Monaco Grand Prix qualifying betting tips and F1 predictions: Tight tussle at the top expected

Where to watch Monaco Grand Prix qualifying

Sky Sports F1, 3pm Saturday

Best bets

Qualifying winning margin under 0.1 seconds
1pt 6-4 bet365

Monaco Grand Prix qualifying predictions

The streets of Monaco promised to level the playing field in a Formula 1 season dominated by Red Bull up to this point, and the signs from the opening day of practice suggested that could be the case.

Championship leader Max Verstappen ended the day on top, but was just 0.065 seconds faster than Charles Leclerc – the Monaco pole-sitter of the last two years.

Verstappen had struggled with his Red Bull’s handling in the morning session and set only the sixth-fastest time.

Leclerc’s Ferrari teammate Carlos Sainz had headed that session by more than three tenths of a second ahead of Fernando Alonso in a faster-than-expected Aston Martin.

Home hero Leclerc had not managed to string together a clean lap in the morning, ending up fifth, although his split times had suggested he was capable of matching Sainz’s effort.

Layers anticipate a close battle for pole position in this afternoon’s qualifying session, struggling to split Leclerc and Verstappen for favouritism.

Alonso, Sainz and last year’s Monaco winner Sergio Perez are also quoted at single-figure odds to claim what is considered the most important pole position of the year. Overtaking is next-to impossible on the narrow, twisting streets. 

There were reminders that luck and good timing are also needed to snatch pole position in Monte Carlo. The fastest times tend to be set at the end of a session, but the last two years in Monaco saw premature ends to qualifying as drivers hit the barriers, denying anyone else the chance to improve.

Yesterday’s first practice was cut short after Alex Albon crashed his Williams in the closing minutes, while in the afternoon Sainz brought out the red flags with 15 minutes to go.

With the two Ferraris, Verstappen and possibly Alonso all in the hunt for pole it could be very close, and a small bet on the top two being separated by less than a tenth of a second could pay off.

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