After a fortnight’s break, Formula 1 is back this weekend, to the circuit where it all started - Silverstone. The tack, located 2 hours from London, is an ‘old school’ circuit that is loved by most drivers owing to its technical and high-speed attributes.
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Lewis Hamilton, after whom the main straight is named, has won seven of the last eight British Grand Prix, however, he isn’t exactly the favorite to win the race this time around.
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British Grand Prix Odds
| Driver | Odds |
|---|---|
| Max Verstappen | -110 |
| Charles Leclerc | +225 |
| Sergio Perez | +900 |
| Lewis Hamilton | +1100 |
| Carlos Sainz | +1200 |
| George Russell | +1200 |
Odds as of July 1 at Sportsbook
It’s all about Verstappen and Red Bull
When a driver wins six races out of the first nine, he is going to be the favorite to win the next one - that’s a given. Moreover, given the fact that Max endured a tough crash after a tussle with Lewis Hamilton, he will be looking to perform well and put those memories behind him.
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Given that Silverstone is a track full of high-speed corners and long straights, one could expect Leclerc and Ferrari to do well in qualifying, but the Red Bull’s consistent pace over the entire race distance has predictably led to them being favorites to win this Grand Prix.
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The fact is, that Sergio Perez has been an incredible driver with incredibly bad luck. The Mexican has brought a level of performance and consistency to the second Red Bull car, which has been hard to find for the team following Daniel Ricciardo’s departure in 2019.
However, while Red Bull would be content with a compliant second driver, they have instead unleashed a top performer and as a result, have opened a whole other pandora’s box. If Perez is on pace with Max Verstappen in the race, the situation could be tricky to manage.
Perez would not want to be seen as a submissive second driver, and Red Bull would not want to upset the current World Champion. Nevertheless, Sergio Perez’s performances over the last few races has shown enough evidence that he’s a good value bet, at the very least.
British Grand Prix Betting Strategy
Technical factors are crucial in a race such as the British Grand Prix. One can expect some attrition in the race, and cars with a higher capability for tire management will be better off than others. Further, given that this track is one of the fastest tracks on the calendar, engine performance is also crucial to getting a good result.
The Red Bull, with its low-downforce setup, is simply the best car on the grid by some margin this season. Further, its penchant for tire management will come in handy for Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez around the Silverstone circuit.
Charles Leclerc can and will mount a serious fight for the race win given that the Ferrari has a strong power unit. However, the Ferrari has repeatedly shown an inability to manage its tires throughout this season. These factors mean that Red Bull and Max Verstappen are favorites to win.
Race Technicals
The 5.9km long track will play host to 52 laps of racing on Sunday, amounting to a total race distance of 306.1km. Max Verstappen holds the lap record with a 1:27.09s in-race lap in 2020, and given how the current cars are roughly 2s slower than last years’ cars, the lap record should remain intact.
Silverstone is known for its high-speed corners and technical nature. The track is harsh on the front left tires given the high amount of high-speed right-handers, so tire management will be a deciding factor. The famous corners, Maggots, Becketts, and the Vale chicane are all key parts of the circuits where lap times can be made or broken.
Previous Race
Two weeks ago, the Canadian Grand Prix was held at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve after a 2-year break owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. The race reaffirmed everyone’s belief in Red Bull and Max Verstappen as championship favorites, but it also revealed several key talking points: Mercedes and George Russell’s consistency, Carlos Sainz’s 2nd placed finish, Charles Leclerc's recovery drive, and Sergio Perez’s DNF. Let’s unpack it all.
Qualifying took place in rainy conditions, and the circuit got drier and drier as the session wore on. While George Russell perhaps gambled too aggressively and tried to register a laptime with soft tires on, Max Verstappen was content with his intermediate tires and put his car on pole.
Fernando Alonso scored an impressive P2, and Sain was P3. Perez was eliminated in Q2 after he slid off the track and hit the barriers, and Leclerc was an inconsequential P15 given that he was going to be penalized for changing his engine for the race weekend.
Max got away well at the start and kept the lead into turn 1, but 8 laps into the race, Perez suffered a gearbox failure, leading to a DNF for the Mexican. Perez’s DNF led to a virtual safety car (VSC), and Max was pulled into the pits for a cheap pit stop.
A few laps later, following another DNF and VSC, Sainz was brought into the pits for a change of tires. A few laps later, Verstappen did his final pit stop and came out behind Hamilton, who was quickly overtaken.
Max’s victory put him 46 points ahead of his teammate, Sergio, and made him the current favorite to win both the British Grand Prix and the 2022-23 F1 World Championship.
