Saudi Arabian Grand Prix betting tips and F1 race predictions: Perez can be best of the rest again

Where to watch the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
Sky Sports F1, 5pm Saturday

Best bet

S Perez
1pt e-w 8-1 Ladbrokes

Saudi Arabian Grand Prix race predictions

Max Verstappen is again on pole for the second race of the 2024 season after winning the opening race in Bahrain last week but the battle behind him looks set to be fierce in Saturday's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

Verstappen doesn't seem to have quite such a huge advantage that he did last year but he's still far enough ahead that no one else can confidently be backed to beat him in the race.

The world champion was 0.319 seconds faster than his rivals in qualifying and should disappear from view at the front of the race at the track where he won in 2022 and finished second to team-mate Sergio Perez last season after starting 15th on the grid. He is 1-8 to win for the 19th time in the last 20 races.

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc again joined Verstappen on the front row but last week early brake problems ruined his chances and he is hard to trust. Perez and his Red Bull are usually superior in race conditions and the Mexican should be capable of a second runner-up finish. 

Backing Perez to finish second again or in the without Verstappen market would be preferred but an each-way interest at 8-1 is also worthwhile.

The interesting runner in the race is Fernando Alonso, who was third behind the Red Bulls in this race last season and was close behind Leclerc and Perez in qualifying. Having topped the times in Thursday's second practice session he looks a genuine contender for the podium.

McLaren have been performing better in Saudi Arabia than Bahrain, but still look out of contention for the podium barring trouble ahead of them and start fifth and sixth.

The race market received a shake-up shortly before Friday's practice when Ferrari's Carlos Sainz Jr was ruled out of the race and rushed to hospital for an appendectomy. He was replaced by British teenager Ollie Bearman, who had to give up pole position in this weekend's Formula 2 race to take advantage of his big chance with a leading F1 team. Sainz had been a 25-1 chance for the race after finishing third in Bahrain last week, but Bearman was installed at 66-1.

The youngster went close to making the top-ten shootout in qualifying but just missed out and is 250-1 as he prepares to start his first race from 11th on the grid.

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