F1 2019 Austrian Grand Prix Odds & Betting Preview

At the French Grand Prix, we saw yet another predictable Formula 1 race, as Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton led from start to finish. The opening lap had some intrigue, until Hamilton moved away from the pack, and the last lap offered some suspense as Charles Leclerc made an attack against Valtteri Bottas to go for second place. There had been some thought that the longer straights at Paul Ricard would make an opening for Ferrari, particularly with recent upgrades, but a power unit problem emerged that kept Sebastian Vettel from going to higher engine modes after Q2 and throughout the weekend. Now the series shifts to Austria — on a course that, according to all accounts, will favor Mercedes once again. We have your F1 odds for each driver as well as thoughts on the course.

F1 2019 Austrian Grand Prix Odds & Betting Preview

Max won the #AustrianGP last year in front of a the Oranje Army 🍊 And he’s looking to put on a show again in 2019 👏 pic.twitter.com/fcYHEbqqgc

— Formula 1 (@F1) June 27, 2019

Driver Odds to Win the 2019 Austrian Grand Prix

• Lewis Hamilton                                                                                               4/5
• Valtteri Bottas                                                                                                 10/3
• Sebastian Vettel                                                                                              11/2
• Charles Leclerc                                                                                              13/2
• Max Verstappen                                                                                              28/1
• Pierre Gasly                                                                                                    325/1
• Lando Norris, Carlos Sainz                                                                             1000/1
• Daniel Ricciardo                                                                                             1250/1
• Nico Hulkenberg                                                                                             1500/1
• Daniil Kvyat, Kimi Raikkonen, Kevin Magnussen                                          2000/1
• Antonio Giovinazzi, Romain Grosjean, Alexander Albon                              2500/1
• Lance Stroll, Sergio Perez                                                                              3000/1
• Robert Kubica, George Russell                                                                      7000/1

Lewis Hamilton has won four straight races and six of the last seven, which means that he could clinch the Drivers’ Championship fairly long before the season comes to a close in Abu Dhabi in December. At this rate, the championship could be decided by the end of September. The track in Austria should favor Mercedes, with the combination of corners that are fast and turns that are slow and tight, a blend that the W10 usually completes easily. However, the Austrian course was also a house of horrors for the Silver Arrows last year, when Hamilton’s fuel system went out and Bottas had gearbox problems, leading to both retiring. An interesting factor could involve overheating, with temperatures predicted to move into the 90s (Fahrenheit) on race day. The high altitude of the course means that cooling could be an additional challenge. Even so, the opening sector of the course should favor Ferrari, with two straights and a brake. Then, though, that combination of corners and turners could be their undoing, because the SF90 has issues in those situations with respect to front-end grip and finding traction. Red Bull also disappointed in France, as the engine upgrade from Honda was largely lost in the trouble that the cars had with their tires, thanks to the elevated temperatures at Paul Ricard. Max Verstappen had some throttle issues that caused him some problems as well. The track in Austria will also feature elevated temperatures, but Verstappen picked up a win here last year. Pierre Gasly’s car has had some problems in performance, but if the team can get around those, Red Bull could pull off another surprise. McLaren’s team was surprisingly competitive in France; they would have come in sixth and seventh if Norris had not had technical problems in the final lap. That would have been their best finish since the 2014 Italian Grand Prix. The team’s chassis is fine, and the upgrades are helping significantly. Will the team use one of the new Spec B engines? The consequence would be a grid penalty, so they will have to decide whether the upgrade is worth the drop. Given the vulnerability that Ferrari is showing, it could be a risk worth taking. At this point, it’s hard to bet against Hamilton — but the value that he offers is not really worth the off chance that a mechanical malfunction could wreck his chances. So if you are dead set on Formula 1 betting, those 4/5 odds should bring you some money, although a bet on Leclerc to come out of nowhere, as he continues to show more and more promise, makes sense as well.