The Formula One Belgian Grand Prix is back, and this time, it promises to hold a few surprises. The reigning winner, Lewis Hamilton, continues to curry favor from the top online sportsbooks, but his time atop the standings is no longer a formality. Hence why our F1 betting odds and predictions for the 2021 Belgian Grand Prix are so mission-critical this year.
Let's get this party started with the latest F1 betting odds. These Belgian Grand Prix betting lines come courtesy of BetOnline:
| Driver to Win |  |
|---|---|
| Lewis Hamilton | +100 |
| Max Verstappen | +100 |
| Sergio Perez | +1400 |
| Valtteri Bottas | +2000 |
| Lando Norris | +3300 |
| Charles Leclerc | +4000 |
| Carlos Sainz | +10000 |
| Daniel Ricciardo | +15000 |
| Esteban Ocon | +15000 |
| George Russell | +15000 |
| Sebastian Vettel | +15000 |
| Fernando Alonso | +25000 |
| Pierre Gasly | +25000 |
| Antonio Giovinazzi | +50000 |
| Kimi Raikkonen | +50000 |
| Lance Stroll | +50000 |
| Mick Schumacher | +50000 |
| Nicholas Latifi | +50000 |
| Nikita Mazepin | +50000 |
| Yuki Tsunoda | +50000 |
Please note that these F1 odds are accurate as of Tuesday, August 17. You will want to recheck them before deciding on a specific winner because they will move, at both BetOnline and other top online sportsbooks, between now and the start of the race.
2021 F1 Belgian Grand Prix Betting Breakdown
- When: Sunday, August 29
- Where: Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Stavelot, Belgium
- Time: 9 a.m. EST
- Watch/Stream: ESPN
Better Bet: Lewis Hamilton or Max Verstappen?
Lewis Hamilton (+100) is currently working off four consecutive F1 Drivers Championships and six overall titles in the last seven years. It is one of the most dominant stretches, if not the most dominant stretch, of success the sport has ever seen. When the 2021 season began, many expected it to unfold just like the past few, in which he was a favorite for every race and ran away with the Drivers Championship.
It turns out Max Verstappen (+100) has other plans. He is second in the F1 standings, with 187 points to Hamilton's 195. At one point this season, he actually cobbled together more first-place finishes than Hamilton—who, by the way, is often touted as the greatest F1 driver of all time.
Still, Hamilton has really found his groove in recent months, most recently picking up a victory at the Hungarian Grand Prix to begin the month of August. He is now in sole possession of first place and back to being the odds-on favorite to win the Drivers Championship.
Of course, Hamilton won the 2020 Belgian Grand Prix. And while he is no stranger to repeat victories, the Belgian Grand Prix hasn't hosted consecutive winners since the early 2000s, when Kim Raikkonen snared three straight first-place checkered flags.
That isn't cause to write off Hamilton entirely. In fact, any chance you have to bet on him while receiving better than even money in return usually represents a great opportunity. With all due respect to Verstappen, he's still a not-so-close second-best driver in this field to us.
Who's the Biggest Threat to Hamilton and Verstappen?
Unlike other sports, Formula One has what can be described as a very segmented two-tier system: There is Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen, and then there is everyone else.
Just look at this year's race results. Almost every pole-position victory is owned by Hamilton or Verstappen. And while just eight points separate them in the standings, the distance between second place and third place, which currently belongs to Lando Norris, is a whopping 74 points.
Identifying the biggest threat to Hamilton and Verstappen has thus become a situational endeavor. It is never the same driver. In this case, we're immediately drawn to Valterri Bottas (+2000), if only because he's the last driver not named Lewis Hamilton or Max Verstappen to bag a first-place finish.
Then again, Charles LeClerc (+4000) and Sebastian Vettel (+15000) must also be given consideration. Neither is driving at the peak of their powers relative to past seasons. Both, in fact, rank outside the top six in the overall standings. But they have each picked up a victory at the Belgian Grand Prix in the past three years and, historically, have driven well on this specific track.
Nobody really stands out after those three. And if we have to choose between them, we're inclined to go with LeClerc. He hasn't won a race this year, but he's held a lead for 50 total laps and we appreciate the aggressive style he employs even when he's slated to start races within the top five.
2021 Belgian Grand Prix Pick
In previous years, we would tell you to uncomplicate the process and just roll with Lewis Hamilton's wave of dominance. He has been untouchable for more than a half-decade.
Alas, that's not the route we're going this year. He should still be your pick to win the Drivers Championship, but the inconsistency he has shown in later laps this year is uncharacteristic and portends either a decline or one-off season dip.
Sure, you can still invest in him with some iota of confidence. The same can also be said for Verstappen, given the year he's having. After all, no one has come this close to dethroning Hamilton in ages.
For our money, though, we're going to roll the dice on LeClerc. He hasn't won a race since the 2019 season when he took home the checkered flag in Belgium, but he seems to be navigating his best stretch of driving this year. That's enough for us to take a flier on his dark-horse odds.
OSB Belgian Grand Prix Prediction: Charles LeClerc (+4000)
Check out this list of the top online sportsbooks so you can decide which one to use for all your F1 betting:
Online Sports Betting © 2024