Chinese Grand Prix Betting Tips: Ferrari to bounce back?
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After a belter of a race in Bahrain, the 2019 Formula One season roars into the Far East for this Sunday’s Chinese Grand Prix.
Mercedes have finished first and second in the campaign’s opening two races, leaving rivals Ferrari on the back foot.
But the general consensus is that the Italian squad have a sizeable power advantage, which could play out this weekend.
Chinese GP Winner Odds
Ferrari had the faster car in Bahrain. They qualified first and second in the Middle East, before a power train issue robbed Charles Leclerc of a dominant first Grand Prix win.
But the 21-year-old took it on the chin, and is 7/4 joint-favourite to win on Sunday. Team-mate Sebastian Vettel spun while battling Lewis Hamilton two weeks ago, but is also chalked up at 7/4.
The German can’t afford to let Leclerc steal any momentum within the team. After being beaten by his young team-mate a fortnight ago, Vettel sorely needs a victory.
Reports suggest Mercedes are losing up for fourth-tenths of a second on the straights to the Scuderia, but in Hamilton they have arguably the best driver on the grid. The reigning champion got his campaign on track with victory in Bahrain, and is 9/4 to win in China for the sixth time.
There’s 8/1 about Valtteri Bottas. The Finn drove superbly to win the season’s opening race in Australia, but was well off the pace last time out.
Max Verstappen has taken on team leadership at Red Bull. The team won this race 12 months ago through Daniel Ricciardo, and could be in the mix again if tyre wear issues or a safety car appear. The Dutch ace is 16/1 to record his first win of the year.
Alternative Chinese GP odds
If Ferrari’s reported power advantage is to be believed, we should see the red cars flex their muscle in qualifying. They comfortably had the measure of Mercedes last time out, and Leclerc is 6/4 for his second pole position in succession.
Further back, McLaren’s British rookie Lando Norris has enjoyed a superb start to the season. The 19-year-old qualified eighth in Australia, before a fine run to finish sixth in Bahrain. The team look much-improved this season, and there’s 11/2 about Norris landing another top-six result on Sunday.
The Haas team might have the edge in the midfield battle though, especially if they can control their tyre issues. The American squad have shown plenty of pace, with Kevin Magnussen 5/2 to finish in the top six.
All Odds and Markets correct as of date of publication
