The scintillating action on the track in Formula 1 continues this weekend, as the Turkish Grand Prix takes place on Sunday. The race for the Drivers’ Championship is tighter than it has been for years, with Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton separated by just two points, with the Brit having a slender lead. However, the Dutch Red Bull driver remains the 13/20 favourite in the BetXchange betting to win the title this season.
Turkish Grand Prix Details & Past Winners
The Turkish Grand Prix made its grand return on the F1 calendar in the 2020 season after being missing the schedule since 2011. It has been held on eight previous occasions at the Intercity Istanbul Park, with Felipe Massa being the most successful driver in the history of the race. Ferrari are the most successful constructor, having won on three occasions.
Last year’s race was won by Hamilton, as Sergio Perez and Sebastian Vettel finished in second and third. Lando Norris picked up the bonus point for the fastest lap in the race, and he is currently 25/1 to achieve that feat again. Hamilton is the current favourite to record the fastest lap at 35/20, while Verstappen is priced at the same odds. Valterri Bottas is a 4/1 chance, while Perez is 5/1.
Fastest Qualifier
The action in Turkey kicks off before the race itself on Sunday, as the drivers will be vying for their spot on the grid. Lance Stroll was the surprise package in qualifying last year, as he clocked the fastest qualifying time of 1:47.765. However, the race for the quickest qualifying time this year looks set to be a battle between the top two in the Drivers’ Championship according to the odds.
Verstappen is the narrow favourite to be the quickest in qualifying, as he is priced at 12/10. Meanwhile, Hamilton is a 27/20 chance. The Brit’s Mercedes teammate Bottas is 4/1, while Perez is a bigger outsider at 16/1. Those looking for history to repeat itself can find Stroll at 200/1.
Who Will Win The Turkish Grand Prix?
It has been the most engaging season in F1 for many years, and the race for the Drivers’ Championship shows no sign of stopping with seven races set to go. Hamilton will just need to finish ahead of Verstappen in all remaining races to claim a history-making eighth world championship. The Brit claimed victory in Russia last time out in dramatic fashion, as he made the decision to change tires in the downpour.
That decision wasn’t followed by Lando Norris, who slid out with just laps remaining, as it looked as though he was on course to win a first race. Verstappen also fought back in that race to finish in second, despite starting 20th on the grid. Red Bull’s decision to put a new engine in the car could be a decisive factor as we head towards the end of the season, and it will be fascinating to see whether that is a move that Mercedes also look to make. For this weekend though, it could be Verstappen taking first, with Hamilton needing to settle for second.
