What have we learnt about F1 this season?

So, the season may have ended in less exciting terms than it started, but nonetheless it has been an interesting season in Formula One.  For half the season it looked as if we would be getting a ‘Hollywood finish’ between two drivers from separate teams, but alas, Hamilton once again pulled ahead in the last quarter of the season, and the rest is, as they say, history.

Hamilton proved yet again that he and his car are the ones to beat, while Sebastian Vettel tried his hardest to derail the British champion, occasionally pushing a little too hard (for those that watched the race in Mexico).  Ferarri, with what is undoubtable a much faster car this year, spent more time than they would have liked in the garage, but along with Mercedes and Red Bull, were the only teams to really get a sniff of success this year.

Sebastian Vettel winner Brazilian GP F1/2017

With no major upsets this season, sensible ‘big stake’ bets were few and far between, but there were a few areas that you could have made money, and it could be a trend that continues into the next season.  Rather than hoping for a big payday courtesy of an outsider taking the checkered flag, back-to-back wins for the old guard would probably be a more realistic way of winning a tidy sum of cash.  The usual suspects of Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel won’t give you much in return for outright wins, but back to back victories will start to add up if you are the sort of person who enjoy accumulator bets. An outsider that has proved himself this year is Max Verstappen. With two wins under his belt this season, he is definitely one to watch come March 2018, but even so, the 20 year old is far from the finished article and as such, you might want to wait until a few races into the coming season before laying down that credit card on him.

It is also worth bearing in mind that next year, a ‘three engine rule’ is coming into play, one less than the 2017 season.

USGP 2017. Lewis Hamilton

While the likes of Lewis Hamilton might not be the biggest fan of this new rule, it could provide some interesting result for those who have an eye on unlikely results coming to fruition.  Hamilton himself has been quite forward in discussing how he has had to manage his driving style to accommodate for only having four engines available, so when this becomes even more of an issue in 2018, keeping an eye on how many engines have already failed might give some insight into how he (and his compatriots) will drive in the races towards the end of the season.

For those of you who are new to motor racing, or those who simply enjoy a flutter but know nothing about Formula One, there are some great guides out there that will point you in the right direction when placing your bets. These sites have plenty of stats to dig into, and will shed light on what areas of motor racing are most likely to affect a race outcome. Some will have info on how weather conditions change the likelihood of the driver in pole position winning the race, while others will concentrate on which bets are most likely to bring you a profit over the course of a season.  Whatever info you personally feel is important, these sites are well worth a look for the Formula One expert and novice alike. In sports such as Formula One, statistics are king. Make sure you arm yourself with as much data as possible, and next season could end up being one of your most fruitful.

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