Portuguese Grand Prix prediction, free F1 betting tips

Free F1 tips, best bets and analysis for the Formula 1 Portuguese Grand Prix at Portimao

Where to watch

Sky Sports F1, 3pm Sunday

Best bets

Max Verstappen to win the race
1pt 5-2 Betfair, Paddy Power

Kimi Raikkonen points finish
1pt 3-1 bet365

Preview

Valtteri Bottas became the third different driver to take pole position in the first three races of 2021 in a wind-affected qualifying for the Portuguese Grand Prix.

Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton failed to convert their respective poles into victories in Bahrain and Imola, and Bottas is rated a 7-2 chance to break the run.

Hamilton lines up alongside his Mercedes teammate Bottas with Verstappen third – the same position the Red Bull driver started before his win at Imola last time.

Verstappen actually set the quickest lap of Q3 at Portimao, despite briefly losing control when a gust of wind caught him out. However, that time was deleted as he had left the track.

The front three, along with the second Red Bull of Sergio Perez who starts fourth, will begin on the medium tyre, while the rest of the top ten are on softs.

That was significant last year as the soft-shod cars surged to the front in the early laps, only to drop back later.

There’s no guarantee that will happen again, but on a weekend where getting tyres up to optimum temperature has been a challenge for all the drivers, it will be in the back of the minds of the championship protagonists.

Verstappen would probably enjoy a chaotic opening phase of the race more than the Mercedes men.

The Dutchman lapped around half a second faster than Hamilton during the longer runs in practice. And while that shouldn’t be taken as solid form it is an encouraging sign, and Verstappen looks the most attractive win bet.

Alfa Romeo missed out on two points when Kimi Raikkonen was disqualified from ninth place at Imola.

The veteran Finn didn’t get the best out of his car in qualifying, but the team have been flirting with the top ten all weekend and teammate Antonio Giovinazzi qualified 12th.

Raikkonen can usually be counted on to make a forward move during the race and is worth an interest for a points finish.

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