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.