04-07-2007 European Grand Prix Betting Analysis from PinnacleSports.com

As the Formula One season passes the halfway point, rounds ten and eleven take the circuit deep into the heart of Europe with races in Germany and Hungary. Having been spoiled with two races since 1995, following the retirement of seven-time world champion, Michael Schumacher, German Grand Prix fans have seen their allowance cut to just one, taking place at the Nürburgring on July 22nd.

Who’ll Be Lord of the Ring?
The stereotypical portrayal of a German normally includes the adjectives reliable, staid, and unexciting. These characteristics could reasonably be applied to the modern incarnation of the Nürburgring, the venue for August’s European Grand Prix, encircling the village and medieval castle of Nürburg in the Eifel mountains 90km Southwest of Cologne. The GP Strecke has been described as a sanitised version of the old longer, faster and more dangerous course – the Nordschliefe - which Jackie Stewart described as the “Greatest and most challenging race circuit in the world”. Far too dangerous for today’s modern F1 cars, Niki Lauda’s near-fatal crash in 1976 was probably the incident that led to the end of F1 on the old circuit.

Progressive improvements to the Nürburgring circuit have turned it into a fast but forgiving venue, with an emphasis on safety with wide run-off areas and large gravel traps. In 2002, the former ‘Castrol-Chicane’ at the end of the start/finish straight was replaced by a sharp right-hander succeeding in the intention of providing an overtaking opportunity and TV money-shot. The action at the first corner is probably the highlight of the lap, and as such, the most important to get right.

Nürburgring has hosted the European Grand Prix since 1999 but has not had a seamless relationship with the race, having also been the venue for the Luxembourg Grand Prix in 1997 and 1998. However it is the track and not the name of the race which is critical for betting purposes at the Internet’s leading bookmaker, PinnacleSports.com. Since 1995, Germany has boasted two F1 races, with the Nürburgring and Hockenheim providing respective venues for the European and German Grand Prix races. From his season however, FIA announced that the venues would alternate as hosts for the German GP, with Nürburgring taking first dibs. Confusingly, the official calendar for this season lists just one German race – the European Grand Prix.

The Ring may be featured in popular Xbox and Playstation games and is probably the only F1 circuit to have an official song - “King of the Ring” – but its reputation among the F1 community is muted. The circuit has struggled to attract spectators and without local hero Michael Schumacher, there could be big gaps in the stands. Unsurprisingly for an event held in Germany, the seven-time World Champion was the ringmeister, winning five European Grand Prix at Nürburgring (as well as one at Jerez in Spain).

In Schumi’s absence F1 fans should be treated to an open race. Last year Kimi Raikkonen finished a close-up fourth in a sub-standard McLaren, while in 2005 the Finn suffered a gut-wrenching last-lap tyre failure costing him the race. Those efforts should put the pre-season championship favourite with PinnacleSports.com right into the reckoning.

In 2006 the drivers on the podium started 1-2-3 on the grid, with Schumacher overtaking 2005 winner, Alonso who started on pole to second place, with Felippe Massa starting and finishing in third. Though it seems to matter little whether rookie, Lewis Hamilton has previous experience on a particular circuit, the new British petrol-head’s pin-up won both the Sprint and Feature GP2 races here in 2006.

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