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Spanish Grand Prix, Race Odds

Timothy Masters — Sat, 12 May 2012 18:09:36 +0000

After qualifying and practice I could easily stretch out the speculation before this 2012 Spanish Grand Prix, but the reality is that with the winner almost always coming from pole, or at least the front row, and the results we saw in qualifying yesterday it would have been foolish to back against a McLaren win for Lewis Hamilton. Admittedly Sebastian Vettel has some fresh tires and interesting choices, as does the other McLaren of Jenson Button, but Hamilton would have taken some stopping when the lights go out and the flag dropped.

That is, if the English driver had not been demoted to last for under-fuelling his car, but after having to stop on the way in from his qualifying lap and leave the car on the track Lewis has been demoted to the back of the grid. As much as I hate to agree with conspiracy theorists this does seem fairly harsh on the Brit, but for the rest of the field, and one Colombian in particular it is great news. Pastor Maldonado is now our pole-sitter, in a Williams, and at 10/1 with BetFred to win the race he is nowhere near as far from victory as he may have expected to be.

Fernando Alonso now moves to the front row, and is a 4/1 second favourite to win the race, but astonishingly it is the Lotus of Kimi Raikkonen the bookies are installing as most likely to come in first, VictorChandler having 7/2. This is not so much remarkable for the driver being there as the car, one relatively new to the track, and not expected to be a contender. The Finn will also have his young teammate alongside him on row two of the grid, Romain Grosjean being 15/2 as race winner with Bet365.

Overall, the demotion of Hamilton is probably good news for everyone not in a McLaren hat, as it means he is going to have to race like a demon to get into the points, and with Jenson Button, Sebastian Vettel, Mark Webber and Felipe Massa joining him outside the top ten there is every chance this could be a cracker, despite the history of flag-to-flag winners. The title race is hotting up too, and this could well be the weekend it starts to take shape and show us who could be world champion at the end of the season.

Originally written by Bet123.net, an online Betting Guide

Spanish Grand Prix, Race Odds

Spanish GP, First Look

Timothy Masters — Wed, 09 May 2012 11:30:29 +0000

After a tricky start to the season Sebastian Vettel may be feeling pretty pleased about now, as his consistent form has taken him to the top of the pile and this weekend the Formula One circus rocks up to Catalunya, a circuit that suits his car and he knows well. Last year the young world champion picked up his first win at this track, and its shorter straight and high-speed corners will most likely give him a good chance of taking the victory.

To add to that, Lewis Hamilton has never managed a win at the famous Barcelona course, and he is currently second in the championship, so if all goes well this weekend Vettel could be on his way toward establishing a bit of a lead before the high-speed tracks later in the year where the Mercedes engines will dominate. Of course, what is making this season so fun at present is just how hard it is to predict any result, and I expect this weekend will have its fair share of twists and turns.

Vettel is favourite for the win, with the two McLarens judged as most likely to challenge, and the Red Bull man is 11/4 with 888Sport to put his car on pole position. While I see the logic in this I’d probably favour the 3/1 on Hamilton to get pole here with BWin, although Button being back on 9/1 with VictorChandler is not bad at all when you consider that he won here in 2009, and has been there or thereabouts all season but for a couple of dodgy pit stops.

The progress of Kimi Raikkonen has been surprising to some, but he is a great racer, and if you’re looking for an outside bet it’d be him or one of two others for me. The flying Finn is available at 10/ with Bodog, while Aussie Mark Webber is 14/1 with BoyleSports and veteran death-trap Michael Schumacher is at 20’s (Rosberg at 18’s, both Bet365). All three men have won here in the past, and have the cars and ability to put themselves in with a shout if anything goes wrong for the expected favourites.

In terms of those thrusters at the sharp end, Vettel is 3/1 to finish up race winner, Hamilton on at 10/ and Button a 4/1 shot, all with VictorChandler. As I said at the top, most of the signs point to Vettel given the characteristics of his car, but with the blown diffusor no longer available the gap in corner-speed has been reduced, meaning this should be a very close affair. Whoever comes out victorious will have taken a big step toward the World Championship.

Originally written by Bet123.net, an online Betting Guide

Spanish GP, First Look

Bahrain GP: Tips and Preview

Timothy Masters — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 14:30:35 +0000

Although things have hardly settled down in Bahrain, it is now at least obvious that we will have a race barring something going really very wrong, and with qualifying out of the way the likely contenders are becoming easier to spot. Having said that, you could just as easily have looked back in time if you’d wanted to predict the front of the grid, as Red Bull and Vettel look like they are on form and recovering the magic last season was so full of.

The double world champion is on pole position, with a gap of a tenth of a second back to Lewis Hamilton, and as a result Sebastian Vettel has been installed as favourite to win (best price 7/4 with BetFred). The circuit suits his car with a higher number of corners and less emphasis on straight-line squirt, buy nevertheless a good start for Vettel is crucial if he wants to turn his pole into a first-corner lead.

Looking to climb all over the back of Vettel’s Red Bull like it was a Pussycat Doll is Lewis Hamilton (5/2 with BetFred), and McLaren were the pick of a lot of pit-lane predictors prior to practice. His team-mate is right behind him on the grid, and Jenson Button is third in line, according to the ‘makers (5/1, VictorChandler). If he and Hamilton can get alongside Vettel going into the first corner it will make the race more of a spectacle, and also give us a better idea of Vettel’s chances long-term.

Separating the McLarens we have Mark Webber (17/2, SportingBet), but until the Aussie driver learns to get his car off the line properly he will always struggle to contend for the wins, and with the two silvers cars around it won’t be an easy, no-pressure sort of start either. As likeable as Webber is, I can’t help feeling that Red Bull could achieve a lot more if they gave his seat to a driver capable of scoring regular points and pushing Vettel harder.

Nico Rosberg has gone from second favourite to fifth (14/1, Bet 365), and after that there is a big gap back to Fernando Alonso (66/1, SkyBet). Ferrari have long given up on Felipe Massa bringing home the Bahraini (or anyone else’s) bacon, but at present he isn’t even supporting Alonso when required, and the impressive Sergio Perez has the pressure on for that race seat. I’d be surprised if this weren’t won by either a McLaren or Vettel, with Lewis still the slight favourite for me.

Originally written by Bet123.net, an online Betting Guide

Bahrain GP: Tips and Preview

Bahrain GP Preview and Qualifying

Timothy Masters — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 11:30:52 +0000

Quite possibly the most controversial Grand Prix in recent memory is set to take place this weekend in Bahrain, amid circumstances that tend to outline where the commitment of Formula One lies. With men like Bernie Ecclestone and Max Mosely at the head of the sport the focus has been on the bank balance of late, and none of that had changed when the decision to stage this race was taken, quite possibly with the fact they’d already cashed the cheque in the forefront of their minds.

Although the protests aren’t centred around the event itself, you can see why the actions of the government would put people off travelling to the country, as some of the methods used since the application of martial law just over a year ago have been brutal and totalitarian, and the Force India team were caught in the middle of that on Thursday night, narrowly being missed by a petrol bombed lobbed in their vicinity as they travelled from the track.

The men at the top will be hoping that is the end of the trouble, although rumours are circulating today that Force India will skip second practice to avoid travelling in the dark ahead of qualifying tomorrow. I suspect that once the first session on Saturday gets underway all will be forgotten in terms of the protest, and focus will once again be on the battle to assert dominance this season and get on the front row for what should be a good race on Sunday.

So far Lewis Hamilton has done the unthinkable and picked up points without yet getting a win, and in Friday first practice the McLaren man was three-tenths faster than second-placed Sebastian Vettel. The position of the Red Bull driver is just as interesting in many ways, as his team have struggled with ultimate pace so far, with the new Red Bull still having the trademark lack of straight-line speed but minus the astonishing cornering velocity.

I think a lot of those in the know were expecting a McLaren victory in China, and the form of Nico Rosberg surprised everyone. The young German is 4/1 with SkyBet to put his car on pole position for a second weekend, and the Mercedes DRS system seems to be an advantage he can count on. Hamilton is outright favourite for pole, BWin having 7/5 on him, and that probably reflects the fact that he was unlucky in the last race, rather than outdone on the track, having started sixth and finished third.

The other two Mercedes-powered cars looked to be right in contention last weekend until the point Michael Schumacher left his pit-box with a wheel not fully attached. The veteran champion is 15/2 with Coral to get pole, with Jenson Button at 7/1 with StanJames slightly ahead of him in the eyes of the bookies. Vettel is only 12/1 with Bet365, but a sharp practice could change that ahead of qualifying, meaning that may turn out to be a good-value bet.

The outside contenders will most likely be Mark Webber (19’s, BetFair), Kimi Raikkonen (20’s, Bet365) and Fernando Alonso (80/1, StanJames) in most eyes, although the Spaniard in particular looks to be battling his car. The Sauber and Williams teams looked quick in China, but it remains to be seen whether their drivers can cause an upset and get in the mix. Whatever the result, this looks like being a very eventful weekend.

Originally written by Bet123.net, an online Betting Guide

Bahrain GP Preview and Qualifying

Chinese Grand Prix Winner Odds

Timothy Masters — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 12:38:51 +0000

As Formula One is hitting the news for many of the wrong reasons it must be a welcome break for Bernie and his cronies to come to China and enjoy a race for a while, and this weekend looks to be an absolute cracker in the making. Qualifying saw some extremely interesting outcomes, with two Mercedes in the top three, and that will surely lead to the other teams having a really good look at the DRS system used on the silver cars now it has been ruled legal.

On that matter, it seems to a lot of people that the current iteration of Mercedes racing is not very good for the sport overall, with Michael Schumacher (11/2 to win the race, BetFred) and Ross Brawn endangering lives and breaking rules respectively, but the sport is an enabler if nothing else. The younger, less despicable man in a Merc is Nico Rosberg (4/1, BoyleSports), who starts from poles and is progressing well. If you think the silver car is good for a victory, but can’t pick a driver VictorChandler offer 13/8 on a German car finishing first.

A five-place grid penalty will see Lewis Hamilton start (5/1, BetFred) 7^th despite qualifying second, and he’ll have the task of making his way through the field, with the added spice of having to come past his team-mate Jenson Button (also 5’s with BetFred). Were I Lewis, I’d be more concerned about trying to get past the old man up ahead, but you can bet that once the lights go out the former champion will be a man on a mission to put himself on the podium.

BetFred clearly think that car is fast, offering 2/1 on a McLaren winner, but a car less speedy than expected is the Red Bull, and particularly that of Sebastian Vettel. The was huge praise for him in the first two years, but when the pressure started to come on the double champ he cracked a little, having a petulant whine about other cars and generally letting himself down, and starts in eleventh today. Nobody is saying Vettel (25/1, SkyBet) can’t drive, but he is obviously much less effective when required to compete on equal or lesser terms for the win.

The other car with wings belongs to Mark Webber (20/1, Bet365) who will want to beat Vettel first, and then everyone else. Outside of that group I’d not expect the Ferrari drivers to have an impact unless the race becomes about pitting and weather, but if they do it will Alonso (40/1, BoyleSports) who does. The one outside pick I think may be worth a look is Kimi Raikkonen (15/1, SportingBet), mainly for his ability and bravery, but in truth the weekend will most likely end up with some form of Merc as winner.

Originally written by Bet123.net, an online Betting Guide

Chinese Grand Prix Winner Odds

2012 Formula One World Championship Preview

Timothy Masters — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 08:30:19 +0000

In a little under a week the Melbourne Grand Prix will open the 2012 Formula One World Championship with six former or current world champions on the grid. Sebastian Vettel (1/1) is the favourite to defend his crown and take his third world title at the tender age of 24, but the competition looks to be intense as the teams deal with the new regulations imposed by the FIA.

Changes to exhaust regulations mean that the Red Bull which was so dominant last year has lost a vital part of the design which made it so quick in the corner, the blown diffusor, and as a result the challenge to the world champion could be much stronger than in recent years. The Ferrari of Fernando Alonso (15/2) could be amongst the front runners, with encouraging testing times to please the men in red.

Vettel could have had more trouble from his team-mate last year, but Mark Webber (14/1) was unable to sustain a challenge despite being the only man who technically had the same tools as the eventual winner. Jenson Button (7/1) finished the season in great form, and the Red Bull team principal Christian Horner felt the need to single out the Brit as the main threat to his driver.

Lewis Hamilton (5/1) is the more favoured of the two McLaren racers amongst the bookies, which is interesting given Horner’s prediction, but the erratic form he showed last season may excite the fans to some extent, but isn’t good enough to challenge a driver on top of his game, like the champion. For Hamilton to win the title this year would take a monumental effort, and potentially represent his greatest achievement to date.

Replacing the still-absent Robert Kubica at newly-named Lotus is Kimi Raikkonen (22/1), who has returned from a sabbatical into a Renault team with a new name, hoping for a new start. They have struggled since the disgrace of Flavio Briatore, and all that surrounded his decision to endanger the life of Nelson Piquet (and also the Brazilian’s willingness to obey), but will hope the return of the former champion and a name change can revitalise their organisation.

Michael Schumacher (25/1) is the last of the former champions, and it can only really be nostalgia keeping him at that sort of price. His team-mate Nico Rosberg (22/1) has consistently got more out of the car, and will look to his senior partner as only an initial yardstick, not an eventual goal. Mercedes (12/) are fourth favourite to take the Constructors’ Championship, behind Ferrari (8/1), McLaren (13/8) and Red Bull (5/6)

All odds listed are available with SkyBet at the time of publication. Driver odd are for World Championship title. Look out for our Melbourne Preview later this week.

Originally written by Bet123.net, an online Betting Guide

2012 Formula One World Championship Preview

Lauda: Frustrating Hamilton needs to learn from Button

Bet123 — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 09:33:15 +0000

By William Taylor – A sports writer for Formula1Fancast – A place for Formula 1 Blogs, News and Videos! Follow us on Twitter!

Lewis Hamilton can learn a lot from his team mate, Jenson Button, according three-time World Champion, Niki Lauda.

The Austrian former Formula 1 driver believes that the McLaren ace has all the necessary talent to win the championship again, but he could do with adopting a more cautious driving style.

Hamilton is very much considered the number one driver in his team, but this season Button has often out-performed him.

During the last race in Belgium, there was the all too familiar site of Hamilton crashing out, leaving Button to carry the hopes of the team.

And Lauda, who himself suffered one of the most horrific crashes in the sport’s history says it is time Hamilton took note of Button’s driving style.

“Lewis out-qualifies Jenson and is the quicker driver, but in Belgium it was Jenson who finished third while Hamilton crashed out again,” Lauda told the Sunday Express.

“You can’t win championships if you are crashing. Look at Sebastian Vettel, he is not making any mistakes or crashing, and that is why he is going to win the title again this year.

“Just look at Jenson and Lewis. They have the same car but it is Button who is leading him in the championship. That is because he is getting the car home and scoring points.”

Lauda believes Hamilton has the ability to be challenging Sebastian Vettel at the top of the leader board, but has no one to blame but himself for why he is not there this year.

“It is very frustrating because Lewis is one of the top three best drivers in F1. There is no question about that. But he is overdoing it.

“He just needs to come back a fraction as it is all very simple. If you’re not scoring points, then you’re not going to win championships.”

The drivers head to Italy this weekend for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, with Vettel 113 points ahead of Hamilton, who is languishing in fifth place.

Originally written by Bet123.net, an online Betting Guide

Lauda: Frustrating Hamilton needs to learn from Button

Who will reign in Spain?

Bet123 — Sat, 21 May 2011 11:18:01 +0000

With Formula One fans across the world gearing up for the next Grand Prix race this weekend, with the action heading over to Barcelona for the Spanish race, F1 punters may well be seeking the best value bets in the build-up to Sunday. When it comes to the likely winner, some people are unable to look past the obvious choice of Sebastian Vettel, but that pick is based solely on his dominance to date this season, rather than looking back at the previous stats applicable to this particular Grand Prix.

Should you choose to look at these stats when thinking about your F1 bets this weekend, you may well end up reflecting on the fact that Ferrari hold the record for highest number of wins recorded at the Spanish Grand Prix, with a total of 215 races won compared to Red Bull’s modest 18. Among those drivers currently in action on the Formula One circuit, Michael Schumacher unsurprisingly has won the most previous Spanish Grand Prix races, but one man who isn’t far behind him is Fernando Alonso, who does of course race for Ferrari.

With the last driver to win six pole positions in a row Schumacher over ten years ago, Vettel will also have to equal that impressive record if he wishes to put himself in with the best chance of winning this weekend’s race in Spain. With the majority of races over the last decade or so in the country won by those who win pole, it seems likely that Vettel will need to reach record-levelling form if he does wish to move one more massive step towards the championship this year.

Those who enjoy a little bit of unpredictability in their sport will, however, hope that an outsider like Alonso or perhaps even Lewis Hamilton can edge out in front when it matters this time around and make the air of inevitability hanging over this season a little less intense.

Originally written by Bet123.net, an online Betting Guide

Who will reign in Spain?

Button learning on the job

Bet123 — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 08:32:30 +0000

Jenson Button has admitted that all the drivers in Formula One are learning to deal with how the sport has changed this season, with the new rules, regulations and toys all introduced this year. The changes were implemented to make overtaking more common and therefore increase the excitement in the sport. The biggest change made has been with the Pirelli tyres that have been introduced, the rapidly-degrading tyres forcing teams to rethink their game plans and strategies.

McLaren driver Button has had a decent start to the new campaign, with his second place in Malaysia the highlight so far. Despite his encouraging opening three races, 2009 world champion Button has said he expects all the teams to still be working out which plan works for them as the drivers get accustomed to the new changes and anyone looking at the F1 2011 odds should bear this in mind.

He said: “I think all the teams are learning about this new style of racing in 2011. I think it’ll get more straightforward as we start to see more of a convergence of strategies and ideas over the next couple of races.

“Obviously, it’s the tyres that everyone needs to get a better handle on.”

With Button’s McLaren team-mate Lewis Hamilton coming off the back of his victory in Shanghai, the former Braun driver knows now that his car can fully challenge the Red Bull team. McLaren will now head to Istanbul looking to make back-to-back victories and Button will be desperate to pick up his first win of the new season.

Originally written by Bet123.net, an online Betting Guide

Button learning on the job

Rosberg feeling as low as his petrol gauge

Bet123 — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 09:31:56 +0000

Nico Rosberg was left rueing mistakes made by his team after problems with low fuel scuppered Mercedes chances of a podium finish at the Chinese Grand Prix at the weekend. The German started in fourth but managed to work his way to the front of the pack, leading for 14 laps before a lack of fuel meant Lewis Hamilton, Mark Webber and Jenson Button all passed by in the final few laps.

Rosberg was decidedly miffed after leading the race for such a long time only to finish outside the top-three. Anyone who had backed him in the F1 betting odds would have been annoyed.

“Leading the race for such a long time was a great feeling. But we had fuel consumption issues which made it really difficult. It was horrible, really horrible,” he said.

Despite the disappointment regarding Rosberg’s fuel issues it was a good all-round day for the Mercedes team. Michael Schumacher finished eighth after managing to overturn his surprise 14th place on the grid. The ten times world champion put in an impressive drive to finish among the points and round off a decent weekend for the Mercedes team.

With the car looking to be in extremely good shape the Mercedes team will now have two weeks before the Turkish Grand Prix in Istanbul, to make sure they aren’t caught short again with fuel based problems. Despite both drivers finishing among the points, Schumacher and Rosberg will both have plenty of motivation when they line up on the grid in Turkey.

Originally written by Bet123.net, an online Betting Guide

Rosberg feeling as low as his petrol gauge