F1 2019 Russian Grand Prix Odds & Betting Preview

Sebastian Vettel finally got the monkey off his back last week, picking up his first Formula 1 of 2019 at the Singapore Grand Prix last week. He ended up using a pit-stop undercut against his own teammate, Charles Leclerc, who had won the pole position but thought that the team’s decision to bring him in for some hard tires kept him from winning. That makes three wins in a row for Ferrari (two for Leclerc and one for Vettel), the first time the team has pulled off three straight since 2008. The first two wins were not surprises, as the straight-heavy courses favored the Ferrari team cars. However, Singapore featured lots of tight turns and corners, and Mercedes was expected to dominate the podium again — but Ferrari finished 1-2. What can we expect to see in Sochi, Russia? We have your F1 odds for each driver as well as thoughts on the teams’ prospects this week.

F1 2019 Russian Grand Prix Odds & Betting Preview

All the facts and figures about this weekend’s #RussianGP 🇷🇺 #F1 pic.twitter.com/1b3k65BsaS

— Formula 1 (@F1) September 26, 2019

• When: Sunday, Sep. 29 at 7:10am ET
• Where: Sochi Autodrom, Sochi, Russia
• TV: ESPN 2
• Live Stream: WatchESPN

Driver Odds to Win the 2019 Russian Grand Prix

• Lewis Hamilton                                                                                               15/8
• Charles Leclerc                                                                                              9/4
• Sebastian Vettel                                                                                              10/3
• Valtteri Bottas                                                                                                 6/1
• Max Verstappen                                                                                              25/1
• Alexander Albon                                                                                             150/1
• Carlos Sainz, Lando Norris                                                                            1000/1
• Daniel Ricciardo, Nico Hulkenberg                                                                1250/1
• Kimi Raikkonen, Sergio Perez                                                                        1500/1
• Kevin Magnussen                                                                                           2000/1
• Pierre Gasley, Antonio Giovinazzi, Lance Stroll, Romain Grosjean              2500/1
• Daniil Kvyat                                                                                                    3000/1
• George Russell, Robert Kubica                                                                      5000/1

The Course

The Sochi course combines 18 fast corners and a set of long straights. The most dramatic turn is the third one, providing 161 degrees of rotation and running 789 meters long, taking about ten seconds to get through it.

What About Mercedes?

Mercedes did not even make the podium last week, as Max Verstappen of Red Bull came in third. Lewis Hamilton does have three wins here and took first a year ago. Valtteri Bottas won here two years ago, giving Mercedes two years of dominance here. Hamilton came in fourth in Singapore, building his lead in the Drivers’ Championship standings. One thing to consider, though, is that Leclerc is 96 points behind Hamilton — and a driver could pick up a total of 156 points by winning each race and having the fastest lap at each race. So while Hamilton is way out in front, matters are by no means salted away. The fast corners and straights in Sochi make this a more Ferrari-friendly course than the one where Ferrari just won a week ago.

What About Ferrari?

Ferrari’s concerns for the race come from the smooth surface of the Sochi course, making grip a bit more of a challenge. Changes to the aerodynamics on the cars could also help. Leclerc came in seventh place here in 2018 — racing in a Sauber. Leclerc felt cheated out of the win by Vettel last week, despite his gracious remarks to the press, so I expect him to come out with plenty of motivation. Until Ferrari is stopped right now, given the betting value Leclerc offers, it is wise to add him to your wagering card.

What About Red Bull?

Red Bull did get the third spot on the podium last week, but they expected to do even better given the nature of the course. The corners in Sochi often approach 90 degrees, making it a unique layout, and the alternation between braking and getting back up to full speed could provide challenges for the team to figure out. Alexander Albon has driven well since taking over for Pierre Gasly, but he has not moved up the table as much as he might like. Both Albon and Verstappen will have a five-place grid penalty for adding a Spec 4 internal combustion engine. As far as the midfield competitors, Renault and McLaren have been finishing neck and neck. Lando Norris finished well in Singapore, but Carlos Sainz finished in 12th place. As McLaren continues to suffer from issues with respect to reliability, their hold on fourth place in the Constructors’ Championship standings is getting less and less secure.