Nico Hulkenberg and Charles Leclerc are both worth backing in two sub markets ahead of the German Grand Prix weekend, says our F1 Insider.
Recommended bets
Nico Hulkenberg to win w/o the big 6 at 12/1
Charles Leclerc to be fastest in Free Practice 1 at 9/2
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Nico Hulkenberg to win w/o the big six
Hulkenberg has a solid record at his home race, taking a points finish every time the event has been held since 2012. Highlights over the years include seventh place finishes in 2014, 2016 and 2018, the second of those a convincing best-of-the-rest result in which he was the only non-Mercedes, Ferrari or Red Bull driver to finish on the lead lap. Last year's fifth place was arguably his most impressive drive of the season and that result should give him confidence this weekend as he tries to arrest a campaign which has threatened to descend into mediocrity. With temperatures in the high-30s leading up to the race and thunderstorms forecast, the unpredictability could play into his experienced hands. Hulkenberg would have rewarded those backing this bet at the last two German Grands Prix, and 12/1 looks a little long for a hat-trick.
Charles Leclerc to be fastest in Free Practice 1
Leclerc's qualifying performance at Hockenheim for Sauber underlined his precocious talent and strengthened his case to be given the second Ferrari race seat for 2019. Leclerc was three-quarters of a second faster than team-mate Marcus Ericsson in Q2 while Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen was pipped by Mercedes' Valtteri Bottas to second on the grid behind Sebastian Vettel. The cards didn't fall Leclerc's way in the race the following afternoon but his performance on the Saturday is enough to give us the confidence that the Hockenheim track is one of those - like Bahrain and Baku - at which Monegasque will excel. High temperatures heading into the weekend should suit the Ferrari package, so at 9/2 and 6/1 respectively, Leclerc and Vettel look solid bets to outperform Mercedes in FP1.