Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix prediction, free betting tips & analysis

Free F1 tips, best bets and analysis for the Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort in the Netherlands on Sunday

Where to watch

Sky Sports F1, 2pm, Sunday

Best bets

Pierre Gasly podium finish
1pt 5-1 general

George Russell to win Group 4 (Russell, Antonio Giovinazzi, Lance Stroll, Sebastian Vettel)
1pt 9-4 bet365

Race preview

Max Verstappen pipped his title rival Lewis Hamilton to pole position for his home Dutch Grand Prix and the Red Bull driver is odds-on for a victory that would see him reclaim the lead in the drivers championship.

The narrow, twisting Zandvoort circuit with its banked corners doesn’t look well suited to overtaking, so the run to the first corner could be pivotal.

But 72 laps around the punishing track could take its toll on drivers, who are harshly punished for small mistakes, and tyre life could also play a part in deciding the result.

With Hamilton’s Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas starting third it’s tempting to take the odds-against that the most frequent podium trio in F1 history oblige once again.

But the championship protagonists have not been afraid to get their elbows out as the season heads deep into the second half, and the trusty HAM-BOT-VER combination has landed only once in the last eight races.

Pierre Gasly has had a stellar season which isn’t fully reflected by the championship table. The Frenchman starts fourth in the race, which makes it eight top-six starts from the last nine races for the AlphaTauri driver.

The Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz start behind Gasly, but they looked weak on full fuel in practice, while McLaren and Aston Martin struggled in qualifying.

If any misfortune befalls the big three, Gasly should be there to pick up the pieces and he is a value bet for a second podium of the season.

There was a rare slip from George Russell in qualifying, as the Englishman pushed too hard and crashed his Williams during Q2.

He had already done enough to secure an 11th-place grid slot, which could give him an advantage over those starting immediately in front of him as he has free choice of starting tyre.

Bet365 pitch Russell against Antonio Giovinazzi, Lance Stroll and Sebastian Vettel in a group bet and the Williams driver looks the pick.

Giovinazzi is expected to lose his F1 drive at the end of the season, but after a promising weekend he qualified a career-best seventh.

However, having reached Q3 he is at a strategic disadvantage and could drop out of the top ten.

Aston Martin drivers Vettel and Stroll could find themselves stuck in traffic after a disappointing qualifying.

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