The previous Formula 1 race was an absolute delight as Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton went at each other for several laps, with various advantages and factors at play.
Eventually, Hamilton’s new power unit helped him win in Brazil, thereby reducing his deficit in the drivers standings and increasing Mercedes’ lead in the constructors standings. Odds Shark now breaks down the Qatar Grand Prix as the F1 calendar moves to the Middle East.
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According to the F1 odds, Lewis Hamilton is heavily favored in the F1 odds to win the Qatar Grand Prix, followed by Red Bull’s Verstappen and Valtteri Bottas.
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| Driver | Odds |
|---|---|
| Lewis Hamilton | -140 |
| Max Verstappen | +150 |
| Valtteri Bottas | +1400 |
| Sergio Perez | +1600 |
| Charles Leclerc | +5000 |
| Carlos Sainz | +6600 |
| Lando Norris | +6600 |
| Daniel Ricciardo | +10000 |
| Pierre Gasly | +10000 |
| Esteban Ocon | +25000 |
Previous Race
The Brazilian Grand Prix was one of the more iconic races in Lewis Hamilton’s career. He was disqualified from qualifying but raced back from 20th in the sprint event up to P5. He then started from P10 after he was handed a five-place grid penalty for taking a new power unit. He breezed his way through the start of the race but the battle heated up in the final third of the race with Verstappen at P1 and Hamilton at P2.
Both drivers were taken off road as Hamilton nearly completed the overtaking move. With the power in Hamilton’s engine, it was only a matter of time before he completed the final overtake. He did down through turn 4 and that was basically the race. Verstappen finished P2 and Bottas rounded off the podium spots.
Hamilton Or Verstappen?
Lewis Hamilton displayed unparalleled power in Brazil to win that race and cut the deficit in the drivers standings. He took a new power unit, which certainly had an impact on his pace. But it was all strategy and tactics as Hamilton needed the win to ensure Verstappen didn’t get too far ahead in the standings.
“It looked like it was a bit trickier for us but I’m still happy of course to be in second,” Verstappen said of Hamilton’s pace. “That’s a good position to start from. Of course, you always want to be closer but sometimes you just have to be realistic and there was not much more in it. They took a new engine so we know, of course, the first weekend they can definitely put a bit more power in it.”
Hamilton’s F1 odds for this race are currently at -140. That could change if another key driver takes another power unit or there is a penalty for an influential driver. As of Thursday, the odds for Hamilton are fair and more than compelling based on the evidence from Sunday in Brazil.
Verstappen did all he could in Brazil as he took an early lead, maintained that advantage for the first half of the race, defended well against a resurgent Hamilton and his strong Mercedes, but then just couldn’t handle the power. In terms of damage limitation, P2 was a job well done for Red Bull and Verstappen.
Place Your F1 Qatar Grand Prix Bets Now
As the F1 calendar moves to the trickiest part of the season, with everything to play for in the Middle East, you might be better suited with the experience and class of Mercedes. Red Bull are no pushovers, though. Don’t expect them to be that as this season progresses either, which is why there are F1 odds of +150 for Verstappen to win this race.
“Mercedes have never been in this position. They’ve won and dominated. It’s all been done by now,” Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said. “We’re pushing them as hard as we can and we’ll push them as hard as we can all the way to the checkered flag in Abu Dhabi. We’re going to give it everything we’ve got; we’ve worked so hard to be in this position.”
Left-Field F1 Betting Predictions for The Qatar Grand Prix
Valtteri Bottas (+1400) was steady but has now blown two pole positions down the first turn in the first lap. That will be a concern for Mercedes as this season draws to a close. Still, in the Mercedes, he won’t be easy to get past for any driver, apart from Hamilton because of team orders.
Sergio Perez (+1600) has also done well to stay abreast with the rest of the field in the closing stages of this season. He has picked up a few vital podium finishes, which has helped Red Bull stay in this race as well.
Mercedes and Red Bull are unlikely to be caught off guard so late in the season with everything at stake, so the likelihood is that there are only two constructors in the running for P1 in Qatar.
History Of The Qatar Grand Prix
The Losail International Circuit was built in preparation to host a MotoGP in 2004. However, this will be the first-ever Formula 1 event at this circuit.
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Race Technicals
This is one of the more flowy tracks in the F1 circuit, primarily because it was built for motorcycle racing. There will be a total of 306.66 kilometers of racing, split into 57 laps, with the length of each lap lasting around 5.38 kilometers.
This track will run clockwise, with a total of 16 turns. There will be only one DRS detection zone, between turns 15 and 16. The nature of the track will aid plenty of overtaking with the high-speed corners as well as the tow that will punch holes through the air right through, enabling drivers to move into the slipstream.
Weather Conditions
Hot, sunny, dry. No chance of rain in the desert right now. Let the power of the engines dictate the end of this season.
Betting Strategy For The Qatar Grand Prix
F1 betting for this race should be delayed till Sunday. Yes, these F1 odds will change after qualifying but you will have a much clearer picture of how the drivers stack up because there will be tactics and strategies flying around both Mercedes and Red Bull.
If I had to place a bet right now, it would be on Hamilton based on the information we have at this stage. He had too much power in Brazil, and even though it’s unlikely that it will be as much in the heat of Qatar, that could well be the case in this race again unless Christian Horner, Max Verstappen and Red Bull can change the dynamics of this race.
Odds Shark will be back in two weeks ahead of the final two races of this season as the F1 calendar moves to Saudi Arabia.
