Bahrain Grand Prix weekend betting tips and F1 predictions: Kevin Magnussen can make a strong start

Where to watch

Practice one & two Sky Sports F1, 11.30am & 3pm Friday

Practice three & qualifying Sky Sports F1, 11.30am & 3pm Saturday

Race Sky Sports F1, 3pm Sunday

Best bet

Kevin Magnussen points finish
1pt 9-4 general

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Bahrain Grand Prix weekend predictions

Haas, like many of the smaller-budget teams, tend to do their best work early in an F1 season.

As the year wears on, the richer outfits are able to plough more resources into the development of their cars, and that is likely to continue even in the current cost-cap era.

But the playing field tends to be more level in the early races and the American-owned Haas team have historically made the most of that. In the seven seasons they have competed, Haas have recorded a top-six finish in the opening race in three of them.

It would have been four but for the bizarre 2018 Australian Grand Prix in which both of their cars were released from pitstops with one wheel not properly attached.

Bahrain has been a particularly happy hunting ground. On the five occasions Sakhir has hosted one of the opening two rounds of the season, Haas have brought at least one car home in the points three times.

Last year, Kevin Magnussen finished an excellent fifth on his comeback after a year out of F1. That was a huge boost for the team, who had failed to record a single top-ten finish the previous season.

The team have opted for experience this year with 35-year-old Nico Hulkenberg joining Magnussen and that could be valuable in a season-opener which will feature three rookies – potentially four if Lance Stroll is not fit to race after his cycling accident.

Aside from a couple of appearances as a stand-in for unwell drivers, Hulkenberg has not raced since 2019, so Magnussen looks the one to back this weekend.

The Haas team completed 414 laps in testing – more than Red Bull – and they should be ready to go.

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