The Singapore Grand Prix: Pre-Qualifying Predictions

Formula 1 Tips For The Singapore Grand Prix

Please note, this blog is just a bit of fun to test myself and see how well I really know formula 1.  It's simply for my own benefit to keep a record of how well my predictions do, and not intended as advice to be taken by anyone else.  If other formula 1 fans want to view my tips out of curiosity then that's fine, but I'm in no way proclaiming myself to be an amazing formula 1 expert.

In general I always like to wait until after qualifying before placing my bets, so to test whether that's the best strategy or not I'm going to make some tips before and after qualifying and see which set of tips do best.  I'll give myself 100 points and place a few hypothetical bets using the odds available from OLBG.com and see how I do.

To Win Outright:
25 points on Lewis Hamilton at 3.25
McLaren are the team in form at the moment, and although the street circuit nature of Singapore means the recent results at Spa and Monza won't be entirely relevant, McLaren were nevertheless also strong in Hungary which has similar characteristics to the Singapore circuit.  Although Jenson has looked back to form in the last few races, Lewis still has the edge over him so I'm opting for a 30 point bet on Lewis Hamilton at 3.25.

To Win Outright (Eachway):
10 points on Mark Webber at 17.0
The Red Bulls have been off the pace in recent races so a large bet is too risky, but given that Mark Webber has had a consistent season so far and stands only 10 points off second place in the championship, added to the fact that the bookies always seem to underrate him, I'm therefore tempted by a small 10 point eachway bet on Mark Webber in this market.

To Finish On The Podium:
25 points on Kimi Raikkonen at 2.88
Kimi has finished on the podium at four of the last six races so his recent consistency make him a decent bet for the podium at odds of 2.88.

To Finish In The Points (Top Ten Finish):
30 points on Nico Rosberg at 1.67
Mercedes have fallen back since Nico Rosberg won in China, but Nico has still performed solidly throughout the season, finishing in the points on 9 occasions out of the last 11 grand prix.  Added to this Mercedes are meant to be using an updated exhaust configuration in Singapore which should help their performance on low speed circuits so at odds of 1.67 for a top ten finish, Nico looks generously priced.

Fastest Lap:
10 points on Sebastian Vettel at 7.0
Fastest lap is always a bit of a gamble with no driver having dominated the market this year.  Sebastian Vettel stands at the top of the fastest lap table with three wins so far, the last of those coming at low speed circuit of Hungary.  As Singapore is likewise a low speed stop-start circuit, a small 10 point bet on Vettel at 7.0 seems as good a bet as any.

As already mentioned, I'll reassess things after qualifying and offer another selection of tips, and then see how my predictions compare.

Disclaimer:  A small bet can make a formula 1 race more exciting but the unpredictable nature of the sport mean that having a large bet is just stupid.  Gambling can be a risky business so never bet more than you can afford to lose.  The safest way to bet is with points rather than pounds, so if you'd like the chance to gamble risk-free with points for the chance to win cash prizes then a website worth visiting is OLBG.com.  It's free to sign up and they offer cash prizes for the most successful punters in various sporting categories.  If you'd like to check it out then click on the link below:
Bet with points for the chance to win cash prizes at OLBG.com