Sports Blog 02/07/2015: Formula 1 Preview – British Grand Prix, Friday 3rd to Sunday 5th July 2015

The 2015 Formula 1 season reaches its (almost) mid-point with the British Grand Prix at Silverstone on Sunday!

Spreadex is offering a host of different fixed odds and spread betting opportunities, before and during the racing weekend. Two of the highlights for racing fans are the long term Drivers’ Championship Index (where 1st to 6th place are assigned 60, 40, 30, 20, 10 and 5 points respectively) and the Grand Prix specific Race Index (where the top 10 are given 80, 60, 50, 40, 30, 25, 20, 15, 10 and 5 points accordingly).



There has been unquestionable domination in Formula 1, and it has come in the shape of Mercedes. The car-maker sits atop the World Constructors' Championship standings with 328 points, leaving it with the best Constructors’ Championship Index 50-30-20-10 spread of 48-50. In comparison, Ferrari in 2nd place has a mere 192 points (and an Index spread of 28-31), whilst Williams has 129 points and a spread of 19-22 with Red Bull on 55 and a spread of 8-11.



This Mercedes-masterclass has left Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg with a stranglehold on the Championship. Last year’s victor Hamilton has 169 points so far this season after winning half of the 8 Grand Prix in 2015. Triumphs in Australia, China, Bahrain and Canada, the runner-up positions in Malaysia, Spain and Austria, and a 3rd place finish in Monaco has put the British driver well on his way towards his first back-to-back championship and his 3rd in total.

This impressive performance has left Hamilton atop both the Drivers’ Championship Index, with a spread of 53-56 and odds on favourite at 1/5, alongside Sunday’s Race Index, at a spread of 62-66. The pressure will be on at the weekend; Hamilton himself stated that the British Grand Prix gives him the ‘biggest buzz’ and after winning it in 2014 he will be chomping at the bit to do the same this year.



Yet he will have tough competition in the form of Rosberg. Hamilton’s German colleague is pushing for his first ever Championship and sits 10 points behind his British counterpart on 159. Wins in Spain, Monaco and Austria (3 out of the last 4 Grand Prix), 2nd place finishes in Australia, China and Canada, and 3rd place in Malaysia and Bahrain leaves Rosberg right behind Hamilton, with momentum seemingly going his way.

Rosberg himself feels that ‘a good weekend’ at Silverstone can be the turning point in his season and see him snatch the Championship from under Hamilton’s nose. Yet given their current positions, Rosberg is understandably just behind Hamilton on both Spreadex’s Drivers’ Championship Index, at 42-45, and Sunday’s Race Index, at 55-59 and 2/1 to win the British Grand Prix.



Beyond those top 2, and it’s very hard to see beyond the mountain of points the Mercedes double-act have accrued, sits Sebastian Vettel on 120 points. He is the only driver to take a Grand Prix off of Hamilton or Rosberg, winning in Malaysia in the 2nd race of the year. Throw in a few top 4 finishes and the 4 time champion is almost a lock-on for a top 3 finish, but facing an unenviable task to break into the top 2. He sits at a Race Index spread of 40-44 with a Drivers’ Championship Index spread of 30-33.

Pickings are even sparser once you look past Vettel. 2007 champion, and Vettel’s Ferrari-partner, Kimi Raikkonen is on 72 points, with a 2nd place finish in Bahrain his best of the year; he is at a Drivers’ Championship Index spread of 12-15 and a Race Index spread of 33-36. Fellow Fin Valtteri Bottas is on 67 points, his peak of 3rd place in Canada following a 14th place nadir in Monaco; he has a Race Index spread of 22-25 and a Drivers’ Championship Index spread of 13-16. Rounding out the top 6 is the Brazilian Massa, who will be hoping to build on his 3rd place finish in Austria; on 62 points he has a Race Index spread of 18-21 and a Drivers’ Championship Index spread of 6-8.