The 2019 Formula 1 season continues this weekend as the tour heads to Baku for the annual Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The race gets underway at around 10pm on Sunday night (AEST) with practice and qualifying taking place throughout the weekend.
We take a look at the weekend’s action and give our betting tips for the Grand Prix below.
2019 Azerbaijan Grand Prix Betting Tips
Lewis Hamilton continued his dominant start to the 2019 Formula 1 season a few weeks ago in China by winning the Chinese Grand Prix. The win marked the second in a row for Hamilton after he took out the Bahrain GP just a few weeks prior and the third in a row for Mercedes after teammate Valtteri Bottas won the opening event of the year in Australia.
In fact, with Bottas finishing second in both the Bahrain and China Grand Prix’s, in marks three races in a row where the duo from Mercedes have taken the top two spots on the podium. It’s been one of the more dominant starts to a season by a manufacturer in recent memory and all signs point to that dominance continuing this weekend in Azerbaijan.
The Azerbaijan GP has only been raced since 2017. In the two years since its inception, Aussie Daniel Ricciardo and Lewis Hamilton have won the two events. Interestingly, Hamilton won the event in 2018 after Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel claimed pole position.
Hamilton’s Mercedes teammate, Bottas, was unlucky not to get the win in Azerbaijan last year. He led the race for a large portion before a tyre puncture on the lap 49 of 51 forced him to retire. The Finish driver has been in fantastic form to start the season and with the dominance of Mercedes in the early races of the year, we think Bottas is fantastic value this weekend.
It’s been a troublesome start to the season for Australian Daniel Ricciardo. The Renault driver was forced to retire from his home race in Australia to open the season before finising a disappointing 18th in the Bahrain GP. However, he found some form in China, rising up the standings to finish in 7th place as the top driver outside of Mercedes, Red Bull and Ferrari.
Ricciardo has won the Azerbaijan Grand Prix before and has stated that it his one of his favourite tracks. Not sure if the Renaults are strong enough to warrant Ricciardo a podium finish this season but we think there is great value for the Aussie to finish in the top six.
Daniel Ricciardo top 6
$3.00
Odds courtesy of BetEasy
