Formula 1: Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Betting Preview

Max Verstappen showed he can win on a Saturday and will look to repeat that in Saudi Arabia this weekend.

The three-time world champion led a Red Bull one-two in Bahrain and is the favourite at the Jeddah Street circuit.

The Track

After Monza, Jeddah is the fastest track on the Formula 1 calendar. Looking out over the Red Sea, the 6.17km Jeddah Corniche Circuit is a temporary street track that features 27 corners. However, most of them are high-speed kinks according to former driver Jolyon Palmer.

The layout of the track is a huge departure from the traditional circuits, and it lacks any 90-degree corners. Instead, the track has a flow to it that generates lofty average speeds.

The first sector is monstrously quick and it’s about the drivers finding a rhythm early on to put in a good lap. The 200km/h Turn 22 is another moment that the drivers have to get right, otherwise a Safety Car deployment is assured.

The cars get extremely close to the wall and because it’s a street circuit there is little run-off area for the drivers. Visibility is another issue at the track due to its layout. In the past drivers have voiced their frustration as there have been a few close calls.

Max Is The Favourite

Red Bull is currently amid a ton of off-track drama. The question is whether that will stall Verstappen’s progress. The Dutchman is the fastest driver in the sport and showed his teammates and those from Ferrari and Mercedes a gap in Bahrain.

Perez at 8.50 and Charles Leclerc at 11 for the win seem pretty good odds. The Mexican driver has fond memories of Saudi Arabia, having won here in 2023 and been on pole twice. The Ferrari has more speed and this weekend’s race should provide a clearer understanding of the pecking order.

Qualifying is important in Jeddah as track position can make or break a race. Fernando Alonso at 9.50 to grab pole position doesn’t seem bad when you consider how quick the Aston Martin is.

McLaren and Mercedes will be teams to look at, but it’s Ferrari, Red Bull, and Aston Martin that will dominate.

Key an eye on RB’s Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo. The diminutive Japanese driver wasn’t happy with a team call to let the Australian pass him last week and showed his frustration.

F1 info nugget: Several teams have brought upgrades to Saudi. Red Bull, Ferrari, McLaren, RB, and Aston Martin all have new rear wings. This will help their top speed and airflow.  

Predictions

Winner – Verstappen
Podium – Verstappen, Alonso, Perez
Fastest lap: Perez
Pole position: Perez
First to retire: Yuki Tsunoda
Most Team Points: Red Bull
Both Cars Qualify for Q3 Shootout: Mercedes
Practice 1/2/3 Winning Car: Verstappen/ Red Bull
Safety Car: Yes
Top 6: Russell, Hamilton, Ricciardo
Top 10: Albon, Hulkenberg, Gasly

Sean Parker

Sean Parker is a motorsport journalist and sports content creator at The South African. He has worked for the country's premier motoring publications, and is a Formula 1 contributor to Bet.co.za, the Bet Central podcast, and Vision View Sports radio.