Monaco Grand Prix Prediction and Tips

Kimi Antonelli piled further pressure on Mercedes team-mate George Russell and his other title rivals by snatching pole position for Sunday's Monaco Grand Prix.

Mercedes had looked to be on the back foot in Friday's practices, but the teenage Italian was the man to beat throughout Saturday, and pipped four-time world champion Max Verstappen to pole position at a circuit where overtaking is notoriously difficult. 

Monaco Grand Prix Tips Summary

Best Bet - Lewis Hamilton each-way @ 13/2
Alternative Bet - Carlos Sainz points finish @ 5/6
Bet Builder - Lewis Hamilton Top 2 finish, Isack Hadjar Top 6 finish, Carlos Sainz points finish, Over 17.5 finishers @ 6/1

Monaco Grand Prix Prediction

Best Bet: Lewis Hamilton each-way @ 13/2

Despite Mercedes having dominated the F1 season so far, Ferrari went into Monaco Grand Prix weekend as the favourites for victory.

Their car has proved particularly strong under acceleration, which is far more important than top speed around the streets of Monte Carlo.

Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc duly set the pace in Friday's practice sessions, but while their rivals improved on Saturday, Ferrari found little extra performance.

They were still in the hunt for pole position, but Kimi Antonelli, who had seemingly been struggling on Friday, snatched pole position away from Max Verstappen, whose Red Bull had not expected to be well suited to the Monaco circuit.

Hamilton took third on the grid, just ahead of Leclerc who punctured a tyre after hitting a barrier while trying to improve his best lap at the end of the session.

Seven-time world champion Hamilton has looked far happier this year than last as a Ferrari driver, and his fast-starting car should help him put pressure on Antonelli and Verstappen on the opening lap.

A top-two finish would reward each-way backers, but even a win is not out of the question. Antonelli has obviously improved hugely in his second season in F1, but he does have an on-the-edge style which could give his supporters some moments of panic, while he finished dead last on his first F1 race in Monaco last season.

Alternative Bet: Carlos Sainz points finish @ 5/6

Williams have made rapid ground after a disappointing start to the season and they could be in line to collect more points on Sunday.

Carlos Sainz apologised to his team for a ragged lap after qualifying 12th, but that is better than he has managed at any of the last three races, two of which he finished in ninth place.

His team-mate Alexander Albon qualified 11th, which is by some way his best effort of the season, and demonstrates the progress the team is making.

Monaco Grand Prix Bet Builder Tip

• Lewis Hamilton Top 2 finish

• Isack Hadjar Top 6 finish

• Carlos Sainz points finish

• Over 17.5 finishers
  
  pays 6/1

Max Verstappen was not the only Red Bull to impress in qualifying at Monaco, as his young team-mate Isack Hadjar lines up fifth.

It has not been the tidiest of weekends for the young Frenchman, but in Monaco drivers tend to take fewer risks in the race than in qualifying, and Hadjar should be able to hold on to a top-six finish.

With its low average speed, the track is not much of a car-breaker, and with two of the last three races this season having seen at least 18 cars reach the finish, this could go a similar way.

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Key Race Stats

• Lewis Hamilton has two podium finishes this season

• Kimi Antonelli has won the last four Grands Prix from pole position

• Max Verstappen picked up his first podium of the season in Canada last time

• Carlos Sainz has three ninth-place finishes in the last four races

• Sainz has finished in the points in all his 10 previous Monaco Grands Prix

Read more F1 betting tips and predictions on site.

This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.