Japanese Grand Prix: Picks, Predictions and Odds

Read the latest betting picks, predictions and odds for the 2024 Japanese Grand Prix in F1.

Max Verstappen is a strong favorite to make amends for his Australia showing in the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka this week at a track where he has won for the past two seasons.

Japanese Grand Prix betting picks and predictions

Sergio Perez to finish second +240

Max Verstappen won the first two races of the 2024 F1 season in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, but his domination came to an abrupt halt in the Australian Grand Prix, when a brake problem forced him out of the race after just three laps.

Ferrari's Carlos Sainz Jr. took advantage of Verstappen's issue to win, just as he had done when Red Bull underperformed in last season's Singapore Grand Prix, with teammate Charles Leclerc second and McLaren's Lando Norris third.

However, the good news for Verstappen is that Suzuka is a track that is perfectly suited to showing off the aerodynamics of the Red Bull chassis and he has won in Japan for the past two seasons.

It's no surprise that he has odds of just -500 to win for the third time this season and it also seems realistic that he will be followed home by teammate Sergio Perez. 

Perez failed to fulfill his brief of finishing second to Verstappen when he wins and winning races if Verstappen falters in Australia, as a three-place grid penalty meant that he started only sixth and he could only improve that by one place in the race.

However, the Mexican had been able to follow home the Dutchman at the first two races of the season and looks a solid pick to finish second in this week's race at +240.

Perez was unable to follow Verstappen across the line at Suzuka last season after colliding with both Lewis Hamilton and Kevin Magnussen in separate incidents, but he was second to his teammate in the 2022 race at the circuit.

While Ferrari are clearly the best of the rest so far this season, the Suzuka racetrack is one where Red Bull should be at their best and their best is usually more than enough. 

Lando Norris to finish third +500

McLaren's Norris secured his first podium finish of the season in Australia and was disappointed not to take second place after starting third on the grid, but he may be able to record another top-three finish in Japan.

The strength of the McLaren car has been in high-speed corners ever since their major upgrade for the 2023 British Grand Prix and Suzuka is all about fast, sweeping turns.

That was on full display when Norris and teammate Oscar Piastri finished second and third behind Verstappen at last season's Japanese Grand Prix, which was held much later in the season in September than it is this year.

Norris collected seven podium finishes in the 2023 season and looks capable of adding another at a track that should really suit his car.

Yuki Tsunoda points finish +110

Yuki Tsunoda claimed the first points of the season for the Visa Cash App RB team in Australia and has a great chance of repeating the feat in his home race.

The Japanese driver left teammate Daniel Ricciardo well behind in Melbourne, qualifying 10 places ahead of the Australian in eighth place and converting that into six championship points for seventh position.

The VCARB car also has the aerodynamic set-up to be seen to good effect in Suzuka and Tsunoda has an ideal opportunity to score points at his home race for the first time. 

Tsunoda won at the track multiple times in his three years of Japanese F4 racing from 2016 to 2018 and should be targeting another top-10 finish. 

Japanese Grand Prix outright odds

Max Verstappen is the -500 favorite to take his third win of the season in Suzuka with his Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez at +1100 and Ferrari pair Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr. both at +1400.

Lando Norris is +2200 with Oscar Piastri at +3300. Mercedes duo George Russell and Lewis Hamilton are both +5000 with Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin at +6600 and every other driver at odds of +20000 or better for victory.

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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.