Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix betting tips and F1 predictions

Free F1 tips, best bets and analysis for this weekend's Formula One Saudi Arabia Grand Prix at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit.

Where to watch

First practice
Sky Sports F1, 1.25pm Friday

Second practice
Sky Sports F1, 4.55pm Friday

Best bet

Valtteri Bottas fastest in first practice
1pt 11-4 Hills

Preview

Savour it while it lasts because one of the greatest championship fights Formula One has ever witnessed could reach its conclusion this weekend in Saudi Arabia.

In the blue corner stands the challenger Max Verstappen, who is looking to deliver one final blow in his bid to win a first drivers’ title.

The Dutchman holds an eight-point advantage with two rounds to go and a tenth win of the season in Jeddah could be good enough for the Red Bull racer to achieve his goal.

However, bookmakers don’t rate his chances of finishing the job, making his highly-decorated adversary Lewis Hamilton odds-on not just to win Sunday’s race but to go on and claim a record-breaking eighth world title.

Hamilton has rarely faced this type of challenge as the championship race has often been as bland and forgettable as the desert that surrounds three sides of this week's host city.

But the Brit has responded to Verstappen and Red Bull's provocations in the manner befitting a champion recently, securing back-to-back dominant victories in Brazil and Qatar to put his rival on the ropes.

The Silver Arrows have been consistently faster than Red Bull in the second half of the season, boasting 0.248secs advantage on average in qualifying, according to BBC Sport.

The consensus from the pits is that advantage will remain or even increase at the inaugural Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

The Jeddah Corniche Circuit, dubbed the fastest street circuit in F1 history by race officials and described by Red Bull boss Christian Horner as “like Suzuka but with walls”, features several flat-out sections and plenty of high-speed corners which should suit Mercedes.

Hamilton has also shown an affinity for getting to grips with new circuits quickly, winning five of the last six inaugural Grands Prix, including F1’s latest outing in Qatar.

That lights-to-flag victory was as comprehensive a win as either title contender has enjoyed this year but if this epic season has taught us anything, it’s to keep an open mind as to what might come next.

Any slight issue Mercedes may have with grip or the track temperature could open the door to Verstappen, who will be crowned the fourth-youngest driver to ever win the world title should he take the chequered flag and Hamilton finish lower than sixth.

Barring mechanical issues that outcome looks unlikely, given the wheel-to-wheel nature of this year’s title battle with Verstappen and Hamilton filling the top two places on a record-equalling 12 occasions.

Even if Hamilton were to finish runner-up in Saudi Arabia, a victory for Verstappen this weekend would see him increase his lead to at least 14 points, leaving Hamilton with an almost impossible job in the season finale in Abu Dhabi.

Should Hamilton’s winning run continue and Verstappen’s lead be trimmed further, then this monumental scrap, which has seen the competitors collide twice on the track and exchange plenty of verbal jabs, will fittingly go down to the wire.

Both Mercedes and Red Bull will be desperate to make a strong start to such a crucial weekend and the Silver Arrows look a decent price to draw first blood, although not through Hamilton. The champion’s teammate Valtteri Bottas usually brings his A-game to practice and has set the fastest time in the opening session in two of the last four races.

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