How to Bet on Formula 1: Complete F1 Betting Guide for 2026
If you’re looking to learn how to bet on Formula 1, you’ve come to the right place, as I’ve compiled this comprehensive guide. Besides being one of the most popular motorsports in the world, F1 is good for betting.
Even as a casual fan, you make a bet on Formula 1 if you learn a bit about the drivers, teams, cars, and their respective strategies. Of course, as with any type of sports wagering, thorough research and responsible gambling practices should always be front and center of your F1 betting strategy.
How to bet on F1 racing – The basics
The first step towards betting on Formula 1 is understanding how the sport works and when races are held. During the season, you have weekly races in which drivers compete for points on the track that affect their final standing.
However, it’s not just about the drivers – F1 is very much a team sport as they require engineers to develop the engines and technology, and pitstop workers to change four tyres and look under the hood in just a few seconds.
In actual fact, F1 race teams typically employ between 300 and 1,200 people. This is approximately the same number of staff employed by a Premier League football team.
Formula 1 – The key facts
Here are some key facts about F1 that will help us with our betting strategies moving forward:
| Sport: | F1 🏎 |
| Type of sport: | Motor sport 🏁 |
| Number of teams: | 10 🔧 |
| Season: | March – December 🗓 |
| Grand Prix weekends: | 24 🏟 |
| Location: | Global (21 countries) 🌍 |
| Highest accolade: | Formula One World Championship 🏆 |
How an F1 race weekend works
While the exact nature of some races is different (such as “Sprints”), all 24 F1 Grand Prix weekends follow the same three-part structure:
- Practice – This is to allow teams to test their cars, collect data, and fine-tune things that could help them in the actual race. No points or standings are decided during this round.
- Qualifying – In this round, the drivers compete in a three-part knockout competition to get their starting position for the main race. The driver who wins Q3 (the three of the three knockout sessions) gets the first starting point of the main race (pole position).
- Main race (Grand Prix) – In the main race, the drivers compete over a set distance or number of laps, and the position that they finish in gets them Championship Points that contribute to their overall standings in the Formula One World Championship. The driver with the most points at the end of the 24-week season is crowned the Formula 1 Driver’s Champion.
Formula 1 betting – teams and drivers
If you want to bet on F1, it’s essential that you know all 10 teams, especially the drivers, so here’s a quick overview:
| Team | Drivers |
|---|---|
| McLaren: | Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris |
| Mercedes: | George Russell and Kimi Antonelli |
| Red Bull Racing: | Max Verstappen and Yuki Tsunoda |
| Ferrari: | Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton |
| Williams: | Alexander Albon and Carlos Sainz Jr. |
| Haas: | Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman |
| Aston Martin: | Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso |
| Racing Bulls: | Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar |
| Alpine: | Pierre Gasly and Jack Doohan |
| Kick Sauber: | Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto |
How to bet on F1 races – Popular types of wagers
We’ve spent enough time focusing on the sport itself, so now let’s take a look at how the betting actually works. Here are the most popular types of wagers that you can place on an F1 race, complete with some notes to provide more insight:
| Bet type | Description | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Race winner: | A straight bet on a driver to win the race | F1 has a handful of dominant drivers who are always low odds. |
| Podium place: | A bet on a driver to finish in the top 3. | A good way to bet on a slight underdog driver. |
| Pole position: | A bet on a drive to finish top in the qualification. | Has the same issues as the “Race Winner” bet. |
| Fastest lap: | A bet on which driver will have the quickest individual lap. | A good alternative market for inconsistent drivers/teams. |
| Top 6 or top 10 finishers: | A bet on one or more driver(s) to finish in the top 6/10. | A good option for betting on underdog drivers that have no chance of winning. |
| H2H betting: | Betting on one specific driver to beat another. | Check historical performances to judge this one. |
| Driver retirement: | A bet on which driver will retire (not finish the race) first, or if a driver will retire at all. | You have shorter odds on the weaker drivers for this market. |
| Safety car bet: | A wager on whether or not a safety car will appear | Safety cars appear in F1 if there has been a crash/hazard on the track that isn’t severe enough to halt the race. |
Discover our must-see bookmakers
- Bonus: Up To $1500 in Bonus Bets Paid Back if your First Bet Does Not Win
- VIP Club, Loyalty Program
- Cash Out, Live Streams
- Bonus: Bet $10 & Get $150 in Bonus Bets Win or Lose
- VIP Club, Loyalty Program
- Cash Out, Partial Cash Out
- Bonus: New DraftKings Customers: Bet $5+ Get $100 in Bonus Bets Instantly!
- VIP Club, Loyalty Program
- Cash Out, Live Streams
- Bonus: New Users – Get $350 in Bonus Bets Guaranteed – When You Bet $5 for 7 Days!
- VIP Club
- Cash Out, Live Streams
- Bonus: Bet $1 and get double the winnings up to $25 for your next 10 bets
- Loyalty Program
- Cash Out, Live Streams
Formula 1 betting – 5 tips for doing your research
Here are five of the most important things to research and keep track of before betting on an F1 race:
This is the holy trinity of any F1 team, and ideally, all of them need to fuse together correctly to form a winning side. The most skilled drivers couldn’t win with a sub-par car, but at the same time, a less-skilled driver would struggle to win even with the best car and team behind them.
Some drivers perform better on specific tracks and circuits than others. For example, Max Verstappen generally performs well on technical tracks with high-speed corners. Meanwhile, Sergio Perez is best on street circuits like the Monaco and Las Vegas Grand Prix.
As with all sports, the weather conditions for the weekend and the general climate of the race location can have a serious impact on the potential outcomes. Upsets tend to happen most during rainy and wet weather, which creates a slippery track.
Although you often can’t bet on them, watch and study the practice and qualifying rounds closely. Generally, drivers who have performed well in these preliminary rounds will do well in the main race.
How a team strategizes their pit stops can not only impact the race outcome, but also lap times and other elements that you can bet on. Key things to look at include whether a team uses a one or two-stop pit stop tactic.
Best F1 betting strategies
Continuing on from the tips I gave you above, here are some strategies that can help you win betting on Formula 1:
- Choose the right betting site – First up, choosing a betting site for F1 races is vitally important. You want to go with a brand that has a good reputation for providing valuable F1 betting odds as well as bonuses and promotions that you can use to wager on motorsports.
- Manage your bankroll – Never deposit more than you can afford, and set aside increments of between 1% and 5% of your total bankroll for each betting session. Above all else, never chase your losses or get carried away after a win.
- Bet on a range of markets – F1 is a sport that’s typically dominated by one or two teams, so the basic race winner market either has short-odds favorites that will win you virtually no return or longshot underdogs that have no chance of winning. It’s therefore always good to look at alternative markets like fastest lap, podium finish, and top 10 betting to diversify.
- Be adaptable – While it’s always good to have a general idea of what you’re going to bet on ahead of each Grand Prix weekend based on recent form and data, you should always be adaptable. If practice or qualifying contradicts your earlier predictions, be ready to adapt and change if needed.
Formula 1 Betting – Conclusion
In summary, F1 is the most popular racing sport on the planet and is a fun betting option. Although only a couple of drivers and teams dominate, there are plenty of other bet types, like podium finishes and safety car wagers, to keep things diverse and interesting. Just remember to follow my top tips and that Formula 1 gambling should always be a bit of fun – know when to stop.
The best online betting bonuses in 2026
How to bet on Formula 1 FAQ
🏁 Where can I bet on Formula 1?
Most online sports betting sites offer markets for wagering on F1. You can find the best options where you are by using the sportsbook comparisons and reviews on sites like OddsPortal.com.
💵 How do you bet on F1?
There are a few ways that you can bet on F1. The simplest option is placing a straight wager on the race winner, but you can also bet on lap times, podium finishes, and much more.
📱 What apps let you bet on F1?
There are many sportsbook apps that let you bet on F1. However, the betting app availability will vary depending on your region. Take a look at the online gambling laws in your country and look for licensed betting apps only.