Saudi Arabian Grand Prix betting tips: Ferrari looking to build on opening weekend success

Leclerc is joint-favourite at 7/5 in our Saudi Arabian Grand Prix betting tips to take home first prize once again, while team-mate Sainz is a sporting 7/1 in the F1 odds.

Tough start for world champion

While Max Verstappen could do nothing to stop the mechanical failure which brought a premature end to his evening, questions might be asked of the world champion’s race craft during his ding-dong duel with Leclerc.

On two consecutive laps, Verstappen passed Leclerc at the opening corner only to see the Ferrari driver overtake him at Turn 4. Verstappen tried for a third occasion at the first bend, but arrived from too far back, braked too late, and damaged his rubber.

Nevertheless we are only one race into the new season and the Dutchman is right towards the top of the market at 7/5 to bounce back with a victory in Jeddah.

Time to panic for Mercedes?

It is not often that Hamilton celebrates third place like a victory but his podium finish last weekend, coupled with rival Verstappen’s no-score, has to be considered a strong result for the British driver and his struggling Mercedes team.

Hamilton became the first F1 driver to appear on the podium for 16 consecutive years, and the first to score points in 250 races, but he will be well aware of the seismic task he now faces to compete for a record eighth championship.

Mercedes were the best part of a second off the pace in Bahrain, and without the late safety car and Red Bull’s double DNF, Hamilton would have finished a very distant fifth.

It seems unfathomable that Mercedes will not improve, but it is also difficult to recall a season where a team has started so far behind and ended it by producing a world champion.

Hamilton is 9/1 for victory on Sunday, while new team-mate George Russell is a huge 25/1 which tells its own tale to Mercedes’ chances in Saudi Arabian Grand Prix betting tips, while Mercedes’ long grasp on the constructors’ title could finally come to an end and they are out to 7/4 to win that prize for a ninth straight year.

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All odds and markets correct at the time of publication