Austrian Grand Prix 2020: Race prediction, date, UK start time, TV channel, live stream, tickets and odds

The 2020 Formula One season finally gets under way this weekend, with the Austrian Grand Prix set to end a seven-month absence without any racing.

After a staggering 217 days since the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix brought the 2019 season to a close, a quick-fire doubleheader is going ahead at a closed off Red Bull Ring.

Formula One - as with all returning sports - will be a somewhat different spectacle, with crowds in their thousands longer in attendance, while each team will be operating at a reduced capacity.

Sunday's race - and the build-up from Friday - will provide some much-desired answers, however, before the drivers return a week later - to the same venue - for the Styrian Grand Prix.

There won't be much time to get used to the new surroundings, with eight races confirmed in the next 10 weeks with F1 hoping to get 15 in by mid-December.

Six-time champions Mercedes will certainly enter as favourites regardless of the break. They were phenomenal back in February during the winter season testing and with Lewis Hamilton chasing a record-equalling seventh title, you'd be brave to look past him for a win.

Scroll down for our Austrian Grand Prix preview...

Date and UK start time

The practice sessions will be split over two days, with the first two on Friday, July 3 and the final session on Saturday, July 4.

Friday's first session will begin at 10am BST, with the second at 2pm. The final practice will begin on Saturday at 11am.

The first qualification session of the year will begin at 2pm BST on Saturday.

UK viewers will be able to watch the race from 2:10pm on Sunday.

TV channel and live stream

Those with a Sky Sports subscription will be able to tune in for every live race in the 2020 campaign. Channel 4 - after downgrading their rights package - are now showing just highlights of qualifying sessions and races.

Sky Sports subscribers can watch the entire race weekend live on the Sky Sports F1 channel.

If you don’t have Sky Sports, you can watch with a NOW TV Sky Sports Pass, which gives you exactly the same coverage without having to sign up for a contract. ***

​Betting tips via Betfair Exchange | UK users only | Subject to change

Race winner

• Lewis Hamilton: 11/5

• Max Verstappen: 2/1

• Valtteri Bottas: 6/1

• Charles Leclerc: 17/2

• Sebastian Vettel: 11/1

• Alexander Albon: 33/1

Fastest lap

• Lewis Hamilton 7/4

• Sebastian Vettel: 13/2

• Charles Leclerc: 4/1

• Valtteri Bottas: 4/1

• Max Verstappen: 13/5

• Alexander Albon: Between 11/1 and 12/1

To find the latest race odds and place a bet. Odds correct as of July 3.

Prediction

​Race winner: Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)

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