The third race of the season heads our way on Sunday and looking at the head of the market there is a huge shift in power that the boomers are expecting. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc is the 6/4 favourite to land his first career win on the weekend* (betting odds taken from bet365 on April 11th, 2019 at 4:56 pm). This would be something of a special occasion as well as it will be the 1000th race of F1 Grands Prix.
F1 Grand Prix Winner Odds*
Charles Leclerc 6/4
Sebastian Vettel 7/4
Lewis Hamilton 11/4
Valtteri Bottas 10/1
Max Verstappen 16/1
Bar 80/1
* (betting odds taken from bet365 on April 11th, 2019 at 4:56 pm)
The expectation, hype and headlines are all shifting into Frenchman Charles Leclerc now. Last time out at the Bahrain Grand Prix he looked to be heading to his first ever success, when an engine problem hit him late on, handing the win to Lewis Hamilton, while Leclerc held on for third. But before that problem with his Ferrari, Leclerc had dominated after having retaken the load following a poor start.
But the pace that Leclerc showed, along with composure in the race seems to have elevated him. With his teammate, Sebastian Vettel struggling Leclerc is the current golden boy and he is 6/4 to deliver the win this weekend* (betting odds taken from bet365 on April 11th, 2019 at 4:56 pm). He is going to have to go against the grain of results at the Chinese Grand Prix for Ferrari though, who have won once there in the last eleven years.
Lewis Hamilton got off to a great start last weekend, getting the better of Vettel off the line, but a poor tyre choice by the Mercedes team left him struggling. He was passed by the German only to then benefit by a tyre switch where he was able to close and catch Vettel. It was in overtaking the German that Vettel spun off the track under pressure.
Hamiltons at 11/4 to get the win this one* (betting odds taken from bet365 on April 11th, 2019 at 4:56 pm). So far this season he trailed home teammate Valtteri Bottas at the Australian Grand Prix and lead a reverse 1-2 for the team at the Bahrain Grand Prix. Were it not for the failure of Leclerc’s hybrid system though, Hamilton would not have caught the Frenchman. Now it is all about how well Leclerc can handle the expectations, as he totally dominated his Ferrari teammate Vettel in Bahrain.
Predictions
This should be a great battle now in the third race of the season. Mercedes have won four of the last five editions, with Daniel Ricciardo coming home first in last season’s edition in his Red Bull. Hamilton is actually a five-time winner of the Chinese Grand Prix and because of that will have appeal at 11/4 odds* (betting odds taken from bet365 on April 11th, 2019 at 4:56 pm). Leclerc is fast becoming the new star, but Hamilton has proven already that he can keep his cool and handle pressure.
