Japanese Grand Prix 2018
There are only five races remaining in the Formula 1 season, and Mercedes are at the top of the totem pole when it comes to victories garnered throughout the year. This feat becomes all the more impressive if we put into consideration the fact that Ferrari actually started the year on top form.
However, this also means that the dogfighting will also increase as we approach the end of the season. Ferrari will be looking to topple Mercedes from the top, and they need to produce a superb performance at Japanese Grand Prix to catch up with the German powerhouse.
The same type of chase is also happening in the Driver Standings. Lewis Hamilton has a fifty-point advantage over Sebastian Vettel, and the German needs to pull off an impressive result in this game if he wants to set up a thrilling upset by the time they line up in Abu Dhabi.
Let SBOBET take you for a spin around the latest Japanese Grand Prix 2018 updates to keep you up to date with what to expect before the world’s fastest cars line up at Suzuka. After all, this kind of race is one that you shouldn’t miss, after all.
Talking Points
Vettel and Ferrari face a dire situation if we consider their hopes to wrestle the championship away from the current leaders after Hamilton, Valtteri Bottas and the Silver Arrows pulled off a fantastic one-two punch at the Russian Grand Prix. The sheer dominance Hamilton displayed over the course of the race show how the Briton has hit his stride and will not likely cede his position come the start of the race.
Another big problem for them is the fact that Hamilton and his team refuse to sit on their laurels and think of the season as won. They are still wary of Ferrari and believe that the Scuderia are, in fact, holding back in order to surprise everyone come race day.
“Ferrari have turned down a bit,” said Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff. “We are actually losing a bit through the esses, the fast corners, so I think probably Vettel’s lap time is a little better at the moment.”
The fact that they say this despite Hamilton crushing the competition during Free Practice 1 is a bit insulting to the ardent Ferrari faithful, but that is also a testament to the quality of the machine Ferrari have built for this season.
However, I believe that the biggest issue that will affect all of the teams in the run-up — not just Ferrari and Mercedes — is the condition of the track itself.
Japan was hit by two strong typhoons over the past couple of months, and this means that the Suzuka International Racing Course will be a tougher track for teams concerned about their tyre management. The rubber build-up over the past couple of motorsport events on the track was washed away, making the track rougher for the Pirelli tyres of all of the teams involved.
Vettel will have it harder than his rivals at Mercedes, though. The team made a bold decision of bringing 10 sets of supersoft tyres ahead of the race, and he only has one set of new softs and one set of new mediums to manage his practice and qualifying runs ahead of the weekend.
Moreover, the Silver Arrows aren’t the only ones he has to worry about. While Max Verstappen claimed that he didn’t enjoy racing in this year’s cleansed track one bit, Red Bull Racing will still be a tough opponent for them. Force India and Haas have also impressed throughout the year and will be dangerous opponents for them moving forward. Toro Rosso’s updated Honda engine will also make life interesting.
Ferrari have a lot on their plate while Mercedes can simply zero in on possibly finishing the season here in Suzuka. There are still four races after this, but the season is theirs to lose at this point.
History
The winner of last year’s race is Lewis Hamilton. While he was involved in a rather messy crash with Pierre Gasly, there should be no reason for the neutral fans to back Hamilton in this race. Moreover, he has won the last three races of the season. I don’t have a doubt that he will have a wonderful time racing here.
However, it’s not like Vettel would just bow out of this track. He has won on Suzuka four times, tied with Hamilton for the most Japan GP victories out of the active drivers. Moreover, there are only fifty points between him and Hamilton. Vettel must use these as motivation to pull off a fantastic race and win his fifth at Suzuka.
Michael Schumacher is the winningest driver of the Japanese Grand Prix with his six wins. A win for either Hamilton or Vettel will edge them closer with one of the sport’s most beloved figures.
What are the odds?
The Japanese Grand Prix 2018 odds heavily favour Hamilton, with leading bookies such as SBOBET giving him 1.40 outright odds to win the race. However, if you think Vettel will win this race, a bet for Hamilton to finish in an even-numbered position offers tasty odds of 2.56.
Given all that I have mentioned earlier, Vettel gets a justifiably high 5.50. I have an inkling that Vettel will be able to get back on track here, but victory will mainly depend on him getting pole position (something he hasn’t done since 2012).
The rest of the Super Six is offering promising rewards: Bottas gets 6.00, the young Verstappen is at 16.00, and Kimi Raikkonen gets 23.00 alongside Daniel Ricciardo.
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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