F1 Tips: Miami Grand Prix best bets including a 13/5 Charles Leclerc punt

Our tipster Alex Harris fancies the Ferrari driver to have a Super Saturday.

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc

Miami Grand Prix Tips:

Overall Qualification Winner – Charles Leclerc
Outright Winner – Max Verstappen
Points Finish – George Russell, Lance Stroll, Lando Norris & Esteban Ocon

*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change

Well, well, well. Maybe we do have a Formula 1 title battle on our hands, after all.

‘King of the Streets’ Sergio Perez delivered one of the best performances of his career to win the Azerbaijan Grand Prix – as well as the Sprint – and move to within six points of Red Bull team-mate Max Verstappen in the Drivers’ Championship standings.

Baku was the first race after a month-long break and the action is set to come thick and fast in the coming weeks, with the F1 circus heading Stateside for this weekend’s action as the second Miami Grand Prix is the next stop on the calendar.

It’s likely to be another battle between the Red Bulls, sporting a special livery, but I’ve had a look at Paddy Power’s betting markets for the Miami Grand Prix and reckon it might not be all plain sailing for the leading team. Let’s get to the bets…

Miami Grand Prix
Qualifying: Saturday 9pm
Race: Sunday 8:30pm
TV: Sky Sports Main Event/Sky Sports F1

Max Verstappen, Sergio Perez and Charles Leclerc

Overall Qualification Winner – Charles Leclerc

Poor old Charles Leclerc. He topped the pile in the Sprint Shootout and Qualifying at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix but Ferrari’s lack of race pace meant he was unable to convert either into a victory.

The bad news for the Monegasque is that I fancy a repeat in Miami. He has form in Qualifying at this track having grabbed pole position in last year’s Grand Prix and if there’s one thing the Prancing Horse have nailed this season it is their performance over one lap.

The other appealing factor behind Leclerc being the Overall Qualification Winner is that he’s a decent price when looking for alternative options to the odds-on favourite Max Verstappen.

Outright Winner – Max Verstappen

Red Bull have been utterly dominant in 2023 and, word on the track, is that Miami should play to the RB19’s strengths so expect Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez to cruise off into the distance once they get past Charles Leclerc.

After being beaten by his team-mate in Azerbaijan, the Dutchman is fancied to turn the tables and grab his third victory of the season to rebuild a healthy lead at the top of the World Drivers’ Championship standings.

Verstappen won from third on the grid in last year’s race after making light work of passing the two Ferraris ahead and would have won by a greater margin but for a late safety car.

Points Finish – George Russell, Lance Stroll, Lando Norris & Esteban Ocon

A bit of luck with said safety car helped George Russell make up seven places to finish fifth in last year’s Miami Grand Prix. He should place in the points for the fourth time this season, despite the Mercedes failing to take a step forward in the last race and a big set of upgrades not due until Imola.

Sure, he’s being outshone by team-mate Fernando Alonso but Lance Stroll is having a decent year, bagging a nice haul of points in three of the four races plus the Azerbaijan Sprint. Aston Martin continue to show great pace so a top-10 finish is expected.

Lando Norris is starting to get to grips with the MCL60 and two consecutive top-10 finishes can be extended to three. The Brit retired from last year’s race but he had qualified in eighth and can make amends by filling one of the low-scoring points places.

Alpine have had a ropey start to the campaign but the underlying performance suggests they are battling with McLaren for fifth in the Constructors’ Championship so points are possible. Esteban Ocon finished eighth in last year’s Miami Grand Prix after making up plenty of ground from the back of the grid and the Frenchman completes the final leg of our Points Finish acca.

*A Points Finish acca with these four bets pays at approximately 3/1 with Paddy Power. CLICK HERE TO ADD IT TO YOUR BETSLIP.

Miami Grand Prix Tips:

Overall Qualification Winner – Charles Leclerc
Outright Winner – Max Verstappen
Points Finish – George Russell, Lance Stroll, Lando Norris & Esteban Ocon

*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change

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