Russian Grand Prix 2018
The Formula 1 season is slowly reaching a high-octane finish as there are only six races left in the calendar. Every team in the competition knows that every point matters from this point on, and every single decision they will make from this point on will decide as to whether they will meet their preseason expectations or not.
The Russian Grand Prix is an especially important race as it is a rather quick track that offers a perfect combination of high-speed sections and intricate braking points. Tyre management will be crucial here as much as engine performance.
The results of this race could also determine who will stand atop the lists of many SBOBET motor sport fans. Lewis Hamilton has built a rather sizeable lead over Sebastian Vettel, and a poor result for the Ferrari driver here could trigger the beginning of the end for his season.
Will Vettel be able to keep up in Sochi? Or Will Hamilton build on his lead and finish first once more?
Talking Points
Hamilton is coming to this race full of confidence after pulling off a fantastic victory at the Singapore Grand Prix. Hamilton managed to get pole position in the narrow Marina Bay Street Circuit and hold off a rather nervy pursuit by Max Verstappen in the middle stages of the race.
However, the biggest bit of Russian Grand Prix 2018 news is that Hamiton still is not sure of his place. He claims that the 2018 title is still not as good as his. He probably won’t be satisfied until he acquires enough points to clinch the season.
“I don’t think you ever have one hand on it — you either have both hands on it or you dont,” said the Briton ace. He sounded like he is giving more than enough respect for Vettel, who has taken pole position in last year’s race.
“Six races is still a lot of races. The job, the target and the approach is still exactly the same.”
It would be fair for one to think that Hamilton is just bluffing and is playing intricate mind games with his closest rival. After all, it is hard to catch up to the Mercedes driver when he is on pole and is doing everything in his power to win.
I would still advise keeping an eye on Vettel if you are thinking of putting all of your Russian Grand Prix 2018 betting money on Hamilton, however. The German, who was leading the Driver Standings for a good period of the season, has not won five Grands Prix this season due to mere luck.
Everyone and their mother knows that Ferrari have created an especially powerful machine this year. While the results haven’t been in Ferrari’s favour, the fact that Hamilton’s lead can be reversed by the end of two races is enough reason for him to worry.
Moreover, Vettel has found success in the Belgian Grand Prix, the Grand Prix among the last couple of races that shares plenty of speed traps and interesting breaking points as Russia. Vettel was also a heavy favourite at Singapore until a curious pit decision crushed his chances of trimming the lead. And now he finished the first free practice session at the top.
It is then understandable that Vettel’s focus ahead of this race is razor-sharp. He still believes that he can win the Formula 1 season. With the German thinking like this, it is impossible not to look forward to an exciting battle between the two.
History
The Russian Grand Prix has been a long absentee in the Formula 1 calendar, with its last race being in 1914 before making its return 100 years later. There have only been four races in Sochi, and Mercedes have been the master of the track.
Hamilton won the first two tournaments, winning the 2014 and 2015 races while taking the first pole position at the Sochi Autodrom. However, the win column does not tell the entire story.
Sebastian Vettel has also shown his brilliance on the track. Besides winning the pole of the 2017 race, he has also recorded the fastest lap in the 2015 edition of the race. Now armed with Ferrari’s powerful machine, it wouldn’t be a bad move to cheer for Vettel here.
However, they aren’t the only ones worth noticing here. Valtteri Bottas, Hamilton’s team-mate at Mercedes, won the 2017 race after a bizarre turn of events saw him finish at the top. Moreover, Kimi Raikkonen recorded the fastest lap in that same race.
If either of the two performs well, there shouldn’t be any reason for them to try and compete for the top spot.
What are the odds?
Hamilton’s proven track record at Sochi places him at the top of the outright market with 1.70. The Briton’s steely determination at this point of the season is simply amazing, and it wouldn’t be a bad investment to make a bet on him.
However, Sebastian Vettel will be hungry and will likely start a title push at this race. If everything goes well at qualifying. It wouldn’t be bad to look at his 2.50 outright odds.
Bottas gets a rather nice nod from bookies with his 7.00, while Raikkonen is a distant third with his 17.00. Both of these drivers can definitely bring it to the lead drivers if they are on top of their game, but this will entirely depend on their tyre strategy and their qualifying results.
If you’re looking to make a risky play, Max Verstappen’s 61.00 outright odds is the way to go. The Dutch speedster had a sublime race at Singapore and will be a threat to both Scuderia and Mercedes if he gets a top-three spot at the end of qualifiers.
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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