Matt Selz
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Welcome back F1 fans! Summer break is over and the cars are back on the track at Spa for Round 14 of the 2022 F1 schedule. There is a lot of intrigue coming into this race. Manufacturers have made some upgrades to their cars, a new rule has come into play regarding the floor of the cars, and the drivers have the rest of the season to prove they belong on a team next year. All of that is setting up for a great Spa weekend. Look out for our Belgian Grand Prix prop bets to be added after qualifying on Saturday.
F1 Belgian Grand Prix track layout and betting strategy
The home of the Belgian Grand Prix, Spa-Francorchamps is the longest circuit on the F1 schedule. It’s a 19-turn, 7.004-km (4.34-mile) layout that weaves through the wooded Ardennes region. There is a ton of elevation change in the layout as well. This is a stern test of car, team and driver that’s not really like any other track on the schedule. There are high-speed corners, high-downforce sections, and long straights all on this circuit.
The long laps provide a lot of chances to pass, if drivers can hang near the car in front, but it can also be a challenge if the car doesn’t have the speed. That being said, there are only 44 laps in the full scheduled distance. Rain is always a threat at this race as well which could lead to chaos and a chance for drivers to come through from the back.
2022 Belgian GP outright winner best bets
Odds listed at DraftKings Sportsbook at the time of publishing.
Max Verstappen (+185)
How can we not roll with Max Verstappen at this point? It hasn’t seemed to matter where he’s been starting, he always has a shot to win. That’s important this weekend as news broke on Friday morning that he’ll be starting from the rear of the grid due to engine and gearbox changes on his Red Bull. That doesn’t scare me off. With the standard speed he shows, as well as the race-winning strategy Red Bull displays, he should have all the chance in the world to win. Getting positive odds on the driver leading the world championship is a gift.
Lewis Hamilton (+285)
Lewis Hamilton has been far better in the last few races. Mercedes has made some big strides this season after a slow start to the year and Hamilton has been a major beneficiary. In the last 5 races he’s finished 3rd, 3rd, 3rd, 2nd, 2nd and not just because of strategy. The Silver Arrows will challenge for a win this year and why not bet on him to nab his first one of 2022 in the first race back after the summer break?
Sergio Perez (+1200)
If we like the speed and strategy from Red Bull, why aren’t we going to look at Checo Perez too? Unlike Verstappen (and at least 5 other drivers) he’ll be starting where he qualifies rather than from the back of the grid, giving him an early advantage. He is currently 3rd in the driver standings, just 5 points back of Charles Leclerc, but with Verstappen’s lead of 80 points, there aren’t likely to be any team orders in place for Red Bull. That’s also good for us.
Check out Matt Selz’s picks for this week’s NASCAR race at Daytona
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