F1 returns to action on Sunday, June 12, and it’s another street circuit race — this time at the Baku City Circuit in Azerbaijan. Who are the best bets to win at the 2022 Azerbaijan GP? We have answers for you right here if you keep reading on.
But first, let’s take a gander at the current F1 betting odds at top sportsbooks, specifically, the race-winner bet. Every driver has odds to take first place, but let’s be honest, only a few select drivers are even worth a look. It’s all the usual names from Ferrari, Red Bull, and even Mercedes, of course. Here are the top-favored drivers to win in Azerbaijan:
| Driver |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Max Verstappen | +110 | +110 |
| Charles Leclerc | +175 | +175 |
| Sergio Perez | +600 | +600 |
| Carlos Sainz | +800 | +800 |
| George Russell | +2500 | +2500 |
| Lewis Hamilton | +3300 | +3300 |
Azerbaijan Grand Prix Preview
As we preview what could lay ahead at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, let’s start with the world championship standings. With a win last time out at the Monaco Grand Prix, Sergio Perez has sneakily inserted himself into the championship conversation. His 110 points are in third place overall, only six behind runner-up Leclerc and 15 away from his Red Bull teammate, Verstappen.
Speaking of Verstappen, he has a chance at making history at the next race. The Dutch driver will become Red Bull’s all-time top podium finisher ever if he ends inside the top three — breaking a tie with Sebastian Vettel (65). Interestingly enough, Verstappen has matched that record despite only one world title, compared to the four Vettel earned during his time with the team.
This will be the fifth-ever Azerbaijan Grand Prix. All previous winners were first-timers (no-repeat victors). The previous winners, in order from latest to most recent, are Daniel Ricciardo, Hamilton, Valtteri Bottas, and Perez.
Betting Advice For Azerbaijan GP
Now on to the good stuff: free betting advice for the upcoming Azerbaijan Grand Prix! We have three different points to hit on, one of which we think will surprise you. Let’s get right into our betting strategy for success:
Fade Verstappen
Alright, we wanted to start off with a shocker. Yes, you read the headline above correctly; the current F1 world title leader should be skipped out when betting on this race. What do we have against Verstappen, a driver with four straight podium finishes?
Welp, Baku has been a house of horror for Verstappen his entire career. A year ago, he led for about half the race before a tire blowout forced him to retire on lap 46. It was actually the third time Verstappen retired early in this race. His only non-DNF result in Baku? That would be a fourth-place outing in 2019.
Just as we were talking about a Leclerc “curse” in Monaco a few weeks ago, the same could be said for Verstappen in Azerbaijan. So he’s not drawing a winning bet from us. Instead, our money is going to the next driver…
Take Leclerc To Win Again
Admittedly, it’s been a rough few weeks for Leclerc. In two straight races, he’s had the lead snatched from him due to an unfortunate problem. In Spain, his car lost power, causing him to retire early. Then in Monaco, his team erroneously asked him to pit stop only to change their mind once he pulled over — which only melted precious time. But despite that, we’re betting on Leclerc to win in Azerbaijan.
Why? Welp, because when you take out those freak issues, Leclerc has been the consistently best driver in the field. This is why he’s been in P1 a total of 194 laps this season. For comparison, Verstappen has done the same 142 laps this far — or 52 fewer laps than Leclerc.
More than anything else, Ferrari needs to stop beating themselves — which sounds easier said than done. Still, this car and Leclerc have been the “top dogs” for most of 2022. Our money says Azerbaijan is finally the race where the team gets their act together again, which leads to a victory.
Take A Chance On Russell
In Monaco, Perez became the first F1 driver outside of Verstappen and Leclerc to win a race in 2022. Pre-race, his odds were as high as +2500 to win at some books, which means the payout was massive for anyone that took a chance on the Mexican driver. Therefore, why not try to pick someone in the Azerbaijan field that could possibly do the same? Why not George Russell?
This man has finished in the top-5 in every single F1 race this season. That’s a level of consistency that NO ONE else has this season. It’s not unthinkable that the Mercedes driver could snatch a victory, hence why we say he’s worth a small wager.
Moreover, there are hints that Mercedes will be making a major upgrade in Baku. Trackside engineering director said so directly, hyping up an “added base execution.” That could be just what Russell needs to jolt him from contender to winner.
How To Bet Azerbaijan Grand Prix?
Ready to bet on the Azerbaijan Grand Prix? You should be after the freebie pick we just gave you! Welp, you can lock in your wager at one of the underneath bookies. Heck, if you take advantage of a lucrative betting bonus offered at these sites, your bet could actually be free. The table has details on what bonuses are available right now for you to leverage!
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