Louis Bollard is expecting shenanigans in the title decider in Abu Dhabi, where Oscar Piastri rates the value call.
F1 betting tips: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
1pt e.w. Oscar Piastri to win the race at 10/1 (General 1/3 1,2)
1pt Ollie Bearman to finish in the top six at 8/1 (General)
- Follow Formula One expert Louis Bollard on X
Qualifying has set the scene with a mouthwatering grid for the decider in the desert with the three title contenders filling the top three spots. I expect lap one to be feisty with OSCAR PIASTRI doing all he can to keep his title fight alive while Lando Norris may well be happy starting lap two in P3.
Should Piastri take second place, I expect the McLaren to excel over a race distance at this venue in comparison to the low drag qualifying setup used by Max Verstappen, which can allow Piastri to fight for the win.
Verstappen will not want to drive off into the distance if Norris is still in the top three so expect him to play some games like Lewis Hamilton did to Nico Rosberg in 2016 and back the pack up. This will also allow Yuki Tsunoda to play the 2021 Sergio Perez role in a championship decider.
Red Bull may decide to under-fuel Tsunoda, giving him no chance to finish the race, but rather give him extra pace to get involved with the leaders. He could be used as a sacrificial lamb by starting on the hard tyre, going long and holding up Norris before retiring himself, making the McLaren driver as mad as a biscuit tin as he chases his maiden championship.
I wouldn't put it past Red Bull organising for Racing Bulls to play a similar role.
The best way to take advantage of these games is to take some big prices in the top six market, of which my preference is OLLIE BEARMAN who has been happy with his car's performance all weekend.
Despite missing out on Q3, the Englishman is in prime position to take advantage of any games that Norris and innocent bystanders get caught up in.
Posted at 20:15 GMT on 06/12/25
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