28-08-2007 Formula One Betting - Chinese Grand Prix

Dramatic Formula One Season Approaches Chequered Flag

With only a few races remaining in the 2007 Formula One season, it is difficult to see what further drama could unfold in what has already been the most fascinating, contentious and closely fought drivers and constructors championships for many years. Regardless of the outcome, the season will almost certainly be remembered for the repercussions that followed the wife of McLaren chief designer, Mike Coughlan, walking into a photocopying shop in Woking to duplicate a sensitive 780 page Ferrari document. The spying saga, and arguments over what advantage - if any - it gave McLaren, will unfortunately take the shine off the emergence of one of the most exciting new Formula One talents in Lewis Hamilton, particularly should he lift the title.

As with the farcical goings-on that marred the Tour de France, the F1 spying incident (where McLaren escaped punishment from the FIA) underlines the totally unpredictable nature of risk markets. In the face of uncertainty, gamblers should always make the most of those elements that are in their control, such as getting the best value odds around. In the case of formula one, the most competitive prices will invariably be found with a low margin sportsbook such as PinnacleSports.com, offering up to 60% better odds, without charging commission. But before picking over the bones of the season, there are still a few more races to profit from.

Will Chinese Grand Prix Provide Shanghai Surprise?

The 2006 race in Shanghai was notable for providing the last of 92 wins in Michael Schumacher’s glittering career, the second Ferrari victory in the brief three-race history of the circuit that debuted in 2004. Ferrari success at the penultimate race in this season’s calendar wouldn’t come as a surprise, as has often been noted, the Italian constructor tends to be much stronger in the second half of the season. In 2006 Ferrari took the chequered flag in eight races, six of which where in the second half of that campaign.

McLaren’s three-race spell of domination at Monaco, Canada and USA looked under threat when Ferrari enjoyed a productive test week at Silverstone in June, and the Italian team confirmed that promise with a 1-2 finish in France and another win a week later in Britain. Kimi Raikkonen finally seems to have found his feet with the car and seems to be establishing himself as the Scuderia’s lead driver. The mid-season tests at Spa in Belgium also saw Ferrari dominate the timesheets, hinting at a surge in the second half of the season, which could see the team peak in Shanghai and Interlagos.

The inaugural race at the Shanghai track in 2004, one of the newest on the calendar, was the last victory that Brazilian, Rubens Barrichello, recorded in the colours of the Prancing Horse or any other team for that matter. In common with all the recent additions to the F1 circuit, the Shanghai circuit was designed by Herman Tilke.

It is an interesting fact that Ferrari has won nine of the seventeen races that have taken place on the four new tracks designed by Tilke – Sepang (Malaysia), Bahrain, Istanbul (Turkey) and Shanghai. By comparison, McLaren’s experience at the new venues is poor, winning only twice, while Renault have picked up five victories, with the other solitary victory falling to Williams-BMW at Sepang in 2002.

Tilke’s tracks tend to share many characteristics, and critics would say that they provide for anodyne motor racing in comparison to the character and idiosyncrasies of the old school venues such as Monaco or Spa. The important point for formula one bettors is that Ferrari seem to perform well on the Tilke designed tracks, despite Malaysia and Bahrain appearing early in the calendar when Ferrari is traditionally cold.

Shanghai is characterised by a very long back straight, and two very long right hand corners, the first, early in the lap which tightens, and the second, leading on to the back straight, which opens. The mid-part of the lap features flowing mid-high speed left and right corners not unlike those found at the popular Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Belgium. The circuit is punishing on tyres and brakes and quite tough on the drivers, but overtaking is easier than at most other circuits.

Though Shanghai sets the standard for new circuits in terms of facilities and functional design, even with all of the money in the world, it is impossible to get away from the fact that it is located on a flat, reclaimed piece of marshland, and its charisma reflects this.

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