Hurray! F1 is Back

After another poor performance on the predictions last week led by England's rather inept attempt to win the Grand Slam in Dublin my continued run of bad form has continued with a loss last week of £4.50 taking profits on the predictions down to £22.50.

This week the main highlight is the delayed start to the F1 season in Melbourne and following qualifying it looks like the Red Bulls are again going to be the class of the field with the McLarens and Ferraris as their main challengers though I also expect to see both the Mercedes and Renaults improve as the season progresses.

My prediction for this week is for Vettel to continue where he left off last season by winning in Australia and for Lewis Hamiton to make the podium. 

There is of course plenty of other sport this weekend, not least for the Varisty Boat Race on the Thames this afternoon and in this peculiarly British event I am predicting a Cambridge triumph.

Football this week is dominated by Euro 2012 qualifiers and the big game for most Brits is the meeting of England and Wales in Cardiff.  For this game I'm predicting an away win but it won't be easy.  The other match I'm predicting takes place in Dublin where Ireland host Macedonia and in this game I'm going for the home side.

With the end of the Six Nations rugby the domestic club season continues with some spicy looking matches in this round of the Aviva Premiership.  Even though away wins are pretty rare I'm predicting two with Leicester to win in Bath and Gloucester to beat the Harlequins at the Stoop.  My final rugby union forecast is for Northampton to get their season back on track by defeating Wasps.

Rugby League's Superleague is now well underway and this week my predictions are for Castleford to beat the Crusaders and Huddersfield to win at Hull KR.

Of course there is one prediction that is missing because the game has already started and that is England to beat Sri Lanka in the quarter finals of the Cricket World Cup.

In summary and with the odds the predictions are as follows:

Australian Grand Prix

Vettel to win at 5/4
Hamilton to podium at 4/6

Boat Race

Cambridge to win at 4/7

International Football

England to beat Wales at 4/9
Ireland to beat Macedonia at 11/21

Aviva Premiership Rugby

Leicester to win at Bath at 11/10
Gloucester to win at Harlequins at 13/10
Northampton to beat Wasps at 2/7

Rugby League Superleague

Castleford to beat the Crusaders at 1/4
Huddersfield to win at Hull KR at 8/13