Belgian Grand Prix
Formula One is back after a lengthy hiatus, and all roads lead to Spa as the Belgian Grand Prix is next on the menu for racing fans all over the world.
Prior to this event, the Hungarian Grand Prix threw a curve ball as it was one of the craziest races in recent memory, although the race for the championship remains as tight as ever.
Esteban Ocon won in the said race and he was joined by Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz Jr. in the podium. Meanwhile, Hamilton’s biggest rival in Max Verstappen fell down to the ninth spot.
Such result has put Mercedes back in pole position for both in the drivers and constructors standings, but any slip-up on their part can open another opportunity for Red Bull Racing.
The SBOTOP betting odds point to a favourable result for Mercedes since they were the winners in last year’s edition. But given how the previous races have unfolded, any other result shouldn’t come as a surprise.
All eyes are on Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen
The main backdrop for this contest is the ongoing rivalry between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. With the two trading punches all season — winning nine of 11 races so far — getting another victory at Spa is going to be crucial.
Hamilton leads the drivers’ standings only by a whisker over Verstappen, and the Mercedes star claimed the edge when he took advantage of the chaos in Hungaroring.
Off the paddock, the two have exchanged barbs especially during the British Grand Prix when Max Verstappen did not finish after an unlucky collision with Lewis Hamilton.
Fast forward to Friday’s practice, Hamilton and Verstappen were clearly shaking off some rust.
Hamilton lamented that “his car wasn’t quite underneath him” as he was 18th in FP1 while his teammate in Bottas finished first. But on FP2, he did much better by finishing third.
Verstappen, meanwhile, finished second and first for FP1 and FP2. But with just a few minutes of FP2 left, Verstappen’s RB16B sustained minor damages as it hit the barriers at the Malmedy exit, triggering a red flag.
The first two practices normally don’t mean much since the drivers use this to gauge their respective cars. So let’s see who’ll win in the qualifying as it will play a major role to the actual race.
It can be noted, however, that Red Bull haven’t won in Spa since 2014 so this a huge chip on Max Verstappen’s shoulder.
Fernando Alonso and Sergio Perez extend with their respective teams
The 2022 drivers market has always been a salient topic for Formula One fans, and this week’s transactions by Alpine and Red Bull have somehow painted a clearer picture on what’s ahead.
Alpine and Red Bull grabbed headlines in the Belgian Grand Prix 2021 news when they’ve confirmed that Fernando Alonso and Sergio Perez will stay for at least one more season.
Alonso continues to be a solid performer despite his advancing age as he finished in the points in every race since the Azerbaijan Grand Prix last June and he played a major role in helping teammate Esteban Ocon secure the victory in the last time out.
Alpine confirmed that they’ve exercised their team option to keep the 40-year-old since he was on a “one-plus-one” contract.
Red Bull, on the other hand, decided to keep Perez in order to provide competition for Verstappen at least for one more season.
In his debut season for the Milton Keynes-based outfit, the 31-year-old Mexican racer won this season’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix and he finished third in the French Grand Prix.
History
The Belgian Grand Prix has been a staple in the Formula One calendar for quite some time and it has always been known for its unpredictable weather forecast.
Michael Schumacher leads the pack in the all-time wins list here with six, while Lewis Hamilton is the active driver who has the most with four.
Lewis Hamilton won last year’s edition in what was a dominant performance alongside teammate Valtteri Bottas. The Mercedes duo finished in the top two and they were joined by Max Verstappen for the final podium berth.
What are the odds?
Given that Lewis Hamilton is the defending titleist here in Spa, the Belgian Grand Prix 2021 odds have the British driver installed as the favourite this weekend.
The 36-year-old is heads and shoulders above everyone as he is priced at 1.32 while Max Verstappen is behind him at 1.71. Valtteri Bottas is favoured to complete the podium cast since he’s pegged at 2.12.
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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