Bahrain Grand Prix in Sakhir, Saturday, 02.03.2024
Slowly but surely it is getting warmer, the birds are chirping again in the morning and the tingling in the stomach is back. All signs that the Formula 1 season opener is just around the corner. The time has finally come this weekend!
One week after the test drives, the engines of the fastest racing series with the best drivers in the world will be roaring again. Watch out! Due to the start of Ramadan, the races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia will be held on Saturday next week.
This means that the sessions will be moved forward by one day, with Thursday being the practice day and Friday being the day to fight for the best grid positions in qualifying. In my Formula 1 Bahrain GP betting tip, I will opt for the bet that both Ferraris will finish in the top 6, taking 1.50 odds at Interwetten.
New season, old favorite. The title will once again only go to Max Verstappen in 2024. The Dutchman has already been in a league of his own again during testing. Red Bull’s Head of Design Adrian Newey has once again constructed a very fast racing car with his team
While most teams copied numerous elements from the previous year’s model in order to close the gap, Newey came up with a new concept and, instead of an evolution, turned the RB20 into a revolution. After all, he foresaw the numerous Red Bull duplications in the 2024 field
He wasn’t even the fastest on a lap during the test drives and yet the experts agree. Verstappen and Red Bull, this duo will be very difficult to beat again this year. Unless their rivals develop miracles in the course of the season, the flying Dutchman will be unstoppable again this year.
Last season, Red Bull already won 22 out of 23 races, with Verstappen alone winning 20 of them. Fans have long been joking on social media about the permanent Dutch anthem for the perennial winner of motorsport’s premier class.
Even the best Formula 1 betting providers don’t hold out much hope. Verstappen is the clear title favorite at 1.11, followed by Charles Leclerc (13.0), Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton (17.0 each). Even if the odds on the three-time champion are very small, it is always a great long-term bet with a corresponding stake
Verstappen’s team-mate Sergio Perez appears late in the list of title contenders. He is only listed in seventh place with 34.0 odds. They have been driving together for the Austrian racing team for three years, with Verstappen dominating the Mexican three times.
In the last two seasons, he gave the fans a little hope of excitement, at least at the beginning, and was still on an equal footing in the first races. But as soon as Verstappen merged with the car into a single unit after enough kilometers, he no longer gave Perez a chance
The 2024 test drives have shown, however, that Verstappen already feels very comfortable in the RB20. This was confirmed not only by the onboard footage, but also by his appearance in press laps and the aura in the paddock.
And if the demanding Red Bull star is happy, then the new car is a miracle weapon. In fact, he only has one win to his name in Bahrain, which he achieved last year ahead of his team-mate Perez. You can bet on a second triumph in a row at 1.30.
The odds are not really lucrative, but the fact that numerous combinations involving Verstappen can be found not only in the Oddset Bundesliga betting but also in the Formula 1 offer is pleasing for betting enthusiasts.
However, I have also diligently tested other top bookmakers such as Bet365 and would definitely add the odds that both Mercedes will finish in the final classification, i.e. cover at least 90 percent of the race distance, to the betting configurator of our test winner in addition to Verstappen’s victory.
This would even cover a retirement by Lewis Hamilton or George Russell shortly before the end. A tasty 1.58 odds beckon for the corresponding combination, a great combination in my view. After all, the Silver Arrows have been known for their technical reliability for years
In general, odds in the region of 1.50 or higher await those who expect two drivers from two teams in the final classification and combine them accordingly.
But hot individual odds are also waiting for the Bahrain GP. Ferrari is traditionally strong in Sakhir. The track layout also suits the SF-24 again, as last week’s tests showed. The Italians are currently regarded as Red Bull’s number one hunter
The last 5 races on the Bahrain International Circuit:
I am convinced that Charles Leclerc or Carlos Sainz will make it onto the podium, but a place in the top 6 should be possible for both drivers. Interwetten is beckoning with 1.50 odds for both Ferrari drivers in the top 6.
Here too, the rather high odds are due to the fact that the bookmakers assign a higher weighting to technical faults in the first race of the season. Leclerc also had to retire his car prematurely last year.
But in the Bahrain test, the SF-24 ran like clockwork and Ferrari is at the front in terms of pace
But will it be enough to upset Perez? While Verstappen is likely to drive away at the front, things could get tighter between the second Red Bull driver and the Ferrari stars. However, with only one of the four drivers likely to miss out on the top three, the 1.70 for a Perez podium is great odds.
It can be found at Oddset, among others. A great betting provider that not only offers free bets of 100 euros when you register, but also tax-free odds.
The best feature, however, is that frequently played odds from the community are highlighted in red and the percentage distribution of how many users bet on which odds is generally displayed. Perez has the absolute majority with the fast RB20: 76 percent.
He has done well in Bahrain in recent years, finishing second last year and was also on course for a podium in 2022, but retired on the last lap.
Conclusion: I’m spoiled for choice for the season opener, there are some great odds waiting for the first race. In particular, the various offers from betting configurators such as Bet365 or Betano provide even more choice.
My favorite bet, however, is that both Ferrari drivers will finish in the top 6. Sainz and Leclerc push each other to the limit and are often on a very similar level, especially in race trim the difference is small.
The Ferrari has been strong in recent years and also in the 2024 tests in Bahrain, and the SF-24 has been reliable. Therefore, I opt for Ferrari to finish behind Red Bull and both Ferraris to finish the race in the top 6.
My Formula 1 Bahrain GP betting tip: Both Ferrari drivers will finish in the top 6
