Bahrain Grand Prix Betting: Leaders target more moments in the sun

Formula One / Thomas Cowie / 22 April 2009 / Leave a Comment

The F1 circus stops in the Middle East this weekend for round four of this compelling championship. Tom Cowie tells you everything you need to know about the Bahrain Grand Prix.

The surprises keep coming thick and fast, with Red Bull Racing becoming the second team in only three races to register their maiden Grand Prix victory in Shanghai on Sunday.

As was the case with Jordan in 1998, the first win came in the form of a 1-2 finish, as Sebastian Vettel lead home his teammate Mark Webber, with Jenson Button completing the top three.

Three tenths faster than the Brawns on low fuel loads, Red Bull have set a new marker, widening the performance gulf between the pace setters, and the chasing pack.

Bahrain's Sakhir circuit has become the epicenter of motorsport in the Persian Gulf - though this will be challenged by the inaugural Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in November.

One of the key features of the track are the vast run-off areas, which although not popular with the purists, do mean that the circuit is one of the safest in the world.

The circuit is very technical, with a variety of different gradients, and long straights followed by tight hairpins (a Tilke trademark), meaning that it is also tough on brakes.

As with Malaysia, the biggest potential threat is the weather - if the wind picks up and blows sand on to the track it will quickly start to resemble an ice rink. A sandstorm has not affected a race yet, but if it does, it will create chaos.

Ferrari have won three of the five races here thus far, including a 1-2 finish last year, but this must currently be a distant memory for F1's most successful team.

The last time they failed to score a point after the first three rounds of the season, John Major was the Prime Minister, the FA Premier League was conceived, and Bill Clinton became President of the USA.

At [32.0] and [42.0] respectively for the win, Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen find themselves rank outsiders, and will no doubt be looking forward to Barcelona when Ferrari will introduce some modifications to the car.

McLaren at least brought both cars home in the points in China, but are still a long way off the pace. Lewis Hamilton's numerous off track excursions were due to overdriving rather than inability and he is clearly struggling to hide his frustration at the car's lack of pace. At [26.0] for the win, he will once again be in damage limitation mode.

BMW have also experienced a spectacular fall from grace. They failed to get both cars into the final qualifying session in China, and currently have a meager four points to their name.

At [42.0], Robert Kubica, having taken third place in last year's championship, adds to the illustrious list of names currently languishing in midfield mediocrity.

Replacing Ferrari and Mclaren as the 'Big Two' Red Bull and Brawn are once again expected to share the spoils in Bahrain. Webber is trading at [17.5], with his precocious young team-mate Sebastian Vettel at [7.2].

Also at [7.2] is Rubens Barrachello, who has been solid if not spectacular thus far. Button is the pre-race favourite for the fourth consecutive time at [2.92].

For the teams who are struggling currently, Bahrain will represent one final weekend of a nightmare Eastern tour, before they can return to their European Headquarters and regroup prior to Barcelona next month.

As for the pace setters, they will be looking to continue to enjoy their moment in the sun - and where better to do this than in the desert of Bahrain.