The WRC, or World Rally Championship, has not held an event in New Zealand in 10 years.
Now the legendary racing championship will return to one of the most:
- exciting
- fast
- difficult tracks
In all of WRC history. Who will rise to the top and take the victory in New Zealand?
Race Betting Picks
1. Sebastian Ogier to Win
Last year’s world champion Sebastian Ogier will be returning to action this weekend in New Zealand after having missed four consecutive events in a row. Now the French driver will return at one of the only tracks that he has not won in the past.
Ogier will be hoping to secure his first win in New Zealand, which could put him back in the top 10 of the standings. This is my favorite of the WRC picks.
2. Ott Tanak to Win
When it comes to how to bet on Rally, Ott Tanak is my guy. Tanak is an Estonian Rally Car driver who is currently sitting in 2nd place of the WRC standings.
He is a noticeable 53 points back from the Championship leader, but Ott has been performing phenomenally recently.
In his last eight races, Tanak has three wins, two seconds, a third, and a sixth. The only other result in that time period was a retirement from the race in Kenya.
3. Kalle Rovanperä to Win
Rovanperä has been dominant all season long. The Finnish driver has eight top-five finishes this season and is looking to get back on track this weekend in New Zealand after his two worst performances of the year.
His five wins are the most of any WRC driver this year, and Kalle will be looking to prove he deserves to remain at the top of the standings this weekend.
Race Betting Trends
1. Ott Tanak to Podium
Ott Tanak has finished on the podium in five of his last six races. I expect that trend to continue this weekend in New Zealand as Tanak has a big chance to show that he belongs at the top of the standings.
2. Thierry Neuville Top 5
Neuville has had a very consistent season, only finishing outside the top 5 three times in ten races. If you are betting on Rally, Neuville is a consistent and smart bet.
After winning the last WRC race in Greece, he’ll be looking to add to his points total with a great performance in New Zealand.
3. Sebastien Ogier Top 5
Sebastien Ogier is officially back for the final three races of the year. Ogier has only competed three times this year, but he finished in the top five in two of those three races. I expect him to keep the trend going.
4. Rovanperä Outside the Top 10
Despite being the championship leader, Kalle Rovanperä has finished two races in a row outside the top 20. Because of his extended lead, Kalle does not necessarily need to push very hard this weekend, and for that reason, I expect him to finish outside the top ten.
5. Takamoto Katsuta top 10 finish
Katsuta has been the epitome of consistency this season, finishing all ten races so far in the top 8. He has two fourths, four sixths, a third place, two fifths, and an eighth.
I have no reason to doubt Katsuta and believe he will get another top 10 finish this weekend. If you are betting on rally, Katsuta is a safe and consistent pick.
WRC New Zealand Betting Pick and Prediction
My race pick for this WRC race in New Zealand is going to be Ott Tanak to win. Unfortunately, no odds have been released for this event by sportsbooks yet, but I’m expecting Ott to be an underdog of around +600.
WRC is such a challenging and crazy sport, similar to Indycar or MotoGP in a sense, which is why the WRC odds are very long.
Most Profitable Driver to Bet On
Ott Tanak is my favorite driver when it comes to betting on Rally. He’s fast, consistent, and loves the high-speed turns and camber that the New Zealand track will present.
I’ll be looking to bet Tanak anywhere down to +400, as I’m fairly confident in his abilities and motivations this weekend.
WRC Pick: Tanak (+400)
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