F1 French Grand Prix 2022 Betting Tips & Predictions (July 24)

We’re halfway done with the 2022 Formula One season, with only 11 more races on the schedule. Next up is the French Grand Prix (or Grand Prix de L’Acf) – one of the world’s oldest races – which could be the last French GP for a long time if the rumours are correct. So it’s only fitting that it goes out with a bang.

Perhaps, but while it’s unclear what to expect from the French Grand Prix or whether it will deliver up to expectations, we have some interesting 2022 French GP predictions.

F1 French Grand Prix 2022 Odds – Bookies’ Favourites

The Formula 1 French Grand Prix betting odds are already available, and once again, we see the same names occupying the top of the outright betting markets – for the most part. Max Verstappen leads the way again as the main favourite at 11/10, followed by his main rival Charles Leclerc at 11/8, and the 7-time F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton in third at 17/2. But while the newest auto racing bookies have set the odds, we must ask ourselves: are the France GP odds fair?

Max Verstappen – 11/10

For some time, it seemed like Ferrari would dominate the 2022 Formula One season and perhaps they would have had Ferrari not dropped the ball a couple of times. Now, the Constructor Championship is Red Bull’s to lose.

The whole season has been filled with uncertainty and unexpected results. The perfect example is the Austrian Grand Prix, which was predicted to be a good race for Verstappen – since the race is the home of Red Bull – but it was Charles Leclerc who came out on top.

To some degree, we have to praise Leclerc for his showing, but it was also evident that Verstappen couldn’t find the pace needed to win the race. Will he find it in France? Perhaps he will, and if the latest F1 French Grand Prix 2022 odds are correct, he should, but you have to ask yourself whether Verstappen is the best bet on the F1 French Grand Prix 2022.

Charles Leclerc – 11/8

Charles Leclerc had a flying start to the 2022 season, winning 2 of the opening three races and notching a P2, proving to the world that he is a legitimate title contender. However, the Ferrari driver has struggled since, enduring a dry streak that saw him produce mediocre results from April to June.

He has secured only one podium in 7 outings and added 2 DNFs, which saw him slip down to the no.3 spot on the standings. But Leclerc reminded everyone that he is not out of the race in Austria when he scored a crucial victory on Red Bull’s home turf with a mightly impressive display.

It was a huge victory for Leclerc’s confidence and a race in which the Monégasque showed that he could compete with Verstappen and beat him. Having proven himself, Leclerc should be one of the manes to consider adding to your 2022 French GP betting tips list.

Lewis Hamilton – 17/2

It’s been a while since we last saw Lewis Hamilton as one of the top 3 favourites to win a Formula One race, but it makes a lot of sense for in-play sports betting sites to show him some respect ahead of the French Grand Prix.

Although Hamilton’s form this season is far from ideal, he has shown incredible highlights and showcased great individual performances over the last three races, claiming three consecutive bronze medals in Canada, Great Britain, and Austria. Admittedly, he has yet to win a race, but he has tripled the total number of podium finishes over the last month, which is hard to ignore.

Moreover, Hamilton deserves some attention ahead of the French Grand Prix, which he won in 2018 and 2019 and finished runner-up in 2021 – behind Verstappen. It’s no secret that Mercedes have struggled to keep pace with Ferrari and Red Bull this year, but if the recent results indicate, the Silver Arrows are closing the gap.

Past Winners of the Race (Last 5)

• 2021 – Max Verstappen
• 2020 – not held (COVID)
• 2019 – Lewis Hamilton
• 2018 – Lewis Hamilton
• 2017 – not held (from 2008)

Time and Date of the Race

The preparation for the 2022 French Grand Prix will begin on Friday, July 22, with the first two practice races, followed by the third and final practice run on Saturday, July 23. Later on Sunday, the qualifying race will be held at 16:00-17:00 local time (CEST), where the drivers will compete for the pole position for the race, slated for Sunday, July 24 at 15:00 CEST.

F1 French Grand Prix 2022 Predictions

With the basic information about the upcoming race out of the way, let’s focus on our F1 French Grand Prix 2022 predictions, where we provide you with four expert picks, starting with the outright winner bet on Charles Leclerc to win the race.

Charles Leclerc to Win – 11/8

We don’t want to overreact to one good performance, but Leclerc’s showing in Austria gave us hope that the Monégasque driver can compete for his 4th W of the season. Admittedly, Leclerc has never won in France, and his best placement was third in 2019, but there’s more to Leclerc than his track record.

We all know how efficient Leclerc is in claiming the pole position, and a strong qualifying run this weekend could mean the difference between winning the race or not. Statistically, if you start the

France GP on the pole, you should finish on the podium 76.47% of the time – it has happened in 13 of the last 17 races.

Interestingly, Emerson Fittipaldi, in 1971, was the only driver who started outside of the top 8 and still finished on the podium. Moreover, the last three races have been won from the pole position, whereas 11 out of 17 races at Paul Ricard (nearly 65%) have been won from the front.

Unsurprisingly, Leclerc is the main favourite to claim the pole position, even though he has not done it since Baku. Still, Ferrari has had 7 of 11 pole positions in 2022, with Leclerc taking 54% of all pole positions this year – in contrast, Verstappen has managed just 27%.

Leclerc Fastest Qualifier and Win the Race – 9/4

We like Leclerc to win the 2022 French Grand Prix, and we have confidence that he will claim the pole – so why not combine the two bets into one on 9/4? There isn’t much to explain why we chose this bet, and while you can stick with Leclerc to win the race and call it a day, adding a wager on the fastest qualifier should be considered.

Lewis Hamilton Podium Finish – 1/1

Lewis Hamilton to finish on the podium at even money is a steal in our book. He is in superb form – relative to what we have seen this season – and will now race on the track where he has not placed worse than second in his career.

Admittedly, Hamilton has been struggling to keep up with Leclerc and Verstappen in 2022, but this is one of his best tracks, and he has a better than 50% chance of claiming his 4th podium finish in a row.

2022 French GP Prediction – Bonus Pick

For our final 2022 French GP prediction, we’re adding the home crowd favourite, Esteban Ocon, to finish top 6. Admittedly, he is still only no.8 on the standings, and his stats aren’t perfect, but Ocon is valued at 15/8 to finish top 6. He has come close to winning a podium several times this season and has performed reasonably well over the last 4 starts.

Prediction: Esteban Ocon top 6 finish – 15/8