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