Formula 1 Betting Strategy: Mastering the Podium Finish Market

If you are new to Formula 1 betting things can be confusing. There are loads of markets to choose from but, for the most part, our inherent mind-set always leads us to trying to identify a race winner.
In truth that is not that difficult to do. Since the start of 2014, when Formula 1 cars were converted from 2.4litre V8 propelled vehicles to the eco-friendlier 1.6litre V6 hybrid they use today, Lewis Hamilton in his Mercedes has won more than half of the races that have been staged. His teammates during this period, initially Nico Rosberg and latterly the less successful Valtteri Bottas, have averaged out around the twenty percent wins-to-drives ratio.
This has left limited opportunities for their rivals, primarily the Ferrari and Red Bull teams, who have picked up the pieces when Mercedes have faltered. No other team has won a race since the start of the 2014 campaign.
'Podium Finish' Market Explained
Consequently, selecting drivers from other teams to finish ‘on the 'podium’ gives you a better chance of cashing-in on a rank outsider with the best Formula 1 betting sites. It is no different to backing a racehorse to finish in the frame whilst accepting the favourite looks an inevitable winner.
But Formula 1 is closer related to jumps racing than the flat variety meaning there can be fallers (crashes in this instance), unseated jockeys (mechanical failure), hampered and carried out horses (punctures) even some contenders being disqualified for taking the wrong course. These variables make the prospect of a big-priced driver collecting some silverware all the more viable.
Car and Driver Form
Driver form is clearly a major factor in motorsports betting as it is closely related to confidence. But the form of the car on the type of circuit it is about to race on is equally, if not more important.
No two Formula 1 race circuits are the same, in fact they are all vastly different. There are tracks which feature long straights where lap time is gained by high speeds – Monza in Italy and Spa in Belgium are two examples – and there are tight circuits where the time advantage is gained by sure-fire tyre grip while cornering. Examples of these include Hungary and Monaco.
Using comparisons which horseracing once more - picture the long straights and stiff fences at Haydock and compare them to the tight turns, soft fences and undulations of Fontwell Park.
The technical term for a‘fast track’ is a ‘low downforce circuit’ and the slower tracks with tight corners are known as ‘high downforce’. The reason being, cars require less or more downforce, created by their wings, to go fast through the air at speed or to be nailed to the circuit around corners. A car’s wheelbase (the distance between front and back wheels) is another factor which helps a car with cornering at speed.
Track Analysis
So if you are trying to identify a podium finisher, particularly one at a big price, you need to assess the driver’s car’s likeness for the circuit’s characteristics. The gap between the best and worst cars is magnified at the circuits with long straights and sweeping bends. Bahrain, for example, regularly sees just six cars complete the race on the lead lap.
But at Monaco in 2019 just ten seconds separate the first five home and that was no flash-in-the-pan. It is a slow-speed street circuit where overtaking is near impossible, so it is conducive to competitive racing and if/when you do see a treble-digit driver sneak on to the podium this circuit is one of the more likely venues where it will happen.
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix is also staged around a wall-lined street circuit with tight corners and in both 2016 and 2018 100/1 shot Sergio Perez managed to pinch third spot. In-between those two years Lance Stroll defied win-market odds of 300/1 to also snatch a bronze medal.
Timing Your Bet
Timing your Formula 1 bets is of vital importance. Markets normally open on the Monday afternoon prior to the race weekend and the race weekend begins on Friday with two very informative practice sessions. There is a third practice session on Saturday followed by the decisive qualifying session. Sunday is race day.
Odds will fluctuate dramatically between Tuesday and the completion of the first practice session and anyone who takes their Formula 1 betting seriously will tell you the earlier you examine all the F1 betting markets, the more likely you will find a stand-out price discrepancy.
There is no substitute for studying the stats when it comes to Formula 1 betting, so make sure you know each circuit just as well as the drivers.
Recommended Betting Sites
-
118+. T&C Apply
-
218+. T&C Apply
-
318+ T&C's Apply
-
418+. T&C Apply
-
5New customers online only. Place your first bet on racing pools for a minimum of £/€5 and win or lose you will receive £/€20 Tote Credit. £/€20 Tote Credit rewarded as £/€10 redeemable against racing bets only and £/€10 redeemable against UK and Irish placepot bets only. Tote Credit cannot be withdrawn, exchanged, or substituted and expires after 7 days. Qualifying bet is the first racing pool bet added to the bet-slip. Ten to Follow, virtual and football bets do not qualify. Totewin will be the qualifying bet when a Totewin and a Toteplace bet are struck at the same time. UK & ROI customers only. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. BeGambleaware.org
-
618+. New customers only. Min deposit €10, maximum bonus that can be awarded in this promotion is €100. T&C's apply.
-
718+ New Customers only. Deposit, opt in and place a €10 qualifying bet at odds of 2.00 or greater within 7 days of opening a new account; excludes cashed out bets. Receive 2x €10 Free Sports Bets, valid on set events only at odds 2.00 or greater, expires in 7 days. Plus a €10 Game Show Bonus, selected games, wager 40x to withdraw a max of €250. T&Cs Apply. Please Gamble Responsibly.
-
818+. T&C Apply
-
918+. T&C's apply
-
1018+. T&C's apply
-
11Terms and Conditions - Min deposit €5. Bet Credits available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply. 18+. New players only. Gamble responsibly. http://www.gamblingcare.ie/.
-
1218+. T&C Apply
-
13Min deposit £/€/$10 • A qualifying bet is a ‘real money’ stake of at least £/€/$10 • Min odds 1/2 (1.50) • Free Bets credited upon qualifying bet settlement and expire after 7 days • Free Bet stakes not included in returns • Casino Bonus must be claimed within 7 days • To withdraw bonus/related wins, wager the bonus amount 40 times within 14 days • Casino Bonus expires after 60 days • Withdrawal restrictions, payment methods, country & Full T&C’s apply.
-
1418+. T&C Apply
-
15T&Cs IRE/NI new customers only. €/£40 in FREE Bets (FB) as €/£30 in sports bets & a €/£10 casino bonus (CB). Min stake €/£10. Min odds Evs. FB applied on 1st settlement of any qualifying bet. FB 7 day expiry. 1 FB offer per customer, household & IP address only. Payment restrictions. 14 days to accept €/£10 CB, then active for 3 days. CB 5x wagering & max redeemable €/£100. Cashed out/Free Bets won’t apply. 30 days to qualify. 18+. T&Cs apply
-
1618+. T&C Apply
-
1718+, Welcome Bonus: New Players only, 1st Deposit, Min Deposit,: €10, max €10 free bet valid for 14 days, bets must be placed at odds of 1/1 or greater and be settled within 14 days of placement. System bets not eligible. Neteller,Skrill and Paypal not eligible. T&Cs apply
-
1818+. New Customers only, Min deposit €20. min odds 1.5. T &Cs apply.
-
1918+. T&C Apply
-
2018+. T&C's apply
-
21T&C's apply
-
2218+ New Players only. For free bet wagering requirements and minimum odds read T&C’s. www.begambleaware.org Terms Apply
-
2318+ New Players only. Gamble responsibly. www.begambleaware.org
-
2418+. T&C's apply.
-
2519+. New Customers only. Minimum deposit €20 & minimum odds 1.50. T&C's apply.
-
26New customers using Promo code H30 only, Min £10/€10 stake, min odds 1/2, free bets paid as 2 x £15/€15, free bets credited after settlement of first qualifying bet, free bets will expire 30 days after the qualifying bet is placed, payment method/player/country restrictions apply. Full T&Cs apply. 18+. Play Responsibly www.begambleaware.org.
-
2718+ New UK+IRE Customers only. Certain deposit methods & bet types excl. Min first €5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 = 4x €5 free bets. Free bets valid for 7 days, stake not returned. No cashout, restrictions + T&Cs apply.
-
28IE Terms: NEW CUSTOMERS ONLY. MAX ONE €10 FREE BETS. QUALIFYING BETS MUST BE PLACED AT ODDS OF 1/1 OR GREATER. PAID AS BONUS TOKEN WITH MIN 4/5 ODDS REQ. SKRILL, NETELLER & PAYPAL NOT ELIGIBLE T&CS APPLY. 18+
-
2918+. T&C Apply
-
30T&C's apply
-
3118+. T&C Apply
-
3218+. T&C Apply
-
33New Players Only. Free bet - one-time stake of $/€10, min odds 1.5, stake not returned. 1X wager the winnings. Wager from real balance first. Wager calculated on bonus bets only. Max conversion: $/€200. Valid for 7 Days from issue. Withdrawal requests voids all active/pending bonuses. Excluded Skrill deposits. Full Terms Apply. 18+ #AD
-
3418+ New players only. Opt-in Required. Min stake £/€/$ 10, min odds 1.5, stake not returned. 1X wagering the winnings from the free bet. Wager from real balance first. Wager calculated on bonus bets only. Max conversion: £/€/$ 200. Valid for 7 Days from issue. Excluded Skrill deposits. Withdrawal requests voids all active/pending bonuses. Full Terms Apply.
-
35New Players Only. Min £/€/$10 qualifying bets, stake not returned. Free bet - one-time stake of £/€/$ 20, min odds 1.5, stake not returned. 1X wager the winnings. Wager from real balance first. Wager calculated on bonus bets only. Max conversion: £/€/$200. Valid for 7 Days from issue. Withdrawal requests voids all active/pending bonuses. Excluded Skrill deposits. Full Terms apply.
-
3618+. T&C's apply
-
3718+. T&C Apply
-
38+18 | New customer offer. Place 5 x £10 or more bets to receive £20 in free bets. Repeat up to 5 times to receive maximum £100 bonus. Min odds 1/2 (1.5). Exchange bets excluded. T&Cs apply.
-
3918+. T&C Apply
-
4018+. T&C Apply
-
4118+. T&C's apply.
-
42New Players Only. Minimum stake $/€/£ 10, minimum odds1.5, stake not returned.10X wagering the winnings from the free bet. Wagering occurs from real balance first. Wagering requirement is calculated on bonus bets only, wagering starts from real funds.Free bet is valid for 7 Days from issue. Max conversion: $/€/£ 20. Excluded Skrill deposits. Withdrawal requests voids all active/pending bonuses. Full Terms Apply.
-
43Welcome Bonus Bet - Bet €10 Get €15 terms. This offer is for new sports customers only and is available once per household. Max. Bonus Bet amount €15. Minimum wagering on the sport to activate the Bonus Bet is €10 (which can be achieved from a Min deposit of €10). Offer valid only to customers wagering on sport €10 or more and make a qualifying bet in accordance with the Bonus Bet Specific Terms and Conditions below. 1st Place Prize: €1000. Prizes granted up to 48h after the tournament ends. Bonus Bet does not contribute towards the leaderboard. Click to see full T&Cs
-
4418+. T&Cs Apply
-
45Place a single €10 (or €5 e/w) bet on the 1:30 race at Cheltenham, after your qualifying bet settles you will get a €10 free bet for each of the remaining races on the card (€60 in total). Only deposits with Cards apply (Apple pay deposits are excluded). T&C apply. - Full Terms Apply
-
4618+. T&C Apply
-
47