Mercedes has dominated the weekend in Barcelona, but championship leader Kimi Antonelli and Lewis Hamilton headline a fascinating betting battle tomorrow
Mercedes has the fastest car going into the Barcelona Grand Prix tomorrow, with George Russell taking the pole for the race, at 1:14.679. The race starts tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. EST.
Lewis Hamilton, with Ferrari, starts in P2 position, just 0.064 seconds behind Russell.
Russell’s teammate at Mercedes, and championship leader, Kimi Antonelli, qualified P3, with Lando Norris (McLaren) starting P4 and Max Verstappen from Red Bull starting P5.
In F1 betting at Betway, Russell is the betting favorite (-154), followed by Antonelli (+275), Hamilton (+450), Norris (+1200), Verstappen (+2000), then Oscar Piastri (+2500), and Charles Leclerc (+8000), who crashed his Ferrari during qualifying today, the second weekend in a row in qualifying that he has done that.
Leclerc will start 10th tomorrow.
“I just feel very much ashamed to be here after a crash like that,” said Leclerc, according to Reuters. “What did I do? I released the brakes earlier and I tried to carry speed. I think on the previous lap, we were close to being the fastest car on every corner apart from turn four. I knew I had to make everything perfect for that lap and I tried, but I obviously regret it.”
Leclerc said he still feels optimistic about tomorrow.
The front row is a first for Hamilton since joining Ferrari last season.
Antonelli enters the race tomorrow on an amazing win streak, seeking his sixth win in a row, looking to extend a 66-point point lead in the driver standings over Hamilton, a seven-time world champion.
Today was Russell’s third pole this season, with Antonelli taking the other four so far this season – meaning Mercedes has taken all seven.
“It’s been a great weekend so far. I feel like my old self again where every lap I’m doing the job, always fighting in those top positions,” said Russell, according to Reuters.
Despite the domination by Mercedes, Ferrari has looked much stronger, and as Hamilton said today, it’s still early in the season. Does he make a move on Antonelli this weekend?
Hamilton at plus money is an interesting play, since Barcelona is a track where experience and tire management matter most. Hamilton and Russell are former teammates, which adds another layer of intrigue for tomorrow.
Antonelli is -275 at Betway to win the F1 Drivers’ Championship, followed by Russell at +300, Hamilton at +2000, Verstappen at +2200, and Norris at +2800.
