F1 Austrian GP Odds Preview: Will Verstappen Remain Dominant?

After a scary weekend at the British Grand Prix in which Zhou Guanyu had a scary accident, Formula 1 heads southeast for the Austrian Grand Prix. Below, you’ll get all the information you need on the Austrian GP odds board before placing your bet for the weekend.

2022 F1 Austrian Grand Prix Information

• Race: Austrian Grand Prix
• Location: Red Bull Ring
• Day/Time: Sunday July 10, 9:00 a.m. ET
• Television: ESPN

Max Remains Center of Attention

It’s no secret by now that Red Bull’s Max Verstappen is having a miraculous season. Of the 10 races, Verstappen has captured victory in six of them. In total, he has seven podium appearances. Last week proved to be an outlier performance for Verstappen at the British GP with a seventh-place finish, as well as rival Charles Leclerc’s fourth-place finish. It was the first time this season that either driver failed to podium.

With that in mind, it’s highly unlikely Verstappen has another result like that one. He’ll have a great chance at a bounce-back performance Sunday. When looking to bet on Formula 1 races, the previous form could and should be a factor; however, with someone who has shown to be as dominant as Verstappen, it could just be a one-off week considering it was largely due to picking up debris after an earlier incident between Yuki Tsunoda and Pierre Gasly.

What Does the Board Tell Us?

The first thing you should come away with after analyzing the Austrian GP odds board is that Verstappen is an overwhelming favorite. We already know he’s in the midst of an incredible season, but how has he done at Red Bull Ring historically? That’s partially what’s driving Verstappen as such a heavy favorite. He’s won three of the last four Austrian GPs, including last year’s running.

Leclerc at +220 is surprisingly a bit high after an eighth-place finish last year and a seventh-place finish in 2020 however, he did finish second in 2019 after qualifying first. For Leclerc bettors, they’ll hope for a finish closer to his 2019 performance rather than either of his recent performances. He has been having a good season, as he’s the only driver outside of Verstappen with multiple wins.

Carlos Sainz Jr. is riding high into Austria after capturing his first career win last week at Silverstone Circuit and the British Grand Prix. At +900, the Ferrari driver has a bit of value if you think he and Leclerc can work together down the stretch to set themselves up for a real shot late.

Lewis Hamilton sits sixth in the standings with three podium finishes, but it’s far and away from the success he’s enjoyed in years past. He enters with +1200 Austrian GP odds. Hamilton unfortunately hasn’t even been the best Mercedes driver this year, as George Russell sits fifth in the standings; however, Hamilton had a nice showing at the British GP with a third-place finish. Will he ride the momentum into Austria? He did win there back in 2016.

Verstappen’s Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez enters at +1300. While he hasn’t had the wins like Verstappen, he’s podiumed six times, making him one of the most consistent drivers in F1 this season.  He trails Verstappen by 34 points for first place.

Alternative Bets to Consider

From 2014 through 2017, Mercedes dominated the bet on F1 Grand Prix. Starting with back-to-back wins from Nico Rosberg in ‘14 and ‘15, Hamilton continued the dominance with a win before a Valtteri Viktor Bottas win in 2017. Verstappen and Red Bull ended the streak and won consecutive races in ‘18 and ‘19 before Bottas won in 2020. Bottas now drives for Alfa Romeo, but given his experience, may be worth consideration at +25000.

If you’re looking to bet Verstappen but don’t want to pay the price at minus odds among a field of drivers, consider the fastest lap bet. He’s still the favorite in this category, except at +110 odds compared to the -120 odds to win. In last year’s event, he posted the fastest lap time of 1:06.200 on top of taking the checkered flag.

At certain shops, you can bet on more than just the outright winner; including the winning driver and two drivers to the podium. Verstappen to win with Hamilton and Leclerc to podium sits at +600 odds.

Lastly, you can bet on the winning car. Red Bull is -150, so you’re getting Verstappen as well as Perez to win. However, there’s a combination of bets you could make, one on Verstappen to win and a smaller one on Perez for a nicer payout than taking Red Bull at that price.