The Australian Grand Prix will be only the third race of the 2022 F1 season, but so far it’s been pretty damn fun. After last season’s epic final race which decided to Driver’s Championship, we’ve seen a bit of a changing of the guard, and the question will be whether or not that can keep up in Melbourne.
The normally elite Mercedes team has started off a bit slowly, currently second behind a resurgent Ferrari team, which has both of its drivers – Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr – at the top of the Driver’s standings. Red Bull, which finished second to Mercedes in the Constructors Championship last year (given to the best overall team) sits in third, while their top driver Max Verstappen, who won the Drivers Championship last year, is third overall, just ahead of Mercedes teammates George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time champion.
However, Mercedes struggling to keep pace isn’t the only change for this race. Albert Park track in Melbourne now has a new layout with four DRS zones, which will surely make for some exciting racing. DRS (Drag Reduction System) is a tool that allows drivers to open a flap on the car’s rear wing to reduce aerodynamic drag and increase their top speed, which allows a trailing car to more easily pass a leading car. Formula One has limited the number of zones in which DRS can be used, so the four zones this weekend will likely mean a much faster track with even more passing.
Australian Grand Prix TV, how to watch
Qualifying
- Date: Saturday, April 9
- Time: 1:55 a.m. ET
- TV: ESPN2
The Race
- Date: Sunday, April 10
- Time: 12:55 a.m. ET
- TV: ESPN
For more, visit TailgateSports.com
Australian Grand Prix odds
| Driver | Odds to win | Odds to finish Top 6 | Odds to finish Top 10 |
| Max Verstappen (Red Bull) | +125 | -700 | -1000 |
| Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) | +145 | -700 | -1000 |
| Carlos Sainz Jr. (Ferrari) | +850 | -400 | -800 |
| Sergio Perez (Red Bull) | +1400 | -360 | -650 |
| Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) | +1400 | -360 | -650 |
| George Russell (Mercedes) | +2500 | -300 | -550 |
| Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo) | +10000 | +200 | -225 |
| Pierre Gasly (Alpha Tauri) | +10000 | +300 | -190 |
| Kevins Magnussen (Haas) | +10000 | +165 | -225 |
| Fernando Alonso (Alpine) | +10000 | +225 | -200 |
| Esteban Ocon (Alpine) | +10000 | +185 | -225 |
| Lando Norris (McLaren) | +15000 | +850 | +135 |
| Yuki Tsunoda (Alpha Tauri) | +20000 | +1600 | +135 |
| Mick Schumacher (Haas) | +20000 | +275 | +120 |
| Daniel Ricciardo (McLaren) | +25000 | +1400 | +250 |
| Guanyu Zhou (Alfa Romeo) | +30000 | +1800 | +175 |
| Sebastian Vettel (Aston Martin) | +50000 | +8000 | +550 |
| Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) | +50000 | +8000 | +650 |
| Alexander Albon (Williams) | +70000 | +20000 | +900 |
| Nicholas Latifi (Williams) | +70000 | +30000 | +2500 |
Australian Grand Prix Top Pick
Charles Leclerc (+145)
Verstappen is the defending champ and the betting favorite for this event, so any money put on him is certainly not bad money. However, Ferrari has looked really good to start the year, and there has been some speculation that the four DRS zones could help them since the Ferrari cars accelerate quicker than the other cars in the field. Obviously, it’s all speculation at this point, but if you were looking to switch it up from the chalk pick of Verstappen, Leclerc might be the only one I would really consider.
Australian Grand Prix Darkhorse Pick
Valterri Bottas to finish top six (+200)
Bottas is the defending champion in Australia; although, that was back in 2019 since the race has been canceled over the last two seasons due to the pandemic. Bottas has done well on this track though, with three career top-five finishes. He is, of course, no longer with Mercedes, but he’s looked good in his first two races at Alfa Romeo this year and there’s been a lot of talk/writing about Alfa Romeo using Ferrari’s C42 design for their car.
The attached link has a lot of information (some of it beyond an NYC kid like myself who takes the subway every day), but it’s a good breakdown of the way in which Alfa Romeo is trying to push the envelope where possible. Given that and the reliability of Bottas as a driver, this is an intriguing bet if you’re looking for something less chalky.
Odds courtesy of DraftKings. For more, click here.
