Las Vegas Grand Prix Predictions, Formula 1 Odds
Already smarting from the less than glowing comments about the event by reigning three-time champion Max Verstappen, things went from bad to worse in the first practice session, which ended early after Carlos Sainz’ car suffered near catastrophic damage resulting from a collision with a loose manhole cover on the track.
Sainz rebounded in FP2, powering his rapidly repaired car to the second fastest time. But after being handed a 10-spot penalty for making those repairs, Sainz nor sits well off the pace as a distant +4000 bet on the Las Vegas Grand Prix odds. While Verstappen has had little positive to say about a Vegas Strip track on which he is likely to excel, he leads the way as a -275 favourite, well ahead of Charles Leclerc at +1100, while Lando Norris follows at +1400.
Las Vegas Grand Prix Race Time, Weather Forecast
Lights out at the 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix is scheduled for 1:00am ET on Sunday morning on the Las Vegas Strip. Despite the late start, temperatures are expected to hover in the low teens Celsius at race under clear skies.
Track Conditions a Real Concern
Carlos Sainz was not the only driver to see his car damaged beyond repair by a loose manhole cover in FP1. Esteban Ocon’s Alpine car also suffered damage, raising major concerns about the safety of the track ahead of the race on Saturday night. Crews spent almost three hours making track repairs before resuming practice. However, the combination of loose manhole covers and freshly poured asphalt on the track could cause havoc during the race.
Accordingly, the odds of a safety car being required during the race have shortened significantly to -300, with the odds of three safety car periods being required are pegged at a very attractive +500. Track conditions have also placed the focus on how many cars will be classified on Saturday night, with the odds of UNDER 15.5 cars now listed with a price boost as a +250 bet.
Don’t Count Out Sainz
While it is woefully unfair that Carlos Sainz is facing a 10-place penalty for repairing damage caused by a sub-standard track, F1 betting fans should not count him out of this weekend’s race. Ferrari engineers did yeoman’s duty while getting Sainz back on the track for FP2, and the lengthy straights that make up most of the track favour Ferrari, which has enjoyed improved pace in recent weeks.
The best-case scenario for Sainz will be to finish tops in qualifying and 11th on the grid. But even if he starts further back in the pack, expect the talented Spaniard to quickly recover. Accordingly, he offers good value as a -120 bet to finish among the top six, and is a solid +350 bet to reach the podium.
As for Max Verstappen, he may be unimpressed with the track design in Las Vegas, but it leaves him well positioned to dominate this weekend. With few challenging corners and multiple straights that will enable him to separate himself from the pack, Verstappen is not only a solid -275 bet to win this weekend. He is also a rock solid +400 bet to win the race, record the fastest lap, along with the fastest pit stop time by his Red Bull team.
Las Vegas Grand Prix Predictions
Bet on Las Vegas Grand Prix
Verstappen win, fastest lap, & Red Bull fastest pit stop (+400); Carlos Sainz top six (-120); UNDER 15.5 cars classified (+250); three safety car periods (+500)