F1 Bahrain Grand Prix Betting Odds
Opening Round of 2023 F1 Season is Here. Will it be More of the Same From 2022?

Bahrain Grand Prix Betting Odds Preview: Testing in Bahrain is officially complete and the 10 teams will have a few days off before coming back to the paddock in Sakhir for the first round of the 2023 Formula 1 world championship. This season marks the second after a major overhaul of the regulations that shook up the pecking order across the field. Teams spent most of 2022 trying to catch Red Bull and Ferrari. But will that continue in 2023?
We will find out in just a few days’ time. Ahead of lights out on Sunday, here’s what you need to know for betting the Bahrain Grand Prix:
Ferrari on Saturday, Red Bull on Sunday
Finding Value in F1 Betting: Red Bull looked like the best package over the three days of testing. The car found a sweet spot early and both Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez were able to pump in laps for long and medium runs. It’s easy to see why Verstappen (-120) is the favorite for the race win. He’s one of the best drivers in the best car.
Right behind him for the win is Charles Leclerc (+350). The Ferrari looked like the second-best over testing and was within a few tenths of Red Bull’s pace. It’ll be a surprise if Ferrari beats Red Bull’s pace in the race but over one lap, things could be different. Leclerc is +175 for pole position in qualifying. Verstappen (+125) is the favorite there as well but Leclerc showed last year that he’s a strong performer on Saturdays. Pole for Leclerc and a win for Verstappen may be the likely combination.
New Midfield Emerging
Outside of those two top teams, the rest of the grid will need a lot of luck to take the top spot. The order behind the frontrunners will look slightly different this year.
Mercedes looked a little closer in testing to the top two compared to this time last year. But a win for either Lewis Hamilton (+900) or George Russell (+1600) would be a shock. A podium finish for Hamilton (+187) has great potential to pay off. There’s a chance he’s fighting for third on pace alone and strategy could make the difference.
If the performance in testing holds true, Aston Martin will be close behind or even with Mercedes. A win for Fernando Alonso (+2000) would also be a shock. Avoid betting on Lance Stroll (+12500) as he is likely going to miss the Bahrain Grand Prix due to injury.
Alpine looked a little behind in testing but many in the paddock believe they purposely turned their engine down. Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon (+50000 each) are very long shots for a win. A top-six finish is +550 for Ocon and +700 for Gasly. Gasly has pulled some incredible performances off in Bahrain before (fourth-place in 2018 in arguably the second-worst car) and a top-six finish isn’t that far-fetched.
The Lower Midfield
Continuing Our Bahrain Grand Prix Betting Odds Preview: The top five teams seem to be a step above the next group based on testing performance. A mix of Alfa Romeo, Haas, McLaren, and Alpha Tauri likely will fill places outside of the top 10. Of the four, Alfa Romeo and Haas look like better cars coming into the Bahrain Grand Prix.
Haas’ Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg are both +175 to make it to the top 10. Hulkenberg’s stepping into his first full-time race seat since 2019. Between the two, I’d go with Magnussen to pull off a points finish. Alfa Romeo’s Guanyu Zhou is +125 for a points finish but that may require some luck and great strategy.
McLaren and Alpha Tauri are risky choices for a points finish. Their cars look on paper to be closer to the back than last year. A points finish for either of those teams or Williams seems unlikely without a lot of retirements or very good luck.
2023 Bahrain Grand Prix Predictions
Last year, Ferrari emphatically came out with a 1-2 finish in Bahrain to start the newest era of Formula 1 car. I don’t think they’ll have the same fortune this year.
We say it’s Leclerc on pole with a win for Verstappen in the race. Let’s go with a podium of Verstappen, Leclerc, and Hamilton, as the lead Mercedes may be able to outdo the second Red Bull and Ferrari on strategy. Rounding out the top six is Perez, Alonso, and Gasly. We’ll see how much things have truly changed in the order come Sunday. Thank you for joining us for this Bahrain Grand Prix betting odds preview, be sure to join us all season long for the updated formula 1 schedule.Â
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