2022 Azerbaijan Grand Prix Prediction, Formula 1 Odds

Signed by Red Bull Racing a year ago to serve as a steady teammate for reigning F1 champion Max Verstappen, Sergio Perez has enjoyed a breakthrough this season. With his victory in Monaco, the 31-year-old is now positioned to challenge Verstappen for the top of the Formula 1 Drivers Standings. The winner at last year’s edition of this race, “Checo” sits third on the Azerbaijan Grand Prix odds at +580, behind Verstappen, who leads the way as a +103 favourite. Ferrari rival Charles Leclerc closely follows at +185.

Max Verstappen +133
Charles Leclerc +152
Sergio Perez +357
Carlos Sainz +1400
Lewis Hamilton +3500
George Russell +3800
Pierre Gasly +5400
Sebastian Vettel +8800
Lando Norris +9700
Fernando Alonso +10100
Daniel Ricciardo +13500
Valtteri Bottas +14400
Yuki Tsunoda +15200
Esteban Ocon +23600
Kevin Magnussen +54500
Lance Stroll +56500
Mick Schumacher +85600
Guanyu Zhou +96800
Alex Albon +115300
Nicholas Latifi +166600

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Azerbaijan Grand Prix Race Time, Weather Forecast

Lights out at the this year’s running of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix is set for Sunday morning at 7:00 a.m. ET at Baku City Circuit. Measuring 6.003 kilometres in length, Baku City Circuit features two DRS zones, and two lengthy straightaways measuring 1.0 km and 2.2 km.

The weekend forecast in Baku calls for increasingly sunny skies, with the temperature at race time expected to climb into the high 20s Celsius.

As the weekend approaches, showers remain in the weather forecast for Sunday in Monte Carlo. The temperature is expected to hover around 20 degrees Celsius. As in 2021, expect teams to stick to C3, C4, and C5 tires using the softest compounds.

Can Checo Build on Epic Win at Monte Carlo?

Perez’ sensational performance two weeks ago in Monaco has done nothing to cool off what has developed into a simmering rivalry with his Red Bull teammate, Verstappen. Unhappy with team orders that forced him to yield first place to Verstappen in Spain, Perez demonstrated his ability to lead the way on the F1 circuit’s toughest street track in Monte Carlo while tallying his first win of the season.

Checo now gets set to race on another difficult street track in Baku, where he stormed to his lone win of the 2021. However, the question remains whether Perez’s recent success will tip Red Bull’s hand in favour of the Mexican, who up until now has had to make do in his role as second fiddle.

Indeed, there is lots on the line for Verstappen heading into the eighth round of the F1 season. The 24-year-old looks to have put his early-season technical problems behind him while reclaiming the top of the standings. And with just a nine-point edge over Leclerc and a 15-point lead over Perez, Verstappen is unlikely to cut his teammate any slack. However, Verstappen has faced hard luck in Azerbaijan, where he has failed to finish in three of four previous appearances.

Opportunity Knocks for Leclerc

It was another tough day for Leclerc in his home race in Monaco. Poised to claim his third win of the season, Leclerc’s day was spoiled by botched team orders that doomed him to a fourth-place finish. However, a visit to Baku could be just what Leclerc needs to turn things around. The 24-year-old is well positioned to dominate in qualifying in Azerbaijan where he seized the pole last season. In addition, Leclerc also holds the track record for fastest lap.

Like Verstappen, Leclerc must also deal with a rapidly improving teammate. Carlos Sainz Jr. avoided problems with team orders in Monaco simply by pointing out they were a bad idea, and narrowly missed overtaking Perez following a late pit stop on his way to a second-place finish. And if he can once again nail down a spot on the front row of the grid, the talented Spaniard offers intriguing value as a +800 bet to claim his first career win.