In This Article
F1 is one of the most followed sports in the world, as the season travels to different continents, capturing the attention of fans and bettors. Because of the popularity of F1, bookmakers raced to provide a great range of markets for betting on it.
Can we say that F1 betting is as popular as wagering on football? For football, there are specialised websites like an expert reviewer Club Sport which focus on analysing football bookmakers, betting odds as well as providing predictions.
But F1 is also a hit in the betting world, and numerous online betting sites cover Formula One racing in-depth. From a selection of the current season’s F1 Drivers’ Championship winner, to who will grab pole position or a podium spot in a race, there are plenty of ways to approach Formula One betting.
One of the most fascinating options within those is betting on the fastest lap. But changes are coming to F1 rules, which could affect the fastest lap betting strategies.
The F1 Fastest Lap
The Fastest Lap was introduced in 2019 with the hope of encouraging drivers to push for a bonus point. The driver who recorded the fastest lap collected one bonus point if they finished within the top ten.
But it never really had the desired impact. A race leader was never likely to gamble hard and risk their position for a bonus point, for example, nor was anyone sitting inside the top three towards the end of a race.
But strategy still played a part, like a team attempting to gather an extra point in the Constructors' Championship, or a title-chasing driver lingering around fifth place willing to take the chance at an additional point.
The problem for drivers was that the time that it took to get in for fresh tyres to make the fastest lip bid, meant that it was often not worth it, and it all depended on track position.
2025 Changes
The bonus point won’t be awarded from the 2025 F1 season onwards, as the FIA announced that it’s doing away with it. Despite the change, one driver in the field is still going to record the fastest lap, and that means that betting on it will still be in play.
The usual strategy for F1 Fastest Lap betting was to wait until the final 10 laps. That’s because a bid for that extra point would typically only happen in the very latter stages of the race, where a driver didn’t have time to catch anyone in front and enough time to defend anything behind.
From now on, the fastest lap betting will take on a slightly different context, as it could happen at any time of a race.
Pre-Race and In-Play Betting
The F1 fastest lap can be bet on pre-race and in-play. The pre-race selection is picking which driver you think will record the fastest lap, regardless of finishing position and when that fastest lap is recorded.
While popular, typically, the market isn’t available until really close to the start of a race, even the day of one. By that point, bookies will have been able to see from qualification, which cars have been running the fastest and set lines from there.
When the bonus point was up for grabs, it wasn’t worth entering the live odds market until assessing the field late in the race and then backing a driver as soon as they dipped into the pits. Now, in-play fastest lap F1 betting is going to take a longer, more studied approach.
The Prime Times
A prime option for picking an in-play F1 betting option could be when the driver out in front early in the race has a clear track in front of them. Being in a position of trying to build as much of a lead while the track is clear and before the first set of pit stops, is an excellent time to push the limits as the car will be carrying less fuel and therefore lighter.
Another hot time is just after someone has rejoined on fresh tyres. It’s typical then to see a driver put in their hottest laps, due to the new-tyre advantage, depending on the traffic and the position that they are in.
If you are watching the live in-play fastest lap market, a driver with a realistic chance of catching a leader could be a good option. They are the ones who have to push just that little bit harder to try and close the gap.
Closer Race Studies
No longer is there going to be someone making a mad scramble right at the end of a race for a bonus point. So look for in-race situations where a driver looks set to go on a tear, and ultimately remember that the driver who records the fastest lap in a race isn’t necessarily the race winner.
