F1 2017 betting guide: More than a two-car race
The 2017 F1 season has thrown up its fair share of twists and turns, even at this early stage in the campaign, with Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton vying for the Drivers’ Championship. Momentum has swung between the two men throughout the opening six races of the term, and that will be expected to continue throughout the term.
Outside of the championship winner itself, Formula One offers a variety of betting odds over the course of the season, making a punter’s dream with a number of ways of cashing in over race weekend. The markets are open for the beginning of practice sessions on Thursday when the teams put their cars through their paces right the way until the chequered flag on Sunday.
Gilles Villeneuve circuit U-turn
Next up for the drivers is the Canadian Grand Prix, which could throw up an interesting meet, with Hamilton determined to get back on track following his poor performance in Monte Carlo when he finished in seventh place. As a result, backing him at odds of 6/5 presents good value, which punters may look to maximize with the £200 welcome bonus offered by comparison sites such as latestbettingsites.co.uk.
There have been only three race winners this term, with Vettel triumphing three times, while Hamilton has two victories to his name. The Brit’s Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas is the only other driver to have claimed success this term. Therefore, the options are limited in terms of backing an outsider – due to the dominance of Vettel and Hamilton this term. That has been the case over the last few years, with Hamilton and Nico Rosberg previously enjoying a monopoly over the top spot.
The open markets of Formula One provide value elsewhere – with the potential to bet on the potential for retirements, the safety car, fastest lap and top car in the practice sessions. These markets offer a good chance for real aficionados of the sport to make calculated bets using their knowledge of drivers, cars and the circuits. For example, by watching the practice sessions and following news outlets, a punter could gain info on a team that is having particular difficulty with their vehicle for a particular race.
Some teams have struggled anyway keeping their cars on the circuits, particular the sides at the lower end of the Constructors’ Championship standings – where issues with reliability on the track usually lead to their troubles. McLaren have had horrendous problems this term with their car, drawing the ire of Fernando Alonso so much so that the Spaniard missed the Monaco Grand Prix to compete in the Indy500.
He has suffered two retirements this year, along with not being able to start the Russian Grand Prix due to engine issues, therefore future punts on retirements are likely to be considered for the McClaren driver and his teammate Stoffel Vandoorne. The safety car bet is also an intriguing bet, considering the conditions and the suitability of the track. Keen Formula One fans will know which tracks have the potential to lead to collisions, with the Monaco Grand Prix a fine example, with so little room for drivers to overtake and Jenson Button’s impromptu return for his final outing highlighted the difficulty of the circuit.
It’s a simple yes or no in most cases for bookmakers whether or not it will be deployed. Using good judgement it can be a solid earner, especially if the punter is confident of a clean race. At the beginning of the race week, teams will test their pace on the track. Ferrari and Mercedes are expected to be the leading contenders for their drivers to top the early leaderboards, but it can spring the occasional surprise.
The pace of Red Bull can match the top teams during the practice sessions, with two quality drivers behind the wheel. The unpredictability of the sessions can see the odds narrow and shorten over a short period of time and it can present good value, especially if one of the leading outfits struggles in the opening phases of qualifying. Pole position is also an intriguing market, although the dominance of Ferrari and Mercedes this season limits options. Hamilton and Vettel are the leading the contenders seemingly in almost every race, although both Kimi Raikkonen and Bottas have managed to secure first place on the grid.
Their odds can be as wide as 8/1 and should definitely come into consideration along with the Red Bull duo when looking for good value. Formula One has been dominated by the superpowers over the last decade, making betting odds fairly narrow in terms of race winners. However, if you look around hard enough, there’s value to be found every weekend.
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