Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2024 Betting Preview

Newly-crowned world champion Max Verstappen will be gunning for his fifth successive win at the iconic Yas Marina Circuit in this season’s finale, while there will be a handful of rookies behind the wheel for the first practice session on Friday. The World Constructors’ Championship will be decided at the F1 Abu Dhabi GP, with Ferrari chasing McLaren for the coveted crown. There are many betting opportunities for the race weekend, with numerous drivers behind the wheel with their current teams for the last time.

The state-of-the-art Hermann Tilke-designed track, renowned for good grip, has two flat-out straights and 16 technical corners for the twilight race that shifts from sunset to a floodlit spectacle on artificial Yas Island. It is the world’s most expensive racing circuit at US$1 billion and the world’s largest permanent sports venue lighting project, which makes it a fitting finale to what will be Formula 1’s longest-ever season with a record-breaking 24 races. There’s tons of betting action before the main race, with a pair of practice sessions on day one, plus the final practice and qualifying on day two.

How to Place Bets on the Abu Dhabi GP

Betting on a driver or team to be an outright winner, and for a top six finish, are popular Formula 1 wagers. Backing a driver for a podium finish at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2024, although odds may not be generous, is a more cautious punt on which top three drivers will be first past the chequered flag. Knowledge is key for sports betting, such as three current drivers — Valtteri Bottas, Lewis Hamilton and Verstappen — having each previously won the F1 Abu Dhabi GP. Formula 1 fans could also contemplate placing a potentially high odds pre-set race winner & double podium accumulator, which is a prediction on the outright champion and two other drivers to complete the podium of the top three.

Odds and Predictions for Abu Dhabi’s F1 Race

The Yas Marina Circuit was reconfigured for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2021 race to increase overtaking opportunities and top speeds. The track boasts a 1.2km straight going into the slow-speed corner at Turn 6, where drivers tend to try and slip past rivals, and there’s another long stretch between Turns 8 and 9. The surface delivers a high level of grip but causes rapid tyre wear, so pit stop strategy will play a pivotal role at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

McLaren’s Lando Norris lies eight points ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc as they battle it out to finish runner-up to Verstappen in the Drivers' Championship. Ferrari are 21 points ahead of McLaren, and clear favourites to lift the Constructors’ title for the first time since 1998. Rookies will be introduced by many teams for the first practice session, with the Leclerc brothers — Charles and Ferrari development driver Arthur — set to race alongside each other for the first time.

Teams are saying farewell to their drivers as the F1 merry-go-round continues, including seven-time world champion Hamilton signing off for Mercedes to join Ferrari. The five-time Abu Dhabi winner lacked the pace to finish ninth in last year’s race, a vast improvement on his 18th place in 2022, so his chances to finish on the podium don’t look promising, although he will be aiming to finish his 12-year stint with the team in style. Let’s take a closer look at the Abu Dhabi GP odds and some Abu Dhabi F1 betting tips:

Predictions

Odds For Winner

Verstappen will aim to reach double figures for race victories this term following his Qatar GP triumph. He is a joint-favourite with Norris to win, according to Abu Dhabi betting odds, slightly ahead of Leclerc and George Russell. Verstappen has long reigned supreme on the Yas Marina Circuit, and success on Sunday would make it five Abu Dhabi wins on the spin.

Lando Norris: 3.25
Max Verstappen: 3.25
Charles Leclerc: 6.50
George Russell: 9.00

Odds for a Podium Finish

Although it is anticipated that Norris and Verstappen will dominate the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the recent bust-up between the Ferrari pair of Leclerc and Carlos Sainz will come to a climax in this race as they try to outshine each other.

Lando Norris: 1.36
Max Verstappen: 1.44
Charles Leclerc: 1.57
Carlos Sainz: 3.75
Lewis Hamilton: 4.50

Odds for Race Winner & Double Podium

Verstappen was followed across the line by Leclerc at the 2023 Abu Dhabi GP, with Russell rounding off the podium. The trio are joined by Norris, who was penalised for ignoring yellow flags during the Qatar Grand Prix to be demoted from second to tenth, as the names that offer the shortest odds for this bet.

Max Verstappen to win, Lando Norris & Charles Leclerc on podium: 7.00
Max Verstappen to win, Lando Norris & George Russell on podium: 7.50
Lando Norris to win, Max Verstappen & Charles Leclerc on podium: 7.50

Odds for Fastest Lap

• Lando Norris: 3.50
  Max Verstappen: 5.00
  Charles Leclerc: 5.00
  Oscar Piastri: 7.00
  Lewis Hamilton: 11.00

• Odds for a Top Six Finish
  George Russell: 1.20
  Carlos Sainz: 1.25
  Lewis Hamilton: 1.33
  Sergio Perez: 2.75
  Pierre Gasly: 8.00

• Odds for a Top Ten Finish
  Nico Magnussen: 1.62
  Alex Albon: 3.25
  Lance Stroll: 6.00

• Odds for Fastest Lap & Win Race
  Lando Norris: 8.50
  Max Verstappen: 10.00
  Charles Leclerc: 21.00

• Odds for First To Retire
  Lance Stroll: 12.00
  Yuki Tsunoda: 15.00
  Valtteri Bottas: 17.00

• Odds for Car To Set Fastest Lap
  McLaren: 2.50
  Ferrari: 3.40
  Red Bull: 3.75

• Odds for Safety Car
  Yes: 2.10
  No: 1.67

• Odds for Number of Classified Finishers
  Over 16.5: 1.05
  Under 19.5: 1.18

• Odds for Most Team Points
  McLaren: 1.40

• Odds for Winning Margin
  Between 5 and 10 seconds: 3.75

Top Betting Markets for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

The F1 Abu Dhabi GP offers various betting opportunities, such as the outright winner, the fastest lap and a podium finish. Having a flutter on teams could be worthwhile as the race is on in the Constructors’ Championship for the top spot  — between Ferrari and McLaren — while Alpine, Haas and VCARB will battle it for sixth place. Wagers on the fastest lap during qualifying and the main race are ideal for in-play betting. It is also worth considering live betting for the fastest pit stop at Abu Dhabi, as the strategy tends to be two pit stops due to worn tyres.

Watching the Abu Dhabi GP from South Africa

Formula 1 followers in South Africa can tune into live coverage from the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2024 with SuperSport for practice sessions, qualifying and the main race. You could sign up for F1 TV Pro, which has a subscription charge to follow the onboard cockpit cameras from any of the 20 cars live, team radio communication and live streaming of the race.

When is the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Scheduled?

South African Formula 1 fans can follow the high-octane action from the Yas Marina Circuit over three days. The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix schedule is jam-packed and kicks off on Friday, 6 December, with the first practice featuring rookie drivers (11.30am South African time) and the second practice (3pm). There is a Team pit stop practice (11am), third practice (12.30pm) and qualifying (4pm) scheduled for Saturday, 7 December, with the main race set to start at 3pm on Sunday, 8 December.

Tips for Betting on the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

It’s advisable to keep an eye on how the drivers and cars perform during second and third practice as well as qualifying before you stake a large wager on the F1 Abu Dhabi GP race result. Verstappen has won the past four races on the Yas Marina Circuit, and there’s nothing to indicate that he should not continue his rich vein of form. The season-ending race could see the Ferrari fallout between Leclerc and Sainz erupt, which would allow other drivers to take advantage if there’s a clash on track.

Red Bull is out of the running to win the Constructors’ Championship following the Qatar GP, but they have won more times than any team in Abu Dhabi, with seven triumphs. Essential elements to consider before you place a bet include the driver’s defending and overtaking skills, where they finished in comparison to their starting grid position in Abu Dhabi and how their tyres coped with the track that’s made from English greywacke aggregate.

Can You Bet During the Race?

You will need to be on your toes like the ever-eager Formula 1 pit stop crew when it comes to live betting for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Always ensure that your account is easily accessible to have a flutter. When following the action from the Yas Marina Circuit, you should look out for any substantial shifts in odds to try to get the edge over a bookmaker.

There are plenty of markets for you to have a punt on, such as fastest lap, quickest pit stop and podium finish. Before the main race, you have two days to determine when it’s best to stake a wager, but you can ignore first practice sessions because many newcomers are testing their skills.

As the curtain comes down on the Formula 1 season, the final act is the contest between Ferrari and Mercedes for the Constructors’ Championship at the Abu Dhabi GP. Pit stops and race strategy could determine the winners as Pirelli's softest tyre compounds are being implemented for this race, as tyres tend to take a bashing on the Yas Marina Circuit.

There is a wide selection of betting options, with drivers and their teams fighting for precious points. The action along the two DRS zones, which encourage overtaking manoeuvres, could determine second place in the Drivers’ Championship as Leclerc and Nando go into battle at Abu Dhabi.