The 2022 Formula 1 season was billed as the most competitive in recent years, with Lewis Hamilton’s reign as king of speed coming under intense pressure. The English speedster has dominated the world of F1 over the last few seasons, and many critics of the sport even accused it of being boring, lacking intensity and a one-horse race. There were elements of truth in those accusations for a long time, but that’s no longer the case.
Lewis has already found himself involved in a battle for pole position with the current campaign hitting full speed. Wins haven’t come nearly as frequently or as easily as they once did, and there is speculation that this could be Hamilton’s final year in the cockpit of a Formula 1 racing car. Will he end on a high or finally call time on an incredible career after admitting he can no longer cut it at the top?
That remains to be seen, but sports fans can make their predictions on the outcome of the F1 driver’s championship and constructors championship everywhere, from online sports, betting Georgia to the betting offices found on the high streets of London. Gambling on the outcome of the season is a sure-fire way to add a little extra excitement to a campaign. Bet smart, and you could land a profit while cheering on your favourite driver.
Who do the traders working at the most famous betting apps expect to triumph this season, and which names have been popular with value hunters? Will we see Hamilton lift the trophy aloft again this year as he’s drenched in champagne, or is the time right for the king’s time to end and a new ruler to come forward?
Verstappen dominates after six
Following the first half dozen races of the 2022 F1 season, the driver’s championship is beginning to take shape, with the leaders pulling clear. The most unexpected feature of the opening six races is Hamilton remains on zero wins, the Brit unable to claim a Grand Prix victory during the current campaign. We have no doubt that will change sooner rather than later, but the longer it takes Lewis to get going, the further behind the leaders he will fall and the less chance of him winning the title and setting a record.
Max Verstappen has been the most impressive pilot to date, performing well last season before hitting the ground running this year. He has won four of the first six races, collecting 110 points to top the table. The Red Bull driver enjoys a cushion over Charles Leclerc in second place on 104 points, and two Grand Prix wins with Sergio Perez in third to complete the podium places. All that is likely to change between now and the end of the season, with plenty of time of track still to be raced.
We must drop to sixth in the ladder to find Hamilton with the British Mercedes driver already miles off the pace. He has a total of 46 points following a nightmare start to the schedule, and he knows he already has an uphill struggle if he is to challenge Max and Charles. He has the time on his side to right the wrongs of this campaign and knows a few Grand Prix wins in quick succession would catapult him back into the running.
The points tally of Hamilton is much lower than many F1 fans expected, and he is closer to the bottom of the pile than he is the top. Has the damage already been done, knocking Lewis out of the running? It’s far too early for anyone at Mercedes to be reaching for the panic button, and Hamilton’s experience will ensure he won’t get too caught up in the drama of it all.
Verstappen reigns in Spain
Max added a fourth Grand Prix win of the season in Spain recently when beating Sergio Perez into second at Circuit de Catalunya, with Britain’s George Russell finishing in third place.
The Brit drives for Mercedes and is viewed as the long-term successor to Hamilton and British F1 racing. However, it may not be as long-term as we first thought.
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