Formula 1 fans will have a great reason to watch this weekend race. The Portuguese GP is back after 24 years, but this time in an unprecedented location: Portimão. The event was included in the series calendar as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, as a replacement for races that were canceled. The GP will be the 12th of the 2020 championship and it has peculiarities that we can help with, when you decide your bets. Check it out:
Valtteri Bottas has excelled in opening the stages. Before the Eifel GP, which ended up not having its first free practice due to bad weather, the Finn came from six leads on the first session on six consecutive times. Even at Nurburgring, he managed to be the fastest of the third free practice, when the cars hit the track for the first time that weekend. Fastest in First Free Practice: Valtteri Bottas
Only Mercedes got poles in 2020. The last time a driver on the team was not pole, was at the 2019 Brazilian GP, when Max Verstappen was the fastest in the qualifying session. The bet for one of the Mercedes cars on pole for the Portuguese GP is obvious, but depending on the odds, it is worth believing that Valtteri Bottas will be able to repeat what he did at Nurburgring, as a bet on his pole pays almost double than in Hamilton. Pole Position: Valtteri Bottas
Despite not having a guaranteed place on the F1 grid in 2020, Sergio Pérez has been showing great consistency. Except for the two races in which he was unable to compete because of Covid-19, he scored points in all the others. In addition, he was in the top five in the last three races. To finish in the Top-6: Sergio Pérez
Another driver who comes in a great time is Daniel Ricciardo. He put Renault on the podium for the first time in this new phase of the team at the Eifel GP. More than that, he finished the last five races in top six. Betting on a new podium is risky, but you can believe that the Australian driver could reach the top six again. To finish in the Top-6: Daniel Ricciardo
Red Bull has consolidated itself as the second best team in F1 in 2020 and Max Verstappen is the one who manages to get the best out of the Austrian team's car. While his teammate, Alexander Albon, struggles to stay in the team in 2021, Max has achieved good podiums when the Honda engine allows it. In Portimão, he must have what has been achieved in the last two races. Podium Finish: Max Verstappen
2020 has been a nightmare for Ferrari, which until last year was used to having its drivers attend the highest place on the podium. But, despite the bad time, the main name of the team, Charles Leclerc, has managed to add some points in the championship in the last three races. For Portugal, it is worth betting on that. Top-10: Charles Leclerc
In addition to the races being more hectic in 2020, the F1 race direction has the presence of the safety car as a habit this season. In eight of the 11 races, the safety car was present. The probability grows if we believe that as this is a new track on the calendar, mistakes can be more susceptible, bringing more accidents and stopping the action. Safety Car Presence: Yes
