Finally, the Dutch stage appeared on the Formula 1 calendar, which had been talked about for several years – right after the star of Max Verstappen lit up in the "royal races". We offer you a forecast for Saturday's qualification.
This track is new for everyone, and it is very difficult to guess who will be able to show themselves better on it. On Friday, the free races were accompanied by numerous technical problems and pilot errors. In such a ragged rhythm, many teams did not manage to find the optimal settings. This makes the task even more difficult for betting enthusiasts.
The route in Zanfort is one of the shortest in the calendar – it is shorter only in Monaco. This makes it possible for teams from the second tier to qualify for the fight for the first rows of the starting field. On Friday, Leclerc managed to show the fastest time on the Ferrari ,which now intends to compete for its third pole of the season.
I will not risk betting on the winner – I suggest playing against Verstappen. Despite the strong support of the stands, the Dutchman looked completely unconvincing in the free races on Friday. It seems that the configuration of this track does not suit him too well, so Max may well be left without a pole.
At the same time, you can risk betting that the gap between the first and second places in the protocol will be minimal – less than one tenth of a second. On a track with a short lap, this is quite possible, and the odds offered by bookmakers are very tempting.
On Friday, the speed of McLaren did not stand out at all, so a high position from Norris is hardly worth waiting for, especially after last weekend's failure at Spa. But Leclair should be high – at least higher than his teammate. It adds a lot of Windows during the season. In the second practice, the Frenchman was third, and again can be higher than Alonso. But in the Aston Martin, the veteran Vettel dominates the young Stroll. Giovinazzi has been stable lately, while Raikkonen, who is finishing his career, seems to have completely lost motivation.
