Will Lewis Hamilton cap his title-winning season in style with a victory in Abu Dhabi on the weekend? The Mercedes driver will be going from Pole on Sunday, his first since back in Germany. Will it be a straight point to point win for him?
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Odds*
Lewis Hamilton 4/9
Max Verstappen 3/1
Charles Leclerc 8/1
Sebastian Vettel 14/1
Valtteri Bottas 16/1
Alexander Albon 50/1
750/1 bar
* (betting odds taken from bet365 on November 30th, 2019 at 12:18 pm)
Hamilton strikes up Pole Position
Not since July has Lewis Hamilton been at the front of the grid for a Grand Prix. It doesn’t matter because in the end he has been crowned Champion for the season, the sixth time in his F1 career. Hamilton edged out his teammate Valtteri Bottas to the front of the grid, but with the Mercedes drivers locking out the front row, there is a wonderful opportunity ahead for Hamilton to finish the season with a flourish. Hamilton is 4/9 odds-on to win the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix* (betting odds taken from bet365 on November 30th, 2019 at 12:18 pm).
So the likelihood of another Mercedes victory looks strong here. Bottas has been going well down the final stretch of the season, so if it’s Hamilton then it will most likely be the Finnish driver. Bottas has two wins in the last four races, claiming the chequered flag at the Japanese Grand Prix and in the USA. Considering that Bottas is at 16/1 to get the race win and going from second place, he’s not a bad punt at all* (betting odds taken from bet365 on November 30th, 2019 at 12:18 pm).
Can Verstappen win the season-ender?
Max Verstappen came out on top at the end of the crazy Brazilian Grand Prix. That has been back to back podium finishes for the Red Bull driver now and has been such a good season for him. He will just need to finish ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc to ensure that he takes third place in the final standings of this year’s championship. Given the way that he has been driving, you wouldn’t put it past him to jump up on the podium and he goes from third on the grid.
Ferrari’s misfire in qualification
Charles Leclerc failed to cross the line in time to begin his final quick qualification lap and he raised tensions by blaming his teammate Sebastian Vettel, Leclerc saying the German had slowed down ahead of him. It looked to be more of an error of timing by the team than anything else though. But it will be interesting to watch the Ferrari drivers go at it again
In Brazil, they came together wiping each other out and the capitulation of the Ferrari team effort has been a spectacle to watch. Leclerc and Vettel clearly can’t work together and there doesn’t appear too much love lost between the pair. Ferrari’s Leclerc goes from fourth on the grid with Vettel one place back. Leclerc had put in the fastest lap in Q2.
Prediction
The lockout of the front grid by Mercedes sets them up so well. Hamilton is a four-time winner at the race and he took the chequered flag last season well. Each of the last five editions of the race has been won by the Mercedes team. So there’s a strong chance that both Hamilton and Bottas will go well. A Mercedes Double Podium Finish is at 3/1* (betting odds taken from bet365 on November 30th, 2019 at 12:18 pm)
