The 2024 Formula 1 season kicks off with the Bahrain Grand Prix this Saturday and the excitement is ramping up as all 10 teams prepare to show their hands.

Max Verstappen is looking to claim his fourth consecutive World Championship with Red Bull, while Lewis Hamilton is dreaming of a fairytale ending with Mercedes before he departs for Ferrari in 2025.

Read on for all the key talking points ahead of the curtain-raiser.

Trouble in paradise

Red Bull won 22 of the 23 calendar races last year and are expected to be on top again in 2024 — but there has been a dark cloud hanging over their garage.

Team principal Christian Horner has been cleared of inappropriate behaviour involving a female colleague but the issue will have been a huge distraction as it has dominated coverage in the run-up to the Bahrain GP.

However, those at Red Bull can take comfort in knowing that Verstappen looks ahead of the competition on the track and no controversy off of it will distract him from chasing down another title.

Beware the sprint

With a record 24 races in 2024, drivers will also have to adapt to a new sprint format and there are more risks than ever.

Rather than taking place after qualifying, it will now happen before the grid is set for Sunday's race — with qualifying for the shorter event shifted to Friday.

Brazil, Austria, Austin, Qatar, China and Miami will all host a sprint and the 20 participants need to tread carefully or risk damaging their car for the more important qualifying on the same day.

End of an era

Hamilton's name has dominated the F1 headlines since he announced he was leaving Mercedes after 11 years and all eyes will be on the Silver Arrows to see if they can deliver a winning car before he departs.

The return of James Allison to the team has boosted morale and the seven-time champion will be desperate to triumph again having struggled for the last two years.

In the background, Toto Wolff will be sounding out the 39-year-old's replacement and there are plenty of big names who might fancy the seat.

Drive to survive

Over half the grid is out of contract at the end of 2024, meaning we could be set for the biggest shake-up in F1 history.

Naturally, a lot of drivers may renew their deals but for the likes of Sergio Perez, Carlos Sainz, Fernando Alonso and Daniel Ricciardo, change could be on the horizon.

Formula 2 and Formula E both have plenty of talent waiting to make the step up into the big league so the seasoned pros will have to find their best form early this season.

All to play for

Although it is widely accepted that Red Bull are in a league of their own, the battle for second is set to be a thriller.

Mercedes, McLaren, Aston Martin and Ferrari all made significant strides last year and results from testing indicate there will not be much to split them again.

While we wait for the regulation changes in 2026, these four giants of motorsport are the teams to watch for some exciting, wheel-to-wheel racing.