2023 Australian Grand Prix Prediction, Formula 1 Odds
Charles Leclerc dominated at last year’s edition of this race, seizing the pole, fastest lap, and checkered flag. However, the Ferrari driver has seen the struggles that ultimately defined his season last year carry over into 2023, and that is reflected on his odds of repeating as winner in Melbourne, which lag well behind the favourites at +1700.
In the wake of their second straight one-two finish to start the 2023 campaign, the Red Bull duo of Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez are perched atop the Australia Grand Prix odds at -279 and +402, respectively. Perez earned the top of the podium last time out in Saudi Arabia, but was denied the top of the F1 Drivers Standings by Verstappen, who set the fastest lap on the final lap of the race to remain one point up on his teammate and new chief rival.
Australian Grand Prix Race Time, Weather Forecast
Lights out at the 2023 Australian Grand Prix is scheduled for 1 a.m. ET on Sunday morning at Albert Park Circuit. Sunday’s race will feature 58 laps on a city circuit that measures 5.278 kilometres in length with two DRS zones. Weather is not expected to be an issue, with mostly clear skies and temperatures hovering in mid-60s Fahrenheit.
Ferrari Falling off Pace
After seeing his bid for a return to the podium end with his retirement on the 39th lap in Bahrain, Leclerc had to overcome dropping to 15th on the grid in Saudi Arabia. And while he rebounded to claim seventh place, the Monte Carlo native never emerged as a legitimate podium threat in Saudi Arabia, with Leclerc and teammate Carlos Sainz Jr. finishing seventh and sixth, respectively.
A distant +4100 bet to win Sunday’s race, Sainz has also really struggled with pace. The Spaniard managed to maintaining positioning after qualifying fourth in Bahrain, and qualified fourth again in Saudi Arabia before falling to sixth. The Prancing Horse had expected to be a team that could challenge Red Bull’s dominance. However, with the team experiencing both technical and pace issues, Ferrari already trails in fourth pace in the F1 Constructors Standings, and have seen their -145 odds of ending the season ahead of Mercedes diminish.
Alonso Aims for Another Podium
After successfully appealing a 10-second penalty for failing to properly serve a five-second penalty earlier in the race, Fernando Alonso left Saudi Arabia with his second third-place finish in as many outings this season. The 41-year-old arrives in Melbourne listed a strong third on the odds board at +800.
Alonso’s fast start has also lifted his new team Aston Martin on the F1 futures, where they are now neck-and-neck with Mercedes and Ferrari as a +180 bet to finish the season atop the
Standings without Red Bull. However, the UK-based team’s success will also hinge on the performance of Lance Stroll, who has already experienced highs and lows this season. Stroll finished sixth in Bahrain, and was challenging for strong positioning among the top six in Saudi Arabia before engine failure ended his race.
Although neither Aston Martin driver has experienced much recent success in Australia, the duo offer solid value as a -120 bet to give the team another double top six finish.
Prediction: Aston Martin Double Top Six Finish (-120)
