Max Verstappen fell short of winning the world title in Singapore. The heavy favorite finished seventh in a race that was filled with chaos thanks to Red Bull’s kerfuffle in qualifying and a thunderstorm. But no matter, as the F1 racing betting odds still peg the defending champion as the outright favorite to win the Japanese Grand Prix.
Let’s check the latest Formula 1 odds, stats, injury reports, and Formula 1 lines for 2022 Japanese Grand Prix. We’ve plenty of Vegas Formula 1 odds for you to consider.
2022 Japanese Grand Prix Outright Odds
Verstappen Favored to Win Race and the Title
Max Verstappen is not as widely favored as he was in Marina Bay. Still, the online sportsbook’s line of -200 means Verstappen has an implied probability of 66.7 percent, so he wins in Suzuka two of three times. As a distant runner-up, Charles Leclerc is inserted as the next most likely winner at +300.
Leclerc, Ferrari’s leading man, has not finished first since Austria. But with three wins in the year, he’s the likeliest candidate to edge Verstappen. Leclerc is also the best bet to secure the pole position, having done it nine times this year. He can also spoil Verstappen’s title hopes if he finishes no worse than second while his Red Bull rival fails to nab the extra point for fastest lap.
The best case for Verstappen is to win the race and to secure the fastest lap. That would be a title-clinching performance and one that is worth betting online on. Verstappen, of course, leads the props as the most likely driver to gain the extra point. He leads the season with five fastest lap points.
Mercedes: Can They Maintain Dominance in Suzuka?
Verstappen was not the only driver that had issues in Singapore. Both Mercedes drivers failed to finish in the top six as George Russell finished 14th and Lewis Hamilton ninth. Returning to Suzuka may help the struggling team as it has dominated here in its last six appearances.
Hamilton has won the Japanese Grand Prix five times. He has yet to win a race this season and has not finished on the podium since Hungary five races ago. As for Russell, he is usually consistent and has seven podium finishes for the year. He’s worth backing with top-six bets and maybe a top-three bet.
But for either to pull off a massive upset and win? Hamilton is listed at +1200 and Russell is at +2000. Hamilton’s line would be longer if he wasn’t the seven-time champion, and Russell is still searching for his maiden win.
2022 Japanese Grand Prix Betting Odds
| ODDS TO WIN F1 JAPANESE GRAND PRIX | MONEYLINE |
| Max Verstappen | -200 |
| Charles Leclerc | +300 |
| Sergio Perez | +1000 |
| Lewis Hamilton | +1200 |
| Carlos Sainz | +1600 |
| George Russell | +2000 |
| Lando Norris | +20000 |
| Fernando Alonso | +25000 |
| Daniel Ricciardo | +50000 |
The odds in this chart are based on the time of publication. They are subject to change.
With More Rain in Forecast, Expect Chaos
We saw just what a little thunderstorm can do to the tracks in Marina Bay. This Sunday, the early weather forecasts see rain in the Suzuka-shi, Mie region of Japan. There are expected to be 32 mph wind gusts during the night of the race as well.
Slippery conditions will yield more accidents on the track. It’s not crazy to think that the favorites struggle or retire. In 2019, the last time the Japanese Grand Prix was held, there was a torrential downpour in the days prior to the race. In fact, Verstappen had to retire due to collision damage from Leclerc. Valtteri Bottas, then with Mercedes, won the race as an underdog.
The likes of Leclerc, Hamilton, Verstappen, and Lando Norris all got into collisions, which impacted the final results.
Should something similar happen, keep an eye on the outer contenders like Carlos Sainz Jr. (+1600), Sergio Perez (+1000), and one of the Mercedes drivers to capitalize and win.
