Spanish Grand Prix: Picks, Predictions and Odds

Max Verstappen took the chequered flag at the Canadian Grand Prix a couple of weeks ago, but the he was far from unchallenged in Montreal and the chasing pack will be looking to close the gap further in the first of a triple-header as the European season commences.

The first stop on this European road trip is the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for the Spanish Grand Prix, which Red Bull's Verstappen won by a huge 24-second margin last season.

His Milton Keynes-based team are expected to thrive around the more traditional circuit of Barcelona this weekend, but a similarly huge margin of victory is unlikely.

Spanish Grand Prix betting picks and predictions

Lando Norris top 2 finish +110

Lando Norris ended his lengthy wait for a Grand Prix win in Miami earlier this season and the young Brit could once again find himself in the running for an extremely strong finish in Spain.

The McLaren driver, who started the season with disappointing sixth and eighth-placed finishes, has surged up the World Drivers’ Championship thanks to some phenomenal upgrades brought to the papaya team.

He has claimed a podium position in five of his last seven Grands Prix and has taken a top-two finish in four of those, including in Canada a couple of weeks ago.

Norris actually showed better pace than the dominant Verstappen in Montreal and was only denied a second race win by an unfortunately-timed safety car, so expect the in-form pilot to be strong again this weekend.

That being said, the smooth circuit and long, sweeping corners of the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya do play to Red Bull’s strengths, so a win may just be beyond McLaren’s number-one driver.

Charles Leclerc to finish on the podium -163

Ferrari endured a horrendous time in Montreal as their cars limped through qualifying before both drivers were forced to retire in the Grand Prix itself, with Charles Leclerc eventually giving in to power unit issues for his first retirement of the season.

However, there is nothing to suggest that this is the beginning of a downfall for the Prancing Horse, as before that their Monegasque driver was showing tremendous form.

He won his home race in Monaco prior to the Canadian fiasco and that retirement put an end to a three-race streak of podium finishes.

Excluding that retirement, Leclerc has not finished lower than fourth this season and has stood on the podium in five Grands Prix and one Sprint, while the Italian team will be optimistic about their car’s pace around this track.

The Ferrari boasts excellent low-speed corner performance and a high top speed, making it a perfect match for the wide range of demands the former testing ground of Barcelona places on the cars.

Nico Hulkenberg to finish in the points +175

Haas have shown one of the biggest improvements since last season and Nico Hulkenberg can add to their points tally in Spain this weekend.

The German driver, who is set to return to Sauber next year, is perhaps unfortunate to only have six points to his name so far this season.

Barring a 16th-place finish in the opener in Bahrain - the only time this season he has been outshone by teammate Kevin Magnussen - and a retirement in Monaco, Hulkenberg has finished in the top 11 on every occasion this year.

This includes points finishes in Saudi Arabia, Australia, and China and a fantastic seventh-placed finish in the Miami Sprint, so back him for another strong showing in Spain.

Spanish Grand Prix outright odds

Max Verstappen	-225
Lando Norris	+500
Charles Leclerc	+750
Carlos Sainz	+2000

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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.