Tough Road ahead for Hamilton in Shanghai
The start of the Formula 1 yearly calendar didn't turn out as expected for the Mercedes Team, who endured yet another defeat by Sebastian Vettel and his Ferrari squad at the Bahrain Grand Prix just last week, and although Hamilton owns the track experience advantage with 5 wins at the Shanghai International Circuit, the recent speed losses at the two previous races have added extra pressure on the famous driver. The racing die is cast, and you can take care of all your F1 betting with BET365, where they not only offer the classic outright win wagers, but also other interesting choices to enhance your motor racing experience.
Emotions took over during the awarding ceremonies at Bahrain when Hamilton was caught referring to his Ferrari counterpart with some unkind remarks, but he soon stepped back to his usual professional self and made amends with his rival over the crash and a hard-won race. Hamilton agrees with the rest of the F1 fan base that, despite the high hopes placed on him and his team before the year begun, both Vettel and Raikkonen have performed admirably well, and the Chinese GP will be a tougher competition than originally anticipated.
"It's definitely not planned!" were Hamilton's words to the world press while in Shanghai preparing for the weekend's main event; "I was really happy with our performance up until the moment we lost" - added the 3-time world title champion about his Melbourne mishap. Hamilton believes that Ferrari's straight-line speed has been the determining factor in Vettel' success, however, he feels confident that the lessons learnt should provide them with the necessary push to take back the top Chinese top prize. Drivers are already engaged in the practice stages prior to the Qualifying race on Sunday, before Sunday's big race.
The Red Bull team has also been trailing behind and it remains to be seen if they'll clean up their act in time for the competition; they failed to catch up with Ferrari's speed in Bahrain and endured a double retirement by Verstappen and Ricciardo at Australia's first two laps, nevertheless, they've been earning some needed points in the practice races and might just deliver some good performances over the weekend. Although they haven't won a single time at Shanghai since the end of the last decade, they have consistently shown mastery of the Chinese track over time.
Oddsmakers have made a clear statement in their support for Sebastian Vettel this time around, with several sportsbooks placing the Ferrari team on top of the betting odds for the Chinese Grand Prix, nonetheless, other world-renown action brands are setting up Hamilton for a repeat of the 2017 win;. will Hamilton put yet another trophy on his shelf, or will Vettel steal the day yet again? - Let us all tune on Sunday to bear witness to a new page in the annals of Formula 1 History. Until next time!
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