Formula 1 is back for the 2024 season as the teams head to the Bahrain International Circuit for the Bahrain GP. Will Red Bull dominate again this year with drivers Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez, or is there a surprise around the corner?
CHAMPIONSHIP UPDATE
Verstappen will be looking to defend his world championship title for a 3rd time and make it 4 world titles in total. The bookies have him as the heavy favourite at 1/7 to win the title after dominating last year. He finished last season on 575 points, 290 points clear of his teammate Sergio Perez, who finished 2nd in the standings. Leclerc is currently the second favourite at 12/1, while Lando Norris is trading at 16/1.
We now take a look at the “Winner without Verstappen” markets. Perez is the favourite to finish top at 12/10, while last year’s fifth-place finisher, Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), is the second favourite at 5/2. McLaren driver Lando Norris is the third favourite at 13/2.
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Bahrain Grand Prix
Verstappen started last year’s race in pole position and went on to beat his teammate, Perez, for a comfortable first victory. After starting fifth, Fernando Alonso managed to grab a podium spot at the end of the race. Charles Leclerc won the race in 2022 after Verstappen did not finish the race.
BETTING (To win outright Bahrain GP 2024) – Click here to bet
Max Verstappen 1/3
Charles Leclerc 10/1
Sergio Perez 16/1
Lewis Hamilton 20/1
Carlos Sainz 20/1
28/1 and better the balance
All prices correct at the time of writing but are subject to change
VERDICT
Verstappen will look to put in a strong start to his season, and after an impressive test a few weeks ago, it may not be the best option to bet against him but at 1/3 he doesn’t offer a very big return.
Ferrari had an impressive test, finishing with the fastest car on days 2 and 3, with day two’s fastest lap being the fastest over the whole test. In 2023, they qualified 3rd and 4th, while in 2022, they qualified 1st and 3rd. If Leclerc is able to match the performance of his teammate in testing, he has the car that is able to qualify in the top spot.
Suggested Bet: Charles Leclerc to qualify first at 26/10
Fernando Alonso managed to grab 3rd spot in last year’s race. With a combination of his experience and a good start to the season, he may be able to push his car towards the front of the pack and grab a top 6 spot.
Suggested Bet: Top 6 Finish, Fernando Alonso at 8/10
Click here for betting on all of the Bahrain Grand Prix Markets
