The Formula 1 circus is about to get underway in the scorching desert. The Bahrain Grand Prix is now just a few days away and anticipation is rapidly building ahead of the 2023 campaign. Here’s your ultimate guide to the 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix.
How to watch F1 Bahrain Grand Prix
When: Sunday, March 5th, 10AM EST
Where: Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir, Bahrain
How: ESPN, F1TV
The race will be broadcast on ESPN & ESPN+, while both of Friday’s practice sessions and Qualifying sessions will be shown on ESPN2.
F1 Bahrain Grand Prix betting odds
| Max Verstappen | -120 |
| Charles Leclerc | +275 |
| Lewis Hamilton | +850 |
| Carlos Sainz | +1000 |
| Sergio Perez | +1200 |
| George Russell | +1600 |
| Fernando Alonso | +2200 |
| Lando Norris | +15000 |
Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix preview
It’s strange for pre-season testing to be one week before the opening race, let alone at the same venue. This has opened a whole can of worms with fans now believing there’s a much clearer picture of who looks quick and who has perhaps lost some ground over the winter months.
Max Verstappen and Red Bull remain unchallenged at the top of the Formula 1 totem pole for the time being. The team looked very fast in all phases of testing, with Ferrari tailing and Mercedes potentially falling closer to the fourth team on the grid…that’s where the real surprise kicks in.
If you want to bet on a wildcard this weekend, look no further than Fernando Alonso. The wiley veteran has pushed for podiums with Alpine and made a dying McLaren look mildly competent. In what appears to be a scarily fast Aston Martin, there may be no better driver on the grid to push it over the edge and guide it to a podium or even better! You can bet on a Fernando Alonso top-6 finish at -225.
It’s also worth mentioning the next generation of Formula 1 drivers. There will be 3 rookies on the grid this weekend: Oscar Piastri (McLaren), Logan Sargeant (Williams), & Nyck de Vries (AlphaTauri). De Vries was able to drag a poor Williams car to a points finish in his Formula 1 debut last year in stunning fashion and that earned him a drive in 2023. Will he be able to provide a similar effort in the Desert?
Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix betting pick
This is a circuit that has historically not been kind to Red Bull. Sure, Max Verstappen was on pace to win it last year before a late twist in the tale, but the point remains that Ferrari and Mercedes have typically thrived here in recent years.
I never really like backing favorites here and feel like this could be a sneaky opportunity for Carlos Sainz. The two Ferrari drivers are very close in terms of raw pace and there’s no reason why Sainz won’t be able to be in amongst the action this weekend. Team orders won’t be as prevalent in the early goings and at +1000 as opposed to +275, I’ll ride the value.
