Formula 1 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix Odds & Picks

• After finishing on the podium in Turkey, Sebastian Vettel poised to challenge for a fifth career victory at the Bahrain Grand Prix
• Vettel’s Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc aims to take the next step after being robbed of a victory by engine trouble in this race a year ago
• We’ve got you covered with all the odds ahead of Sunday morning’s running of the Bahrain Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit

Sebastian Vettel will be aiming to reclaim past glory when he hits the track for Sunday’s running of the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix as a lengthy +7000 bet in the Formula 1 odds. The four-time F1 champion has taken home the checkered flag in Bahrain on four previous occasions, including two of the past three years, and is coming off his first podium finish of the season last time out at the Turkish Grand Prix.

However, the 33-year-old German will have to contend with some stiff competition when the lights go out to start Sunday morning’s race at Bahrain International.

Lewis Hamilton has won this race on three previous occasions and leads the way as a heavy -270 favorite to do it again this time around. Vettel will likely have to fend off a challenge from his Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc, who enjoyed a breakthrough at this race a year ago.

Odds to Win 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix

Odds from November 26, 2020

Vettel Poised for Strong Finish at Ferrari

It has been a forgettable campaign for Vettel. With Ferrari’s cars failing to keep pace, Vettel has particularly struggled, finishing in the points in just seven of 14 races. However, with his steady performance in Istanbul, Vettel has raised hopes that he can finish his six-year tenure with Ferrari on a winning note.

The 15-year F1 veteran has been reliable on the track in Bahrain regardless of what team he is driving with. In addition to his wins at this race in 2017 and 2018, Vettel also claimed victory on two occasions while driving for Red Bull, and has never finished worse than fifth in a race that he has completed on this track.

Seb on the podium in Turkey: "It was nice to be back up after such a long time. I said it before the only thing is that they had Sprite and not champagne so that was a reason to go back up very soon!"#BahrainGP 🇧🇭 #F1 #Vettel pic.twitter.com/4edZxEIDaz

— Sebastian Vettel #5 (@sebvettelnews) November 26, 2020

While outpacing Hamilton, who claimed victory in this race last race, represents a potentially insurmountable challenge, plenty of value exists in the +2800 odds of Vettel reaching the podium in consecutive races for the first time since last year’s Mexican Grand Prix. However, for sports bettors looking for an edge in fastest lap betting, the more intriguing option is Leclerc.

Leclerc’s Solid 2019 Bahrain Result

Like Vettel, it has been a disappointing season for the young man from Monte Carlo. Poised for a breakthrough this year after closing out 2019 with podium finishes in five of his final nine races including a pair of wins, Leclerc has failed to claim victory so far this year and has not turned in a podium finish since finishing third at Silverstone.

Bahrain provides a golden opportunity for the 22-year-old to rebound after turning in a stellar performance a year ago. In addition to claiming the pole position, Leclerc also recorded the fastest lap. He looked to be on his way to victory before engine trouble doomed him to a third-place finish.

However, that experience should serve Ferrari’s rising star well this time around. In addition to sporting strong +410 odds to reach the podium, Leclerc is worthy of a flyer to once again record the fastest lap, which pays out at +3300.

Bahrain Grand Prix Recent Winners

Close Finishes Commonplace in Bahrain

One of the attractive features of the Bahrain Grand Prix is its long history of close finishes. Four of the past six editions of this race have seen the winning driver claim victory by a margin of under four seconds, including a year ago, when Hamilton edged out Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas by 2.980 seconds. And on only twice in the 16-year history of this race has the winner claimed victory by a margin of over 10 seconds, with Nico Rosberg last achieving the feat in 2016.

Sebastian Vettel wins Bahrain GP in tense finish with Valtteri Bottas Sebastian Vettel resisted a late charge from Valtteri Bottas to win a fascinating Bahrain Grand Prix and make it two wins from two races in the 2018 Formula 1 season https://t.co/QtrJrOcasL #F1 #Formula1 pic.twitter.com/eho86tSYW4

— E-Formula 1 (@e_formula1) April 8, 2018

Despite that trend, the odds of the winning margin exceeding 10 seconds is pegged at a short +115, while the odds of the winning margin being under five seconds for the ninth time in the history of this event lag at a high-value +220.

Picks: Sebastian Vettel podium finish (+2800); Winning margin under 5 seconds (+220)