Turkish Grand Prix Betting Preview

MOTOR RACING – May 11 – TURKISH GRAND PRIX

HISTORY
The Turkish Grand Prix is a Formula One race that made its debut in the Formula One calendar on August 21, 2005 at the newly built Istanbul Park Circuit. Constructed by famous German civil engineer Hermann Tilke, the circuit is only the third “left-handed” Formula One circuit, along with Italy and Brazil.

THE TURKISH GRAND PRIX TODAY

Winners
2007 Felipe Massa, Ferrari
2006 Felipe Massa, Ferrari
2005 Kimi Raikonnen, McLaren-Mercedes

2007 Race Review
Felipe Massa’s Ferrari led from pole from team-mate Kimi Raikkonen who had jumped McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton off the grid to take second place. Reigning World Champion Fernando Alonso’s start from fourth was even worse than teammate Hamilton’s as he fell behind both the BMW Saubers of Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld, dropping back into sixth place. However, BMW’s strategy early pit stops allowed Alonso to regain both places after the first round of stops. Massa stopped after Raikkonen to retain the lead. Lewis Hamilton stopped later than both Ferraris and made up several seconds. Meanwhile, Kubica’s strategy had not only dropped him behind Heidfeld and Alonso, but Renault’s Heikki Kovalainen too. Massa stopped later than Raikkonen again at the second pit stop, and therefore retained the lead as Ferrari called the race between teammates off at this point. Hamilton may have emerged ahead of Raikkonen, but a puncture in his front tyre dropped him to fifth behind Heidfeld and Alonso. Damage to his front wing led to Kovalainen catching him, but the Finn was unable to pass Hamilton. Kubica lost a place to Nico Rosberg through strategy finishing eighth. Massa eventually won his second consecutive Turkish Grand Prix, and his fifth Grand Prix win overall, all of which came from pole position. He had secured his eighth pole in qualifying. Mark Webber of Red Bull Racing was the only retirement, with hydraulic failure. Toro Rosso driver Vitantonio Liuzzi ended a run of nine consecutive retirements stretching back to the Bahrain Grand Prix in April.The 2008 race takes place on 11th May, as the fifth leg of this year’s championship.

BETTING ON THE TURKISH GRAND PRIX
As the Turkish Grand Prix is the fifth event of the current Formula One season, a picture may be forming of the likely contenders for this season’s honours. Despite the poor performance of Ferrari (and to a lesser extent, Renault) in the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, they seem sure to remain forces to be reckoned with. Lewis Hamilton won the accident-ridden race in his McLaren Mercedes. Hamilton fans should note that seven of the last ten winners of the Australian Grand Prix have gone on to win the World Drivers’ Championship. Only once in the last thirteen seasons has a driver clinched the Driver’s Championship and his team not clinched the Constructor’s Championship. So any online punter fancying Lewis Hamilton for the Drivers’ title would do well to include a double with McLaren winning the Constructors’ Championship. However, no driver has ever won the Driver’s Championship in their second full season. The quickest was Michael Schumacher, winning the title in his third full season in 1994. It has also been twelve years since any British driver won the Drivers’ title (Damon Hill, 1996).

No prices are currently available for the Turkish Grand Prix. However, most online betting sites are sure to offering a range of markets on the event.

In the interim, skybet have managed to come up with some of the daftest online bets seen for some time, namely:

Clean Sweep
Will any driver win every race of the 2008 season?
100/1 – Kimi Raikkonen
200/1 – Lewis Hamilton
250/1 – Fernando Alonso

Always on Pole
Will any driver start every race from Pole Position?
150/1 – Kimi Raikkonen
250/1 – Lewis Hamilton
300/1 – Fernando Alonso

Nearer the race date, more sensible online bets are likely to include:

  • Outright Betting, both prior to the race and in-running.
  • Winning Constructor
  • Driver Match Bets
  • Points Finish
  • Podium Finish
  • Number of Finishers
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    Related Articles:
  • F1 Turkish Grand Prix – Sunday 11th May 2008 – Latest Betting odds
  • F1 Canadian Grand Prix Betting Sunday June 8th
  • Brazilian Grand Prix Betting
  • F1 Belgian Grand Prix Betting
  • F1 Monaco Grand Prix – Sunday 25th May 2008 – Latest Betting odds


    • Written by John Lamerton · Filed Under Formula One 

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