Glamour, speed and massive bottles of champagne being wasted, F1 is not a sport of those of a shy disposition.

Yet these qualities are what make it such a thrilling spectacle to watch and place a bet on.

Add in exotic locations, tempestuous team-mates and some of the best engineering on the planet and you’ve got a recipe for success.

The season starts in Australia with the opening race at the Albert Park circuit in Melbourne and takes in classic venues such as Silverstone and Monaco.

The former hosts the British Grand Prix which sees more than 100,000 fans attend over the weekend, making it one of the biggest events in the UK sporting calendar.

At Monaco the showbiz dial is turned up to 11 as celebs and stars jet in to watch the cars speed through the tight streets of the millionaires’ playground on France’s south coast.

F1 Free Bets

We currently don't have any F1 Free Bets Free bet offers.
Please check back soon.

Lewis out in front

Mercedes pace ace Lewis Hamilton has just claimed his fourth world title, edging out Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel.

The teams will now spend the next three months redesigning and refining their machines before heading Down Under in March.

Ferrari will be hoping to show better form after falling off in the second half of the season, and Red Bull could once again emerge as a genuine title contender with drivers Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen behind the wheel.

There is also the return of a familiar face from the past on the cards, with iconic racing brand Alfa Romeo set to team up with Sauber for next season.

The Italian company will be looking to give their new partners a boost after they finished last in the constructors’ championship this year.

How to bet on F1

F1 is in rude health, with Sky TV’s dedicated coverage pushing it to new levels of interest.

Bookmakers are fully aware of this and offer up to 80 options on each race.

As well as the outright winner and placings, there are the overall team performances to contend with.

You can get odds on how many times the safety car appears, the number of drivers finishing the race, who will record the fastest lap in the race, practice and qualifying, and which of the two drivers on each team will finish ahead of the other.

Grand prix are not standalone events; there is practice and qualifying to negotiate before the main charge to the chequered flag.

Last season Hamilton achieved the remarkable feat of claiming the most ever pole positions by a single driver when he equalled Michael Schumacher’s 68. He went on to take four more before the end of the campaign to cement his greatness.

Apart from betting opportunities, the qualifying laps also give a good indication of each team’s race pace and clues as to how the driver is performing around that specific circuit.

FindBets keeps a close eye on the laps to make sure you have the latest information at your fingertips before having a bet on the thrilling sport of F1.