Miami Grand Prix, Sunday, 05.05.2024
The Miami GP is just around the corner! The race will be held in Florida for the third time. Max Verstappen triumphed in 2022 and 2023, and the Dutchman is again the top favorite for the 25 points this year after four wins in five races.
The high-flyer would probably have stormed to the top step of the podium in Melbourne too had it not been for the right rear brake going on strike, which caused him a technical retirement. In fact, it was the only race this season in which I was wrong with my prediction. In four out of five World Championship races, I hit the bull’s eye with my betting recommendation.
With a 15-point lead over his team-mate Sergio Perez, Verstappen will also be looking to secure his third Miami victory
It is not often that a driver is unbeaten on a track in the premier class due to the long histories of the tracks. Sebastian Vettel, for example, managed to remain the only driver to win the trophy in India from 2011 to 2013 before the circuit was removed from the race calendar.
Verstappen is the sole winner of the Miami GP for the time being. In 2022 he downed Charles Leclerc and in 2023 he started an impressive comeback from midfield and it didn’t take long for the Red Bull star to take the lead.
I see Ferrari and Red Bull being strong on the track again this year, which is why I’m using the Bet365 betting configurator in my Formula 1 Miami GP tip and putting the drivers of both teams in the top 6.
As in the other races, the win odds are uninteresting. Verstappen is unbeatable if the technology plays along. The world champion team has also been convincing in Miami in recent years. Bwin still spits out 1.25 odds for Verstappen’s success.
If you are looking for a combination ticket with several sporting events, you have at least made the right choice here. Behind Verstappen, the bookmakers expect Sergio Perez (9.00), Charles Leclerc (15.0) and Carlos Sainz (15.0).
One small glimmer of hope for the competition is the fact that another sprint weekend will be held. This means that the teams will only have one test session to test different parts and get a set-up.
However, in 2024 it is permitted to make changes to the car after the sprint race, which now takes place before the main race qualifying. Last year, the teams were no longer allowed to make any adjustments after qualifying on Friday. Anyone who made a mistake in the setup had to deal with it for the whole weekend
Although it has been quiet on the track for the last two weeks, a lot has happened off the track in recent days. Star designer Adrian Newey is indeed leaving the Red Bull team; the current chief designer of the racing team moved from McLaren to the Austrians in 2006.
He can switch to another team in 2025, but it currently looks like he will be joining Ferrari. He openly admitted earlier in his career that he regretted never having worked for the Reds. There is also said to have already been a meeting between him and Ferrari team boss Frederic Vasseur in London.
Red Bull is now in danger of collapsing as rumors of a Verstappen switch to Mercedes continue to intensify. The Silver Bulls are bringing an update package to Miami and are hoping for improvement. In China, Toto Wolff’s team was only fifth in terms of race pace.
However, I am not overly optimistic that Mercedes has found the philosopher’s stone. So far, Mercedes has not been able to make any major leaps in performance since the ground-effect era, the team is looking backwards and is experiencing its worst start to the season since 2011
City circuits have never been Mercedes’ greatest strength anyway. I rate Ferrari as much stronger behind Red Bull. In any case, the Italians have established themselves as the second force. But beware of McLaren, the British team is improving from race to race, Lando Norris was even able to split the two Red Bulls recently.
For my Bet365 bet, both Red Bull and Ferrari in the top 6, Norris and Oscar Piastri should also make it into the top region, as long as Mercedes does not intervene. A good start to the season was followed by somewhat tougher races for Piastri, who I don’t necessarily see in the battle for the top positions.
By the way, at Bet365 you can not only create your own odds with the betting configurator, which is not possible with any other betting provider, but you can also use the current Bet365 promotion code to get 100 euros extra credit
The last 5 races at the Miami International Autodrome:
Verstappen and Perez have finished on the podium together in four of the five races. And the Ferrari boys have been in a close duel all year. While Leclerc is set for the future in the team, Sainz is currently promoting himself to the other racing teams with every good performance.
The Ferrari drivers are driving each other to peak performances and are performing at a consistent level. So far, Sainz and Leclerc have always made it into the top 5. The most likely option for the Spaniard is a cockpit at Audi.
However, after the announcement of Nico Hülkenberg, there is only one seat left. As an experienced works driver, the man from Emmerich will help to build up the team and has brought himself into the limelight with strong performances in the inferior Haas on his return to Formula 1.
The announcement should give Hülkenberg a motivational boost, as he clearly has his team-mate Kevin Magnussen under control anyway. The race duel against the Dane is 4:1. Nevertheless, the top sports betting providers still have 1.62 odds for Hülkenberg in the direct duel.
While Hülkenberg is setting one highlight after another, Lance Stroll is being heavily criticized by experts and fans. In any case, information is circulating through the paddock that this will be the last season for the son of billionaire Lawrence Stroll.
He has only managed to finish in the points twice so far, which is why the 1.73 odds for at least one Aston Martin not finishing in the points are definitely lucrative. In Saudi Arabia, he put his car into the wall, in Japan he weakened in qualifying and in China he caused a rear-end collision during the safety car phase.
Conclusion: Red Bull is still the big power in Formula 1, at least this season. When Verstappen and Perez have crossed the finish line, they have always been on the podium together.
Ferrari have also been consistent so far, the team is still without a retirement and has achieved a top 5 result with both drivers. City circuits have always been an advantage compared to McLaren and Mercedes in particular.
My betting tip is therefore: Both Red Bull & Ferrari in the top 6
