The Indian Grand Prix, held at the Buddh International Circuit from 2011 to 2013, was the scene of several notable success stories in the world of betting.
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2011 Indian Grand Prix: Vettel’s victory and a sensation for the far-sighted player
The first Indian Grand Prix took place on 30 October 2011 at the newly built Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida, 40 km from Delhi. The 5.125 km track with 60 laps was a real test for the teams and drivers, as it was the debut stage and no one knew for sure how the asphalt and track configuration would behave.
Sebastian Vettel, racing for Red Bull, dominated that season, and his victory came as no surprise: he took pole position with a time of 1:24.119 and won the race with a time of 1:31:12.187, also setting the fastest lap. It was his first “grand slam” (pole position, victory and fastest lap in one race).
However, for one player, this race was a real triumph. According to data published in the sports media, a UK resident bet on the exact podium: Vettel, Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso in that order. The odds for such an outcome were around 15.0, as Button and Alonso were considered strong contenders, but accurately predicting the order of finish was risky.
The player bet £500, and his prediction proved correct: Vettel won comfortably, Button finished second and Alonso third. The winnings amounted to about £7,500 (approximately $9,000 at the 2011 exchange rate).
2012 Indian Grand Prix: Another victory for Vettel and an unexpected breakthrough for the underdog
The 2012 Indian Grand Prix, held on 28 October, was once again a triumph for Sebastian Vettel. He started from pole position again (1:25.283) and finished the race with a time of 1:31:10.744, 9.4 seconds ahead of his closest rival, Fernando Alonso.
The Buddh circuit, with its long straights and complex corners, was ideal for the Red Bull car, making Vettel the favourite with odds of around 1.5. However, it was not only the leader who attracted interest in this race, but also the breakthrough of the drivers from the middle of the peloton.
Particularly memorable was the bet that Force India driver Nico Hülkenberg would finish in the points (in the top 10). Force India was the “home” team for the Indian track, and local fans had high hopes for it, but in 2012 it was not considered a top team.
One player from India, as reported in local publications, bet 20,000 rupees (about $400) on Hülkenberg finishing in the top 10 at odds of 4.5. Hülkenberg had a brilliant race, finishing eighth, which earned the player a win of 90,000 rupees (about $1,800).
2013 Indian Grand Prix: Vettel’s last triumph and a bet on a fast lap
The last Indian Grand Prix took place on 27 October 2013, and Sebastian Vettel won again (pole position — 1:24.119, race time — 1:31:12.187). This race was a landmark for him: not only did he win, but he also secured his fourth consecutive championship title ahead of schedule.
However, the highlight for the betting world was the fastest lap set by Kimi Raikkonen of Lotus (1:27.679). Raikkonen, despite problems with his car, showed impressive pace at the end of the race, which came as a surprise to many.
According to information from sports forums, a player from Europe bet that Raikkonen would set a fast lap. The odds for this event were around 12.0, as Vettel and the Mercedes drivers were considered the favourites for the fastest lap.
The player bet €1,000, relying on Raikkonen’s reputation as a master of late laps. When Kimi set the best time, it earned the bettor €12,000.
