Australian Grand Prix: Picks, Predictions and Odds

After the thrills and spills of last season, the 2025 Formula 1 season gets underway this weekend with all eyes on Melbourne for the Australian Grand Prix.

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen heads into the new campaign as the reigning world champion but the Dutchman was certainly given a scare last season, with McLaren’s rising star Lando Norris pushing him hard for the Drivers’ Championship.

Norris will have learned plenty from his battle with Verstappen last season and the British racer has the potential to make a perfect start at the Australian Grand Prix on Sunday.

Australian Grand Prix betting picks and predictions

Lando Norris to win (+163)

Norris came on leaps and bounds in 2024 and all eyes are on whether the 25-year-old can keep progressing this year.

The Bristolian was guilty of making a slow start to last season at the Bahrain Grand Prix and the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, finishing sixth and eighth respectively in those opening two races.

However, it was race three at the Australian Grand Prix that Norris started to show signs of what was to come later in the season.

Finishing third in Melbourne, Norris showed he could be in the mix for race wins and he went on to claim three chequered flags in Miami, the Netherlands and in Abu Dhabi.

Given his performance at the last Aussie GP and how much progress Norris has made since then, there’s value to be had backing the Englishman to take the chequered flag in Victoria this weekend.

Charles Leclerc podium finish (-120)

There will understandably be plenty of hype and attention on Lewis Hamilton, as the seven-time world champion prepares for his very first race with new team Ferrari.

The F1 world was turned on its head with the news Hamilton would leave Mercedes for rivals Ferrari and, after a wait that he felt like an eternity, racing fans will finally see the British driver in action for the Scuderia this week.

However, while Hamilton will be taking much of the spotlight pre-race, his new team-mate Charles Leclerc is really the man to be looking out for on the Albert Park Circuit.

The Monegasque driver clearly enjoys the track in Melbourne and will have some fond memories of racing there.

Leclerc is a previous winner of this race after taking the chequered flag in 2022 and his last visit saw him finish runner-up in 2024.

The 27-year-old will be determined to prove a point that he is the top driver at Ferrari this season and Leclerc is more than capable of finishing on the podium in Melbourne this weekend.

Pierre Gasly points finish (-120)

Finishing 10th in the Drivers’ Championship last season, Alpine Renault’s Pierre Gasly is certainly worth considering for a top-10 finish at this Australian Grand Prix.

The Frenchman punched above his weight a number of times last season and managed to secure nine top-10 finishes last year.

Finishing third at the Singapore Grand Prix was a highlight for Gasly, whose only race win to date came back in 2020 with victory at the Italian Grand Prix.

Gasly finished last season with a fifth place at the Qatar GP and a seventh spot in Qatar.

If Alpine have done their homework over the summer and have managed to keep pace or even better their rivals, Gasly appeals to be among the points on Sunday at Albert Park.

Australian Grand Prix outright odds

Lando Norris	+163
Max Verstappen	+375
Charles Leclerc	+450
Oscar Piastri	+600
Lewis Hamilton	+700
George Russell	+1100
Kimi Antonelli	+4000

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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.