F1 Tips
#WhatOddsPaddy – Lewis Hamilton to Win the Race & Lando Norris to Finish on the Podium
Points Finish – Yuki Tsunoda
Not To Be Classified – Lance Stroll
*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
After the sassiest Grand Prix in history, the Formula 1 roadshow heads to Belgium for the final round of action before the month-long summer break.
The team radio provided plenty of drama in Hungary last weekend as McLaren pleaded with Lando Norris to hand back the lead to Oscar Piastri – despite team strategy appearing to favour the Brit – while Max Verstappen gave race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase an earful before crashing into Lewis Hamilton thus ruining his podium hopes.
The momentum is certainly on McLaren’s side as we head towards the second half of the campaign, with the constructors’ championship wide open and Norris looking to chip away at Verstappen’s lead in the drivers’ championship.
Spa-Francorchamps is one of the most iconic tracks on the planet and offers a last chance for drivers and teams to make a statement before a pause in the action.
Red Bull number two Sergio Perez is under pressure to retain his seat and, despite a decent effort to work his way up the order in Hungary, will need to deliver a strong performance to shut down the mounting speculation.
I’ve run the rule over Paddy Power’s odds for the Belgian Grand Prix and picked out three fancies. Let’s get into gear and head on over!
Belgian Grand Prix
Qualifying: Saturday 15:00
Race: Sunday 14:00
TV: Sky Sports F1
#WhatOddsPaddy – Lewis Hamilton to Win the Race & Lando Norris to Finish on the Podium
Red Bull’s decline has been pretty rapid and, for the first time this season, Max Verstappen isn’t heading into the weekend as the favourite in Paddy Power’s Outright Betting.
The three-time world champion has failed to win any of the last three races – his longest streak since the 2021 season – and his meltdowns over the team radio during the Hungarian Grand Prix suggests he is not a happy bunny.
Spa is Verstappen’s favourite circuit on the F1 calendar, however, and he has won the last three editions of the Belgian Grand Prix – the less said about 2021, the better…
He would have been the selection to Win the Race, but talks about engine penalties being taken by Red Bull, thus incurring a 10-place grid penalty, leads me to look elsewhere.
Lando Norris is likely to be in contention because McLaren are the fastest team on the grid at the moment, but a Podium might be the height of his ambition this weekend.
The Brit is starting to get the bridesmaid tag and has never finished higher than seventh in the Belgian Grand Prix.
McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri could also be in the mix, but I’m tempted to take a swing at Lewis Hamilton to Win the Race thanks to Mercedes’ marked improvements and the fact he has been there and got the t-shirt, with four previous Belgian Grand Prix victories.
The Silver Arrows’ hopes of taking the chequered flag will be improved if the forecast mild temperatures come to fruition.
Points Finish – Yuki Tsunoda
A return of three points from the last two Grands Prix means Yuki Tsuonda is a man in form and he is looking to score for the third race in a row.
The Japanese driver has achieved a top-10 finish in one of his three previous cracks at the Belgian Grand Prix, although the 2021 edition was rained off after one lap and he recovered from the Pit Lane to finish 13th in 2022 before bagging 10th spot last term.
RB are scoring more often than not after their slow start to the season and Tsunoda looks a value punt at odds-against for a Points Finish.
Not To Be Classified – Lance Stroll
The last two editions of the Belgian Grand Prix have resulted in a first-lap retirement thanks to the combination of tight turns and high-speed straights.
The field will be tightly compacted going through the opening two sectors and the drivers in the midfield are likely to find themselves in a pinch as they jockey for position.
Despite successive points-scoring finishes, Lance Stroll is liable to the occasional blunder and could be due a retirement as he’s completed every race since round two. A small play on the Aston Martin driver Not To Be Classified.
Belgian Grand Prix Tips
#WhatOddsPaddy – Lewis Hamilton to Win the Race & Lando Norris to Finish on the Podium
Points Finish – Yuki Tsunoda
Not To Be Classified – Lance Stroll
*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
Read More on F1
- Paddy Power News is here to give you a steer on the best Formula 1 tips
- F1 2024 calendar, race schedule, teams and driver line-ups
- F1 2024 season predictions including a 9/1 Charles Leclerc bet
- Lewis Hamilton to Ferrari: Paddy Power’s betting specials for 2025 F1 season
The Paddy Power Guide To Safer Gambling – Everything You Need To Know
