(Provided by Bookiesbonuses.com/us – the #1 online betting comparison site.) Lewis Hamilton is used to being the favourite for every race he takes part in, and while that was indeed the case for the 2022 Bahrain Grand Prix when the market opened, the Brit has switched positions with Max Verstappen off the back of pre-season testing.
Red Bull’s reigning F1 world champion is now a 2/1 chance to pick up where he left off last season and strike an early blow to Mercedes’ Hamilton, who is out to 3/1 with PointsBet as well as other sportsbooks where you can get free bets online.
Verstappen had been as big as 4/1 a matter of days ago while Hamilton was at 6/4, but it’s the Dutchman who has looked quicker throughout testing and his main rival has even suggested that Mercedes aren’t ready to fight for victories.
Hamilton told reporters in Bahrain: “It is too early to have those kinds of thoughts about the world championship, but at the moment I don’t think we will be competing for wins.
“There is potential within our car to get us there. We’ve just got to learn to be able to extract it and fix some of the problems, which is what we’re working on,” the seven-time F1 world champion added.
Verstappen believes Hamilton and Mercedes are playing mind games after Bahrain
The Dutchman said: “It’s always like this. If someone is doing well or a team that everyone expects to do well, then it’s: ‘Oh no, we’re definitely not the favourite.’
“And then a week later, when things do go well, all of a sudden it’s: ‘Oh no, but we turned it around completely within a week. Not normal, unbelievable work. Thanks to all people in the factory!’”
One team that does appear to be competitive, though, is Ferrari, whose drivers are both right in the mix in the race winner marker for the season-opening 2022 Bahrain Grand Prix at Sakhir.
Charles Leclerc can be backed at 5/1 to kick his season off with a first-place finish, while his teammate Carlos Sainz is available at a best price of 9/1.
Those prices are shorter than that of Mercedes new boy George Russell at 10/1, and Red Bull’s Sergio Perez who is a massive 20/1.
Ferrari are looking like safe bets with their drivers Sainz and Leclerc tipped to win races
Lando Norris is the only other driver considered to have a sniff, with odds of 28/1. Fellow McLaren driver, Daniel Ricciardo, is at 66/1.
Such is the optimism around Ferrari, they are actually the team with the shortest odds to achieve a double points finish at 1/3.
Red Bull and Mercedes are just a touch bigger at 4/11 apiece, but the fact that Ferrari are in their company shows just how far they might have come this year.
McLaren could be worth a look at 6/5, while Alpine are at 2/1 and AlphaTauri are 3/1.
Mercedes sit atop the winning team market for the race in Bahrain, with odds of 8/5, but as is the case with all other markets, there isn’t much between the F1 Constructors’ Champions and the teams looking to prevent them from making it nine titles in a row.
Red Bull are 2/1 to have the race winner, while Ferrari are 3/1. Remember to bet responsibly.
With our 2022 season opener mere days away, it’s time to revisit our past, kicking off with 2017 ?
A resurgent Ferrari and Vettel battle against Mercedes and Hamilton, changes in the regulations and more! ?#F1 pic.twitter.com/wsTn7YOIPY
— Formula 1 (@F1) March 14, 2022