The 2009 Formula One World Championship comes to a close this weekend as Abu Dhabi stages its first ever Grand Prix. The circuit itself is set in the Marina of Yas Island, and consists of long high speed straights, tight twisty corners and a section similar to that of the street circuits in Monte Carlo and Valencia. What this means for the race is that there will be plenty of overtaking opportunities, and it will benefit the cars with the best aerodynamic configurations.

Race Winner:

With this in mind, who will stand on the top step of the podium on Sunday afternoon? Unsurprisingly, the favourite is Lewis Hamilton (Outright victory odds: 3.5 @ Sportingbet), as he is undoubtedly the best driver on the track and his McLaren is the most aerodynamically efficient car around, after much development work throughout the year.

The Podium:

If anyone is to challenge Hamilton for the race victory it will be the two Red Bull cars of Sebastian Vettel (4.3 @ Sky Bet) and Mark Webber (9.0 – General). The Red Bull is as effective as getting through the air cleanly as the McLaren, however Vettel is still learning his trade and Webber is not as fast as Hamilton. Both drivers will be highly motivated to add to their victories this season, especially as rumours have emerged that Red Bull are considering offering one of the 2010 race seats to Kimi Raikkonen, and Vettel is still in a battle with Rubens Barrichello (10.0 – General) for second place in the drivers title. If anyone can prevent the two Red Bull drivers reaching the podium, it will be the Brawn drivers of Barrichello and new world champion Jenson Button (10.0 @ Totesport). However, I feel that Button will be looking to enjoy the race rather than going flat out for victory, however Barrichello would a good bet @ 3.0 with Bet365 for a podium.

The Points:

After the McLaren of Hamilton and the two Red Bull and Brawn cars, we are left with three point’s places to fill, but who will fill them? While he has had his detractors during his time at Ferrari, Kimi Raikkonen (17.0 – General) has got the best out of this year’s Ferrari (which has been a dog of a car, as demonstrated by Luca Badoer and Giancarlo Fisichella) and with this being a final race in the red car, he will add to his points tally for the season. Robert Kubica (34.0 – General) found some form at the last race in Brazil and I feel he will continue in that form this weekend, and Fernando Alonso (34.0 – Bet365) will also feature in the points in his final race for Renault before replacing Raikkonen at Ferrari.

The Outsiders:

Along with the eight drivers already mentioned, there are several others who may also be knocking on the door of the points. Any of Heikki Kovalainen (34.0 @ 888.com), Nick Heidfeld (34.0 – General), Jarno Trulli (41.0 – Paddy Power), Nico Rosberg (51.0 – Paddy Power) and Adrian Sutil (67.0 – Bet365) could all claim points in the final race of the year, which is shaping up to be a thriller!

Betting Recommendations:

My betting picks for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix are:

Victory: Lewis Hamilton (3.5 @ Sportingbet)

Podium: Mark Webber (2.88 @ Sportingbet)

Points: Fernando Alonso (2.0 @ Sky Bet)


Some outside bets:

Rubens Barrichello to finish on the podium – 3.0 @ Bet365

Adrian Sutil to finish in the points – 2.88 @ Sky Bet

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