F1 Spanish Grand Prix predictions & Formula 1 betting tips

Free F1 tips, best bets and analysis for the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix this weekend at Circuit de Catalunya, Barcelona.

Where to watch

Practice one and two
Sky Sports F1, 1pm and 4pm

Best bet

Daniel Ricciardo points finish
1pt 13-10 Coral, Ladbrokes

Spanish Grand Prix Preview

Fresh from living it up in Miami, Max Verstappen is looking to keep the party going and maintain the pressure on championship leader Charles Leclerc when Formula 1 returns to Europe this week.

Verstappen kept Leclerc at arm's length in F1’s first Floridian foray to record back-to-back wins following his dominant win at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, leaving him 19 points adrift of Leclerc at the top of the standings.

Since introducing a series of upgrades for round four at Imola, Red Bull have been a cut above the rest of the grid, demonstrating blistering straight-line speed that Ferrari have been unable to live with.

Verstappen is 11-10 with Betfair to complete the second hat-trick of his career at the site of his first Grand Prix victory, but should face a far stiffer challenge from a Ferrari team ready to hit back in Spain.

The Circuit de Catalunya, site of F1’s winter testing programme, is traditionally the venue where teams introduce the first package of major upgrades in the season. While Red Bull went early by making improvements at Imola, Ferrari have held off introducing extensive modifications until now.

The Scuderia hope a lighter floor and new diffuser will make them up to four tenths of a second quicker per lap, potentially nosing them back ahead of Red Bull.

It’s shaping up to be another tight race between Ferrari and Red Bull, while the first visit to a high-downforce circuit in this new era of Formula 1 muddies the waters further when considering who might come out on top.

Verstappen is odds-on to be the fastest qualifier on Saturday with championship leader Leclerc an 11-10 shot. However, the Monegasque is favoured by bookmakers to set the pace in first practice on Friday - he is 5-4 with Verstappen chalked up at 13-8.

Spain has been the domain of Lewis Hamilton recently, the Brit winning the last five races in Barcelona, and he’ll hope the switch away from the power tracks of the first five rounds to one of his favourite venues will bring about a change in fortunes.

Mercedes’ Miami upgrades had some effect and further improvements are being made for this weekend, but having started the season a second off the pace, the Silver Arrows aren't ready to reclaim their place at the front of the grid just yet.

McLaren are jumping on the upgrade bandwagon too at a track where they caught the eye in testing.

It would be dangerous to read too much into those winter performances but this is a circuit where McLaren have enjoyed some success, recording a double points finish last season.

On the weekend he overtakes Mark Webber for most starts by an Australian in Formula 1, McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo should have the tools and motivation to finish in the points on his 216th F1 start.

Ricciardo needs a good showing amid growing rumours his seat at McLaren is under threat after only one top ten-finish in the first five races and will no doubt be keen to silence his critics in Spain.

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