and exhaust problems, ensured Ferrari weren't totally off scot-free.

However, that's testing - everyone has problems. It's inevitable. Red Bull recruit Pierre Gasly crashed not once, but twice, the second a heavy shunt into the high-speed turn 9 after he clipped the grass on entry. The incidents set Red Bull back in their schedule, robbing them of valuable testing data.

It was a nightmare for Williams - they had to wait until the latter stages of the first test to get on track, and across testing, George Russell or Robert Kubica couldn't get out of the 1m18s. They've got a new title sponsor, and the car looks decent - but time will tell if they're as far behind as what we think they are.

There were better times for Haas, who also have a new primary backer. However, the American team didn't go all out to show their top performance, but look best-placed to be the strongest midfield team. Podiums are a genuine possibility, along with Renault. Toro Rosso also impressed, as did their young recruit Alexander Albon.

FORMULA 1 LOSES ITS LEADER

Long-serving Formula 1 race director Charlie Whiting died suddenly at the age of 66 on the eve of the Australian Grand Prix. Just days before the start of the 2019 season in Melbourne, Whiting suffered a pulmonary embolism, the FIA said in a statement. Whiting became race director in 1997, nine years after first joining the federation. "It is with immense sadness that I learned of Charlie's sudden passing," FIA president Jean Todt said in a statement. "Formula 1 has lost a faithful friend and a charismatic ambassador in Charlie."

IT ALL KICKS OFF DOWN UNDER

Valtteri Bottas raised eyebrows at Albert Park as he romped to victory in Melbourne. Bottas crushed his highly-fancied Mercedes teammate and polesitter Lewis Hamilton by a whopping 21 seconds to claim his fourth win, and first since the 2017 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The Finn also claimed an extra point courtesy of his race fastest lap - a new rule brought into the championship for 2019. Red Bull pilot Max Verstappen pushed Hamilton in the closing stages but had to settle for third, while Ferrari were nowhere. It was a tougher day for local hope Daniel Ricciardo, with the Aussie forced into retirement after copping damage from an early-race bingle with - would you believe it - grass and a gutter.

UNLUCKY LECLERC, LUCKY LEWIS, REALLY UNLUCKY RICCIARDO

Charles Leclerc's dream of a first Formula 1 win evaporated with 11 laps left in Bahrain as his Ferrari suffered engine trouble, handing Lewis Hamilton an unexpected race win. It was a weirder day for Sebastian Vettel, who accepted responsibility for a costly spin which ended his hopes of a podium finish. Meanwhile, Daniel Ricciardo revealed he risked being "electrocuted" following an electrical failure that forced him to retire.

HAMILTON WINS 1000TH GRAND PRIX, RICCIARDO FINALLY IN THE POINTS

Lewis Hamilton claimed his sixth victory at the Chinese Grand Prix to move ahead of Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas in the drivers' standings. Ferrari's team orders butchered Charles Leclerc's race with Sebastian Vettel claiming his first podium of the season, while Daniel Ricciardo finally had something to cheer about by finishing as the best of the rest in seventh position.

BOTTAS TAMES BAKU, MORE RICCIARDO DISASTER

Daniel Ricciardo failed to finish for the third time in four races as Mercedes became the first team to start a Formula 1 season with four successive one-twos after Valtteri Bottas led Lewis Hamilton home at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

HAMILTON CRUISES IN BARCELONA

Mercedes matched the record of five successive one-twos as Lewis Hamilton beat pole-sitter Valtteri Bottas to glory at the Spanish Grand Prix. Reigning champion Hamilton also took home the fastest-lap bonus for the first time this season to regain the lead in the drivers' standings and move seven points clear of Bottas, who had to settle for second ahead of Red Bull driver Max Verstappen.

HAMILTON CLINGS ON IN MONACO THRILLER

Lewis Hamilton displayed tremendous tyre management to triumph at the Monaco Grand Prix, but Mercedes' one-two streak ended due to pit-lane contact between Valtteri Bottas and Max Verstappen.

HAMILTON INHERITS CANADA WIN AFTER VETTEL CONTROVERSY

Lewis Hamilton won a controversial Canadian Grand Prix to extend his lead in the world championship as a five-second time penalty denied Sebastian Vettel a first win of the season.

FORMULA 1 2019: STANDINGS

FORMULA 1 2019: PRE-SEASON STATS

All stats powered by Opta.

Mercedes (2014-2018) are one title away from equaling Ferrari (1999-2004) as the team with the most back-to-back F1 constructors’ titles (six).

If Mercedes win 13 races in 2019, they will become the fourth team to reach 100 wins in F1.

Lewis Hamilton heads into 2019 after recording 408 points last season, more than any other driver in an F1 season.

Sebastian Vettel has reached the podium at 24 of the 26 different Grands Prix he has raced (only missing out in France and Azerbaijan). If he makes the podium at those two races this year, the German will be the driver with the most podiums in different Grands Prix in F1 alongside Kimi Räikkönen (26).

If Kimi Räikkönen (292) races all the Grands Prix this season, the Finn will surpass Fernando Alonso (312) as the driver to have raced the second most races in F1 history behind only Rubens Barrichello (323).

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen reached the podium 11 times in 2018, as many as in his whole F1 career before that.

Daniel Ricciardo (986) and Valtteri Bottas (963) are 14 and 37 points respectively away from being the 10th driver to reach 1000 points in F1 history.

No driver in Formula 1 history has driven more races without reaching the podium than Nico Hülkenberg (156).

The only Polish driver to have raced and won in F1, Robert Kubica, will return to F1 after nine years.

After the first 60 F1 seasons saw no Russian drivers, eight of the last nine seasons have seen at least one Russian driver take part.

Alexander Albon will be the second Thai driver in F1, after Prince Bira, who earned eight points between 1950 and 1954.