Gavin Puszczalowskyi looks at the final race of the 2024 season and picks his best bets.
The longest ever Formula 1 season draws to a close this weekend in Abu Dhabi with plenty to race for in the constructer championship, with a top prize of £106 million on offer. It's McLaren v Ferrari and it is all to play for, helped by an extremely harsh penalty for Lando Norris last week in Qatar.
McLaren currently lead the constructers championship by 21 points which means McLaren need to score 24 points to win the title, and the £106 million, which means a third place and a fifth place finish for both McLarens would be enough.
Ferrari need to score 22 points and hope that McLaren don't score any points at all. Possible, but unlikely, and there are other permutations but I could be here all day. All Ferrari can do is go hell-for-leather and hope fortune favours red over papaya.
To win the race
Max Verstappen is the favourite to win the race. After not winning 10 consecutive races since claiming 1st at the Spanish Grand Prix, Max has won 2 of the last 3 and looks to be in great form again and is under no pressure. He is the World Champion, he can race at his leisure with all the pressure being on those around him.
Max is 9/4 to win in most places, and it is a play. If I was to look elsewhere I would look at Charles Leclerc. He has been in great form finishing ahead of Lando Norris in each of the last 4 races, and he could still pip Lando into 2nd place in the Drivers Championship. LeClerc is 6/1 at BetVictor and that is a definite play.
Safety Car
I've never played the "To be a Safety Car market" before, but I am going to in this race. Not only is there a race to win the Constructors Championship, there is a real battle between Alpine, Haas, and RB for 6th, 7th, and 8th. The prize money for finishing 6th is £72 million, which is £13 million more than you get for finishing 8th. It really is all to race for. So teams, and drivers, will be pushing and pushing hard.
There could, therefore, be plenty of comings together and contact, and with the track being surround by walls to bring you to a sudden halt, ask Latifi in the infamous 2021 final race decider between Hamilton and Verstappen, 11/10 at Paddy Power for there to be a Safety Car is a play.
Finish in the points
And let's end with the best market. To finish in the points. I always look to pick two drivers who are odds against in this market. One is Fernando Alonso. The Aston Martin hasn't been great in 2024 but if anybody can deliver something special it is Alonso, who finished in the points in Qatar and at last season's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
I'll also have a look at Kevin Magnussen in the Haas in what could be his last driver in Formula 1. The Haas is quick but as a rule, it is Hulkenberg who has been more consistent and finishing in the points. The German is odds on to do so, but K Mag is 6/4 at Bet365, and I'm backing to bid farewell to Hass, and possibly Formula 1, with a points finish.
Enjoy the final race of the season, good luck with your bets and please gamble responsibly.