Bryce’s Bets: F1 season finale at Abu Dhabi

Our resident prognosticator has one last chance to get back closer to .500 as the 2022 campaign comes to a conclusion

Unfortunately race fans, we are at the end of the road. It’s the final lap of a season dominated by Max Verstappen and Red Bull.

But last weekend in Brazil, it was the first victory of the year for Mercedes and the first victory of George Russell’s career. Russell is starting this weekend in sixth place. Verstappen is on pole, followed by Sergio Perez and then Charles Leclerc, who are both also tied in the points for second place going into Sunday’s season finale.

Before we get into the best bets for Abu Dhabi, let’s look at how the bets from Brazil did. A $ sign means it hit, an X means it did not:

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George Russell to Win $

This was a great value bet for anyone who hit it. Russell had the pace all weekend long, but he had the third-best odds. Russell led from the beginning and never looked back, taking a relatively easy first win.

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Sebastian Vettel Top Ten Finish X

Vettel was looking quick after getting through the collisions in the opening laps. He was as high as third and was running around the top six until the last caution caught him out. He didn’t pit and was passed by drivers on newer tires, ultimately finishing 11th.

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Kevin Magnussen Top 10 Finish X

This bet never had the chance to work out, as Magnussen got in a collision with Daniel Ricciardo on the first lap. It’s unfortunate because Magnussen had good pace all weekend.

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Verstappen and Russell Podium Finish X

Verstappen looked to have the pace, but his collision with Lewis Hamilton put him at the back of the grid and he couldn’t find his way to the podium, instead finishing sixth.

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Now on to Abu Dhabi! As usual, find these plays wherever you can find the best odds.

Yuki Tsunoda Top 10 Finish

Tsunoda has not had a good season, scoring 12 points for the year and he’s currently 17th in the championship. He’s starting 11th on a track where he had his best result last year, finishing fourth in the finale. Take Tsunoda at plus odds to finish in the top 10 on a track he likes.

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Sebastian Vettel Top 10 Finish

It’s Vettel’s final race in Formula One, which makes any race fan sad. But Vettel could make some money for you as he’s looked quick in practices and qualifying. He’s starting eighth and the odds aren’t great at over –150, but Vettel should go out in style with some points in his last race.

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Charles Leclerc Podium Finish

Leclerc had a great drive in Brazil despite only finishing fourth. He went into the wall after a collision with Lando Norris on Lap 7, but fought his way up to just missing out on a podium finish from the back of the grid.

Leclerc showed good pace in qualifying. He has also scored podiums in five out of the last seven races. Take Leclerc at decent odds to finish the season with a podium as he tries to beat out Perez for second place in the championship.

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Leclerc and Verstappen Podium Finish

Both of these drivers have the pace to finish on the podium. At plus odds, it’s a great play. The only issue could be crashes and collisions for either of them. Verstappen will be looking to end his year on a high after a disappointing Brazilian Grand Prix.

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Year Record: 28-33

Best of luck and enjoy the race! Continue to follow @AutoRaceDigest on twitter and read all the best racing content at AutoRacingDigest.com.