All the key details ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix, including big-race betting tips from our in-form 'Pit-lane Insider', the full weekend race schedule and start times, a track guide, the latest odds and standings.
**Our Pit-lane Insider now has four winning tips out of six across the first two races of the season**
The 2017 Formula One season continues this weekend, with the Bahrain Grand Prix taking place at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir on Sunday, April 16.
Sebastian Vettel headed into the weekend as the early championship leader after his victory for Ferrari in Australia followed by a second place behind title favourite Lewis Hamilton in China.
Here, we bring you our prediction from our in-form 'Pit-lane Insider', who followed up success in Melbourne with more profit in Shanghai, as well as everything else you need before placing your big race bets.
CLICK HERE FOR OUR FULL 2017 FORMULA ONE SEASON GUIDE
Bahtain Grand Prix: Weekend Schedule & TV Guide
Friday April 14
Free Practice 1: Sebastian Vettel tops time charts
Free Practice 2: Vettel on top once again
Saturday April 15
Free Practice 3: Max Verstappen goes fastest
Qualifying: Valtteri Bottas qualifies on pole
Sunday April 16
Bahrain Grand Prix: 1800 (UK time: 1600)
TV Coverage
Sky Sports F1 will be broadcasting the race and all the other sessions while Channel 4 will show highlights.
Bahrain Grand Prix: Betting tips & Sky Bet Odds
PRICE BOOST: 1st HAMILTON, 2nd BOTTAS 3/1 from 2/1!
Lewis Hamilton is 11/10 favourite to win today's Bahrain Grand Prix while Mercedes team-mate is 9/4 having achieved the first pole position of his career.
Early championship leader Sebastian Vettel is 3/1 while next in the running is his Ferrari team-mate Kimi Raikkonen at 18/1.
Click here for all Sky Bet's Bahrain Grand Prix odds!
Our Pit-lane Insider followed up success in Australia with more profit in Shanghai after tipping Lewis Hamilton to win (11/8) and Esteban Ocon to claim a points finish (5/2). Here are his thoughts and best bets for this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix...
(Published on Wednesday)
Lewis Hamilton’s admission that he is facing the "closest fight" of his career with Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel to secure a fourth world title seems to be bringing the very best out of British star.
After losing the opening race to Vettel in Australia, Hamilton produced a driving masterclass in Shanghai to capture his 54th grand prix victory and move level with his German rival at the top of the drivers’ standings.
Hamilton’s emphatic response to that Melbourne setback was underlined as he completed only the third ‘Grand Slam’ of his career by grabbing pole, recording the fastest lap’ leading every lap and finishing top of the podium.
Hamilton’s remains odds-on at 4/6 to secure a fourth world title with Vettel best price 7/4 in what is already turning into a two-horse race.
The action now rolls on to Bahrain this weekend, another track Mercedes have dominated in recent years.
Hamilton has enjoyed his fair share of success at the International Circuit by recording victories in 2015 and 2014 and could have completed a hat-trick last year but for a first-corner coming together with now team-mate Valtteri Bottas as Nico Rosberg pinched victory.
The Briton clearly has the bit between his teeth and is the obvious choice at 10/11, but it’s Vettel who provides the real value ahead of this ‘Duel in the Desert’.
There’s a real feeling that Ferrari have the best race car at the moment and with no rain forecast to disrupt matters it’s possible that Vettel could repeat his performance in Australia even if he qualifies behind the Mercedes.
Like Hamilton, it’s a circuit Vettel has enjoyed considerable success at in the past with back-to-victories in 2012/13 while driving for Red Bull.
Last year things didn’t go according to plan as the 29-year-old suffered engine failure in the warm-up lap but expect the German to make amends this time at a more appealing 15/8.
There’s also value to be had backing Haas’ Kevin Magnussen to follow up last week’s impressive eighth place finish in China with another top 10 at 11/8.
The Dane silenced his critics last week, according to his team boss Gunter Steiner, and the Ferrari power unit clearly has the pace to keep up with his rivals.
It’s difficult not to see Felipe Massa bouncing back from last week’s disappointment in Shanghai.
Massa was good in qualifying in the dry but struggled in the race itself. The Brazilian is a two-time champion on this desert circuit and looks a solid bet to secure a top six finish at 4/5.
Suggested bets:
Race Winner: Sebastian Vettel – 15/8
Points Finish: Kevin Magnusson – 11/8
Top 6 Finish: Felipe Massa – 4/5
CLICK HERE FOR ALL SKY BET'S BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX ODDS
Bahrain Grand Prix: Track Guide
Venue: Bahrain International Circuit
Circuit length: 5.412 km
Laps: 57
Race distance: 308.238 km
Number of corners: 15 (6 left/9 right)
In-race lap record: 1:31.447 (Pedro De La Rosa, 2005)
2016 pole position: Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) 1:29.493
2016 winner: Nico Rosberg (Mercedes)
2016 fastest race lap: Nico Rosberg (Mercedes) 1:34.482 on lap 41
Tyre compounds to be used: medium/soft/supersoft
Bumpiness: low
Overtaking chance: Into turn one
Engine severity: high
Brake wear severity: high
Gearbox severity: medium
Winners from pole position since 2005: 5
Number of safety cars deployed since 2005: 2
Bahrain Grand Prix stats
:: Lewis Hamilton is tied with Sebastian Vettel on 43 points at the summit of the championship after his fifth win in China. Hamilton, 32, is now only the second driver in history, after Michael Schumacher, to have five wins on three or more tracks.
:: Hamilton dominated in Shanghai to seal the third 'Grand Slam' - that of pole position, victory and fastest lap - of his career. Britain's double world champion Jim Clark holds the record with eight.
:: Fernando Alonso, who announced earlier this week that he will miss May's Monaco Grand Prix to take part in the Indianapolis 500, is the most successful driver in the history of the Bahrain race having won here three times. Title rivals Hamilton and Vettel have both tasted victory on two occasions at the Sakhir circuit.
:: Kimi Raikkonen has endured a troubled start to the season, but Bahrain has proved to be a good stomping ground in the past. The Finn has scored more podium finishes here (eight) than anyone else.
:: Hamilton and Vettel have both been on pole twice in Bahrain. Five of the 12 winners here have come from the top slot. But the race has never been won from further back than fourth on the grid.
:: This will be the fourth Bahrain race to be staged under the floodlights. It is the third grand prix on the calendar to be run at night - Singapore and Abu Dhabi are the other two.
Click here for our full Formula One season guide
Latest Formula One Driver Standings 2017
1 Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Ferrari 43pts
2 Lewis Hamilton (Gbr) Mercedes GP 43
3 Max Verstappen (Ned) Red Bull 25
4 Valtteri Bottas (Fin) Mercedes GP 23
5 Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) Ferrari 22
6 Daniel Ricciardo (Aus) Red Bull 12
7 Carlos Sainz (Spa) Scuderia Toro Rosso 10
8 Felipe Massa (Bra) Williams 8
9 Sergio Perez (Mex) Force India 8
10 Kevin Magnussen (Den) Haas F1 4
11 Daniil Kvyat (Rus) Scuderia Toro Rosso 2
12 Esteban Ocon (Fra) Force India 2
13 Nico Hulkenberg (Ger) Renault 0
14 Romain Grosjean (Fra) Haas F1 0
15 Antonio Giovinazzi (Ita) Sauber-Ferrari 0
16 Stoffel Vandoorne (Bel) McLaren 0
17 Jolyon Palmer (Gbr) Renault 0
18 Marcus Ericsson (Swe) Sauber-Ferrari 0
19 Fernando Alonso (Spa) McLaren 0
20 Lance Stroll (Can) Williams 0
Latest Formula One Constructors Standings 2017
1 Mercedes GP 66pts
2 Ferrari 65
3 Red Bull 37
4 Scuderia Toro Rosso 12
5 Force India 10
6 Williams 8
7 Haas F1 4
8 Renault 0
9 Sauber-Ferrari 0
10 McLaren 0
