F1: 5 High-Value Bets for the Japanese Grand Prix

1. George Russell to win

George Russell currently leads the championship with one win and one second-place finish over his Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli.

Mercedes currently has the fastest overall package as the teams get to grips with new regulations.

Japan’s iconic Suzuka track rewards precision and confidence — two of the English driver’s strengths.

Why it’s value:

Markets still slightly hedge toward teammate hype and past champions.

2. Mercedes to have two cars on the podium

The German outfit is chasing a third straight dominant one-two result and will look to combine strong qualifying and race pace in Japan. Gaining pole position or even being on the front row offers a significant advantage. Suzuka can be difficult to overtake and it’s important to lock in track position.

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3 Russell to beat Antonelli

When it comes down to a straight fight between Russell and Antonelli, the former Williams driver has the edge. Russell has won half a dozen grand prix from 152 starts. The Italian scored his maiden victory in F1 two weeks ago in China and is fast but still inexperienced. Aiding that is the track and Suzuka punishes even small mistakes. Russell has the upper hand over his teammate in a full race distance.

4. Ferrari any driver to finish on podium

The Italian team is clearly the second fastest team to Mercedes so far this season. Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton have both put the SF-26 on the final step of the podium and that’s likely in Suzuka this weekend. The pair needs to work well with their engineers to capitalise on thestrategy and any Mercedes mistakes.

5. Safety Car will make an appearance

According to F1.com, there’s a 67% Safety Car probability. What makes it likely is that Suzuka is fast and narrow, with limited run-off in places where incidents often require intervention. Perhaps the biggest factor is the reliability of the new cars, and that tips the balance towards there being one during the race.

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