Formula 1 returns this coming weekend after a month-long break in which Mercedes will have been licking its wounds following Ferrari's dominance in the last race.
The Italian team will go into the Belgian Grand Prix full of confidence after landing that psychological blow at Hungaroring. But Mercedes will have used the month to regroup and devise a strategy to reassert their superiority. Its powerful car will be well-suited to the more open track at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps and this race should prove to be a fascinating battle.
That Ferrari one-two at Hungaroring has moved the Italians to within 39 points of Mercedes in the race to win the Constructors' Championship. However, in the Drivers' Championship Sebastian Vettel now leads Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton by 14 points, with Hamilton's teammate Valtteri Bottas in third, a further 19 points behind. It is delicately poised going into the second half of the season, but Hamilton is odds-on favourite to win the Drivers' Championship while Mercedes is the overwhelming favourite to win the team title. That could be down to the circuits the second half of the season will be played out on.
Before Hungaroring, Mercedes had won three out of four races and the German team was gaining a stranglehold on F1 once again. Ferrari fought back magnificently in Hungary to claim its first win in five races, but the Hungaroring circuit with its high downforce, tight and twisty configuration appeared to suit the Italian team. It is a track where power is less important and the smaller Ferrari can thrive. The slow speed corners played into the hands of Vettel, who hits the breaks to point the nose at the apex and then hits the throttle early for downforce.
In the second half of the season, however, the tracks would appear to suit the powerful Mercedes car, with the exception of the street race in Singapore. The Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps is one of the most challenging around due to its fast, hilly and twisting nature, but Mercedes' power could tell on the long straight, and it will not be as hot or humid, which should also play into the German team's hands.
Mercedes has dominated at Spa in recent years. In 2016 Nico Rosberg won and Hamilton was third, but the Brit was hit with a multi-grid penalty before the race and started from the back of the grid, so he did well to end up third and was strong throughout. The previous year Hamilton won it ahead of Rosberg, so Mercedes will be hoping for another one-two of Hamilton and Bottas here.
The bookmakers believe Hamilton will reign supreme again and all have made him the odds-on favourite to win it. Trusted betting sites have competitive odds, so review them and place some action if you agree. Most of the action is going on the Brit and the pendulum is likely to swing back in Mercedes' favour in Belgium on Sunday.
Another option would be to back Bottas each-way at odds of around 5/1, which is an interesting possibility. The calm and collected Finn has been there or thereabouts all season and is threatening to turn the Drivers' Championship into a three-horse race thanks to his consistency. If Mercedes continues the dominance it has recently enjoyed in Belgium then Bottas should at least finish second and an each-way bet would leave you in profit at those odds.
But if you fancy Vettel to keep the run going you can also get a strong price on the German. He is all the way out at 4/1 with some bookmakers, so you could go each-way on him and also be covered if he finishes second. Either way it should prove to a great race as Spa is one of the best tracks on the circuit and this title battle looks set to rage on.
