We are back in action for the Formula1 race this Sunday in Russia and we come into this race on top of the world having tipped up last time out
winner Daniel Riccardo at +10100 for our Formula1 betting picks. The race this weekend looks to be firmly in Mercedes’s hands, but what else can we expect here at Sochi?
Sunday, September 26, 2021 – 8:00 AM EDT at Sochi Autodrom
Mercedes Favorite Ahead Of Sochi Race
For the first time, all-season we are not seeing Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton as the top two favorites in the market betting firstly is
because Mercedes has won this race for 7 races in a row, and it’s also a track that Valtteri Bottas has proven his worth at with two wins in the
previous three races. Mercedes have also seen a 1st and 2nd place finish in 5 of those 7 races.
The second reason Verstappen has not been included in the top two bettings is that the majority of the blame was put on him during his
crash with Hamilton is the previous race, which has now seen him handed down a 3 place grid penalty, although team principal Cristian Horner has
said it wouldn’t be much of a handicap at this circuit as Mercedes are so strong at Sochi.
Horner said, “We have the grid penalty to take for Max too, but in Sochi t’s, not such a handicap because of the strength of the tow down to Turn
1,” Horner added. “I was looking through the results at the Russian Grand Prix and back in 2018, Max went from last to first before needing to make
his pit stop. We were second there last year but it’s a circuit we have never won at… I’m looking forward to it and seeing how we get on.”
Basically Red Bull team principal is taking the stance that should Verstappen not have the grid penalty he would most likely still end up in
3rd place baring the two Mercedes finish the race.
*All odds available with BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review)
With Mercedes expected to lay down the hammer and pick up their first win in over four races, we like the look of the winning margin to be 8+
seconds as the average winning margin since Formula1 has been racing at Sochi has been 8.50 seconds. Although we will have to lay some juice
here as the winning margin of 8 or more seconds is coming in at F1 odds of -115 with the best online sportsbooks.
Elsewhere we see some value in betting the current championship leader at -120 to finish on the podium even with his 3 place grid penalty, for us
Verstappen either finishers on the podium or does not classify so maybe a solid approach to this play could be to bet Verstappen podium finish at –
120 for 2 units and also stick 0.5 a unit on him to not be classified at +400.
Although we like Hamilton to win, -140 is a little low right now in our opinion. Unfortunately unlike last week where we knew we could target an
outsider winning, this week it’s back to the grind with picking lower odds as it does look like a pretty straightforward race with little to no surprises,
Sochi does tend to be an “un-eventful” race.
Formula1 Picks: Winning Race Margin 8+ Seconds at -115 with The Best Online Sportsbooks
Formula1 Picks: Verstappen Podium Finish at -120 with BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review)
Formula1 Picks: Verstappen Not To Classify at +400 with Intertops (visit our Intertops Review)
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.