Bahrain GP Betting Preview - Flutter on Ferrari

F1 in 2017 has been a lot about Ferrari. It's of course had a strong start to the campaign - surprisingly so - and in China demonstrated it is the real deal in a real championship fight, by at least matching Mercedes on race pace at a track that in theory suited the silver team.

There are reasons to think Ferrari will be leading
Mercedes again in Bahrain
Photo: Octane Photography

Yet for the bookies old habits die hard it seems. They still have Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes as favourites to win out this weekend in Bahrain. But even over and above Ferrari's general form, as outlined in my race preview plenty about this one in Sakhir - hot temperatures, a premium on rear grip among many other things - could well mean it's Ferrari country. And you can get Sebastian Vettel to triumph in the race at a full 19/10. Tempting.

Despite all of this Mercedes, and especially Lewis Hamilton, has still had a qualifying talisman this year. Lewis to get his third pole from three in 2017 this weekend can be backed at evens.

And if you want to really follow through on your Lewis to start on pole/Seb to win the race theory, you can also get 5/2 on the Bahrain race winner starting second, and (if you have faith in Valtteri Bottas) 9/2 on the winner starting third.

Elsewhere, Kimi Raikkonen to get onto the podium in Bahrain looks good value at 6/5. Partly as the above considerations about Ferrari apply to him too, but also that Kimi has a good record at this track, and indeed has finished second in four of the last five Bahrain Grands Prix.

In terms of longer shot stuff, Felipe Massa to finish the race in the top three can be got at a stonking 70/1. This coming in would likely require some attrition ahead, but the Williams has looked strong on raw pace at least in 2017 (perhaps in Red Bull territory), the Sakhir track should suit the car plus Felipe is another who tends to go well here. The odds, given these, look generous.

Romain Grosjean at 6/1 to finish in the top six in Bahrain also looks a reasonable punt. He finished fifth here least year and the Haas has looked decent this season. Esteban Ocon is to do the same at 16/1 looks even more reasonable. Force India has a good Bahrain record, such as Sergio Perez finishing third in 2014.

All odds quoted in this article were accurate on the Oddschecker website at 2100 GMT on Wednesday 12 April 2017.

Inside Line F1 Podcast - Have Ferrari Forgotten Team Orders?

After the incredible Chinese Grand Prix, we wondered what most Ferrari fans would've wondered - why did Ferrari not ask Kimi Raikkonen to move over and let Sebastian Vettel pass? Could this strategic move have altered the race result? Did this 'no team order' strategy blunder cost Ferrari more than their tyre strategy for Vettel?

Frankly, we're happy that Ferrari let their drivers race. Yes, it's unusual, but it is something that Mercedes and Red Bull Racing have been doing since ages. Thank you, Ferrari. And since we're thanking people, thank you Max Verstappen for a fantastic charge up the grid.

The Chinese Grand Prix also confirmed two things: First, we're about to witness a closely contested season after many many many years! It'll be a Ferrari vs. Mercedes to start with and we're praying Red Bull Racing join the action too. Second, it'll be Vettel vs. Hamilton battle for the Drivers' Championship and Bottas vs. Raikkonen for the Constructors' Championship.

In this week's episode, our hosts look forward to the first double header racing weekend of the season. Yes, we'll be racing in Bahrain in a few days. Should Bernie Ecclestone buy Interlagos just to have some fun with the new boys running Formula 1? Could Fernando Alonso deflect to Williams in 2018? Bye-Bye Sepang and hello Nurburgring or Hockenheim? Okay, can we have both? Tune in!

Subscribe to the Inside Line F1 Podcast on iTunes and audioBoom for your weekly dose of Formula 1 humour.

(Season 2017, Episode 14)

Sakhir Preview: Ferrari the favourite?

Typical Tilke. It is a phrase that for better and worse has entered the modern F1 vocabulary, reflecting that over recent decades the architect Hermann of that ilk has been responsible almost exclusively for the sport's new and new-fangled circuits. And the Bahrain track that we visit this weekend embodies the phrase more than most.

Bahrain's Sakhir circuit is one of F1's
archetypal modern venues
By Dave Jefferys - https://www.flickr.com/photos/jaffapix/
26252296810/in/album-72157664943710804/, CC BY-SA
2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/
index.php?curid=48424119

Sakhir is indeed typical Tilke. Built from nothing on an open vast expanse (in this case, desert). All clean lines and gleaming architecture. And comes with a sense that every one of Bernie's numerous and haughty demands have been met.

Yet it has some of the typical Tilke flipside too. As with so many of these new circuits it represented a large geographical stride into a new world. Some agonise over the extent that F1's been turning its back on its core support, as well as over the motivations of its newer hosts. The Crown Prince of Bahrain has been known to justify the event more in terms of 'national branding' than sport. While as we know this particular round has had controversy attached for more weighty reasons still.

Chinese Grand Prix review for Motor Verso - Quality Street

Photo: Octane Photography

You know what they say about not judging a book by its cover. The result of the Chinese Grand Prix may have looked achingly familiar, like a return to normality, but it doesn't begin to tell the tale.

The tale instead is all about quality. Our high quality drivers' title fight does appear on China's evidence to be well and truly on. More broadly too after our post-Melbourne panic the sport might just, somehow, have got the quality of the racing right at last. The quality of the contemporary driver line up was already beyond question, and we saw plenty renewed evidence of that in Shanghai too.

I give my take on all of the goings on in China in my latest Motor Verso race review. You can read it here: http://www.motorverso.com/chinese-gp-2017-review-quality-street/

Do check out the Motor Verso site too; you'll find motoring news, car reviews and features - the team on the site carry out week-long test drives of the latest cars - as well as photos and videos of the machines.

Mithila and Kunal from Inside Line F1 Podcast review the Chinese Grand Prix on Firstpost

As mentioned, Mithila and Kunal from the Inside Line F1 Podcasts we share on Talking about F1 have started to feature in videos on Firstpost, a leading news website in India, reviewing latest F1 goings-on.

And hot off the press is their review of today's thrilling Chinese Grand Prix. You can watch that latest episode of Firstpost Pole Position below:

Chinese GP Report - Chinese new year

It may look regulation. Lewis Hamilton today claimed victory in the Chinese Grand Prix. His fifth at this track and Mercedes's fourth in a row here. It was a 'Grand Slam' for Lewis too - pole, win and leading every lap. But that's only the beginning of the tale - both of the race and of the new F1 we appear to have stretching ahead this season. It's an appropriate place to pay homage to a new year.

Lewis Hamilton took his fifth Chinese Grand Prix win
Photo: Octane Photography

The anticipated rain deluge didn't arrive for the Shanghai race but we did start on a damp track. Yet as early as the warm up lap it was clear that the intermediate tyres almost all were starting on wouldn't be needed for long. The track looked pretty much dry aside from on the pit straight, although it was deceptively perfidious as early slick switchers had problems staying on the straight and narrow.

The anticipated Lewis versus Sebastian Vettel's Ferrari battle at the front didn't really happen either. After Lewis led from the line the pair were decoupled early when Seb - alone among the leaders - dived in for dry weather tyres on lap two under an early virtual safety car deployment.

It looked briefly a masterstroke as Seb emerged with only a 17 second deficit to Lewis and all ahead - including Lewis of course - still were on inters and clearly required their own imminent change. However no sooner had this became clear Antonio Giovinazzi for the second time in two days changed things all around him (in more than one sense) by rearranging his Sauber on a pit straight wall. This brought out the safety car proper, which let Lewis pit and retain his lead, as well as all the other five ahead of Seb to also bolt on slicks and also stay ahead of the Ferrari. It left the German in a net as well as actual sixth place. The day, in this sense, was already framed.

Shanghai Qualifying - Significance below the surface

You might think you've seen this one before. But such thoughts can be deceptive. Sometimes the continuations can be just as significant as the variations. Perhaps more so.

Lewis Hamilton was magnificent in getting another pole
Photo: Octane Photography

On one level you could copy and paste most of what happened in the first qualifying session of the season, in Melbourne two weeks ago, and adequately cover quali hour number two in Shanghai today.

Lewis Hamilton took pole position for the Chinese Grand Prix by a couple of tenths, a lot like he did in Australia. This is significant enough in itself, not least as it's his sixth pole position on the bounce, a run only bettered in history by Ayrton Senna, as well as is the sixth straight pole at this track for Mercedes and Lewis's sixth overall here.

Yet greater significance herein is that while Lewis has had access to fine Mercedes machinery in recent times today's pole felt a lot like it was about him. His vital laps at the end were super smooth and ultra fast. And his personal contribution made the difference.

Inside Line F1 Podcast - Max Verstappen Doesn't Know Heel-Toe?

The fortnight gap between Australia and China does seem a little too long. But here we are! In this week's episode of the Inside Line F1 Podcast, Mithila and Kunal talk about the Ferrari vs. Mercedes battle that will resume at the Shanghai International Circuit. Will Ferrari's pace be further validated or will it prove that Australia was a flash in the pan?

Our hosts also discuss how and why Max Verstappen doesn't know of the ever-popular heel-toe concept that's used in racing ever since. Is it because the junior formula cars have moved to Formula 1-style paddle shift cars too?

Like always, we've got a few funny ones on McLaren, we decode the typical April Fool's jokes that were cracked on April Fool's Day, of course, we pick our favourite too. Hamilton's chosen to go solo for his physical training, while he's caught up with Alonso as the sport's 'most popular' driver in a survey - haven't the Dutch fans out-voted every other driver to give their favourite Max Verstappen in honour? Tune in for a few laughs and few insights as we excitedly wait for the 2017 Chinese Grand Prix.

Subscribe to the Inside Line F1 Podcast on iTunes and audioBoom for your weekly dose of Formula 1 humour.

(Season 2017, Episode 13)

Chinese GP Betting Preview - Mercedes reign and Shanghai rain?

So, on the basis of Melbourne, we do have unpredictability in F1 after all. Which of course makes it much more fun, and more opportune perhaps, for the F1 gambler.

Is there value in backing a Mercedes bounce back?
Photo: Octane Photography

Hopefully you listened to my suggestion to get Sebastian Vettel for the Australian win at 7/2, as well as that Lewis Hamilton was more likely to be on top in qualifying and was available at 6/5 for the pole (admittedly I mentioned several other bets as well, but that's beside the point...)

Conversely though the shock Ferrari-Vettel triumph may tempt us to go full circle back to the usually haughty Mercedes for round two in China this weekend. As Australia's goings-on mean the Merc odds are longer than usual.

Think of it this way. Ferrari's Australian triumph might have been a one off. After all many think it goes peculiarly well at that track plus Mercedes might still have won with better strategy, or with Valtteri Bottas qualifying slightly quicker. And there may not be a better time to get value on the Silver Arrows.

Shanghai Preview: Big in China

Much about the Chinese Grand Prix visit feels big. Of all the typical Tilke venues to arrive in recent times this one still sets the standards for dimensions if nothing else. The gleaming futuristic architecture towers and stretches; the facilities' sparse siting makes you wonder if someone worried that the various buildings would have an argument with each other. Paddock occupants are sure they walk far further in the Shanghai weekend than in any other.

Much about the Chinese Grand Prix is big
By Drew - Starting Grid F1 Shanghai, CC BY 2.0, https://
commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10073954

Even the race's genesis is big. All geopolitics - it is a Government-backed Grand Prix in a country that might be termed a coming economy; a round that arrived in 2004 to a country while curious about the event also was almost completely uninitiated (to those more historically-minded, it shared a lot with Hungary's arrival in 1986). Then as now it appears more motivated by national promotion than of making a successful event per se.

Many of the typical Tilke track layout characteristics will be familiar too. A bit-of-everything layout; quick, medium and slow corners feature. A long straight - underlining the theme of vastness China's is reckoned to be about the longest in the sport - and a big stop at the end created with overtaking in mind. A trademark Tilke fast esses part elsewhere.