F1 Preview – Sunday, July 14th, 2019 at 2:10 pm
The winning streak of Mercedes for the season is over. Last time out in Austria, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen took the win to shake things up a little bit. Well at least in seeing someone other than Lewis Hamilton or Valterri Bottas on top of the podium. Hamilton still has a commanding lead in this season’s Drivers Championship and is heading home this weekend for the British Grand Prix.
British Grand Prix 2019 Winner Odds*
Lewis Hamilton 4/6
Valtteri Bottas 9/2
Charles Leclerc 9/2
Sebastian Vettel 11/2
Max Verstappen 9/1
Pierre Gasly 750/1
1000/1 bar
* (Betting odds taken from Bet365 on July 11th, 2019 at 4:41 am)
Will Lewis Hamilton win the 2019 British Grand Prix?
The Mercedes team had some issues in Austria with overheating. They said that it is a problem that they have had going all season and it just caught up with them. Valtteri Bottas took third with Hamilton down in fifth. That was the first time this season that Hamilton had not taken a top-two finish. The Mercedes drivers couldn’t attack in Austria so just had to fight for what they could.
But will he snap back at Silverstone? Hamilton was the clear front runner last year at the event, but he got away from the grid poorly and missed out on the chance for his fifth straight win at the race. So with those four straight successes between 2014 and 2017, Hamilton certainly has track form. He has won the event five times before, his first title at his home Grand Prix.
Given that he has been so dominant this season, it’s no surprise that he is at 4/6 to win the British Grand Prix outright* (Betting odds taken from Bet365 on July 11th, 2019 at 4:41 am). This would be a fantastic time for Hamilton to bounce back in what is the 70th Edition of the British Grand Prix.
Will Charles Leclerc get his break?
In Austria, Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc finally looked to be heading for his win. Two laps from the end though he was overtaken by Red Bull’s MaxVerstappen, leaving the Frenchman in second place. After a near-miss in Bahrain as well when he was let down by a cruel engine problem at the end of the race after having dominated proceedings. He is knocking on the door and was on the front row for the Austrian Grand Prix alongside Verstappen. Leclerc is at 9/2 to get the win at the British Grand Prix* (Betting odds taken from Bet365 on July 11th, 2019 at 4:41 am).
The other Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel is looking for his first win of the season still and looks a bit frustrated with things. He is the reigning champion at the British Grand Prix though and that was going from second on the grid behind Hamilton. The Ferrari team actually had a good weekend at Silverstone twelve months ago. Vettel got himself the win and his teammate then, Kimi Raikkonen took third, the position he had started the race from. Vettel goes at 11/2 to get another win at the track* (Betting odds taken from Bet365 on July 11th, 2019 at 4:41 am).
Can Bottas get to the top of the podium at Silverstone?
Valtteri Bottas is sitting second to Lewis Hamilton in the Drivers Championship this season with two wins under his belt. He is 34 points adrift of his teammate though. He handled the problems in a scorching Austrian Grand Prix last time out pretty well though and has been just steady as opposed to really delivering the pace to keep up with Hamilton. Bottas was fourth at the British Grand Prix last season in his first drive there for the Mercedes team. With the Mercedes so well suited to Silverstone, the perception is that it’s going to be him or Hamilton crossing the line first.
Will Max Verstappen build on Austrian win?
It has been back to back wins at the Austrian Grand Prix now for Max Verstappen, who put in a tremendous drive there again. He just kept going and going and got the better of Charles Leclerc in his chase of the Ferrari driver, two laps from the end. That leaves the Dutch driver in third place in the Drivers Championship and just because of how much he drives on the edge, he always a viable option and value to smash his way on the podium. Verstappen is at 2/1 for a top-three finish* (Betting odds taken from Bet365 on July 11th, 2019 at 4:41 am).
Predictions
The altitude and thinner air was a problem for Mercedes in Austria as well as some hot temperatures. It is going to be a lot cooler at Silverstone this weekend and so the problems that they are having with the overheating are not likely to be exacerbated. So that means we should at least see the Silver Arrow of Hamilton having a pretty fair crack of the whip in getting a record-breaking sixth win at the event. He has to get the nod as 4/6 outright favourite* (Betting odds taken from Bet365 on July 11th, 2019 at 4:41 am).
