Karl Rasmussen
- What: Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
- When: Sunday, November 20, 2022 at 8:00 a.m. EST
- Where: Yas Marina Circut, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi
The Formula 1 season will run its final race on Sunday at the 2022 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The lengthy season will come to a close in the early hours of Sunday morning, and while the title has already been awarded to Max Verstappen, the Red Bull driver will be hungry to add another win to his resume.
Before we dive into the action, make sure to check out our Formula 1 betting guide in order to get all the information you need. Additionally, check out our how-to guide on F1 betting for tips, tricks and other useful knowledge.
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Odds
 | To Win |
| Max Verstappen | +125 |
| Lewis Hamilton | +250 |
| George Russell | +350 |
| Charles Leclerc | +1000 |
| Sergio Perez | +1200 |
| Carlos Sainz | +1600 |
Heading into the final F1 race of the season, it’s the usual suspects at the top of the pack. A notable surprise is that Max Verstappen enters the fray at plus odds (+125) for the first time in recent memory. I’ve cut the list off after the top six drivers, as those are the only ones with odds below (+25000). Only three drivers, George Russell (+350), Lewis Hamilton (+250), and Verstappen (+125) have odds below (+1000), and are considered the three favorites to secure a win in the United Arab Emirates.
Max Verstappen Best Bet
The Dutchman coming in at plus odds is a significant surprise, though he did have a tough go of things in Brazil last time out. After some friction with Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton, Verstappen ended up finishing sixth in the race, a disappointing result for the Red Bull star. He’ll be eager to bounce back and tensions with Hamilton could see him putting in a little extra effort to secure a win despite having the title locked up already.
Plus odds on Verstappen is a rare occurrence. The Red Bull driver has picked up 14 wins and 16 podiums this season and is the only drive with more than three victories. His 429 points are an all-time Formula 1 record, and he could add to his historic campaign with a points finsih on Sunday, though he’ll be aiming for the top spot. Verstappen was also the winner of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, so he’s familiar with the turf and has a track record of success on the circuit.
Betting against Verstappen is never a favorable scenario, and with the books offering plus odds, I’m more than willing to take my chances on the Dutchman to pick up victory No. 15 on the season.
Mercedes Best Bet
If there’s another winner to come out of the Abu Dhabi GP on Sunday it’ll most likely be from the Mercedes tandem of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell. It was Russell who picked up the win in Verstappen’s stead in Brazil, and he could try to make it back-to-back victories to close out the campaign. Russell earned a narrow victory over his teammate Hamilton in Sao Paolo, edging the veteran by just 1.5 seconds.
Hamilton is the most winning driver in F1 history at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, so it also stands to reason that he could give Verstappen a real run for his money. With five wins at the event, Hamilton’s experience could come into his favor on Sunday. It’s hard to separate the two Mercedes drivers from one another ahead of Sunday’s race. They’re sitting tight on the F1 standings in fourth and fifth. Russell has 265 points and one win, while Hamilton has 240 points and remains without a win in 2022.
Hamilton could be on the verge losing his longstanding record of winning at least one race in every single Formula 1 season. Unless he can muster up enough speed to secure the gold on Sunday, he’s set to be without a No. 1 finish throughout all 22 races this season. He’ll be determined to avoid doing so, and could use that as motivation for a better result. With both drivers in strong form, another strong pick for Sunday would be Merecedes To Win & Set Fastest Lap at (+275) as a race special.
Race Special
I’m fully expecting the race winner to be from the Mercedes or Red Bull camp, but to take things a little further, I think the sportsbooks have the current favorites spot on. By that, I mean that I think it will be a 1-2 finish between the feuding Hamilton and Verstappen, with the Red Bull driver getting a slight edge. There’s a race special which fits that precise outcome, and the odds are outstanding at (+250).
While the pick for Max Verstappen to place first and Lewis Hamilton to place second may seen a bit precise, it’s exactly how the books anticipate the race to play out. This exact finish has occurred four times this racing season. While that bet is enticing, there’s one that’s very similar, but a bit safer.
For Max Verstappen to win and Lewis Hamilton to get a podium finish the odds are (+225), only slightly less value than a second-place finish for Hamilton. Because it’s such a minor difference in the odds, we’re going to roll with Verstappen to win, Hamilton podium finish (+225).
Before diving into the F1 betting action, make sure to check out our top sportsbook reviews.
