Japanese Grand Prix: Picks, Predictions and Odds

Lando Norris has enjoyed a strong start to the 2025 Formula 1 season and there are plenty of reasons to suggest he can take his first Japanese Grand Prix chequered flag at the Suzuka International Racing Course on Sunday.

Norris took some time to get going last season, requiring five races before he managed to claim that elusive first Formula 1 win at the Miami Grand Prix.

The Brit has made a flying start to this season, winning the very first race at the Australian Grand Prix, before claiming second spot at the Chinese GP last time out.

Already showing a level of consistency that should see him challenge for the Drivers’ Championship again this season after falling just short last year, Norris is certainly worth considering in the winner market for Sunday’s showdown at Suzuka.

Japanese Grand Prix betting picks and predictions

Lando Norris to win (+140)

Not needing any time to find his rhythm compared to last season, Norris has hit the ground running in 2025 and currently has an eight-point lead over reigning champion Max Verstappen in the Drivers’ Championship after the first two races.

McLaren look like the team to beat as they defend their Constructors’ Championship this term, with both Norris and teammate Oscar Piastri impressing in the early weeks of the campaign with a win each.

The battle between the pair will be one of the storylines this weekend, but it’s one Norris can win, on a track on which he has delivered good performances on in the past.

Finishing in second place in the 2023 Japanese Grand Prix is Norris’ best return in this event and he is a far more competitive and complete driver now.

A Formula 1 star growing in confidence and determined to make the most of his opportunity to land a maiden Drivers’ Championship title this season, the Bristolian is good value at +140 to claim his first chequered flag at Suzuka this weekend.

Kimi Antonelli top-6 finish (+110)

Kimi Antonelli has some big shoes to fill at Mercedes following the departure of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton to Ferrari.

It’s fair to say Antonelli has made a solid start to his life in Formula 1, with the Italian finishing fourth in his very first race in Australia before a sixth-place finish in China.

The Bologna native appears to be handling the spotlight well and justifying why the Silver Arrows turned to him over more experienced options to replace Hamilton.

Given Antonelli has been getting some good pace out of his Mercedes on the opening two weekends, there’s little to suggest the circuit at Suzuka will pose him too many problems this weekend.

With 22 points already in the bag in the Drivers’ Championship, look to Antonelli to continue his positive start to the season and land another top-six finish on Sunday at Suzuka.

Fernando Alonso points finish (+150)

Things could not have gone much worse for Fernando Alonso at the start of this season, but the Aston Martin driver can turn a corner this weekend in Japan.

Forced to retire from both of the first two races, with a brake issue hampering his efforts at the Chinese Grand Prix last time out, Aston Martin will be doing all they can to improve the reliability of Alonso’s car going forward.

If those issues with the car can be addressed, then the 43-year-old has a great opportunity to land his first points of the season on Sunday.

Alonso’s skills behind the wheel are well-suited to the track at Suzuka and the two-time world champion has been a consistent performer here.

Finishing in the top-10 in all of his last three outings at the Japanese Grand Prix, Alonso has been a consistent performer here and the Spaniard is worthy of considering to land a points finish this weekend.

Japanese Grand Prix outright odds

Lando Norris	+140
Oscar Piastri	+200
Max Verstappen	+600
Charles Leclerc	+1100
George Russell	+1100
Lewis Hamilton	+1100
Yuki Tsunoda	+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.