Top Formula 1 Betting Sites

There are plenty of choices when it comes to betting on Formula 1. With 20 drivers battling and barging from the start, the pinnacle of motor racing can be a tricky sport to get to grips with. Compare.bet is here to lend a hand. We’ll run through the main factors to bear in mind when you’re betting on Formula 1 and set you on the right track with our handpicked list of top F1 betting sites.

Formula 1 History

Formula One— commonly known as F1— is the pinnacle of motorsport. The current F1 season consists of 21 individual races taking place across virtually every continent. Typically, the season starts with the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne in March, continuing through until the Yas Marina circuit in Abu Dhabi in November. With so many races and a wide range of technical variables, F1 betting can be just as exciting as the race itself.

Formula One isn’t just about the individual drivers, as they’re all part of wider teams. Different teams have dominated the competition during certain periods. McLaren were strong in the 80s and 90s, while Ferrari hold the record for the most constructors’ championship titles with 16. Since the recent introduction of hybrid engines, Mercedes has been the team to beat winning 7, though Red Bull have also made a name for themselves in the modern era by winning 4.

The most successful Formula 1 drivers ever are Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher, who have both won seven drivers’ championships. Hamilton has however won the most races at 91 and secured the most pole positions with 97. Sebastian Vettel is the only driver currently racing with more than a single title to his name, with four. 

How Formula 1 Works

To win the Formula 1 Drivers’ World Championship, a driver must score more points than anyone else over the course of a season. Scores are awarded to the top ten finishers of each race. The winner scores 25 points, second place 18 and third place 15. Fourth to tenth are then awarded 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2 and 1 respectively. What’s more, a bonus point is awarded each race for the fastest lap. The teams behind each driver competing in the constructors’ championship are awarded points based on the placement of their drivers in each individual race. They are awarded points if both their drivers finish in the top ten. 

Before the race can start, however, drivers must complete a day of qualifying to decide how they line up on the grid. The driver with the fastest qualifying times will start in pole position come race day. Should a driver encounter a problem during qualifying or the race itself, they will make a quick pitstop to allow their team to fix the issue. Visits to the pits usually only take a few seconds, but if poorly timed, they can make the difference between winning and losing.

Where Does Formula 1 Take Place?

Different drivers will perform better on different tracks, with the conditions of each suiting a particular driving style. A driver that thrives on the sharp twists and turns of the Monaco Grand Prix, for example, may not fare so well on the long straights of Monza in the Italian Grand Prix. With new tracks regularly added to the calendar, let’s have a look at some of the key Grand Prix to look out for. 

• Bahrain Grand Prix — Bahrain International Circuit 
• Spanish Grand Prix — Circuit de Catalunya, Barcelona 
• Monaco Grand Prix — Monaco 
• Azerbijan Grand Prix — Baku City Circuit 
• Austrian Grand Prix — Red Bull Ring, Spielberg 
• British Grand Prix — Silverstone 
• Italian Grand Prix — Monza
• Mexican Grand Prix — Autódrome Hermanos Rodríguez, Mexico City
• Brazilian Grand Prix — Interlagos

How to Get Started at a Formula 1 Betting Site

With so many bookmakers offering F1 as a betting option, it can be a challenge to sign up to the right one for you. That’s why we’ve put together some top tips on how to find and get started at some of the best F1 bookies.

Formula 1 Betting Markets

Our top F1 betting sites now offer a range of markets that provide both pre-race and live betting opportunities. Let’s delve into the key bet types available at Formula 1 sportsbooks.

Race Winner 

This is the most straightforward single-race F1 betting market. You are simply predicting who will win an individual race. The drivers in pole position and second are most likely to start as favourites, especially in Monaco, where overtaking is difficult. These bets often have shorter odds, however, so will offer smaller returns. Nonetheless, how a race pans out can all depend on the weather conditions. With rain, for example, mistakes are more likely meaning overtaking becomes more common, especially further down the pack. This can provide more favourable odds in the race winner market. 

Podium Finish 

The podium finish betting market is about predicting whether a driver will finish in first, second or third place. Each Formula 1 team only has two cars per race, so the door is always open for another contender to come through. The podium finish betting option is also a good compromise if you’re unsure about who will actually win the race and would rather hedge your bets. 

Safety Car

The safety car could appear at any time, be it for a pile-up or adverse weather conditions, such as heavy rain. A safety car bet will be a simple yes or no, but remember the odds will vary depending on the difficulty of the track. For example, the high humidity and constant turns of Singapore mean safety car deployment is highly likely.

Fastest Lap

Just because someone completed the fastest lap in qualifying, doesn’t mean they will be the fastest in full-race trim. A number of factors can impact the speed of a car, from a change in the weather to the increased traffic on race day. As such, this type of bet is harder to predict, which usually results in better odds. Nonetheless, we would recommend you do some thorough research before wagering on this betting market. If a driver has consistently posted some of the quickest lap times on that track in recent years, chances are they could claim the fastest lap bonus point this time around.

Drivers and Constructors Championship 

You’re not limited to wagering individual races, as outright bets can be placed on the winner of the drivers’ championship. Formula 1 is an unpredictable sport, with a lot happening over the course of a long and gruelling season. As such, wagering on a winner before the season has started can be a risky move. Have a look at how the first few races develop before you make your choice, just in case your early prediction falls through. You can also follow the chances of top drivers on our F1 World Championship winner odds tracker and view how their odds change throughout the season.

Outright bets can also be placed on the winner of the constructors’ championship. Teams win this based on the combined points of all their drivers over the course of a season. As such, a team with drivers that regularly make podium finishes has a better chance of racking up more points than one whose drivers only finish in average positions.

Top Six Finisher

While it’s often most exciting to bet on the outright winner of a race, sometimes it’s prudent to hedge your bets with a wager on a top six finish. For example, you might want to bet on young Mercedes talent George Russell, but you don’t know if he can pull off a podium finish. In that case, betting on a top six finish gives you a little more leeway.

Some punters might also consider betting on multiple racers they think will finish in the top six — or combine the odds into an acca for a larger but less likely payout. 

F1 Betting Tips 

F1 racing is an exciting spectacle, but to the uninitiated, betting on the sport can seem complicated. This is why we’ve put together a couple of F1 betting tips you can follow so that you can make the most from your wager. 

Research Past Performance on that Same Track

A great place to start if you’re thinking about F1 betting is to look into who performed best on that circuit the previous year. A driver may historically thrive on small street circuits like the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, but if they struggle to make an impact on fast high altitude tracks like the Mexican Grand Prix, then betting on them to win every race isn’t the wisest decision. Understanding how a driver performs on each track is also important when wagering on the outright market. If two drivers are level on points going into the final few races of the season, then knowing how they’ve performed on the upcoming circuits in the past can help you pick a winner. 

Look at Team History 

Formula 1 isn’t all about individual drivers, but also their wider teams. Looking at how well a team has performed in the past and whether there are any upcoming changes to the structure of that team are important factors when making any F1 bet. 

Lewis Hamilton’s team, Mercedes, are currently at the top of the pile, having won every single constructors’ championship since 2014. But teams like Ferrari and Red Bull have consistently made the competition tough for the German manufacturer. 

Not every team will make their own engine, however, preferring to create the chassis and then buy an engine from another company. Last season’ second-placed team, Red Bull Racing-Honda, are one such example, with Red Bull providing the chassis and Honda the engine. The combination has brought a lot of success in the past, but with the partnership coming to an end in 2022, how well the new engine performs could significantly alter Red Bull’s fortunes.

Check the Weather Conditions 

The outcome of an F1 race can often swing on account of the weather. Adverse weather conditions such as heavy rain and strong winds can influence how a car behaves on a track. In the case of a lot of standing water, cars can be raised higher off the track which will reduce their speed. High winds can have a big impact on how cars handle in the straights, while the downforce of the cars are also limited in windy conditions. 

The weather can also have a huge impact on the drivers themselves. The spray caused by rainy conditions can hamper a driver’s visibility and, therefore, limit their speed. Hot conditions, on the other hand, can cause driver temperatures to soar, leading to lapses in concentration due to dehydration.

Track Temperatures

It’s not just the air temperature that’s important when it comes to F1. The temperature of the track itself plays a major role in how a team approaches a race. In hot conditions, it’s possible for the asphalt to heat up over 10 degrees Celsius higher than the ambient temperature. This higher track temperature can lead to more wear on the tyres, meaning the car will need to be fitted with longer-lasting hard tyres.

Conversely, cold or even freezing temperatures also have a significant impact on the race. With a lower track temperature, it’s harder for the tyres to warm up, giving them less traction and grip. Tyre blankets have been used to help mitigate these effects, but these are slowly being phased out. As F1 racing tyres are most effective above 100 degrees C, cold track temperatures can affect how a racer drives and the performance of their car. 

Boost Your Bankroll

The quality of a betting bonus can be the difference between a good F1 betting site and a great one. We’ve put together a list of the key offers to look out for so that you can find the Formula 1 betting site that takes pole position. 

Matched Deposit

Matched deposits offer punters a lot of potential value. Players can boost the size of their first deposit up to a certain amount, with some betting sites matching your first downpayment as much as 200% up to £200. Make sure you read the T&Cs of the bonus before you claim, however. There will likely be wagering requirements attached to these offers that may require you to deposit more cash than you’re willing to. The best value matched deposit bonuses will be those that come with the lowest wagering requirements. 

Free Bets 

Free bets are a staple of online betting bonuses. You can claim a free bet either as part of a welcome bonus or with an existing player promotion. These promotions can be a helpful boost to your bankroll, but make sure you understand the T&Cs of the bonus before you claim. There may be wagering requirements attached to the bonus as well as other terms and conditions, such as min odds and deposit limits, that can affect how you play.

Price Boosts 

F1 races are some of the biggest events in the global motorsport calendar, attracting audiences in their millions. As such, Formula 1 betting sites will improve the value of certain odds in order to stand out from the crowd. A bookmaker may boost the odds of Valtteri Bottas winning a particular Grand Prix, for example, meaning that the payout will be greater should he win. These promotions are available to both new and existing players and don’t come with wagering requirements attached. However, there can be T&Cs like minimum odds and deposit limits that will need to be adhered to.

Formula 1 Live Betting Sites

Formula 1 punters can bet on a race while it’s happening through the in-play market. Live betting is great for players who might have missed their chance to place a bet on the pre-race market. In-play betting is also good for finding better value odds. The odds for favourites like Lewis Hamilton to win a race will usually be pretty short. But if he suffers a bad start and slips back a few places, then the odds on him winning may suddenly become more favourable.