Other spread bets available include match bets between drivers in a race, usually settled along the lines of 10 points for the driver whose finishing position is highest and 2 points for each position he beats his opponent by. So if David Coulthard comes third and he is in a match bet with Olivier Panis who comes tenth, the make-up would be 24—10 for winning and 14 for the seven places difference. Importantly, drivers who retire or crash during a race are ranked in order depending when they come out (the first to retire being in last place etc.).
Here the key to winning is assessing the reliability of the cars and drivers and trying to judge not necessarily which is quickest, but which is most likely to complete the race without mishap. Match bets down the grid often allow surprisingly good value for the bettor willing to put in the background work. Reports on how testing has gone for the teams is well worth keeping an eye on: whose car is flying and who is having teething troubles?
The 2003 season saw an interesting change in policy for three teams when Formula One allowed Jordan, Jaguar and Minardi two hours; testing on the race track itself on the Friday before the Grand Prix. The move, part of a money-saving option, was to make up for the three teams agreeing to test their cars for only ten other days during the season.