Last Updated on March 30, 2023 8:53 pm by Erwin Noguera

Formula 1 changes continents and this weekend we will have the third valid race of the World Championship in Australia at the Albert Park Circuit.

The Australian Grand Prix entered the Formula 1 calendar in 1985, but until 1995 it was held at the Adelaide Street Circuit. In 1996 it moved to the Albert Park Circuit, where it has run ever since except for 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19.

There will be 58 laps and a total of 306.124 kilometers. There are 5 curves to the left and 9 to the right, with four DRS zones for the first time it is one of the fastest circuits and last year it resurfaced. The lap record was set by Charles Leclerc last year with 1:20.260. There may be rain on the weekend, which would change everyone’s plans.

Due to the Australian time zone, practices will start this Thursday night, and you will have to stay up late or get up very early to see the qualifying on Saturday, April 1, and the race on Sunday, April 2.

When: 

Sunday, April 2nd, 2023, at 1:00 am ET at the Albert Park Circuit

Moneyline odds: 

Verstappen, Max -284

Perez, Sergio +420

Alonso, Fernando +800

Leclerc, Charles +1975

Hamilton, Lewis +2600

Russell, George +4000

Sainz Jr, Carlos +4300

Stroll, Lance +9500

Ocon, Esteban +38000

Gasly, Pierre +38000

Norris, Lando +90000

Piastri, Oscar +90000

Hulkenberg, Nico +125000

Magnussen, Kevin +125000

Bottas, Valtteri +175000

Albon, Alexander +175000

Zhou, Guanyu +200000

Sargeant, Logan +200000

Tsunoda, Yuki +200000

De Vries, Nyck +200000

Where can I watch it?

Star+

Australian GP Preview

After the sanctions on Esteban Ocon and Fernando Alonso for not placing the car correctly in the space marked out at the start, the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) decided to expand the space by 20 centimeters.

2023 started with Red Bull leading and crushing their rivals. The Austrian team has managed to make it 1-2 in the first two races, winning Max Verstappen (51) in Bahrain and Sergio Pérez (50) in Saudi Arabia, but the Dutchman is first thanks to the fastest lap achieved on the last lap of last race. Already in the last race, it was evident that this year there may be an internal struggle between the two.

Without a doubt, the top favorites are the Red Bull racers, since the team is being too superior to its rivals, and Max Verstappen, a two-time champion, is expected to win if nothing strange happens. Checo should be second.

In the other teams, Aston Martin has surprised and, above all, Fernando Alonso. The Spanish is showing all his talent and has achieved two third places, which also has him third in the championship. Aston Martin and Mercedes share second place in the team table with 38 points, 49 less than Red Bull.

Ferrari, which for this season changed its team boss and brought in Fred Vasseur, has still not been able to improve and has not achieved a podium finish. Mercedes has improved, but Toto Wolff has already warned that they could change the entire car because they are not performing as expected. The big disappointment in these first two races has been McLaren, which together with AlphaTauri has not achieved any points. Lando Norris finished 17th in both races.

As far as history is concerned, only 4 drivers who are currently competing in the season have won on this track: Lewis Hamilton (2), Fernando Alonso, Valtteri Bottas, and Charles Leclerc. For Red Bull, it has not been a good track, since they have only achieved one victory and it was Sebastian Vettel’s in 2011. After that, which coincides with the beginning of the hybrid era, they have not even achieved a pole position. Max Verstappen, champion last year, went off in the last edition due to a fuel system problem.

Among the curiosities is that Fernando Alonso joined the club of those who have achieved 100 podiums in the last race. The Spanish is the sixth to achieve it, and the other five, when they achieved their 101st podium, were winning.

Australian GP Betting Picks:

1. Max Verstappen
2. Sergio Pérez
3. Fernando Alonso
4. Charles Leclerc
5. Lewis Hamilton

The post Australian GP Preview and Betting Odds appeared first on Gambyl.