Formula 1 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Odds & Picks

• The race for the 2021 F1 Drivers Championship will be decided at this weekend’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
• Lewis Hamilton enters the weekend deadlocked with Max Verstappen in the F1 Drivers Standings after claiming victory in the past three races
• Read on for the full F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix odds and trends as the 2021 F1 season comes to a close on Sunday morning at Yas Marina Circuit

The battle for the Formula 1 Drivers Championship will be settled this weekend when the 2021 F1 season draws to a close with Sunday’s running of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Now deadlocked with archrival Max Verstappen atop the F1 Drivers Standings after claiming victory at last weekend’s Saudi Arabia Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton has emerged as -225 favorite in F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix odds.

Hamilton has revived his chances of winning a record eighth world title by taking home the checkered flag in each of the past three races. Verstappen is pegged as the +220 second betting favorite to post a second straight win in Abu Dhabi, which would also hand him his first career F1 crown.

Here’s a look at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix odds and trends ahead of race time at Yas Marina Circuit on Sunday morning at 8:00 AM EST.

2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Odds

Odds as of December 9th at DraftKings

Hamilton Poised to Repeat as Champion in Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Odds

After enduring a 14-race stretch that featured just two victories, Lewis Hamilton has come alive during the stretch run of the 2021 F1 season. Bolstered by recent engine upgrades to his Mercedes ride, Hamilton has been able to take advantage of lengthy straightaways in his past three outings.

ICYMI: Our top two are TIED on points with one round to go!

Verstappen technically maintains the lead, as he has more wins (9) than Hamilton (8)#SaudiArabianGP 🇸🇦 #F1 pic.twitter.com/C201RydF4r

— Formula 1 (@F1) December 6, 2021

As a result, the 36-year-old Englishman has turned the tables on Verstappen, who had dominated the standings earlier in the season while racking up nine victories. Pegged as a distant +300 longshot in the F1 Drivers Championship odds as recently as mid-November, Hamilton now sits as a heavy favorite to clinch the title in Abu Dhabi, where he has won five times while reaching the podium on nine previous occasions.

Verstappen Vies for Second Straight Win in Abu Dhabi as Underdog

While Verstappen has lost ground to Hamilton in recent weeks, he has remained a force to be reckoned with. The 24-year-old Dutchman has finished second to Hamilton in each of his past three outings and has claimed one of the top two spots on the podium in 17-of-21 races so far this season.

A finishing record to behold as we return to Abu Dhabi 👀

We are merely days away from capping and end to our unforgettable season so far ✨#F1 #HistoryAwaits pic.twitter.com/TP2SiaJpni

— Formula 1 (@F1) December 8, 2021

Verstappen has also produced consistent results in Abu Dhabi. After outpacing Mercedes to claim both the pole position and checkered flag at this race a year ago, Verstappen has now reached the podium in each of his past three appearances at Yas Marina Circuit and finished no worse than fifth over his past five.

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Recent Winners

Expect More Aggressive Driving

However, with Red Bull openly admitting this week that they “can’t defend” against the superior pace established by Mercedes in recent races, this weekend’s finale has the potential to be settled with some on-track nastiness. Faced with a track design at last week’s inaugural Saudi Arabia Grand Prix that caused headaches for drivers up and down the grid, the duel between Verstappen and Hamilton was marred a number of delays due to collisions.

A standout moment in the 2021 championship 👀#SaudiArabianGP 🇸🇦 #F1 pic.twitter.com/6oFiWo0JU8

— Formula 1 (@F1) December 6, 2021

Most notable among those was Hamilton’s rear-end collision with Verstappen after the Red Bull racing driver was ordered to cede first place to Hamilton. The crash earned Verstappen a 10-second penalty, eventually sealing his fate, but extended his recent run of aggressive driving that is likely to continue on Sunday. That adds substantial value to the -175 odds of a safety car being deployed at some point in Sunday’s race.

F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Best Picks & Prediction

With success in qualifying likely to play a crucial role in determining this year’s F1 champion, Valtteri Bottas is poised to have a huge impact in his swan song with Mercedes. Sey to depart the German automaker to join Alfa Romeo next season, Bottas has enjoyed a steady stretch run. The 32-year-old Finn has finished among the top six in seven of nine outings while reaching the podium on five occasions.

💙 https://t.co/CRlHmCQOMo

— Valtteri Bottas (@ValtteriBottas) December 9, 2021

More important has been his performance in qualifying. Bottas has claimed the pole in three of his past six races, and has been steady in past appearances in Abu Dhabi, where he has started from the front row of the grid in each of his past four appearances. In addition to providing a big assist to Hamilton, Bottas’ steady performance in qualifying means he should not be overlooked as a +450 bet in Abu Dhabi Grand Prix odds to be the fastest qualifier this weekend.

The Picks: Valtteri Bottas fastest qualifier (+450); Safety car – Yes (-175)