Max Verstappen favorite to win 2023 F1 Qatar Grand Prix

Max Verstappen is set to clinch his third successive Drivers Championship at the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix this weekend. The Red Bull driver is just -450 to win his 14th race of the season at the Lusail International Circuit. In our latest Formula 1 betting picks, we tell you if he is worth backing and what the best F1 bets are to profit on the action this weekend.

What; 2023 Qatar Grand Prix - Round 18
Where; Lusail International Circuit, Doha, Qatar
When; Sunday, October 8th, 2023
Time; 1 pm ET
Laps; 57
Race Distance; 308.611 km

First up, Red Bull sealed the Constructors Championship at the Suzuka Circuit in Round 17. But the team is not just after the Constructors Championship. They have their eyes on the bigger prize. And that looks set to be delivered this weekend.

Six times. 👑👑👑👑👑👑 #GivesYouWings pic.twitter.com/20vTYsKaQx

— Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) September 24, 2023

The current state of play

The headlines are already written for this weekend in Qatar as Max Verstappen looks certain to clinch his third successive World Championship title when the action gets underway.

The Dutchman needs just three points to win the championship, and he can seal the deal in the Saturday Sprint Race, where he needs to finish sixth to win the title.

But if not on Saturday, he always has the Qatar Grand Prix on Sunday to get the three points he needs.
Should Verstappen win the title in the Sprint, he will become the first driver in history to do so. Setting another record in what has been a dominant year for the current World Champion.

Betting to win the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix

Ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix, the best Formula 1 online betting sites were slightly unsure if Red Bull’s poor performance the previous week was a one-off or something more serious.

Max Verstappen has been around -400 to -450 in most recent races. But after his team’s poor performance in Singapore, he was eased out to -300 for Japan. That might sound stupid. But given Verstappen’s record of ten straight wins heading into the race, he was usually -400 to -450.

MAX VERSTAPPEN WINS AT SUZUKA 🤩#F1 #JapaneseGP pic.twitter.com/LRN97ums7H

— Formula 1 (@F1) September 24, 2023

Anyway, normal service resumed in Japan, and Max Verstappen won the race by over 19 seconds ahead of Lando Norris. And now we all know that Singapore was just a one-off result.

As a result, Max Verstappen is -450 to win the Qatar Grand Prix. His closest betting rivals are Sergio Perez (+1200), Lando Norris (+1200), and Oscar Piastri (+1600). Full Qatar Grand Prix betting is available on our F1 odds table. More information about the bookmakers we use is on our betting bonuses and promotions page.

Driver
Max Verstappen	-450	-450	-450
Sergio Perez	+1200	+1200	+1200
Lando Norris	+1200	+1200	+1200
Oscar Piastri	+1600	+1600	+1600
Lewis Hamilton	+2500	+2500	+2500
George Russell	+2500	+2500	+2500
Carlos Sainz	+2800	+2800	+2800
Charles Leclerc	+2800	+2800	+2800
Fernando Alonso	+8000	+8000	+8000
Lance Stroll	+50000	+50000	+50000
Esteban Ocon	+50000	+50000	+50000
Pierre Gasly	+50000	+50000	+50000
Alex Albon	+50000	+50000	+50000
Valtteri Bottas	+50000	+50000	+50000
Guanyu Zhou	+50000	+50000	+50000
Kevin Magnussen	+50000	+50000	+50000
Yuki Tsunoda	+50000	+50000	+50000
Nico Hulkenberg	+50000	+50000	+50000
Logan Sargeant	+50000	+50000	+50000
Liam Lawson	+50000	+50000	+50000

Is it time to just back Verstappen to win every week?

If you want to back Max Verstappen, then go ahead. It is generally buying money.

And after what happened in Singapore, we know we will get an early heads-up if the circuit isn't to the liking of the two Red Bulls. It was obvious that the Red Bull wasn’t set up for the Marina Bay Circuit from the Friday before the race. So see how practice and qualifying start, and if the Red Bulls are doing okay, you know you are in business.

Another thing to remember if you are considering backing Verstappen is that he will almost certainly win the Drivers Championship this weekend. Probably on Saturday. So there is a slight chance his focus might not be at its usual high standards.

Max Verstappen To win the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix

-450

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Our Picks

We’re not backing Max Verstappen to win. With all that’s going on around him this weekend, the bet looks too risky at -450.

It’s tempting to go with the McLaren drivers for a podium place again. But in the previous race, they benefited from the fast corners at Suzuka. This weekend there are still many high-speed corners to deal with, but there are also longer straights to contend with, which will suit the cars with the fastest straight-line speed.

This makes it harder to predict if the high-speed corners will take precedence over the fast straights. The bookmakers are favoring the McLarens, suggesting they believe the corners will be more likely to influence the outcome. But what if they are basing their odds on the result in Japan rather than the makeup of the Lusail circuit?

A lot can change throughout a Formula 1 season, but in preseason practice, Ferrari had the second-best straight-line speed behind the Red Bulls. So will this bring Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz into contention this weekend?

Like with Red Bull, if the Ferraris are performing well in practice and early qualifying, they could be the team to follow. If they are performing well, in the head-to-head markets, Charles Leclerc is -130 to finish ahead of George Russell. We think that bet makes sense.

Charles Leclerc To finish ahead of George Russell

-130

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We also feel that Lando Norris (+1200) and Charles Leclerc (+2200) are well worth backing to win the Sprint on Saturday.

Lando Norris To win Qatar Sprint Race

+1200

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Charles Leclerc To win Qatar Sprint Race

+2200

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Make sure you check out our top-rated sportsbooks below. These are our recommended betting partners that you can read more about on our sportsbook reviews page: