2017 F1 Betting Preview - Flutter on Ferrari?

A new F1 season, and particularly one with a whole new lot of technical regulations, comes with plenty of potential for big change to what we've grown used to. So with it is there betting value for those minded to have a flutter? Quite possibly.

Is Ferrari where the betting value is?
Photo: Octane Photography

Many sober analyses from the pre-season testing just passed have the Ferrari all of a sudden ahead of everyone. OK, given false dawns are not unheard of down Maranello way we remain cautious, but even so 4/1 for Sebastian Vettel to take the drivers' world championship this year looks very tempting. As does his 7/2 available to win the race in Australia.

And what of the other Ferrari? There wasn't much to tell between Seb and Kimi Raikkonen last season especially as Kimi got his car handling to his liking in the latter part of that campaign. Plus if this year's Ferrari is indeed fine-handling it should play to his strengths. It is more of a long shot, but you can get the Finn at 10/1 to win the title and 8/1 to win in Australia, both of what look rather generous. As especially does that you can get 11/10 on Kimi to win more than 1.5 races this year.

In recent years though Ferrari has tended to be furthest off the Merc pace in qualifying, due to the latter being able to turn its engines up therein, so Seb's odds to take pole in Melbourne (10/3) may be less tempting. But what therein of new Mercedes charge Valtteri Bottas? A man whose quali skills are thought particularly strong? You'll get 21/5 for him to get the pole in Australia.

Lewis Hamilton's odds, given his usually rightful status as firm favourite, haven't always been the place to look in recent years to make a quick buck. Still the new uncertainty mentioned at the outset may conversely make it worthwhile this time - betting on Lewis to win the title (at 6/5), win the Melbourne race (5/4) and even to bag Melbourne pole (6/5) will get you double your stake back if they come in. The last one of the three looks the best value of them.

Melbourne races are known for frequent safety car periods, and indeed eight of the last 10 races there have featured at least one. And 5/4 for one safety car appearance this time, and 22/5 for two, appear tempting. The frequency of safety cars, as well as the reports of difficulty of overtaking, may also make it worth going for a long shot driver to finish in the top six.

And if you fancy a frivolous extreme long shot punt then why not go for the 40/1 available on Fernando Alonso to win a race this year. Yes, I know. But consider that a single, albeit maybe unlikely, change of Honda suddenly getting its engine right (yes, I know) will do rather a lot to make it a probability, and it might just be worth your while.

All odds quoted in this article were accurate on the Oddschecker website at 2200 GMT on Tuesday 21 March 2017.