Motor Sport Musings Ramblings of a racing enthusiast…

From Penury to Millionaire Playadom

The more astute among you may have noticed that there has been a distinct lack of updates on this here website recently. There is a perfectly reasonable explanation for my mini-departure, one that includes enjoying the peace and tranquillity before the Formula 1 season erupts, and also filling in every conceivable media accreditation form going in the hope of a free lunch. But I’m sure you don’t really want to hear about that.

I have also been trying to fathom out just what, if anything, pre-season testing has shown us in way of who is set for some good results early on this year, and guess what? I haven’t a bloody clue. Which is a damn nuisance as I was determined that this was going to be the year that I was going to gamble my way from penury to millionaire playadom. Dagnabit.

I attempted a similar feat last year on a slightly lesser scale. Trying to use my pearls of F1 wisdom to convert £10 into the equivalent required to fund a trip to the Belgian Grand Prix. This subsequently fell to pieces when I developed palpitations just thinking about betting away the best part of £100. So in the end I cashed in my chips and enjoyed my waffles watching the race from the comfort of my armchair instead.

Being the mug that I am though, I thought I would give it another bash this year and see just how far I can make a measly tenner go, through nothing more than betting on each race weekend. This could go spectacularly wrong and become extinct in the space of the week, or go fantastically well and provide me with months of (much needed) content and allow me to lead a hedonistic lifestyle for, oh I dunno, a day or two.

So Bahrain then...

Okay so I have already waxed lyrical that pre-season testing has been largely inclusive and that there doesn’t appear to be a clear favourite going into the first race in Bahrain. Which is actually a good thing, because if we don’t have a clue, then neither do the bookies, so there should be some fairly decent odds before we get a fair idea on the pecking order once things have settled down.

The general consensus at the moment is that this year’s title will be contended by ‘the big four,’ which comprises of McLaren, Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull. Predictable in itself really, but where the big money lies is within the remainder of the field, where things are even less clear.

Standout for me has to be Sauber, who I believe could be on course to spring a surprise in Sakhir. Pedro de la Rosa’s lap times over long runs at the recent Barcelona test seemed particularly impressive, and if rumour be believed, such is the way that the car is able to manage its tyres, they’ll be able to qualify on the softer tyre and still be able to do a lengthy first stint with it in the race.

I’m not the biggest fan of de la Rosa (I find him as inspiring as a Lion Bar), but I am optimistic that he should be able to find himself in a points paying position come the chequered flag this weekend. I don’t believe Sauber will perform the same miracles as Brawn did last season, but the car’s kindness to its tyres should in theory pay dividends in the first couple of races. So with odds of 8/1 at Paddy Power for the Spaniard finishing in the top six, or 11/10 for a top ten finish; either seems particularly enticing.

Elsewhere, a podium finish for Lewis Hamilton at 'evens' seems very reasonable, especially if those last-minute aerodynamic updates seen at Barcelona are really indicative of McLaren's true pace. But isn’t team-mate Jenson Button set to thrive under the new regulations thanks to his much lauded silky-smooth driving style? Well apparently the world champion is working his tyres too hard, more so than Hamilton who has everything under control. Apparently...

This week's bets

Bet for free

Some things in life are too good to be true. But if you follow this brief guide carefully and open a brand new Paddy Power account and wager a minimum of £10, you’ll receive a free £20 bet from Paddy Power and a further £20.00 cashback as well. So effectively, by making a £10 bet (win or lose) you’ll actually make money.

Firstly, click here and go to Topcashback. Who are they? They are one of the most popular cashback websites in the UK. A cashback site is one whereby you will receive a referral fee for each transaction you make with any of their listed merchants, at no extra cost to yourself. Normally this amount would have ended up in the website's coffers instead of yours.

Registration with Topcashback is free and there are no annual fees. Once signed up to use the service, search for 'Paddy Power' on Topcashback and click-through to their website. You may want to clear your browser's cookies before doing so, just to ensure everything is being tracked correctly. You must go to the Paddy Power website via Topcashback to receive the additional £20.00.

Next you need to register with Paddy Power and deposit £10.00 into your new account before making your bet(s). Upon doing so you should then receive a further £20.00 free bet from Paddy Power and, in due course, your separate Topcashback account will receive £20.00, which you should be able to withdraw within a few weeks.

What's in it for me? Well I receive a paltry £1.00 for each person that signs up to Topcashback, at no extra cost to the registrant. Think of it as a virtual e-beer (albeit a very cheap one) for helping you make at least £10.00 in five minutes.

Oh and before you depart: I'm not responsible for anybody's gambling habits, loss of earnings, marriage breakups, or anything else untoward that should happen as a result of you following this information.