Ferrari upgrade key to betting strategy for Canadian Grand Prix

All the talk heading to the Canadian Grand Prix centred on Ferrari’s implication of an upgraded engine and early signs bear promise this has achieved the desired effect in Montreal.

While the wet conditions have to be taken into account as a slight leveller, the fact both Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari teammate Kimi Raikkonen split the two Mercedes on the FP2 timesheets is highly promising for a competitive race.

World champion Lewis Hamilton was quickest, albeit he did ended up in the barriers shortly after setting the pace as the rain grew too torrential for any other drivers to attempt further laps at the end of the session.

Vettel was only three-tenths behind the Britton, beating Raikkonen by only four-hundredths, while Rosberg was nearly a full half a second slower than his fellow Silver Arrow.

Ferrari had played down talk there upgrade had gifted them up to 30 bhp more than in Monaco, but the Italian team were clearly quick enough to rattle Hamilton.

“The car is feeling really good out there, but Ferrari have possibly picked up the pace with their engine, which will be interesting,” Hamilton said.

Qualifying is due to be dry and having dominated again despite crashing, 1/3 about Hamilton grabbing pole looks strong, though on this evidence Vettel appeals hugely at 12/1.

Given the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve offers plenty of scope for overtaking, the podium places look to be genuinely up for grabs this weekend, no matter what the final order of the front two rows of the grid are.

Daniel Ricciardo was the surprise winner last year as Hamilton was forced to retire, while Vettel took pole and the chequered flag in 2013.

Should Mercedes experience any misdemeanours again in Montreal, the 3/1 about both Ferrari’s finishing on the podium could be a corker.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.

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