Formula 1 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix Odds & Picks
By Daniel Coyle in Racing
Published:
- Defending champion opens 2023 as the favorite to win the Bahrain Grand Prix
- Last year’s race winner Charles Leclerc closely trails Verstappen
- Read on for all the odds and trends ahead of Sunday morning race at Bahrain International Circuit
Max Verstappen begins his pursuit of a third straight Formula 1 title when the 2023 F1 season gets underway this weekend with Sunday’s running of the 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix. Max Verstappen is coming off a dominating 2022 campaign, in which he claimed a record 15 race wins, but is winless in seven previous appearance in Bahrain.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc returns to Bahrain looking to duplicate his success at this race last year, when he claimed the pole position, and tallied the fastest lap on his way to the first of three 2022 race victories.
Here’s a look at all the odds and trends ahead of Sunday morning’s running of the 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix, with race time set for 10:00 am ET at Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir.
Odds to Win 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix
| Driver | Odds to Win | Odds to Finish Top Three | Odds to Finish Top Six | Odds to Finish Top Ten |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Max Verstappen | -120 | -360 | -550 | -750 |
| Charles Leclerc | +275 | -125 | -400 | -500 |
| Lewis Hamilton | +850 | +150 | -280 | -450 |
| Carlos Sainz Jr. | +1000 | +120 | -300 | -450 |
| Sergio Perez | +1200 | -110 | -450 | -550 |
| George Russell | +1600 | +250 | -280 | -400 |
| Fernando Alonso | +2200 | +250 | -110 | -400 |
| Lando Norris | +15000 | +2800 | +330 | +110 |
| Valtteri Bottas | +20000 | +2800 | +450 | -150 |
| Lance Stroll | +25000 | +2000 | +200 | -175 |
| Pierre Gasly | +30000 | +6500 | +550 | -110 |
| Oscar Piastri | +30000 | +6500 | +650 | +175 |
| Zhou Guanyu | +30000 | +4000 | +600 | +175 |
| Esteban Ocon | +30000 | +5000 | +500 | -150 |
| Felipe Drugovich | +30000 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Nyck de Vries | +50000 | +25000 | +1400 | +190 |
| Yuki Tsunoda | +80000 | +15000 | +2000 | +190 |
| Niko Hulkenberg | +80000 | +15000 | +1400 | +275 |
| Kevin Magnussen | +80000 | +15000 | +1200 | +250 |
| Alex Albon | +80000 | +15000 | +2800 | +330 |
| Logan Sargent | +90000 | +15000 | +6500 | +550 |
Max Verstappen opens the 2023 F1 season occupying his familiar perch atop the Formula 1 odds, leading the way as a -120 favorite to claim his first-ever win in Bahrain.
Charles Leclerc follows as a +275 bet to claim a second straight win at this event, well ahead of Lewis Hamilton, who sports +850 to claim the checkered flag in Bahrain for the fourth time in five years.
Odds at DraftKings Sportsbook as of February 27, 2023.
Red Bull Aim to Build on Fast Start in Pre-Season Testing
While success has eluded Re Bull Racing since Sebastian Vettel claim victory at this race back in 2013, the Red Bull duo of Verstappen and Sergio Perez could be primed for a breakthrough after turning in solid performances in pre-season testing on this track last week. A clear favorite to defend his F1 title in the Formula 1 futures, Verstappen turned in the fastest lap on Day 1, and placed second on Day 2, while Perez led the way with the fastest time on the third and final day.
Sergio Perez and Red Bull end Pre-Season Testing on top, with 1️⃣3️⃣3️⃣ laps under their belt!
Ready to go racing next weekend! 👊#RedBull #F1 #Formula1 pic.twitter.com/JP1OR1JRfu
— PlanetF1 (@Planet_F1) February 25, 2023
That steady performance bodes well for Perez, who has turned in disappointing results at this race in recent years. “Checo” has finished in the points in just three of his past seven appearances at the Bahrain Grand Prix. However, considering his strong finish to last season, the talented Mexican offers solid value as a -110 bet to reach the podium if he can avoid the technical problems that forced him to retire in two of his past three appearances in Bahrain.
As for Charles Leclerc, Sunday’s race begins what he hopes is a year of redemption for the Monte Carlo native. Leclerc opened 2022 with wins is two of his first three outings before struggling as the year progressed due to a combination of technical problems and driver errors.
Bahrain Grand Prix Recent Winners
| Year | Race Winner | Margin of Victory | Pole Position | Fastest Lap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Charles Leclerc – Ferrari | 5.598 sec | Charles Leclerc – Ferrari | Charles Leclerc – Ferrari |
| 2021 | Lewis Hamilton – Mercedes | 0.745 sec | Max Verstappen – Red Bull Racing | Valtteri Bottas – Mercedes |
| 2020 | Lewis Hamilton – Mercedes | 1.254 sec | Lewis Hamilton – Mercedes | Max Verstappen – Red Bull Racing |
| 2019 | Lewis Hamilton – Mercedes | 2.980 sec | Charles Leclerc – Ferrari | Charles Leclerc – Ferrari |
| 2018 | Sebastian Vettel – Ferrari | 0.699 sec | Sebastian Vettel – Ferrari | Valtteri Bottas – Mercedes |
| 2017 | Sebastian Vettel – Ferrari | 6.660 sec | Valtteri Bottas – Mercedes | Lewis Hamilton – Mercedes |
| 2016 | Nico Rosberg – Mercedes | 10.282 sec | Lewis Hamilton – Mercedes | Nico Rosberg – Mercedes |
| 2015 | Lewis Hamilton – Mercedes | 3.380 sec | Lewis Hamilton – Mercedes | Kimi Raikkonen – Ferrari |
New Faces Behind the Wheel in 2023
Sunday’s race marks the Formula 1 debut for several drivers. Oscar Piastri competes in his first F1 race for McLaren perched as a distant +30000 bet to earn the win, but sporting competitive +600 odds to crack the top six. Expected to fill the vacancy at Alpine Racing left by the sudden departure of Fernando Alonso for Aston Martin, Piastri joined McLaren after the team parted ways with Daniel Ricciardo and will be aiming to build on his F2 championship win in 2021.
Two-time Formula E champion Nyck De Vries makes his debut with AlphaTauri as a +50000 longshot in the Bahrain Grand Prix odds. But after turning in a ninth-place performance in his lone previous F1 appearance with Williams Racing at last year’s Italian Grand Prix, the 28-year-old Dutchman opens the season as a +190 wager to crack the top ten on Sunday.
After taking home Rookie of the Year honors last year while powering to a fourth-place finish in the Formula 2 standings, Logan Sargeant makes his F1 debut on Sunday, replacing Canadian Nicholas Latifi at Williams. Sargent sits at the bottom of the Bahrain Grand Prix odds as a +90000 bet, and also sports long +550 odds of cracking the points.
The Picks: Charles Leclerc podium finish (-125); Nyck De Vries top-ten finish (+190)
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Sports Writer
Daniel has been writing about sports and sports betting for over 23 years. The seasoned pro has contributed to the likes of Sports Illustrated, Sportsnet, NESN, Bleacher Report, OddsShark, the Globe and Mail, and The Nation magazine.
