The unrelenting schedule in Formula 1 sees drivers head to the Red Bull Ring this weekend, as the Austrian Grand Prix takes place on Sunday. It will be an exciting weekend in the sport, with the Sprint race taking place on Saturday too. But, can Red Bull bounce back from the disappointment that they suffered at the British Grand Prix this weekend?
Austrian Grand Prix Odds
The Austrian Grand Prix is the home race for Red Bull, which means that there is no surprise that Max Verstappen sits as the clear favourite at the top of the betting. The Dutchman will have vocal home support this weekend, and is currently an 8/10 chance with BetXchange.
Charles Leclerc will be looking to bounce back and is a 5/2 chance. Last weekend saw Carlos Sainz win a first-ever Grand Prix, and he is 9/1 to back that up with a second win. Sergio Perez and Lewis Hamilton are both 10/1 chances.
Event Details & Records
The Austrian Grand Prix made its welcome return to the Formula 1 calendar in 2014, and has been held annually at the Red Bull Ring since then. Drivers involved in the race cover a total of 71 laps, which makes up the 306.452 km race length. Three drivers are tied for the most wins in the race, with Max Verstappen, Jo Siffert and Alain Prost all winning on three occasions.
Meanwhile, McLaren and Ferrari are the most successful constructors, with both teams having won on six occasions. Last year, Verstappen won the race for the third time, with the Dutchman also picking up the fastest lap. Valtteri Bottas finished the race in second for Mercedes, while Lando Norris finished back in third to give McLaren a rare podium.
Leading Contenders
It’s hard to look aside from Verstappen when it comes to the leading chances this weekend, as the Dutchman holds a dominant record in the race and has been dominant throughout the campaign. However, he endured a weekend to forget at Silverstone last time out, as he was left battling down the grid against Mick Schumacher after suffering a puncture. However, the damage was limited in terms of points, as his teammate Sergio Perez finished second, and Leclerc could only finish fourth.
Leclerc was very critical of his team in the aftermath of the race, as he lamented their decision not to bring him in under a safety car and change to a pair of soft tyres like all the rivals behind him did. That allowed Perez, Sainz and Lewis Hamilton to all overtake him with relative ease.
Hamilton and Mercedes almost certainly appear back in the hunt for wins this season based on the performance that they put in last weekend. The seven-time world champion could have easily won the race if it wasn’t for a safety car being deployed, as he was within touching distance of the pace being set by the two Ferraris in the lead. A win now seems only a matter of time away for Hamilton and Mercedes.
Austrian Grand Prix Prediction
It’s hard to get past Verstappen winning the race this weekend, but we could see both Ferraris being absent from the podium, with Perez taking second and Hamilton back in third.
Pick: Verstappen at 8/10 with BetXchange.
Podium: Hamilton at 2/1 with BetXchange.
