F1 Betting – Raikkonen will make the championship race more interesting
F1 betting will switch to Istanbul Park Circuit for the Turkish Grand Prix, which only joined the F1 circuit in 2005. Ferrari holds the deed to Istanbul as Felipe Massa is going for his fourth straight win here, while teammate Kimi Raikkonen took the inaugural checkered flag in 2005. Brawn Racing has been the best team of the early season, but Ferrari isn’t as far back as they once were, and they’ll state their intentions with a victory this weekend.
- WHAT: The Turkish Grand Prix
- WHEN: Sunday, June 7, 8:00 PM ET
- WHERE: Istanbul Race Circuit, Istanbul, TR
- PICK: Kimi Raikkonen
With five wins in the first six races, it’s easy to see why Jenson Button is the favorite with F1 odds of +125. Button cruised to victory in Monaco, creating the third 1-2 finish of the season for Brawn as teammate Rubens Barichello finished second. Button finished 11th in last year’s trip to Turkey.
Sebastian Vettel is the only driver to win a race this year other than Button, as he took the checkered flag in China in the third race of the year. Vettel has F1 odds of +550 after a tough 17th-place result in Turkey last year, and he wrecked out of Monaco, so you may want to stay away from him this weekend in your sports wagering book.
Massa shares odds of +550 with Vettel and his results have been improving each race, as he finished fourth at Monaco. Besides retiring in 2005, Massa has owned this course with three straight wins, and with the improvements Ferrari has made to catch up to Brawn, look for him to be a factor.
Raikkonen has F1 odds of +700, and he’s finished in the top three in two of his three trips to Turkey after winning in 2005. Raikkonen seemed to be the only car on the track that could run the same speeds as Button at Monaco, and had he qualified better, he would have given the points leader a run for his money.
Defending series champion Lewis Hamilton offers great value with F1 odds of +1400, but he finished 12th at Monaco, a place where he usually dominates. Hamilton’s McLaren team is far behind Brawn and Ferrari at this point in the season, but with a driver of his immense skill, you can never count him out.
Lee-Roy’s Pick: Ferrari has made more headlines this season for disputing a proposed cap and threatening to pull out of F1 than they have on the track, where Brawn is the story. Massa has been the king of Istanbul, but it’s Raikkonen that will carry the Ferrari flag to its first win of the season. He would have challenged Button in Monaco if not for the blocking of Barichello, and Ferrari’s equipment seems to be nearing Brawn. A good qualifying lap is needed, and I’m confident Raikkonen can put it out. Pick Kimi Raikkonen when going through your F1 betting odds this weekend.
For more F1 betting and odds throughout the season, bookmark the sportsbook at BetOnline.com.
Born in the betting capital of Las Vegas, Lee-Roy has grown to appreciate the likes of IndyCar and Formula 1 racing, but his first love is the high-speed ovals of NASCAR and he is a HUGE Tony Stewart fan. When it comes to motorsports handicapping, Buckles takes the checkered flag. Thoughts or questions? Email Comments@BetOnline.com.
