Max Verstappen once again came out victorious in Spain. However, Mercedes and McLaren have looked like serious threats in recent races. Both Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris have beaten Verstappen in the last five races, it's obvious where the Drivers Championship is going but can the teams around Red Bull make the fight for second an interesting one?

Austrian Grand Prix Grand Prix Details

Date 30th June 2024

Location Red Bull Ring, Spielberg, Austria

Course length 4.318km

Distance 306,452km

Last Year Podium

• 1st - Max Verstappen
• 2nd - Charles Leclerc
• 3rd - Sergio Perez

Last Year's Fastest Lap

Max Verstappen - 1:07.012

2024 Race Favourite - Max Verstappen - 4/6

Austrian Grand Prix Betting Tips

Austrian Grand Prix predictions

There's a growing sense of anticipation for this week's F1 race, the Austrian Grand Prix, after world champion Max Verstappen was made to work really hard to win the last two rounds in Canada and Spain.

The Red Bull star now has seven wins in this season's 10 races, but has yet to put together three successive victories this year and faces another tough challenge from rival teams who have a spring in their step.

Verstappen is the favourite to give his team a home win for the third time in four seasons, but there are a host of betting options to consider and we've picked out three of our favourite bets for the Austrian Grand Prix at Spielberg.

Tip 1 - McLaren - Team to feature winning driver @ 9/4

McLaren didn't win either of the last two F1 races, with Lando Norris finishing a close second to Max Verstappen in Montreal and Barcelona, but the British team had the pace to win both events if things had shaken out differently and should soon be able to add to Norris's victory in the Miami Grand Prix.

Norris was leading in Canada but lost his advantage when not reacting quickly enough to pit during a safety-car period, while in Spain he took the second pole position of his career but fell just short of catching Verstappen after losing two places by the first corner of the race.

Verstappen and Norris each have five top-two finishes in the last six races and while the champion has four wins in that time to Norris's one, the balance of power appears to be shifting. It certainly could be closer than race odds which have Verstappen at 11/20 to win and Norris 5/2.

The Dutch driver has a strong record at his team's home track but has not been invincible there, with Charles Leclerc winning the 2022 race and Mercedes taking both the Austrian Grand Prix and Styrian Grand Prix at the track in 2020.

Norris gives McLaren their best chance of success again, but with the price for a McLaren win being only marginally shorter than Norris's price at 9/4, it makes sense to wager in that market and have his team-mate Oscar Piastri driving for you too.

Tip 2 - Sergio Perez top-6 finish @ 9/10

Red Bull's second driver Sergio Perez has been on a rotten run of form with two eighth-place finishes and two retirements in his last four races but his standing with oddsmakers has fallen so far that he has to be a value bet for a top-six finish in Austria.

Perez is still driving a leading car and he will have few excuses if he can't get his act together at a track where he has performed well previously.

Last year Perez was second in the sprint race in a Red Bull one-two and the Mexican was also on the podium in the main event, finishing third despite having to start way back in 15th on the grid after all his Q2 times were deleted for track-limits violations.

Perez was on the podium in four of the first five races this season and it will be a surprise if he's not in contention for even a top-six finish this time.

Tip 3 - Nico Hulkenberg top-10 finish @ 2/1

Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg has had his nose pressed up against the window of the top-10 points-paying positions in recent weeks, clocking up four 11th-place finishes in the last five races.

He has a fair chance of getting his points tally moving again in Spielberg, given that his team had one of their best performances of last season at the track.

The German driver was an impressive fourth in sprint-race qualifying in 2023 and hung on to take sixth place in the shorter race, while he also qualified eighth for the main event before his power unit let him down in the grand prix.

Hulkenberg has managed points finishes in Saudi Arabia, Australia and China and that, along with his five total 11th-place Sundays, make him a spot of value for the top 10 this week at 2/1.

Austrian Grand Prix: - Last Five Races Details

Austrian Grand Prix: - History

Held for the first time in 1963 at the Zeltweg Airfield, the Austrian Grand Prix has often been part of the F1 racing calendar and, since 2014, has been a firm fixture each season. Now hosted at the sponsored Red Bull Ring, repeat team winners of the Grand Prix are McLaren and Ferrari, but with three victories since 2018, Red Bull are creeping up the standings. Max Verstappen and Valterri Bottas have shared the last five renewals of the race, and with the race last year featuring driver collisions and time penalties, this race is always full of excitement.

Azerbaijan Grand Prix Grand Prix Details

• Date 15th September 2024
• Location Baku City Circuit, Azerbaijan
• Course length 6.003km
• Distance 306,049km

Last Year Podium

• 1st - Sergio Perez
• 2nd - Max Verstappen
• 3rd - George Russell

Last Year's Fastest Lap

George Russell (Mercedes) - Time: 1:43.370

2024 Race Favourite - Lando Norris - 4/5

Azerbaijan Grand Prix Betting Tips

The Azerbaijan Grand Prix is always one of the highlights of the season due to the technical nature of the Baku City street circuit.

The race only debuted in 2017, so it is difficult to glean much from previous results, other than it’s a track Red Bull have been particularly adept at after wins in 2017, 2021, 2022 and 2023.

Their car has been exposed in the last couple of races, however, with three-time world champion Max Verstappen unable to sustain the dominance which saw him win seven of the first 10 races this season. He has yet to win in six attempts since Spain.

Tip 1 - Carlos Sainz podium finish - 9-4

Fortune favoured Ferrari last time out with Charles Leclerc securing a home win for the Italian team in Monza.

However, Carlos Sainz wasn’t disgraced in fourth after events transpired against him and it’s clear Ferrari now have the pace to be competitive every weekend, provided sound strategy decisions are made.

Sainz has shown his consistency this season by reaching the podium five times, and the 9/4 about him doing so again makes much more than the 4/6 about his teammate.

Tip 2 - Nico Hulkenberg points (top 10) finish - 5/4

Nico Hulkenberg has famously yet to stand on the F1 podium despite his storied career but the German driver has made an excellent return to the sport for Haas this year.

He has been threatening to score points every weekend, succeeding on five occasions, and sixth-placed showings in Austria and Britain have shown just how effective he can be.

With teammate Kevin Magnussen sitting out this weekend because of a race ban, Hulkenberg should be able to exert his experience over stand-in Oliver Bearman from the last time they raced, when the younger driver was in a Ferrari in Jeddah.

The likelihood for an upset at a street track is always a distinct possibility and he should be well-placed to take advantage.

Tip 3 - Lando Norris to qualify fastest - 6/4

Lando Norris may have developed a habit of losing the lead when starting from pole position, but McLaren’s de-facto number-one driver has been difficult to fault in qualifying.

He topped the timesheets in Spain, Hungary, the Netherlands and Italy, and is generally reliable in this phase. He also boasts valuable experience over teammate Oscar Piastri.

The Italian Grand Prix confirmed McLaren have the fastest car on the grid and, with his position in the drivers’ championship a key interest point for his team after dramatic early skirmishes last time, Norris is expected to be favoured when it comes to set-up.

Azerbaijan Grand Prix: - Last Five Races Details

Azerbaijan Grand Prix: - History

Held for the first time in 2017, Baku’s City Circuit is home to one of the most intense Grand Prix’s in the World. In the four renditions of the circuit is has been won by only two teams, Red Bull and Mercedes. The first race was won by Daniel Ricciardo who began the race in 10th place. Valterri Bottas should have been the first man to win back-to-back races, however, in 2018, a puncture ruined his race before he rode to victory in 2019. In 2021, after the 2020 race was postponed, Sergio Perez took advantage of Verstappen, Hamilton and Bottas finishing outside the top 10 to ride to victory. Last year, the race was dominated by Red Bull but many believe Red Bull will struggle in 2024..

Lewis Hamilton ended his long wait for his 104th Grand Prix victory at Silverstone and Mercedeswill be hoping to make it three in a row when the Formula One roadshow touches down in Budapest this weekend.

Despite Hamilton’s victory, Max Verstappen’s lead at the top of the World Drivers’ Championship was actually extended as he leapfrogged Lando Norris during the final stint, but Red Bull’s period of unprecedented dominance appears to be coming to an end as several teams close the performance gap.

Hungarian Grand Prix Details

Date July 21st 2024

Location Hungaroring Budapest, Hungary

Course length 4.281km

Distance 306,630km

Last Year Podium

1st - Max Verstappen

2nd - Lando Norris

3rd - Sergio Perez

Last Year's Fastest Lap

Max Verstappen - 1.20.504

2024 Race Favourite - Max Verstappen 5/4

Tip 1 - Lewis Hamilton to win @ 7/1

Lewis Hamilton made it a record nine wins at a single circuit in the British Grand Prix last time out and he has the chance to match that achievement at another track he adores.

The 39-year-old has won the Hungarian Grand Prix eight times, twice the number of Michael Schumacher, and is coming into this weekend in fine form.

The Ferrari-bound driver took advantage of changeable weather conditions to take the chequered flag at Silverstone, confirming Mercedes’ revival after a more fortuitous victory in Austria the weekend before.

Team-mate George Russell was forced to retire with a cooling issue, but apart from that the Mercedes duo have finished in the top four in each of the last four Grands Prix.

Toto Wolff seems confident that the Silver Arrows are back to their best and that makes Hamilton fantastic value at a track he always enjoys.

Tip 2 - Nico Hulkenberg top 10 finish @ 9/10

After years spent at the back of the grid, Haas finally seem to have a capable and race-worthy car and veteran driver Nico Hulkenberg is making the most of that.

The German, who is moving to Sauber next season, finished an excellent sixth in the British Grand Prix to follow on from another sixth-place finish in Austria the weekend before.

Hulkenberg now has five points finishes to his name this season and, remarkably, has only finished lower than 11th on two occasions, one of which was a crash through no fault of his own in Monaco.

The 36-year-old has claimed 22 of Haas’ 27 points this season and can add to his tally at the Hungaroring.

Tip 3 - Carlos Sainz top 6 finish @ 7/10

Ferrari looked to be on an upward trajectory after Charles Leclerc won his home Grand Prix at Monaco, but unfortunately for the Prancing Horse they seem to have been surpassed by McLaren and Mercedes.

However, that has not stopped Carlos Sainz from putting in a string of impressive drives as he puts himself in the shop window for a seat next season.

The Spaniard, who will be replaced at Ferrari by Hamilton, finished fifth at Silverstone to leave him fourth in the World Drivers’ Championship.

He has finished in the top six in 10 of the 11 Grands Prix he has taken part in this season and also in two of his three Hungarian Grands Prix with the Italian team.

Formula 1 returns after its summer break with the Dutch Grand Prix this weekend with world champion Max Verstappen looking to get back to winning ways in his home race.

The Dutchman won half of the 14 races in the first part of the season but has not won any of the last four rounds.

Verstappen is not even favourite for the Zandvoort race, although he has won from pole at the seaside circuit in each of the three years since it returned to the calendar in 2021.

There are plenty of betting options to consider for what should be a competitive race and we've picked out three worthwhile wagers for the Dutch Grand Prix.

Tip 1 - Oscar Piastri to win @ 9/2

McLaren have failed to make the most of their opportunities despite looking to have the strongest car at a number of recent races but they could have more success in the Netherlands. Since Lando Norris's first career win in Miami in May, the British team have not been able to convert their car's potential into maximum points as often as they should, but Oscar Piastri also got his first victory on the board in Hungary and has been the team's leading points scorer in recent races.

The talented young Australian is a decent price at 9/2 to secure his second career success before Norris by winning at Zandvoort.

Piastri was second in the sprint and main race in Austria, won in Hungary and was promoted to second in Belgium when winner George Russell was disqualified for having an underweight car. The Aussie might well have caught both Mercedes given another couple of laps - he was less than a second behind Lewis Hamilton at the line - and his strong run should continue.

Verstappen has been untouchable at his home race over the last three years and should be a strong contender for the win in his 200th career start. He qualified fastest in Belgium but his weekend was ruined by a 10-place penalty for exceeding his engine allocation for the season.

Norris has ruined some strong qualifying performances with poor race starts recently and at the available odds, Piastri could prove to be the best value of the three market principals.

Tip 2 - Daniel Ricciardo points finish (1-10) @ 2/1

Things were beginning to look up for the RB team heading into the summer break and Daniel Ricciardo could again have his trademark smile on his face after the race in the Netherlands.

The Australian had a rough week in Zandvoort last season, picking up a hand injury in a practice collision with Piastri that kept him out of the car for five races. He looks in a good position to make amends, though, after the RB team got one of their drivers into the points at each of the last four races.

Ricciardo was the driver who added to their total when ninth in Austria and 10th in Belgium and with further upgrades expected for his car, he could impress again after taking a back seat to younger team-mate Yuki Tsunoda for much of the first half of the season.

Tip 3 - Under 18.5 drivers to be classified @ 11/10

Zandvoort is an old-school track that was not designed with huge run-off areas or easy access for emergency vehicles and that could result in fewer cars seeing the chequered flag than is often the case in modern F1 races.

The reliability of the cars is excellent and all 20 were classified in the recent races in Spain and Austria, but there is a reasonable chance that at least two drivers will not complete the race distance this week.

The three modern races at Zandvoort have seen 18, 18 and 17 classified finishers and the odds-against offer for 18 or fewer is worth taking.

Having taken the chequered flag at the Dutch Grand Prix last time out, McLaren’s Lando Norris will look to land back-to-back wins for the first time in his F1 career when he competes at the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday.

Norris has been slowly chipping away at Max Verstappen’s lead at the top of the Drivers’ Championship standings, although the Red Bull star still has a healthy 70-point lead. Bristolian Norris has been showing excellent consistency for much of this season and the 24-year-old looks capable of landing the third win of his F1 career at this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix at Monza.

Tip 1 - Lando Norris to win @ Evens

Ending Verstappen’s three-year winning run at the Dutch Grand Prix last weekend, it was a statement victory for Norris in the world champion’s own backyard.

Now the question will be whether Norris can back up that performance with another chequered flag winning display at Monza.

Norris has performed well on this track in the past, with a highlight being when he came second in his McLaren in 2021.

The Brit has a much more competitive car than he did three years ago and, having finished on the podium nine times this season, has the consistency of performance to take the chequered flag again on Sunday.

Tip 2 - Lewis Hamilton podium finish @ 2/1

No driver in the history of F1 has won the Italian Grand Prix more times than Lewis Hamilton, who has won the race on five occasions alongside the great Michael Schumacher.

Hamilton will have fond memories of Monza but his last victory on this circuit was back in the 2018 F1 season.

The Brit has been showing glimpses of the form that helped him win seven world titles and has finished on the podium three times in the last four races.

Eighth place in the Dutch Grand Prix last time was disappointing but the Mercedes star can bounce back to finish on the podium this weekend at a circuit where he has delivered the goods in the past.

Tip 3 - Pierre Gasly top-10 finish @ 3/1

Alpine’s Pierre Gasly was available at odds of around 4/1 to finish in the top 10 at the Dutch Grand Prix and the Frenchman duly delivered with a ninth-place finish at Circuit Zandvoort.

Odds to land in the points in Monza this weekend have shortened slightly but it’s still a price worth considering here.

After finishing in the top 10 four races in a row, Gasly had some reliability issues that set him back in Britain, Hungary and Belgium.

However, Gasly put those issues behind him with a positive performance after the summer break at Circuit Zandvoort and is available at attractive odds of 3/1 to finish in the points at the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday.

One of the most exciting races of the season, Sunday sees Formula 1 fans across the world focus their attention on the night race at the Singapore Grand Prix.

Joining the F1 schedule back in 2008, the circuit at Marina Bay has become an iconic setting for a race that will test all drivers to their limits.

Such is the challenge that Marina Bay provides, runaway 2023 Drivers’ Championship leader Max Verstappen is still looking for his first-ever win at the Singapore Grand Prix.

His biggest opposition will be the man who finished in fourth place at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix last weekend after starting the race all the way down in 15th, Lando Norris looks ready to be back competing for the chequered flag at Sunday’s Singapore Grand Prix.

The McLaren ace produced an excellent performance under challenging circumstances in Baku to narrow the gap on Red Bull’s Max Verstappen to 59 points in the Drivers’ Championship, with seven races of the 2024 F1 season remaining.

After flying past his Dutch rival to claim fourth place, Bristolian Norris looks capable of narrowing the gap to frontrunner Verstappen even further this weekend at the Marina Bay Street Circuit.

Tip 1 - Lando Norris to win @ 7/4

Considering his dominance in F1 over recent years, it might be surprising to learn Verstappen has never won the Singapore Grand Prix.

Success has so far eluded the Red Bull star at the Marina Bay Street Circuit and there was little in his performance at Baku to suggest Verstappen is set to end his wait for a victory at the Singapore Grand Prix this weekend.

Norris, on the other hand, made the best of a bad job in Azerbaijan to work his way through the grid to claim fourth.

The Brit managed to finish in second place at the Singapore Grand Prix last year and, having come on leaps and bounds in his McLaren since then, he’s a good price to go one better at the Marina Bay Street Circuit this time round.

Tip 2 - Carlos Sainz podium finish @ 5/4

After colliding with Red Bull’s Sergio Perez with two laps to go at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix when competing for third, Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz will be determined to get back on the podium this weekend.

Sainz will have been frustrated by the crash at Baku but with a quick turnaround, he has an opportunity to challenge again this weekend.

The Marina Bay Street Circuit holds happy memories for the Spaniard, as he won the Singapore Grand Prix last year ahead of second-place Norris.

That victory was just the second race win of Sainz’s F1 career and was a memorable night for the man from Madrid.

Clearly a driver who enjoys this track, Sainz is certainly worth considering to get back onto the podium on Sunday in Singapore.

Tip 3 - Sergio Perez top-6 finish @ 9/10

Perez will also be eager to get back in his Red Bull as quickly as possible to put the incident in Baku behind him.

The Mexican driver won the 2022 Singapore Grand Prix, with the Ferrari duo of Charles Leclerc and Sainz finishing second and third respectively.

Having enjoyed previous success at the Marina Bay Street Circuit and having earned seven top-six finishes already this season, Perez looks capable of returning to the top six again on Sunday.

After a brief stopover in Australia, the Formula One circus heads to Asia this weekend for the Japanese Grand Prix and Red Bull will be looking to get back on track at Suzuka.

Max Verstappen suffered his first retirement since the 2022 Australian Grand Prix last time out, allowing Ferrari to clinch a one-two finish and slash the gap at the top of the World Constructors’ Championship to just four points heading into round four of the season.

The reigning champion has won on his last two trips to Japan, though, so it will not be easy to overthrow him on Sunday.

Tip 1 - Charles Leclerc to finish on the podium @ 4/5

Carlos Sainz produced a remarkable comeback from appendicitis to take the win in Australia but teammate Charles Leclerc was a close second and the Monegasque driver has generally outperformed Sainz around Suzuka.

Leclerc has finished fourth and third in Japan since the new regulations came into play in 2022 and his silver medal in Australia continued an impressive run of podium finishes.

The 26-year-old has finished in the top three in five of the last six Grands Prix he has started and at least one Ferrari has been on the podium in seven of the last eight races, including all three outings this season so far.

Tip 2 - Nico Hulkenberg to finish in the points @ 7/4

After many seasons out in the cold, Haas finally seem to have put together a half-decent race car and their new-found kindness on the tyres could yield another points finish at the Suzuka International Circuit.

Nico Hulkenberg claimed Haas’s first points since the 2023 Singapore Grand Prix in Saudi Arabia, aided by some incredible defensive driving from teammate Kevin Magnussen.

The German followed that with a ninth-place finish in Australia, and this time he had no need to call on his teammate for help, with Magnussen also claiming points with a 10th-place finish.

Hulkenberg has won 12 of the team’s 16 points since returning at the start of last season and he can add to his tally this weekend.

Tip 3 - Ferrari to have the fastest pit stop @ 2/1

Red Bull Racing won the DHL Fastest Pit Stop award last season but Ferrari gave them a good run and the Prancing Horse continue to impress both on the track and in the pit lane in the early stages of 2024.

The Scuderia have achieved four of the fastest five pit stops of the season so far and delivered the fastest two in the season opener in Bahrain, repeating the same feat they managed in last season’s Japanese Grand Prix, with pit-stop times of 2.23 seconds and 2.30 seconds making up the fastest two stops of last season’s Suzuka instalment.

Four of the last 10 Grands Prix have seen Ferrari top the pit-stop charts and they have been runner-up in two of the other six, so they look a good price to impress again.

Mexico Grand Prix Betting Tips

Max Verstappen will be full of confidence as he bids to add to his impressive win tally for the season when the Red Bull ace lines up for the Mexican Grand Prix on Sunday.

The Dutchman has enjoyed racing at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez over the years and has managed to win the race on four previous occasions.

Verstappen will take some stopping to be denied his 16th win of the season and is 3/10 to be first to the chequered flag in Mexico City this weekend.

However, there is plenty of value to be had elsewhere for what is set to be a high-speed contest in the Mexican capital.

Bet on Formula 1

Bet 1: Sergio Perez to finish on the podium @ 5/6

The poster boy of the weekend’s event, the home support will all be cheering for their beloved Sergio Perez to take the chequered flag on Sunday.

Perez has been second best to Verstappen for most of the season and it’s hard to see him picking up what would be his third win of the campaign here.

However, Perez has earned eight podium finishes this year and, spurred on by the home crowd, he looks capable of at least repeating last year's third-place finish this weekend.

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Bet 2: Lando Norris to finish on the podium @ Evens

After being promoted to second at the United States Grand Prix last time out following Lewis Hamilton's disqualification, Lando Norris will be eager to push Verstappen all the way in Mexico.

It was an impressive performance from Norris in Texas, as the circuit had not been expected to suit his McLaren.

It has been a solid season from Norris, who sits sixth in the drivers' standings and will still be looking to potentially leapfrog the likes of Carlos Sainz Jr and Fernando Alonso in the table.

After his efforts last time out at the Circuit of the Americas, Norris has the speed to be able to land a seventh podium finish of the season and what would be a fifth consecutive appearance on the rostrum following his excellent run of form in recent months.

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Bet 3: Fernando Alonso to finish in top 6 @ 8/5

With 11 top-six finishes so far this season, it would be little surprise to see Alonso repeat the feat again this weekend.

The Spaniard was frustrated last year in Mexico as he was not able to finish despite completing more than 90% of the race distance.

Having to settle for 19th place in 2022, Alonso might well feel like he has a point to prove this weekend and will be eager to chase down third-placed Hamilton in the Drivers’ Championship.

Hamilton is 18 points ahead of Alonso going into this 19th race of the season and the two-time world champion will know time is running out if he is to leapfrog the Englishman in the standings.

Alonso had to retire from the race in Texas with a broken floor on his Aston Martin, but if he can avoid any further reliability issues, then he’s well-priced to earn another top-six finish here.

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Bahrain Grand Prix Betting Tips

• Date: 3rd March 2024
• Track: Bahrain International Circuit
• Most Wins: Lewis Hamilton (5)
• Race Length: 191.530 miles
• Laps: 57
• 2023 Winner: Max Verstappen & Red Bull
• 2024 Favourite: Max Verstappen & Red Bull

Max Verstappen is a hot favourite to kick off his quest for a fourth World Drivers' Championship with victory in this weekend's Bahrain Grand Prix.

The Dutch dynamo led his team-mate home for a Red Bull 1-2 in last year's season opener, and the signs from last week's testing suggest they will again be the outfit to beat.

However, the likes of McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes all enjoyed better preparations than they did 12 months ago and head into the campaign in a more confident mood.

Tip 1 - George Russell podium finish @ 5/2

Ferrari's promising pre-season has seen Charles Leclerc emerge as Verstappen's closest market competitor, but there are reasons to think the Scuderia could be pushed hard by their old rivals Mercedes.

The Silver Arrows pipped Ferrari to second place in the constructors' championship last year, and while Ferrari set the headline lap-times in testing, Mercedes' George Russell put in a lap just 0.046 seconds off the fastest, late on the final day of running.

Furthermore, the Mercedes looked in slightly better shape on the longer race-simulation runs than the Ferraris, and in any case far better than the Brackley-based team have looked in the run-up to the last two seasons.

Sakhir is a circuit where overtaking is possible and Russell could prove value to grab a spot on the podium, as he did at the final race of last season in Abu Dhabi.

Tip 2 - Winning margin 10 seconds or more @ 6/4

Verstappen sauntered home almost 12 seconds clear of his Red Bull team-mate Perez in last year's Bahrain Grand Prix, and while the pack could be closer this time, a similar margin of victory looks wholly possible.

Fernando Alonso was the closest non-Red Bull finisher, more than 38 seconds down the road.

It seems more likely than not that the Dutchman will make a winning start to the campaign, and he is not one to ease down to win by a modest margin, often pumping in the fastest lap on the final tour just to rub salt in his rivals' wounds.

Last season Verstappen won six races by at least 17 seconds, and he will be in the mood to make a statement in the season opener.

Tip 3 - McLaren to make the fastest pitstop @ 11/4

One of the rare areas where Red Bull did not dominate last season was in the pit box.

McLaren's introduction of a major car upgrade at the Austrian Grand Prix also coincided with some much slicker tyre changes from the Woking team mechanics.

Six of the final 13 races of the season saw McLaren record the fastest pitstop, including a new record 1.80 seconds stationary while they fitted Lando Norris with a new set of boots in Qatar.

Blink and you might miss it, but listing McLaren third in the betting to perform the fastest pitstop in Bahrain looks a little off, and certainly represents a value bet.

Belgian Grand Prix Tips

Bet on Formula 1

Red Bull's Max Verstappen is looking to make it eight wins on the bounce when he heads to this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix.

The title might already be sealed for Verstappen, who sits 110 points clear of teammate Sergio Perez, but don't expect him to take his foot off the gas at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.

Verstappen's triumph in Hungary last weekend means he is just two shy of Sebastian Vettel's record of nine consecutive race wins in F1.

Tip 1 - Double podium finish - Red Bull

Red Bull are coasting to a second successive Constructors' Championship, sitting 229 points clear of Mercedes after winning all 11 races this campaign.

Max Verstappen is also closing in on a third successive Drivers' Championship with nine race wins under his belt this term, including each of the last seven.

There's little value in backing the Dutchman to make it eight on the bounce but it could be worth getting behind both Red Bull cars to be on the podium.

Sergio Perez's form had tailed off a little after winning two of the opening four races but he will be full of confidence after a strong drive to finish third in Hungary last weekend.

The Mexican started ninth on the grid but weaved his way through traffic to get on the podium in Budapest.

Red Bull's straight line speed has put them in such a strong position and should be well suited to the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.

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Tip 2 - Podium finish - Lando Norris

Lando Norris picked up just one podium finish in 2022 but he already has two under his belt this term and he's claimed them in each of his last two outings.

The McLaren star finished second at the British Grand Prix and followed up with second place in Hungary last time out.

Prior to the British GP on 9th July, Norris had finished in the top six just twice and inside the top-10 on only four occasions, however, McLaren's upgrades are clearly having an impact and he looks set to challenge for another podium finish in Belgium.

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Tip 3 - Top-six finish - Fernando Alonso

Fernando Alonso is proving that age is just a number as the 41-year-old is enjoying a fine campaign for Aston Martin.

The Spaniard isn't in the mix for the title but he is looking to claim his highest finish in the Drivers' Championship since 2013 when he finished second.

His fine start to 2023, which saw him seal three successive third place finishes, has him sitting third in the standings and six points clear of Lewis Hamilton in four.

Alonso has been on the podium six times this term - he didn't manage a top-three finish once in 2022 - and he is no stranger to challenging high up the field in Belgium.

He finished fifth at Spa when driving for Alpine last season and boasts six top-six finishes at the Belgian GP.

Bet on Bet on Fernando Alonso: Top 6

There is always a party atmosphere at Silverstone on British Grand Prix weekend and the excitement is likely to be at fever pitch this year.

Not only is there a case to be made that McLaren’s Lando Norris should be favourite for Sunday's race, but the most recent Formula 1 winner was also British, George Russell having claimed his second career victory for Mercedes in Austria last week.

Last year there was plenty for the crowd to cheer, as Norris led the early stages of the race and finished second, while firm fan favourite, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, was also on the podium.

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen holds an 81-point lead in the standings, but there is all to play for at Silverstone, and we have picked out the three best bets for the British Grand Prix.

Tip 1 - Lando Norris to win the race @ 3/1

Five of the last seven races have seen Verstappen and Norris fill the first two places, but after their controversial coming together at the Red Bull Ring last week there is extra spice in their battle.

Verstappen has come out on top in four of those five occasions, but Norris has let winning chances pass him by in the last three races.

In Canada he seemed to be in control of the race, but lost the lead due to delaying his pitstop behind the safety car.

The McLaren driver took pole position in Spain next time but had slipped to third by the first corner, while in Austria last week he was clearly quicker than Verstappen, but the Red Bull ace got physical in his defence to the detriment of both drivers.

It has been a frustrating time for punters who have faithfully followed Norris, but there is plenty of evidence that the McLaren is the faster car, while the team had a really strong weekend at Silverstone last year.

Tip 2 - Carlos Sainz top-six finish @ 3/ 4

After finishing first and third in Monaco, Ferrari have been shuffled back to fourth in the constructors' pecking order in recent races, but it is so close at the front that they are certainly capable of finishing higher than that.

Monaco winner Charles Leclerc has been guilty of pushing too hard in an attempt to compensate recently, but level-headed team-mate Carlos Sainz has been delivering strong performances.

He was lucky to finish third in Austria, but would have been fifth even without the Norris and Verstappen collision, and every race he has finished this year has been in the top six. The Silverstone winner in 2022, Sainz is worth a bet to reach at least sixth.

Tip 3 - Pierre Gasly top-10 finish @ Evens

Alpine have put their miserable start to the season behind them and emerged as arguably the best of the unofficial second-division teams.

Pierre Gasly celebrated his contract extension with a fourth consecutive points finish in Austria last weekend and there is no reason to think he won't be in the mix again this week.

Gasly was in the thick of an intense battle for points in last year's British Grand Prix before being taken out by Lance Stroll's Aston Martin and the Frenchman looks a nice price to gain revenge.

After a brief European visit, Formula 1 will be back across the Atlantic for this weekend's Canadian Grand Prix, the ninth race on the 24-event calendar.

Bet on Formula 1

Red Bull began the season with back-to-back 1-2 finishes, and it looked like we were set for a monotonous campaign in which they and Max Verstappen would easily retain the Drivers' and Constructors' Championships.

However, three months on, things are looking very different, with three different teams claiming victories in the last three races.

Verstappen eased to dominant wins in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, but he has found the competition much hotter recently as McLaren and Ferrari's improvements have enabled them to challenge the Dutch three-time world champion.

Lando Norris finally claimed his first career win in Miami, his 110th start, and went close to following it up at Imola next time, pushing Verstappen right to the finish line.

At Monaco last time, Red Bull never looked competitive all weekend as Charles Leclerc claimed a home victory, his first for almost two years, in a tactical affair.

Tip 1 - Charles Leclerc to win @ 6/1

Leclerc's sixth F1 win was a long time coming, but given Ferrari's recent form, he may not have to wait long for his seventh.

Monaco is not the best barometer of performance as the circuit is totally unlike any other, and overtaking is virtually impossible, but there are other signs that the Monegasque racer could be set for a spell of strong results.

He has been the most consistent performer of the season, finishing every race in the top four, and has collected the most points of anyone across the last three race weekends, including the Miami sprint.

Although Italy celebrated Leclerc's podium finish in Emilia Romagna, the team were disappointed and regretted using conservative engine settings. They felt victory was possible had they opted to lean more towards top speed than acceleration.

Despite that, Leclerc was able to keep pressure on Norris until he made a late mistake, and he finished only eight seconds behind winner Verstappen.

Montreal's layout is not too dissimilar to Imola, and the track could play to Ferrari's strengths.

Tip 2 - Oscar Piastri top-three finish @ Evens

Australian youngster Piastri's second place in Monaco gave McLaren their fourth podium finish in a row, and he looks good value for a follow-up in Canada.

That was his first appearance of the year on the rostrum, but he has finished fourth three times and team-mate Norris gets first preference when it comes to car upgrades, so Piastri can be forgiven for trailing the Briton in the standings.

Piastri has gone faster than Norris in qualifying at each of the last two races, and he was unlucky not to get pole position in Imola.

The team have stressed that slow corners do not suit their car, but that hasn't stopped them showing impressive form and while the Canadian track doesn't have many fast turns they should be strong again.

Miami Grand Prix betting tips

Formula 1 heads to the Florida sunshine this weekend for the third Miami Grand Prix in the streets outside the Miami Dolphins' Hard Rock Stadium.

For the first time it is a sprint-race weekend and it's the second in succession after the same format was used in China.

World champion Max Verstappen was successful in Shanghai and has now won four of the five races this season, but some of Red Bull's rival teams are upgrading their cars this weekend in the hope of giving the Dutchman more of a fight at the front of the field.

Verstappen is a red-hot 1/7 favourite to win the race and remain the only driver to win in Miami as he was successful there in 2022 and 2023.

However, there are plenty of other bets to consider for the race and we've picked out three enticing wagers for the sixth round of the season.

Tip 1 - George Russell top-six finish @ 9/10

McLaren and Mercedes are among the teams bringing the latest products of their development departments to the track in Miami and the German outfit would be disappointed if they cannot help George Russell to at least secure his fourth top-six finish of the season.

While McLaren have been ahead of Mercedes so far this season, the Miami track lacks the high-speed corners where their car excels and it's more likely that their progress will be easier to observe at other circuits.

George Russell has done a solid job in difficult circumstances this season for Mercedes, finishing ahead of his team-mate Lewis Hamilton at each race, and he will be looking to get involved in the fight with Ferrari and McLaren if the improvements work as planned.

Russell has finished fifth and fourth in the first two races in Miami and while a first podium finish of the season may take a little longer, another solid top-six placing looks likely.

Tip 2 - Carlos Sainz best finishing position v Charles Leclerc @ 23/20

Driver matchups are always an interesting market from BetUK and Carlos Sainz looks worthy of support to secure a better finishing position than his Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc in Miami.

Sainz is the 23/20 outsider with Leclerc on offer at 7/10, but the odds should arguably be closer than that given their performances so far this season.

The Spaniard is leaving the team at the end of this season to accommodate Lewis Hamilton's arrival, but the Italian outfit might just be wondering if they are letting the right driver depart. Sainz is seven points behind Leclerc in the championship but was forced to miss the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix due to appendix surgery and has finished ahead of Leclerc in three of the four races he has taken part in this season.

He amazingly won in Australia in his first race back in action and also finished ahead of Leclerc in Miami last season, when they were fifth and seventh respectively.

Tip 3 - Esteban Ocon top 10 finish @ 9/2

Alpine have made a poor start to the 2024 season having been a decent midfield outfit in recent years, but there were signs that they are getting back on the right path in the last race in China.

The team were able to upgrade the car which started the season in Shanghai and Esteban Ocon produced a much-improved 11th-place finish, just 2.5 seconds away from picking up his first point of the season by making the top 10.

If the French outfit can build on the performance, they have a better chance of opening their account for the season than odds of 9/2 for Ocon to make the top 10 suggest.

Ocon is a race winner after his 2021 success in Hungary and is capable of a strong finish if his improving car is up to the job.

The highlight for many of the Formula 1 racing calendar arrives on Sunday as drivers prepare for the glitz and glamour of the 2024 Monaco Grand Prix.

Unsurprisingly, Red Bull ace and current Drivers’ Championship frontrunner Max Verstappen is the firm favourite to win the chequered flag in Monte Carlo this weekend.

The Dutchman has won the high-profile race in two of the last three years, and the reigning world champion will take some stopping on Sunday.

However, other markets can provide better value for punters, and here are three selections to consider ahead of the highly anticipated race on the streets of Monte Carlo.

Tip 1 - Winner without Max Verstappen - Lando Norris @ 6/4

Lando Norris has been making waves in Formula 1 in recent weeks and could push Verstappen for the victory this weekend.

Winning his first race in Formula 1 at the Miami Grand Prix at the start of the month, the 24-year-old went on to finish in second place at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix last weekend.

Moving up to fourth place in the Drivers’ Championship, Norris has been showing a level of consistency that has been catching the eye.

While getting past Verstappen on the narrow Monte Carlo streets might be a push for Norris on Sunday, the Bristolian is good value at 6/4 in the race-winner market without Verstappen.

Tip 2 - Fernando Alonso top-6 finish @ 5/4

Fernando Alonso endured a race to forget at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix last weekend but the two-time world champion can come back stronger in Monaco.

Adding upgrades to their AMR24 car prior to the race in Imola, Italy, Alonso unfortunately crashed in final practice and had to start the race from the pits.

The race itself was more akin to a test drive for the 42-year-old, but he and his Aston Martin Aramco team will have learnt plenty about the upgrades ahead of the contest at Monte Carlo, where he has won twice previously in 2006 and 2007.

Alonso finished in second place behind Verstappen in Monaco last year and, with a strong performance in qualifying, can definitely challenge for a top-6 finish this weekend.

Tip 3 - Pierre Gasly top-10 finish @ 5/4

Currently down in 19th place in the Drivers’ Championship on zero points, it has not been the season Pierre Gasly would have been hoping for with Alpine.

However, there is hope that the Frenchman can give the Monegasque crowd something to cheer about this weekend in Monte Carlo.

With two 13th-place finishes and one 12th, Gasly has been knocking on the door for points in the first seven races of the 2024 campaign.

Gasly seems to have enjoyed his time at the Monaco Grand Prix in the past. He has raced there five times previously and finished in the top 10 on four occasions.

Again, much will depend on a solid performance from Gasly in qualifying. However, should that go well, he has shown he can handle this street circuit and could deliver his first points of the season.

Saudi Arabia Grand Prix predictions:

• Date: 19th March 2023
• Track: Jeddah Corniche Circuit
• Most Wins: Lewis Hamilton & Max Verstappen (1)
• Race Length: 191.662 miles
• Laps: 50
• 2022 Winner: Max Verstappen & Red Bull
• 2023 Favourite: Max Verstappen & Red Bull

Ferrari hunting rampaging Red Bull

Red Bull were untouchable in Formula 1’s season-opener in Bahrain a fortnight ago, but there’s hope round two could produce a closer race as the teams’ gear up for the high-speed Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

The Jeddah Corniche Circuit is the second longest and second fastest track on the calendar and presents a far different challenge to what the drivers encountered in Bahrain.

Max Verstappen led home a Red Bull one-two in the first race of the year with the closest non-Red Bull driver, Fernando Alonso, 40 seconds adrift of the world champion.

Red Bull were in a class of their own in Bahrain, and the expectation is they’ll back up that Bahrain win with Verstappen 4/9 to come out on top this Sunday, while team-mate Serio Perez is 9/2.

It’s hard to oppose Red Bull but the hope is that moving from a circuit that prioritises traction and rear tyre performance to one where speed is king and tyre degradation is less of a factor may open the door, even just a crack, to the rest of the grid.

Leclerc hoping to go one better

Ferrari look the most likely candidate to take advantage of any drop in performance by Red Bull in Saudi Arabia. The Scuderia clocked only a marginally slower top speed than Red Bull in testing and there was little between the two teams in last year’s race around the streets of Jeddah.

On that occasion, Verstappen took the chequered flag, 0.549 seconds ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who returns to Saudi Arabia eager to put his DNF in Bahrain behind him.

Qualifying well in Saudi Arabia has proven vital, with the podium places in the previous two editions filled by drivers starting from the front two rows. Ferrari have a strong track record in qualifying over the last 12 months and Leclerc was unlucky to miss out on what would have been a 10th pole position of the season to Perez in Jeddah last year.

With tyre degradation - a massive Achilles heel for Ferrari recently - also not such a determining factor in Saudi Arabia, a stronger showing is expected by Ferrari with Leclerc likely to lead the charge. He’s 11/4 to claim pole position and a solid each-way chance at 9/1 to win the race.

Alpine out to make amends

Aston Martin and Mercedes will hope to be in the fight for the podium places but there are concerns over both teams, who use the same power units. A perceived lack of straight-line speed is a major disadvantage at a track with such long straights, although it would be wrong to totally discount Aston’s Fernando Alonso as he chases the 100th podium of his career.

Mercedes are another team that could benefit from a lack of tyre degradation but are more likely to be looking over their shoulders at the rest of the grid, in particular Alpine.

The Renault works team largely had a weekend to forget in Bahrain, qualifying poorly before Esteban Ocon was given 20 seconds worth of penalties during the race before withdrawing. But the glimmer of hope came in the form of Pierre Gasly’s drive.

The Frenchman showed the potential of the car, piloting it from a starting position of 20th to a ninth-place finish and hopes are high of an improved showing all round this weekend.

Gasly is 10/13 to score points in Jeddah, while it’s 2/1 that both Alpines finish in the top-10 on race day.

Spanish Grand Prix Details

• Date: June 23rd 2024
• Location: Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Montmelo
• Course length: 4.657KM (2.894 Mi)
• Capacity: 140,700

Last Year Podium:

• 1st - Max Verstappen
• 2nd - Lewis Hamilton
• 3rd - George Russell

Last Year's Fastest Lap

1:24.108 - Sergio Perez (Lap 55)

2024 Race Favourite

Max Verstappen to win Spanish Grand Prix: 1/2

2024 Spanish GP betting tips

Formula 1 returns to Europe this weekend for the Spanish Grand Prix after a dramatic race in Canada two weeks ago.

World champion Max Verstappen won for the sixth time in nine races this season in Montreal, but needed a helping hand from a timely safety-car period to regain the lead from Lando Norris.

The Dutchman needs to fend off the challenge of three strong rivals these days as Mercedes have joined McLaren and Ferrari in raising their game and George Russell took pole position in Canada.

Verstappen is the favourite again this week, though, at a track where he has won in each of the last two seasons.

There are plenty of betting options to consider for the race and we've picked out three worthwhile wagers for the Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuit de Catalunya.

Tip 1 - Max Verstappen to win @ 1/2

Max Verstappen became F1's youngest ever race winner when taking the 2016 Spanish Grand prix victory in his first race for Red Bull. He has been a consistent podium finisher in Barcelona, coming third in 2018 and 2109 and second in 2020 and 2021 before wins in 2022 and 2023.

This year's race will be a good measuring stick of how much progress Red Bull's rivals have made at reeling in the formerly dominant team. Verstappen won the event by 24 seconds last year but is not expected to have such a comfortable afternoon this time.

Even so, he is hard to oppose in the race winner market as Barcelona is the perfect circuit for Red Bull to demonstrate their aerodynamic prowess.

If Mercedes, McLaren or Ferrari can beat them in Spain then it really would be game on in the championship race for the rest of the season.

Red Bull were not suited by the tracks at Monaco or Canada due to their car struggling to ride kerbs as well as their rivals but that's not an issue this week and Verstappen should be back on top form.

Tip 2 - Charles Leclerc best finishing position v Lando Norris @ 11/10

As well as match-ups between drivers of the same team, BetUK also offer bets on which driver will have the better finishing position of two drivers from different teams and taking Ferrari's Charles Leclerc to outperform Lando Norris of McLaren is tempting.

Ferrari had a miserable time in the wet weekend at Montreal, with both their cars failing to finish the race. That was enough to wipe away any over-confidence that might have occurred as a result of their victory in Monaco, though, and the team are hoping that better days are ahead, with updated parts due to be on their car for the Spanish Grand Prix.

That could give them the edge in an increasingly close battle with McLaren and Mercedes.

Leclerc looks worth backing to finish ahead of McLaren's Lando Norris in Spain. He secured a top-four finish at each of the first eight races this year and has been on the podium five times.

Norris was unlucky not to come away from Canada with his second success of the season after a safety-car period caused him to lose the lead but there was not much to choose between any of the chasing teams and any improvement from Ferrari this week could push Leclerc ahead again.

Tip 3 - Yuki Tsunoda points finish @ 9/10

Points are becoming more difficult for teams outside the top four to acquire as the big guns are now apparently all back on track but the Visa Cash App RB team have shown enough to suggest they can keep their points tally ticking over.

Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda has finished in the top 10 at five of the last seven races and should also benefit from an updated car this week.

Tsunoda had been running well in the points and ahead of his team-mate Daniel Ricciardo in Montreal but a late mistake saw him drop to 14th.

At a track that should suit his car's strengths, Tsunoda has a strong chance of getting back in the top 10.

ADD ALL OF OUR TIPS TO YOUR BETSLIP

Spanish Grand Prix: - Brief History

The first Spanish Grand Prix was held in 1913 as a race for Touring cars. However, the transition to Formula 1 in 1951 where only two events were held until 1967. From this point, it became a regular course dominated Lotus and Ford. Since then, individuals have gone on runs of dominating Nigel Mansell, Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost dominated over a nine year period between 1986 and 1994 before Michael Schumacher and Mika Hakkinen won all but one event between 1995 and 2004. From that point, the winners varied as the sport became more competitive year on year. However, between 2017 and 2022, Lewis Hamilton won five races in a row on this track, Hamilton and Schumacher hold the record for the most number of wins at the Spanish Grand Prix with 6 wins apiece.

Australian Grand Prix Betting Tips

Formula 1 heads to Australia for round three of the 2023 season with Red Bull strong favourites to continue their dominant start to the campaign. Reigning champion Max Verstappen leads the world championship by one point from team mate Sergio Perez with the Red Bull duo having filled the top two spots in each of the first two races.

Verstappen is odds-on to win in Australia for the first time in his career, with Perez next in the betting to win back-to-back races, having led from lights to flag last time out in Saudi Arabia.

Albert Park hasn't always been a happy hunting ground for Red Bull with Ferrari winning three of the last four races at the Melbourne circuit, while Mercedes have been on pole for six of the last seven editions. Those previous successes might count for little if Red Bull can put together a trouble-free weekend as they chase a first win down under in 12 years.

Tip 1: Sergio Perez race winner @ 7/2

Even with Red Bull's torrid history in Australia, it would be folly to think anyone other than Verstappen or Perez can win this race, barring any incidents. When Verstappen was trying to catch Perez in Saudi Arabia and both cars were pushing hard, they were going at a second a lap quicker than third-placed Fernando Alonso.

The gap between Red Bull and their main rivals is vast at this point of the year, so much so that Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has already conceded the title to the Milton Keynes-based outfit. The RB19 looks like it will be strong wherever F1 are racing this year and having blitzed a quick street circuit in Jeddah, a similar result should be expected at a semi-permanent street track in Melbourne.

Street racing has proven to be right up Perez's alley, with four of his five wins in Formula 1 coming at those types of circuits, and although Albert Park isn't a typical street track, the Mexican can be a thorn in Verstappen's side again.

With Verstappen odds-on to win a race he's failed to finish twice in six attempts, including last year, it's worth chancing Perez to back up his success in Saudi Arabia at a venue where he was runner-up 12 months ago.

Perez has been driving at a very high standard this year and there's every reason to believe he can continue to challenge Verstappen for race wins.

Tip 2: Both Aston Martins to finish in the top six @ 9/10

The only team that's kept Red Bull relatively honest through the first two races is Aston Martin, who have been the surprise package of the campaign, with lead driver Fernando Alonso securing back-to-back podiums. The Spaniard is convinced he'll end his decade-long wait for a win at some point this year and as a team, Aston are certainly closer to a victory than Mercedes or Ferrari. A top-six finish for Alonso, which he's achieved in 12 of his 17 starts at Albert Park, is the minimum the two-time world champion will be aiming for, and Lance Stroll should be pushing to join him.

Stroll piloted his Aston to sixth in Bahrain when not 100 per cent fit before a mechanical issue curtailed his race in Saudi Arabia and the Canadian should be back in the fight towards the front of the grid this weekend.

Tip 3: Lando Norris top-10 finish @ 33/20

It's been a disastrous start to the season for McLaren with technical issues and race incidents meaning they sit bottom of the constructors' standing. Technical director James Key has paid for that poor start by losing his job, but the Woking outfit have shown decent paces at times, suggesting the first points of the season is just around the corner if they can stay out of trouble.

Lando Norris has proven in the past he can elevate himself about the rest of the midfield, scoring points in 17 of last year's 22 races and the Brit can be backed to lead the McLaren turnaround.

Chinese Grand Prix Tips

Red Bull drivers Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez are sitting pretty at the top of the Formula 1 standings after four races and are the strong favourites to continue their dominance in this weekend's Chinese Grand Prix.

The Shanghai International circuit has not hosted an F1 race since 2019 and that could act to level the playing field, as none of the teams has any relevant data to guide them in how to set-up their ultra-sensitive machines.

Ferrari are leading the pursuit of the champions, with at least one of Charles Leclerc or Carlos Sainz having stood on the podium after each of this season's races, and they will be hoping to continue to edge closer to the Red Bulls' performance.

Tip 1 - Carlos Sainz podium finish @ 17/20

Sainz will lose his seat at the end of this season to make way for seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton's arrival, but the Spaniard's recent performances must be giving his Ferrari bosses cause to wonder whether that is a wise decision.

Despite missing the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix with appendicitis, Sainz is only four points behind his team-mate Leclerc in the standings and only nine points back from Perez.

Considering he has picked up at least 15 points from each race he has contested, Sainz would quite probably be applying some pressure to Verstappen had it not been for his medical emergency.

In contrast to recent seasons, Sainz has consistently outperformed Leclerc in races, and qualifying has been key to that.

Usually a qualifying specialist, Monegasque racer Leclerc has struggled to get his tyres up to optimum temperature for his qualy laps, while Sainz has not.

The forecast for a cloudy weekend means likely low track temperatures, so Leclerc could again find it troublesome getting heat into his tyres.

Also in contrast to recent seasons is that Ferrari's race pace has been just as strong as over a single lap, and that has been key in cementing themselves as the chief challengers to Red Bull.

Sainz's two third places and his Australian Grand Prix victory from his three appearances in 2024 suggest the 17/20 on offer for him to continue his podium streak is worth taking.

Tip 2 - Fernando Alonso top-six finish @ 7/4

Sainz's childhood hero turned on-track rival Fernando Alonso is another driver who should be on punters' radar in Shanghai.

The Spanish veteran is a two-time winner in Shanghai, the first time way back in 2005, and his experience will help his Aston Martin team with their set-up decisions at a track where none of the teams has any recent data.

Alonso has made a solid start to the campaign, comprehensively outperforming his Canadian team-mate Lance Stroll, and crossing the finish line in the top six at each of the last three races.

A penalty for his part in George Russell's scary crash in Australia dropped him to eighth in the finishing order there.

Aston Martin, along with McLaren and Mercedes are vying for the best-of-the-rest title behind Red Bull and Ferrari, but are currently the third of that trio, mainly thanks to Stroll having contributed only two points finishes in four races.

However, the nature of the Shanghai circuit, with many low-speed corners, could suit the green machines better than their main competitors and Alonso will be eyeing another top-six finish.

Emilia Romagna Betting Tips & Predictions

Formula 1 returns to Europe this weekend for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix after starting the season with six far-flung events.

Unlike in Miami last time, it's a regular race weekend with no Sprint race, but there should be a buzz in the air around the paddock after Lando Norris's first career win shook up the championship.

World champion Max Verstappen has won four of the six races this season, but the Dutchman looks set to face more of a fight both from McLaren and Ferrari, who have brought an upgraded car for one of their home races at Imola.

Verstappen is a slightly bigger price than he has been for most races this season but remains a hot favourite at 1/4.

There are plenty of betting options to consider for the race and we've picked out three worthwhile wagers for the first European contest of the season.

Tip 1 - Carlos Sainz Jr. 1-3 finish @ 9/4

We saw in Miami what a major upgrade package can do for a team on the track as Norris guided the vastly improved McLaren to victory.

This week it's Ferrari who are hoping to make a leap forward with a major revision of their 2024 car design and a large number of new parts for the cars of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr.

Not all upgrades can be made to work immediately but Ferrari are starting off closer to the pace than McLaren were last week, having already collected six podium finishes already this season including one win, and fans around the world would love to see three teams scrapping it out at the front.

Carlos Sainz Jr. has three podium finishes already from the five races he has started this season and looks decent value at 9/4 for another top-three finish at Imola.

The Spaniard, who won the Australian Grand Prix when Max Verstappen was forced out of the race early, has raced well at the track previously and should be targeting another podium.

He finished fourth in the 2022 Sprint at Imola after starting only 10th on the grid and was fifth from 11th on the grid in 2021. If he can avoid issues in qualifying this year, he should feature prominently.

Tip 2 - Charles Leclerc best finishing position v Sergio Perez @ 4/5

As well as match-ups between drivers of the same team, BetUK also offer bets on which driver will have the better finishing position of two drivers from different teams and taking Leclerc of Ferrari to outperform Red Bull's Sergio Perez is tempting.

Perez is second in the championship, 33 points behind his team-mate Verstappen, but only five in front of the consistent Leclerc.

The Monegasque driver is the only man on the grid to have finished in the top four of every race this season and that solid form is ideal for a two-way bet such as this.

Leclerc finished ahead of Perez in Australia and last time out in Miami despite clearly having an inferior car. Now the Ferrari upgrades have arrived he should be even more confident of finishing ahead of the Mexican, who has finished sixth, 11th and second in his last three trips to this track.

Tip 3 - Nico Hulkenberg points finish @ 7/4

Further down the grid, the midfield battle is as lively as ever, with Alpine improving after a very slow start and Haas, VCARB and Sauber also capable of competing for the final points-paying positions.

The man to watch this week could be Nico Hulkenberg of Haas, who has been on the fringes of the top 10 in almost every race this season.

The German has finished 10th, ninth, 11th, 10th and 11th in the last five races, showing why Sauber have already moved to sign him for next season.

Hulkenberg's Ferrari-powered car should be seen to good effect at this track and Kevin Magnussen finished ninth at Imola for the team in 2022. Hulkenberg has finished ahead of the Dane at each of the last five races and can be the main threat for his team again.

There is a chance of thunderstorms according to the forecast for Sunday and the German is also a strong performer in the rain.

Emilia Romagna Statistics

Race Details:

• First Held: 2020
• Circuit Length: 4.909 km
• Laps: 63
• Last Time Out Winner: Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
• Fastest Race Lap: Lewis Hamilton - 1.15.484 (2020)

Winners

Qatar Grand Prix tips

The Lusail circuit in Qatar, long a home to MotoGP events, hosts only its second Formula 1 weekend after staging a race in 2021.

Max Verstappen will almost certainly be crowned world champion for the third time during the course of the weekend, and uniquely it will likely happen on Saturday when the Red Bull driver needs only to finish in the top six in the Sprint race to guarantee the title.

Tip 1 - Lando Norris winner without Max Verstappen @ 7/4

It is generous to say that it has been an up-and-down season for Sergio Perez.

Since winning two of the first four races of the season and declaring himself a championship contender, the campaign has been pretty much a disaster for the Mexican.

Even in the three races where he finished second following that golden start, Perez was trounced by Verstappen, who put together a run of ten victories in the same Red Bull car.

Little wonder, then, that the team are reportedly eyeing Lando Norris as a replacement for veteran Perez.

Norris's McLaren team started the season, as has become their habit, hopelessly uncompetitively, but have made huge strides since and have looked clear second-best behind Red Bull in recent races.

Norris is being kept honest by his Australian rookie team-mate Oscar Piastri, but the Bristolian's experience shows in races and he has finished second four times in the last seven events.

Qatar's sweeping bends should suit the McLaren, and Norris is preferred to Perez to chase down Verstappen following the Mexican's confidence-bashing outing in Japan last time.

Tip 2 - Liam Lawson to beat Yuki Tsunoda @ 27/20

New Zealander Liam Lawson knows he will not be racing for AlphaTauri next season and was only confirmed for this weekend during the week as Daniel Ricciardo continues his recovery from a broken hand.

Lawson is racing in only his fifth Grand Prix but has already made a huge impression, and scored his team's best result of the season when coming home ninth in Singapore.

His team-mate Yuki Tsunoda has been a victim of bad luck at times during Lawson's incumbency in the second seat, but the Japanese has finished behind the rookie in both races the pair have completed.

Lawson is unlikely to be out of F1 for long and he is good value to make a statement by beating Tsunoda again in Qatar, where his lack of experience will be less of a handicap.

Tip 3 - Charles Leclerc to beat Lewis Hamilton @ 10/11

Another match bet to consider is backing Ferrari's Charles Leclerc to get the better of Lewis Hamilton.

Seven-time champion Hamilton has had a solid season and is the top non-Red Bull driver in the championship.

However, Mercedes are not finishing the season in the strongest shape, particularly in qualifying.

Ferrari have been stronger over a single lap than in race trim all year, but they are getting better in that department while also improving their form at circuits with long corners, such as Lusail.

Leclerc has finished fourth in each of the last three races, finishing behind Hamilton only in Singapore, where a Mercedes strategic gamble paid off for the Briton.

Take Leclerc to come out on top this weekend.

Max Verstappen is undoubtedly an exceptional F1 driver – but is he the best in history? It’s a debate that has raged since his first F1 Drivers’ Championship triumph in 2021. He has now delivered three straight titles and utterly crushed the competition in the 2023 F1 season.

Is it too early to talk about the Dutchman as being one of the greats? We had this discussion a decade ago when Lewis Hamilton was hoovering up titles, and before him when Sebastian Vettel and Michael Schumacher dominated the sport.

Winning world championships doesn’t necessarily mean you’re the best. But it certainly aids the argument!

Below, we’ve ranked the best F1 drivers on everything from race wins to sheer exuberance to determine where Verstappen sits on the list of greats.

What We Rank

Ranking F1 drivers is subjective, no matter how many stats you use. Basing the shortlist on raw stats like title triumphs and Grand Prix victories is standard practice. However, discussing the “greatest ever” driver means thinking about the impact each man had on the sport.

Our ranking system, then, goes beyond pure numbers. We also look at how loved each driver is or was, and their F1 legacy in 2024. We’ll admit, some of our rankings are pure opinion! But that’s what makes the debate so fun.

Titles

• Michael Schumacher – 7 titles | Our ranking points: 1
• Lewis Hamilton – 7 titles | Our ranking points: 1
• Juan Manuel Fangio – 5 titles | Our ranking points: 3
• Alain Prost – 4 titles | Our ranking points: 4
• Sebastian Vettel – 4 titles | Our ranking points: 4
• Max Verstappen – 3 titles | Our ranking points: 5

Let’s start with the headline stat. Verstappen boasts three Drivers’ Championship titles. That’s alongside the likes of Jackie Stewart, Niki Lauda and Ayrton Senna. It's one behind Alain Prost and Sebastian Vettel who, while exceptional drivers, are rarely considered the very best in the sport.

Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton and Juan Manuel Fangio are the headline acts here.

However, it’s worth noting that Verstappen was just 26 when he won his third world title. Schumacher, Hamilton, and Fanigo were older by that stage of their careers.

Race wins

Verstappen is eight years into his racing career yet has the third-most number of F1 wins already. Only Hamilton (103) and Schumacher (91) boast more as of the close of the 2023 season.

Verstappen's 54 wins from 185 grands prix gives him a 29.19% win rate. That's only narrowly behind the two men ahead of him.

• Lewis Hamilton – 103 race wins | Our ranking points: 1
• Michael Schumacher – 91 race wins | Our ranking points: 2
• Max Verstappen – 54 race wins | Our ranking points: 3
• Sebastian Vettel – 53 race wins | Our ranking points: 4
• Alain Prost – 51 race wins | Our ranking points: 5

Backing Verstappen to add to his 54 race wins? Browse our Formula One betting markets, here at BetUK.

Percentage wins

Percentage wins are probably more important than race wins because this metric factors in drivers who had shorter careers, or who raced in years with much fewer grands prix. In fact, Verstappen doesn’t even rank in the top five here, so we will give him the maximum six points.

• Juan Manuel Fangio – 47% | Our ranking points: 1
• Alberto Ascari – 40.6% | Our ranking points: 2
• Jim Clark – 34.7% | Our ranking points: 3
• Lewis Hamilton – 31% | Our ranking points: 4
• Michael Schumacher – 29.7% | Our ranking points: 5

Pole positions

F1 excellence is not all about race day. Securing pole position from Saturday qualifying can make the difference between winning and losing. Verstappen dominated qualifying in 2023 but is outside the top five heading into the 2024 season. He therefore picks up six points.

• Lewis Hamilton – 104 pole positions | Our ranking points: 1
• Michael Schumacher – 68 pole positions | Our ranking points: 2
• Ayrton Senna – 65 pole positions | Our ranking points: 3
• Sebastian Vettel – 57 pole positions | Our ranking points: 4
• Alain Prost and Jim Clark – 33 pole positions | Our ranking points: 5

Pole percentages

It gets even worse for Verstappen in terms of pole position percentage. In fact, he’s not even in the top 10 of drivers here. This is the Dutchman’s weak spot. He’s winning grands prix without being on pole. Not that he needed to improve his qualifying results in 2023. He gets another six points here.

• Juan Manuel Fangio – 55.7% | Our ranking points: 1
• Alberto Ascari – 40% | Our ranking points: 2
• Jim Clark – 45.2% | Our ranking points: 3
• Ayrton Senna – 40.1% | Our ranking points: 4
• Lewis Hamilton – 31% | Our ranking points: 5

Races entered

Those who argue it’s too early to claim Verstappen is the best F1 driver ever will likely point to career longevity as a factor against him. Verstappen is still relatively young. He benefits from driving in an era of 20+ races per year. He is still making it into the top 10 drivers for races entered. So, that’s another six points on his ranking.

• Fernando Alonso – 380 race entered | Our ranking points: 1
• Kimi Raikkonen –353 race entered | Our ranking points: 2
• Lewis Hamilton – 332 race entered | Our ranking points: 3
• Rubens Barrichello – 326 race entered | Our ranking points: 4
• Jenson Button – 309 race entered | Our ranking points: 5

Seasonal dominance

One of the biggest reasons why fans advocate for Verstappen being the best of all time is down to his recent cross-season dominance. He won 34 of 44 races in the 2022 and 2023 seasons combined. His win rate in 2023 was an eye-watering 86.36% – the highest by more than 10%. But are two dominant seasons enough?

• Max Verstappen – 86.3% win rate in 2023 | Our ranking points: 1
• Alberto Ascari – 75% win rate in 1952 | Our ranking points: 2
• Michael Schumacher – 72.2% win rate in 2004 | Our ranking points: 3
• Jim Clark – 70% win rate in 1963 | Our ranking points: 4
• Sebastian Vettel – 68.4% win rate in 2013 | Our ranking points: 5

Fan enthusiasm

Now we get into a different discussion about legendary status in F1. Are fans as enthusiastic for Verstappen as the other greats in the sport? In 2021 a Motorsport Network global survey of 167,302 fans from 187 countries said Verstappen was the most popular driver in the sport, ahead of Lando Norris and Hamilton. However, YouGov data shows he lags behind Hamilton, which is not a surprise as the data assesses UK fans only. Verstappen has become the anti-hero to Hamilton and his sheer dominance in 2023 put some people off the sport. He was even booed at the 2023 US Grand Prix.

However, he is loved in the Netherlands and across Europe, and his career arc still has a long way to run.

Verstappen is not as popular as Hamilton, or Senna, Jenson Button or Jackie Stewart in their pomp. Yet he is arguably more popular than Schumacher, Nelson Piquet and Jacques Villeneuve.

Does he rank in the top five just yet? We don't think so, meaning he gets another six points. Here's our list:

• Ayrton Senna | Our ranking points: 1
• Niki Lauda | Our ranking points: 2
• Fernando Alonso | Our ranking points: 3
• Lando Norris | Our ranking points: 4
• Jenson Button | Our ranking points: 5

Legacy

It’s too early to judge Verstappen’s legacy. He’s only 26 and has at least another decade in the sport to come. Like Hamilton and Vettel before him, Verstappen could become an also-ran driver if his team – be it Red Bull or another constructor – mess up their car year on year.

Legacy is more about wins, it’s about how a driver changed the sport for the better or worse. Verstappen is leading F1 into a new Netflix era or passive viewing, sprint races, and social media controversies. His stamp on F1 goes beyond the podium.

We reckon the Dutchman has already crafted part of his legacy. There is now a Dutch Grand Prix, Red Bull are the biggest team on the planet, and his season-long tussle with Hamilton in 2021 attracted millions to the sport.

He’s part of the future. There’s more to come from Verstappen, that’s for sure. Yet he’s still done enough in the post-Covid era to creep into the top five.

• Lewis Hamilton | Our ranking points: 1
• Michael Schumacher | Our ranking points: 2
• Ayrton Senna | Our ranking points: 3
• Jackie Stewart | Our ranking points: 4
• Max Verstappen | Our ranking points: 5

Is Verstappen The Best Driver?

Our calculations suggest Verstappen is not yet the king of F1, but he eventually might be. Verstappen is fifth among the best F1 drivers of all time. Ahead of him are joint-title holders Hamilton and Schumacher, the much-loved Senna, and the sport’s first big champion Fangio.

• Lewis Hamilton | Our ranking points: 28
• Michael Schumacher | Our ranking points: 31
• Ayrton Senna | Our ranking points: 41
• Juan Manuel Fangio | Our ranking points: 41
• Max Verstappen | Our ranking points: 42
• Alberto Ascari | Our ranking points: 42
• Jim Clark | Our ranking points: 45
• Fernando Alonso | Our ranking points: 46
• Sebastian Vettel | Our ranking points: 47
• Niki Lauda | Our ranking points: 50
• Alain Prost | Our ranking points: 50
• Kimi Raikkonen | Our ranking points: 50
• Rubens Barrichello | Our ranking points: 50
• Jackie Stewart | Our ranking points: 52
• Lando Norris | Our ranking points: 52
• Jenson Button | Our ranking points: 52

These ranking points could significantly change by the end of the 2024 F1 season if Verstappen continues his dominance. His impact on the sport is only going to grow and his legendary status is already cemented.

If you're predicting another fantastic season for Super-Max, check out our online betting markets and see how his odds for the season stack up against the top name on this list - Lewis Hamilton.

Formula 1: 2024 Season Preview

Max Verstappen is targeting a fourth-successive Formula One World Drivers’ Championship and is the overwhelming favourite after a season of unprecedented dominance in which he finished with over twice as many points as his closest competitor, teammate Sergio Perez.

While any team challenging the Milton Keynes-based team is unlikely, there is plenty of competition to look forward to as we look lower down the pack as we count down to the curtain-raiser in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, 2nd March.

Mercedes, McLaren, Ferrari and Aston Martin are all in with a fighting chance of the silver medal in the World Constructors’ Championship, while Daniel Ricciardo will be hoping to hit the comeback trail and potentially replace the under-pressure Sergio Perez in the second Red Bull.

Tip 1 - World Drivers’ Championship winner without Verstappen - Lando Norris at 15/4

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After a dismal start to the season, McLaren brought some tremendous upgrades to their car and Lando Norris, long tipped as a future champion, started to show his promise yet again.

Only Max Verstappen has won more points than Norris since the British Grand Prix in July, with the young Brit taking 159 points compared to Serio Perez’s 119 and Lewis Hamilton’s 110.

McLaren were by far the strongest non-Red Bull finishers in the 2023 season, picking up seven podiums in the final eight Grands Prix.

This is equal to Red Bull’s podium count across the same period and two more than Ferrari managed. If they can carry this excellent form into 2024 they could be in contention for race wins and Norris will almost certainly be given strategy preference ahead of the young Oscar Piastri.

Tip 2 - Charles Leclerc not to win a race at 13/10

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Red Bull Racing won every Grand Prix bar Singapore in 2023 and, while Ferrari did lead the pack in that outlier, it was Charles Leclerc’s teammate Carlos Sainz who claimed the only non-Red Bull win of the season.

Leclerc’s pace - especially over one lap - is undeniable but a combination of strategy bungles, misfortune and errors mean we have to look all the way back to Austria 2022 to find the Monegasque’s last race win.

Despite claiming some 23 pole positions, he has won just five times since moving to Ferrari in 2019 and with Red Bull’s dominance showing no signs of coming to an end he looks good value to continue his drought in 2024.

Tip 3 - Daniel Ricciardo to win any race at 10/1

At 10/1, backing Daniel Riccardo to win a race in 2024 could be a shrewd move if you expect Sergio Perez’s struggles to continue.

The Mexican came under huge pressure towards the end of the 2023 season and there is a very real possibility he could be out of a job at some point this season, paving the way for the dramatic return of Daniel Ricciardo to a Red Bull seat.

Red Bull are lacking in options when it comes to Max Verstappen’s future teammate and are unlikely to want a rookie to come in mid season. Ricciardo knows the team, gets along well with Verstappen and would provide another marketing boost to a company very much in tune with the commercial side of the sport.

If he returns to Verstappen’s side, there is a good chance he could steal a win or two in the second half of the season.