Sports Blog 20/08/2015: Formula 1 Preview – Belgian Grand Prix, Friday 21st to Sunday 23rd August 2015

We’re into the second half of the 2015 Formula 1 season, and a change at the top in Hungary sets up an interesting Belgian Grand Prix this weekend.

Things didn’t go quite to plan for Lewis Hamilton in the Hungarian Grand Prix; his 6th place finish was his worst result (barring retirements) since the 2013 season, and saw him give up some of the impressive ground he had put between himself and everyone else so far this year. Yet on 202 points the Englishman still has a 21 point lead over the 2nd place Nico Rosberg, leaving him on a Drivers’ Season Points spread of 378-384.



Hamilton will be looking to banish memories of the 2014 Belgian Grand Prix this weekend; last season’s race saw Hamilton and Rosberg collide, with the German eventually finishing second whilst Hamilton retired, an incident that angered those higher up at Mercedes and did nothing to quell reports of rivalry between the two drivers. Despite the Hamilton’s Hungarian damp squib AND the Belgian embarrassment last year, the 2014 champion goes into the weekend as the clear frontrunner, odds on favourite at 4/7 with a Race Index spread of 62-66.

As mentioned, Hamilton’s German colleague escaped their on-track scuffle at last year’s Belgian Grand Prix with the better result, ending the race in 2nd; yet he suffered a similar fate to Hamilton in last month’s Hungarian Grand Prix, finishing in 8th to cement a dismal day for Mercedes (which does, however, still have far and away the best Constructors’ Season Points spread of 719-729). Rosberg is still Hamilton’s tail title-wise, and could still win his first championship if his colleague falters going into the second half of the season; he sits at a Race Index spread of 53-57 and is at 5/2 to win the race.



Whilst the Hungarian Grand Prix was one to forgot for the Mercedes pair, it provided an opening for 4 time champion Sebastian Vettel, who is arguably back in the running for the 2015 title following his victory at the Hungaroring. That was his second win of the 2015 season, and one that saw Vettel equal Ayrton Senna’s 41 career wins. It also leaves him on 160 points, only 7 behind his 2014 total haul (incidentally his worst since the new points systems was introduced in 2010), giving the German a Season Points spread of 283-289. In terms of this weekend, Vettel sits firm in 3rd place on the Race Index, with a 41-45 spread, alongside 8/1 fixed odds to win at Spa.

Beyond the top 3, after winning the Belgian Grand Prix last year, and finishing in a season best 3rd in Hungary, Daniel Ricciardo is at a Race Index spread of 15-18, whilst Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottos, the only other 2 podium finishers this season, are at Race Index spreads of 28-31 and 29-32 respectively.

Make sure to check out Spreadex for all the latest Formula 1 fixed odds and spread betting opportunities!