Motor Racing

Bahrain Grand Prix Betting Preview And Race Predictions (2025)

5 months ago

| BY Sam Cox

With two wins from the first three races, it’s no surprise to see the two McLarens atop the F1 betting markets for the Bahrain Grand Prix this weekend.

Fresh off his first win of the season at Suzuka, Max Verstappen has the third-shortest odds in William Hill’s betting odds. The Dutch driver has been competitive in all three races despite how he has constantly bemoaned the speed of the car.

The decision to swap Liam Lawson for Yuki Tsunoda didn’t reap immediate rewards, with the latter finishing 12th at his home Grand Prix. It remains to be seen if the second Red Bull – regardless of who is behind the wheel – can reliably compete with the rest of the top four teams.

Ferrari’s Struggles

Seen as the second-fastest car before the opening race, Ferrari have fewer points than Max Verstappen ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix. Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton are outsiders at 16/1 and 20/1, respectively.

The Scuderia has a small working window, which has already frustrated Hamilton.

Speaking after the last race, the Brit said, “I think we are probably the fourth fastest at the moment and I think we are a little bit off the other guys in terms of performance, downforce-level wise. So we’ve got some work to do to close the gap.”

The team is reportedly split on when to introduce the new floor, which should help to address some of Hamilton’s issues.

The pair also have significantly different driving styles, leading to issues with car development. We are steering clear of the Scuderia as a top-three bet until there is greater clarity.

Unstoppable McLaren?

McLaren are the fastest team on the grid. With four races completed, the only debate is over how much quicker they are than their rivals. Ferrari are off the pace, Mercedes don’t look like race winners, and Red Bull only have one car near the front.

Tricky strategic decisions over whether they prioritise Piastri or Norris could once again define the Bahrain Grand Prix. We think Piastri is a good bet to win the race given how close the drivers have been so far, as it seems like the papaya team are happy to treat the drivers equally at this stage.

Mercedes Searching After Disappointment in Japan

Mercedes had decent pace in practice at Suzuka but that didn’t translate into a joyous Sunday. Bahrain is abrasive and tends to have high track temperatures which are conditions the Silver Arrows has struggled in over the last couple of years.

Kimi Antonelli is out at 50/1 to win in Bahrain as a result, while George Russell is 12/1 after collecting 45 points from the first three races of the season. Russell is a decent option to make the podium with an each-way bet at this price, but the gap to the McLarens has been too big to really consider the Mercs as race winners.

After the optimism of testing, the next couple of weeks are a real test of Mercedes’ credentials.