Formula 1 returns to Portugal for the second year in a row with a real battle brewing between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton.
As many neutrals had hoped, the #1 drivers for Mercedes and Red Bull are going head-to-head, with just one point separating them. Hamilton won the season opener in Bahrain with Verstappen second, and the Dutchman returned the favour last time out at Imola.
Now we return to the Algarve circuit in Portimao where Hamilton broke the record for F1 wins last season and finished atop a podium that saw Valtteri Bottas in second and Verstappen in third. A bit of rain led to a frantic first few laps last year, but the weather is meant to be dry for this weekend’s racing.
Portuguese Grand Prix Best Bet
Lewis Hamilton, Outright Winner – $2.25
What did The Wolf say last week? That it’ll pretty much be a back and forth between Hamilton and Verstappen as far as your Best Bets go. It’s almost a crapshoot, although to be honest, the Dutchman could have two wins under his belt right now. This is only the second time the Algarve circuit has been used for an F1 race, so the safe play is Hamilton to repeat as the winner.
Portuguese Grand Prix Next Best
Max Verstappen, Outright Winner – $2.25
Red Bull have looked strong and even Hamilton and Mercedes boss Toto Wolff admit as much. Verstappen has been incredibly quick, he’s up for the fight and he’s close to eliminating the silly ‘road rage’ antics that have cost him races in the past. That said, he struggled a bit at Portimao last year – his first lap was nearly disastrous – and he may play second (probably not third) fiddle to Lewis this year.
Portuguese Grand Prix Value Bet
Williams, First Car to Retire – $7.70
The Value Bet is tricky when you have two dominant drivers all but assured of a podium spot. There’s not enough value in Bottas (despite his struggles and DNF at Imola), Lando Norris or Charles Leclerc in the Podium Finish market, so The Wolf suggest taking a look at First Car To Retire. Punters are all over Haas and in particular Nikita Mazepin so the value is all but gone there, but Nicholas Latifi has two DNF’s and George Russell has one, so Williams could be your go here.
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