What a year it was in Formula 1 in 2017 as Lewis Hamilton secured his fourth drivers championship in a tight win over Sebastian Vettel. The 2018 season kicks off this weekend with the Australian Grand Prix this weekend, we preview the big event and give our betting tips below.
All eyes will be on Australian hopeful Daniel Ricciardo this weekend as he attempts to win his first home tournament. Ricciardo finished fifth on the driver’s standings last year, winning just one race and will be looking to improve on that this year as he enters his fifth season with Red Bull racing.
Hamilton starts as hot favourite to take out the race at $2, but its German Sebastian Vettel who tickles our fancy here at $4.20 to take out the win. Vettel won last year’s Australian Grand Prix, the second time he has won the race. Even after Lewis Hamilton won pole position in 2017, Vettel raced an outstanding race to snatch the Australian GP crown away.
Vettel also finished the 2017 season in the best form out of the two star drivers, claiming a win in the second last event of the season in Brazil before finishing 3rd in Abu Dhabi. Hamilton had a less desirable finish to the season, coming 9th in Mexico, 4th in Brazil before rounding out the season with a 2nd place finish in Abu Dhabi.
Sebastian Vettel win Australian GP
$4.20
Another driver who we really like here is Hamilton’s Mercedes teammate, Valtteri Bottas. Results from car testing in Barcelona earlier this month concluded that Mercedes still have a slight advantage over their competitors. Bottas was fantastic in last season’s Australian Grand Prix, finishing on the podium behind the two big boys, and we think he could be right up there again.
Valtteri Bottas to win (e/w)
$8.50/$1.91
