Belgian Grand Prix a betting poser

Formula One / Editor / 21 August 2007 / Leave a Comment

After a year off the Formula One calendar, the Belgian Grand Prix returns to host a potentially decisive race on September 16 which will have a big bearing on Betfair's Drivers Championship betting.

The Spa-Francorchamps circuit is known to be one of the most difficult for even the best drivers to master, and betting on the outcome can be equally tricky when the weather is changeable.

Those looking to have a bet on the Belgian Grand Prix will note repair work has been undertaken to bring parts of the track, of which some sections are public roads, up to scratch in time for the race.

Finland's Kimi Raikkonen won in 2005, driving for McLaren-Mercedes, but his odds could make him an attractive bet now that he has swapped sides to the rival Ferrari team.

Raikkonen is a two-time former winner of the Belgian Grand Prix and could be popular in the betting if he qualifies near the front of the grid on a circuit which has been changed to encourage more overtaking. However, pole position can be crucial to a driver's odds of victory on any track.

The Bus Stop chicane has also been completely reprofiled, La Source improved along with the pit lane and paddock, while Eau Rouge retains its reputation as the most exciting high-speed corner in F1.

But with several long straights interspersed, punters betting on the outcome of the race may see the McLaren-Mercedes package as holding a straight-line power advantage.

Against all odds, rookie sensation Lewis Hamilton led the driver's title after 11 rounds of the 17-race series and all bets could be off if he climbs to the top of the podium in Spa - with only three races to follow.

Hamilton's rivalry with team-mate Fernando Alonso has intensified after the pit-lane qualifying incident at Hungary which saw the world champion demoted to sixth on the starting grid.

But those betting on the world champion to retain his title ought to be aware that the Spaniard has finished the Belgian Grand Prix only once in three attempts, taking second behind Raikkonen in 2005.