F1, Moto GP, WRC, NASCAR & MORE
Australian Grand Prix
With the start of the Formula 1 Championship mere days ahead, the kicker opening the season is once again shaping up to be quite the spectacle. Albert Park hosts the Australian Grand Prix, in what is arguably going to be the best season Formula 1’s had in the last decade or so. Action gets underway this Friday with practice sessions where teams get to thoroughly shakedown their vehicles, as we move into Saturday’s qualifying sessions where we’ll see what’s what. The race itself starts on Sunday at 16:00 hours, and it’s honestly anyone’s game.
What’s changed?
Following a massive swing in regulations, the governing body of all motor sports events, the FIA, has surprised everyone and for once allowed Formula 1 cars to pick up speed. Rather than trying to restrict the engines or decrease their rubber, they’ve done the complete opposite. So, F1 cars now gain more aero thanks to a stabilizing fin at the back, bigger and wider rubber all around and even more power. Based on a couple of practice sessions we were able to witness when teams were breaking-in their vehicles, we couldn’t help but notice that even at practice pace the new F1 cars are a couple of seconds faster than last year’s vehicles at full chat. So, regardless of who wins or loses, we’re guaranteed to see a more exciting season of racing. With the added speed come more overtaking maneuvers and the need for better pit strategies. The only real winner here is us, the fans, and the city of Melbourne in this case.
The odds
Lewis Hamilton seems to be the favorite when it comes to who’ll take the checkered flag at the end. He’s already clinched the first place on the podium two times, first in 2008 and later in 2015. With Nico Rosberg out of the running, the second fastest driver from last year does seem like the next best candidate. Coming in at second place is Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, followed by Lewis’ team mate, Valtteri Bottas.
Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen are both not far behind in terms of betting odds. After three consecutive constructors’ titles, Mercedes is the favorite winning team, with Ferrari coming in at a not so close second. Hamilton has a large shot of completing a full hat-trick, i.e. finishing the race leading from start to end, with the fastest lap.
Betting Tips
Betting on Motorsports is always fast paced and exciting and the Australian Grand Prix is always the most unpredictable race of the entire season. Because teams don’t have a benchmark of their rivals, no one knows whose car will run the fastest or which driver will prove to be the most consistent. This year Lewis Hamilton once again gets the popular vote, becoming the well-backed favorite in his hunt for a fourth world drivers’ title. As mentioned, he’s already triumphed Albert Park two times, in 2008 and 2015, so realistically it’s only a matter of time before he gets up on that top podium spot again. Getting a third victory will no doubt prove to be a great opener of the season for the 30 year old Briton, who fuelled by last year’s drama with Nico Rosberg is eager to show his dominance as the world’s best driver. Winning the final four races and still losing out to his team mate must have been crushing, but claiming this weekend’s top spot will not only make him one of the few drivers to conquer Albert Park more than two times, but also the second driver to ever win five consecutive races in a row.
With the recent change in regulations however, a lot of people speculate if Mercedes will be able to keep its comfortable lead over rival manufacturers. As cars get bigger, more aerodynamic and as a result, a lot faster, it remains to be seen whether Red Bull and Ferrari can close the gap or even surpass Mercedes. Hopefully, this won’t turn out to be another one-man show year for Mercedes, claiming almost every podium with a 1-2 victory. One would only hope that, as the closer the manufacturers are to each other in terms of speed and performance, the better it is for us, the viewers.
Ferrari set the fastest time in pre-season testing in Barcelona through Vettel, with both him and his team mate Kimi Raikkonen admitting that they’re in a much better shape this year than they were previously. Given Kimi’s tendency to always tell the truth, no matter how painful or real it is, we’re almost certain Ferrari will give Mercedes a better run for their money this year. As for the drivers, Vettel gets bigger odds, but not by a lot.
Red Bull seems to be laying low, dumbing down their chances of winning the race and even the entire seasons, but don’t be surprised to see the two bulls charging the front lines as soon as the starting lights turn green. Daniel Ricciardo is a consistent driver who never fails to amaze, and given the right car we’re almost sure he can pull a massive gap on the rest of the field. He did finish third last year after all, a great achievement given Mercedes’ technical supremacy. Max Verstappen, the young outsider is keen to show his talents too. Never underestimate a fresh driver who’s on the hunt for his first ever Australian Grand Prix.
Opinions seem to be split between Max and Daniel. Though he’s come under some criticism for his defensive driving style, there’s no denying Max’s speed when on the offensive. His sensational debut victory in Spain catapulted him straight into the crowd favorites, quickly losing his title as an underdog.
Elsewhere, you can almost expect racing veteran Carlos Sainz to secure points in the new Toro Rosso, which by the way looked mighty strong in pre-season testing. Massa, now at Williams, has high chances of finishing in the top six. Last but not least, the season match bet between Sergio Perez and his team mate Esteban Ocon looks mighty tempting. The Frenchman is a fast learner, with an appetite for a podium, and given Perez’s lack of ability to maintain his rear tires it might mean that Esteban will finish higher. Either way, it’s shaping up to be quite the season.
With the start of the Formula 1 Championship mere days ahead, the kicker opening the season is once again shaping up to be quite the spectacle. Albert Park hosts the Australian Grand Prix, in what is arguably going to be the best season Formula 1’s had in the last decade or so. Action gets underway this Friday with practice sessions where teams get to thoroughly shakedown their vehicles, as we move into Saturday’s qualifying sessions where we’ll see what’s what. The race itself starts on Sunday at 16:00 hours, and it’s honestly anyone’s game.
What’s changed?
Following a massive swing in regulations, the governing body of all motor sports events, the FIA, has surprised everyone and for once allowed Formula 1 cars to pick up speed. Rather than trying to restrict the engines or decrease their rubber, they’ve done the complete opposite. So, F1 cars now gain more aero thanks to a stabilizing fin at the back, bigger and wider rubber all around and even more power. Based on a couple of practice sessions we were able to witness when teams were breaking-in their vehicles, we couldn’t help but notice that even at practice pace the new F1 cars are a couple of seconds faster than last year’s vehicles at full chat. So, regardless of who wins or loses, we’re guaranteed to see a more exciting season of racing. With the added speed come more overtaking maneuvers and the need for better pit strategies. The only real winner here is us, the fans, and the city of Melbourne in this case.
The odds
Lewis Hamilton seems to be the favorite when it comes to who’ll take the checkered flag at the end. He’s already clinched the first place on the podium two times, first in 2008 and later in 2015. With Nico Rosberg out of the running, the second fastest driver from last year does seem like the next best candidate. Coming in at second place is Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, followed by Lewis’ team mate, Valtteri Bottas.
Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen are both not far behind in terms of betting odds. After three consecutive constructors’ titles, Mercedes is the favorite winning team, with Ferrari coming in at a not so close second. Hamilton has a large shot of completing a full hat-trick, i.e. finishing the race leading from start to end, with the fastest lap.
Betting Tips
Betting on Motorsports is always fast paced and exciting and the Australian Grand Prix is always the most unpredictable race of the entire season. Because teams don’t have a benchmark of their rivals, no one knows whose car will run the fastest or which driver will prove to be the most consistent. This year Lewis Hamilton once again gets the popular vote, becoming the well-backed favorite in his hunt for a fourth world drivers’ title. As mentioned, he’s already triumphed Albert Park two times, in 2008 and 2015, so realistically it’s only a matter of time before he gets up on that top podium spot again. Getting a third victory will no doubt prove to be a great opener of the season for the 30 year old Briton, who fuelled by last year’s drama with Nico Rosberg is eager to show his dominance as the world’s best driver. Winning the final four races and still losing out to his team mate must have been crushing, but claiming this weekend’s top spot will not only make him one of the few drivers to conquer Albert Park more than two times, but also the second driver to ever win five consecutive races in a row.
With the recent change in regulations however, a lot of people speculate if Mercedes will be able to keep its comfortable lead over rival manufacturers. As cars get bigger, more aerodynamic and as a result, a lot faster, it remains to be seen whether Red Bull and Ferrari can close the gap or even surpass Mercedes. Hopefully, this won’t turn out to be another one-man show year for Mercedes, claiming almost every podium with a 1-2 victory. One would only hope that, as the closer the manufacturers are to each other in terms of speed and performance, the better it is for us, the viewers.
Ferrari set the fastest time in pre-season testing in Barcelona through Vettel, with both him and his team mate Kimi Raikkonen admitting that they’re in a much better shape this year than they were previously. Given Kimi’s tendency to always tell the truth, no matter how painful or real it is, we’re almost certain Ferrari will give Mercedes a better run for their money this year. As for the drivers, Vettel gets bigger odds, but not by a lot.
Red Bull seems to be laying low, dumbing down their chances of winning the race and even the entire seasons, but don’t be surprised to see the two bulls charging the front lines as soon as the starting lights turn green. Daniel Ricciardo is a consistent driver who never fails to amaze, and given the right car we’re almost sure he can pull a massive gap on the rest of the field. He did finish third last year after all, a great achievement given Mercedes’ technical supremacy. Max Verstappen, the young outsider is keen to show his talents too. Never underestimate a fresh driver who’s on the hunt for his first ever Australian Grand Prix.
Opinions seem to be split between Max and Daniel. Though he’s come under some criticism for his defensive driving style, there’s no denying Max’s speed when on the offensive. His sensational debut victory in Spain catapulted him straight into the crowd favorites, quickly losing his title as an underdog.
Elsewhere, you can almost expect racing veteran Carlos Sainz to secure points in the new Toro Rosso, which by the way looked mighty strong in pre-season testing. Massa, now at Williams, has high chances of finishing in the top six. Last but not least, the season match bet between Sergio Perez and his team mate Esteban Ocon looks mighty tempting. The Frenchman is a fast learner, with an appetite for a podium, and given Perez’s lack of ability to maintain his rear tires it might mean that Esteban will finish higher. Either way, it’s shaping up to be quite the season.
Introduction to Motorsports around the world and the various events that get the most attention from punters and fans alike...... Moto GP and Formula One mainly - these are the only ones worth covering as the markets for all others are intermittent at best
Get the latest Motorsport Odds and Betting Markets with William Hill Australia
