Austrian Grand Prix Betting Tips & Preview – Sunday 1st July 2018

Lewis Hamilton claimed a victory in France last week, and that win has opened up a healthy lead for him at the top of the standings. The Mercedes man has a strong advantage after Sebastian Vettel slumped to fifth, and that has changed the landscape at the top of the Drivers’ Championship ahead of this weekend’s race in Austria.

We’re bound to see a big change in the race for the title this month, as the GP in Spielberg kicks off a packed month of racing. The summer break is looming, but there’s a run of four races across the next five weekends, so there’s room for plenty of twists. That comes in a season which has seen four different winners in the last four Grands Prix, which makes us doubt Hamilton’s chances this weekend.

Race Info

This weekend’s race in Austria comes with three drivers claiming the eight wins to date. Vettel and Hamilton have three each, while Daniel Ricciardo has two. That close and open battle, combined with the pressure of the heated rivalries which are brewing, makes for an entertaining 71 laps in prospect this weekend.

Schedule

Last Season's Result (2017)

Mercedes came out on top in Austria last year, but only because Valtteri Bottas made up for Lewis Hamilton’s tough weekend. The Brit didn’t perform well, with an eighth place finish in qualifying, which he bumped up to fourth in the main event. Meanwhile, Bottas beat Vettel to maximum points, while the German managed to extend his lead in the overall standings.

Daniel Ricciardo secured a top three finish in last year’s Austrian Grand Prix, while Kimi Raikkonen rounded off the top five. After a tough weekend here in 2017, all eyes are likely to be on Hamilton once again, to see if he is able to improve on that poor display.

Race News: France Fallout Rages on

Sebastian Vettel’s crash in the French Grand Prix is going to be a big talking point throughout the weekend. The Ferrari man took out Bottas, leaving him struggling through the remainder of the race. Meanwhile, Vettel was handed a five second penalty, and he managed to fly back into contention, before a second pit stop left him fifth. Overall, that finish was enough for him to be awarded Driver of the Day, which he picked up ahead of winner Lewis Hamilton.

That irked Hamilton and Mercedes, who thought the punishment was too soft. That’s left a lot of heat between the Silver Arrows pair and Vettel, which will rumble on throughout the coming weekend. That may have left the world champion 14 points clear, but had Vettel felt the full force of his potential punishment, then we could have been looking at a much larger gap.

Could Vettel Drama be Small Victory?

In a week when Mercedes’ Toto Wolff was claiming that marginal gains will decide the title race, that plays to both of the title contenders. The Silver Arrows are brimming with confidence after a strong race in France, but could Vettel’s run in last weekend’s Grand Prix pave the way for the title challenge to continue? Could it tee up further troubles for a Mercedes team who have had their issues this year? That could well be the case.

Analysis: Hamilton Unlikely to Maintain Control

Hamilton does look too short at evens to win this race, after a tough season so far. While upgrades have helped Mercedes, Ferrari battled through adversity last weekend too. That’s left a tense battle at the top, especially as Vettel aims to close down that 14 point gap as soon as possible.

We’re heading into an obviously crucial period of the season, with so many races spread across July. That run includes home Grands Prix for both Hamilton and Vettel, so the title picture is likely to change quite a bit. With no driver getting any real consistency this season, it’s hard to see Hamilton as value as the evens favourite, compared to Vettel’s bigger price.

Final Verdict: Vettel To Win

In the four years that the Austrian Grand Prix has been back on the calendar, Hamilton has just one win. His struggles last year amid a strong run for Vettel tempt us into backing the German. When you look at how the Ferrari man managed to claw his way back last weekend, you have to see that he’s got some momentum with him. He’s likely to make a strong push for top spot this weekend, and we’re backing him to take maximum points at 9/4. We also like him for pole position, at 2/1.