Qatar Grand Prix: Prediction, Tips and Odds

Red Bull's Max Verstappen wrapped up his fourth F1 drivers' championship in Las Vegas last week, but a different team could be celebrating a title in this weekend's Qatar Grand Prix.

McLaren lead the constructors standings by 24 points ahead of Ferrari, with Verstappen's Red Bull team 53 off the lead, and McLaren will seal the title if they are 44 points clear come Sunday evening.

After a strong showing at Lusail last year, McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri will both be eyeing victory after a disappointing weekend in Vegas.

Qatar Grand Prix betting tips and predictions

Lando Norris to win - 7/4

Lando Norris's title charge came to an abrupt stop over the last two races as Verstappen delivered, but the British driver could be set for some compensation in the form of a fourth victory of the year in Qatar.

Norris could well have put together a string of wins in the middle of the season, but poor starts and some strategic errors proved very costly in what has been a super-competitive year.

When things come together, though, there is no touching Norris, as he showed in the Netherlands and Singapore, winning both races by over 20 seconds.

The McLarens were never in the hunt in Las Vegas, but in warmer temperatures and on a completely different type of circuit this weekend they could easily bounce back.

It could also be in their favour that this is the last of six sprint-format weekends this season. In the last one, in Brazil two races ago, the McLarens locked out the front row of the grid before finishing first and second in the shorter race.

They also fared well in Qatar last year, with Piastri winning the sprint from pole position, while he and Norris finished second and third in the race despite starting sixth and 10th after a messy qualifying session.

With a more competitive car this year, it is no wonder the McLarens are prominent in the race market.

With Piastri free of his obligation to help Norris's championship effort, the Australian will certainly have his backers this weekend, but he has been pretty inconsistent of late, particularly in qualifying.

Norris, who has six pole positions in the last 10 races, looks the safer bet.

Lewis Hamilton podium finish - 5/4

Lewis Hamilton's partnership with Mercedes has brought an incredible 84 wins and six world championships, but the end of the era is just two races away.

The team have not been the same force since a major shake-up of the technical regulations for the 2022 season. This year has been better, with two wins apiece for Hamilton and George Russell, but the team still don't really understand what makes their car tick.

Mercedes scored a dominant 1-2 finish in Las Vegas, having gone into the weekend with low expectations and even after the race they were at a loss to explain where the pace had come from.

That doesn't bode well for their chances of repeating the performance in very different conditions in Qatar, but at least they were strong at the track last season.

The cars lined up second and third on the grid, but a collision at the first corner put Hamilton out of the race and Russell to the back of the pack.

The King's Lynn racer was able to recover to fourth by the end, though, showing what could have been had they made a clean start.

Hamilton has struggled in a couple of recent races, but he was on top form in Las Vegas. Except, that is, for during qualifying, when he failed to set a clean lap when it counted and had to start 10th on the grid.

The seven-time champion worked his way up to second place and was rapidly catching leader Russell in the closing laps.

Winning in Qatar looks a tall task, but the odds-against for Hamilton to pick up his 203rd career podium finish look worth taking.

Pierre Gasly points finish - 11/8

Pierre Gasly enjoyed a bit of luck in finishing third in Brazil, but he felt the other side of the hand of fortune in Las Vegas. 

After qualifying in a superb third place on the grid, Gasly held a top-six position until his first pitstop, but the Alpine's engine blew up shortly afterwards.

The Frenchman picked up a point for finishing 10th in Mexico prior to his Sao Paulo podium and has qualified in the top ten at three of the last four races.

Alpine are just a point behind Haas in the battle for a very lucrative sixth place in the constructors' championship and Gasly looks a decent bet to increase the team's tally in Qatar.

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Qatar Grand Prix odds

Lando Norris	7/4
Max Verstappen	4/1
Oscar Piastri	4/1
George Russell	11/2
Lewis Hamilton	11/2
Charles Leclerc	9/1

View the full market and more odds for the Qatar Grand Prix 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.