British Bits And Bobs

With this weekend’s race looking like little more than a battle between the Red Bulls, I’ve been ploughing through the statistics to see if there is anything that stands out.

Red Bull Return In Qualifying

Saturdays in 2010 have been all about one team. Although Lewis Hamilton may have taken pole position last time out in Canada, Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel still managed second and third on the grid, despite opting to qualify on the harder compound tyre. For me, that is hardly a crashing fall from the the form that has seen them dominate Q3 so far this season; taking all of the previous seven pole positions.

On The Button In Turkey

It has been a testing week. I entered it knowing exactly how I wanted to play things, by backing Massa to outpoint Alonso before the media previews drew attention to his record around the Turkish circuit. Unfortunately with so few firms pricing up the head-to-heads early and so little liquidity on Betfair, by Thursday I had decided to cancel my unmatched bets and sit things out until the race. Alonso failing to make Q2 – a surprise to me –

First Lap Carnage in Catalunya

The old adage states that you can’t win the race at the first corner, but you can lose it. With the prospect of a processional race ahead of them, I just wonder how many drivers will remember this tomorrow. We are reaching that point where establishing supremacy both within your team and with your rivals can set the tone for the rest of season. Will some drivers think that it is time to gamble?

From Lights to Flag in Spain

The Circuit de Catalunya is renowned for being processional. It is the circuit that the teams know best, where car set-up should be as close to optimal as possible and where the layout provides such limited opportunities for passing. This puts more emphasis on qualifying position than any circuit that we have visited so far this season.

Pre-season Testing: Winners and Losers

The old adage states that analysis of lap times from pre-season is meaningless; set on unknown levels of fuel, without scrutineering and in the pursuit of unclear objectives. Yet despite this, it is only natural that we try to rationalise what we see happening. The internet has been buzzing for the last few weeks with coverage and discussion about individual driver and team’s performances at the three Spanish facilities

Glorious British Webber

A few people will know that I backed Mark Webber in qualifying at Silverstone last year at odds of 150/1. With just one driver left out on track at the end of the session, the Australian was on provisional pole. Unfortunately it wasn’t to be, but the bet has stuck in my mind ever since.

Young Guns at Monaco

I think that there is a very real possibility that Sebastian Vettel will win the Monaco Grand Prix. The Red Bull looks to be the most mechanically proficient car this season and this weekend, for the first time, Adrian Newey has bolted on a double-decker diffuser.

Chinese Fastest Lap

Mark Webber and Nico Rosberg are both best priced 12/1 to set the fastest lap in tomorrow’s Chinese Grand Prix. That is a price that is worth a second look.

Red Bull gives you wins (in Qualifying)

The prices are just being updated following Free Practice 3 and unsurprisingly there is not a huge amount of support for either Webber or Vettel in the Pole Position market after their respective fifteenth and sixteenth place finishes.