Max Verstappen's seemingly effortless journey to a third consecutive Formula 1 Drivers' Championship continued in Canada last time out.

The Dutchman is just 2/7 for a fifth win in a row when F1 visits his Red Bull team's home circuit for the Austrian Grand Prix.

Adam Scriven's Austrian Grand Prix tips

Both Mercedes top-six finish @ 4/5
Valtteri Bottas points finish @ 3/1
Oscar Piastri points finish @ 9/4

Odds displayed were correct at the time of writing and subject to fluctuation.

Setting the scene…..

For the second time this season, this is a Sprint weekend. That means qualifying for the grand prix will take place on Friday afternoon after a solitary practice hour, while Saturday is given over to the 24-lap Sprint race. The grid for that contest will be decided by a separate qualifying session on Saturday morning.

That will change the teams' approach to the weekend and gives the potential for unexpected results, while the weather forecast, with rain predicted for both qualifying sessions, adds further uncertainty.

What	Austrian Grand Prix
Where	Red Bull Ring, Spielberg, Austria
When	14:00, Sunday 2nd July, 2023
How to watch	Sky Sports F1
Odds	Max Verstappen 2/7, Fernando Alonso 8/1, Sergio Perez 9/1, Lewis Hamilton 12/1, Charles Leclerc 16/1

Both Mercedes top-six finish @ 4/5

The unorthodox weekend format and risk of inclement weather means punters would be well advised to steer clear of odds-on bets this weekend, but one that appeals is for both Mercedes cars to finish in the top six on Sunday.

After a disappointing start to the season, a switch of design approach and aggressive development have paid off for the Silver Arrows, and seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton has his sights set on challenging Verstappen by season's end.

Hamilton has finished in the top six in every race this year and on the podium the last two, while the Austrian track is expected to suit the car better than in Canada last time. There, Hamilton lost out in a race-long battle for second with Fernando Alonso, but was only 14 seconds behind Verstappen at the finish.

Team-mate George Russell made an uncharacteristic error there, clouting the wall and picking up damage that led to his eventual retirement. However, Russell has been very close to Hamilton's performance level lately. 

Adam Scriven’s Tip

Mercedes were outperformed by Alonso's Aston Martin last time out but the flowing corners of the Red Bull Ring should suit the Silver Arrows better, and they could prove the second-fastest car this weekend.

The prospect of rain won't faze either Hamilton or Russell and both will go into the weekend aiming for the podium, as they both managed in Spain four weeks ago.

Valtteri Bottas points finish @ 3/1

Alfa Romeo have moved up to seventh place in the Constructors' Championship after picking up points in both of the last two races.

It might not sound like anything to get excited about, but for the smaller teams the huge financial rewards that come with each position gained in the table can be game-changing.

Valtteri Bottas was a little fortunate to be close enough to benefit from Lando Norris's penalty in Canada and be promoted to tenth, but that made up for his bad luck in Spain where everything went wrong for the Finn.

Alfa Romeo's rivals for the lower points positions, McLaren, AlphaTauri and Haas, are all going through some difficulties at this stage of the season, while Logan Sargent still has to wait until the next race to get his hands on Williams' latest upgrades.

Adam Scriven's Tip

Bottas has been performing solidly in recent races and the veteran Finn looks over-priced to pick up more much-needed points for his Alfa Romeo team.

Oscar Piastri points finish @ 9/4

McLaren have failed to convert some strong qualifying performances into solid race results lately and the team have not picked up a point in the last two events.

Young Australian Oscar Piastri is having an eye-catching debut season alongside the highly-rated Norris, though, and he could be a spot of value for a top-ten finish.

Adam Scriven’s Tip

Piastri’s car came alive when the rain started to fall in Monaco and he subsequently went on to pick up 10th place. The Aussie will need things to fall right for him, but there seems no reason he should be 9/4 in a market where his team-mate Norris is odds-on.