The Formula 1 season returns to Europe this weekend, as the prestigious Spanish Grand Prix is staged at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. It is the sixth stop on the schedule this season for Formula 1, as Max Verstappen looks for another victory to close the gap on the current Drivers’ Championship leader- Charles Leclerc.
Spanish Grand Prix Odds
The BetXchange betting markets for the Spanish Grand Prix are already open, and there is a clear favourite at the top of the market. Max Verstappen is the clear 1/1 favourite at this point, with Charles Leclerc second choice at 12/10. Ferrari teammate Carlos Sainz is an 11/1 chance, while Sergio Perez is priced up at 16/1. Lewis Hamilton and George Russell are both available at 25/1.
Event Details & Winners
The Spanish Grand Prix is one of the oldest races in the world of Formula 1, as it has been contested since 1913. The race celebrated its 100th year back in 2013, and it has been held at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya since the 2021 campaign. Last year’s race was won in commanding fashion by Lewis Hamilton, who finished over 15 seconds ahead of Max Verstappen. It was a sixth win in the race for the British driver, which saw him tie level with Michael Schumacher for the highest number of wins in the race.
Verstappen ended the race last year with the fastest lap. However, Ferrari remain the most dominant team in the Spanish Grand Prix, as the constructor has won on 13 occasions throughout the race’s prestigious history. Hamilton has won the previous five editions of the Spanish Grand Prix, but he will have a tall order to continue that winning sequence this weekend.
Main Contenders
It would be hard to start anywhere else when it comes to a potential winner of the Spanish Grand Prix than Max Verstappen. The Dutchman has won every race in which he has finished this season, which included his victory in the Miami Grand Prix last time out. Despite a late challenge from Leclerc, the reigning world champion was able to hang on to secure a third victory of the season. He will also be looking for a third straight victory in F1 this weekend, as he won the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix last month. Verstappen previously won the Spanish Grand Prix in 2016.
However, there is likely to be a resurgent Ferrari this weekend, as they endured a miserable couple of weeks in Italy and Miami. Leclerc will once again be their leading challenger, as he looks to bounce back after a second straight runner-up finish. The driver from Monaco still leads the Drivers’ Championship, and he will be looking to stay in that position ahead of his home Grand Prix next weekend.
Mercedes looked to be getting back to somewhere near their best in Miami, as George Russell and Lewis Hamilton finished in fifth and sixth, respectively. However, they are still having issues with straight line speed compared to Red Bull and Ferrari. It will be interesting to see what adjustments they have made ahead of the race this weekend.
Spanish Grand Prix Pick and Prediction
Verstappen has looked like a man on a mission over recent weeks, and it looks hard to challenge his claims this weekend. We could see Leclerc and Sergio Perez round off the top three.
Picks:
- Win: Max Verstappen @ 1/1 with BetXchange
- Podium Finish: Sergio Perez @ 8/10 with BetXchange
