2020 Austrian Grand Prix betting preview
The 2020 Formula 1 World Championship was among the high-profile sporting competitions which were postponed before they even got started, although it appears that we now have a rescheduled calendar which begins with the Austrian Grand Prix which takes place on Sunday 5 July.
The Red Bull Ring in Spielberg will play host to the Austrian GP before the Styrian Grand Prix takes place at the same venue a week later, with the drivers essentially basing themselves in Austria for a protracted period of time and starting to get back behind the wheel.
Is Lewis Hamilton a Great Bet to Win Austrian Grand Prix?
We are somewhat surprised to find Lewis Hamilton trading at 2/1 to win the Austrian Grand Prix considering that the Brit has been the dominant force in this sport for several years. Hamilton drives for the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team and the 35-year-old has won the past three Formula 1 Drivers’ World Championship titles.
We’re not sure we can pass up the opportunity to back Hamilton and potentially treble our money in the process, with that being the best price compared to the 13/8 in other places, so bet365 might be worth a visit sooner rather than later.
Naturally, perhaps we should tread with caution when it comes to betting on a rescheduled race and the bookies also trade a similar price when it comes to Max Verstappen who can potentially compete hard with Hamilton as he’s shown in the past.
The Dutchman is the lead driver for Red-Bull Racing Honda and he was the winner of this race last year, although in the overall standings he finished a long way behind Hamilton and will hope his car provides a more level playing field this time.
Leclerc, Bottas and Vettel Could All Be in Contention
At the age of 22, Charles Leclerc is the new kid on the block when it comes to Formula 1 racing, although the Monaco driver announced himself by finishing fourth in the 2019 standings and will now hope to spearhead a Ferrari attack on the title by opening up with a strong performance.
Leclerc claimed back-to-back wins in Belgium and Italy to give an indication of what he can do when the car is in excellent nick, although there were a number of occasions where he failed to make the podium last year.
As for Valtteri Bottas, the Finn won’t want to play second fiddle to team-mate Hamilton and perhaps we should expect him to drive prominently when it comes to the 2020 season, with four victories landed in 2019 and that includes the opening race in Australia.
Sebastian Vettel needs no introduction to Formula 1 fans and the German is the fifth driver who can make an impact during the 2020 F1 World Championship, with a reduced schedule potentially offering him the perfect chance to land a victory.
The 32-year-old would love to add to those four world titles from a few years ago and he could be battling it out with team-mate Leclerc to be the top dog in the garage.
First, Sebastian Vettel dropped out of the top two spots at the Canadian Grand Prix. It seemed like the race in Azerbaijan after that would be a chance for the German to climb back to the top, but it only raised more questions. The leader finished fourth, with Lewis Hamilton fifth, which was certainly a shock result.
A top three of Daniel Ricciardo, Valtteri Bottas and Lance Stoll was certainly a shock, while the big two faltered. Worryingly for Ferrari, they saw Kimi Raikkonen finish 14th, which means they’ve had big problems at the previous two races. Can they improve on that when they head to Austria?
Who will win the Austrian GP?
After he twice caused a collision with Hamilton in Baku, there’s likely to be some kind of sanction coming for Vettel. The concern for him is that that will affect his chances in Austria, as he can’t afford another poor finish. Surely Hamilton has to return to form here, which could see him cut in to Vettel’s lead.
While the top two have struggled a bit of late, we’ve still only seen two races this season that they’ve both failed to win. It’s hard to see the list of winners growing any time soon, given the gulf between the top four or five and the rest. Raikonnen isn’t in a position to challenge on current form, so we see this one reverting to the status quo.
Hamilton can be backed at 10/11 with Sky Bet to secure maximum points here, as he looks to cut Vettel’s 14 point lead. Having won two of his last four races, we think the Mercedes driver will record back to back victories at this circuit, following up his victory here last year.
Regardless of which driver you’re backing, don’t forget to take a look at our odds comparison before you place a bet. It will give you the best available prices across a range of bookmakers, ensuring you don’t miss out on the highest return for your prediction. No matter who you’re planning to back, make sure you check for the highest betting odds you can get.
Who will Finish on the Podium?
That’s a difficult question to answer after recent weeks, especially with neither Hamilton nor Vettel securing a top three finish last time out. However, their poor form does give us an opportunity to back a few outsiders to claim a top three finish.
One man who has to be considered is Daniel Ricciardo, who is fresh from his victory in Baku. He took advantage of an opening in Azerbaijan, but can he build on that with a strong finish here? He was the closest challenger to Hamilton and Nico Rosberg last season, so we know he’s got the ability to contend.
Coming fresh from a race win, it’s odd to see The Australian priced at 2/1 with 888Sport to finish second. They may expect a return to the top three for Vettel, but we aren’t so sure. His momentum is gone, and we could see him slipping even further from his aim of winning the Drivers’ Championship.
We suggest taking advantage of Ricciardo’s price, who should contend for another impressive finish. If you fancy making a few predictions of your own, or if you just want to see the latest betting odds for our tips, we suggest taking a look at our odds comparison. It gives you the latest prices and allows you to pick the bookie with the best value, ensuring you get the biggest return possible from your bet.