Dutch Grand Prix betting tips and F1 predictions: McLaren look to have more zip at Zandvoort

Where to watch the Dutch Grand Prix on Sunday

Sky Sports F1, 2pm Sunday

Best bets

L Norris-O Piastri dual forecast
1pt 5-2 bet365

Already advised

Max Verstappen to win the Dutch Grand Prix
2pts 15-8 Hills (Aug 23)

Dutch Grand Prix qualifying predictions

The Dutch Grand Prix looks set to be a sizzler at Zandvoort if the rain stays away with McLaren's Lando Norris on pole position ahead of home hero Max Verstappen.

It's the first time in F1's four modern visits to the seaside circuit that Verstappen has been beaten in qualifying and it may take another performance of championship class for him to extend his sequence of three straight wins.

Verstappen is still shorter in some places than the 15-8 at which he was advised as a pre-practice selection for the race, but the evidence of the rain-affected weekend so far suggests McLaren should have the edge.

The world champion will extract every ounce of performance out of his Red Bull but he may need McLaren to shoot themselves in the foot again tactically to come out on top, although that has become a frustrating habit for the British team.

Taking pole has piled the pressure on Norris, who has made several poor starts in recent rounds, but if he gets away cleanly in front for once he should prove hard to catch and he is the 8-11 favourite to take what would be only his second career victory.

Norris's McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri has been a mere fraction behind the Briton for most of the weekend but will be slightly disappointed to be only third on the grid. He has the pace to give Verstappen a tough time and there is the potential for another one-two finish for the McLaren men, as we saw in Hungary last month.

Piastri was on the top step of the podium at the Hungaroring but as initial generous odds of 11-4 about the Australian in bet365's Grand Prix betting without Norris market was swiftly shortened to 2-1, backing the McLaren one-two at 5-2 is preferred.

Mercedes looked like they might be in the hunt for the podium in some sessions, but they disappointed in qualifying, with Lewis Hamilton being eliminated after Q2 and George Russell – disqualified after crossing the line first in the last race at Spa – in fourth.

There were mixed fortunes for the Williams team as the struggling Logan Sargeant had a huge crash in third practice and missed qualifying entirely, but his teammate Alex Albon impressed by taking eighth place on the grid.

The British team have brought some rare updates to their car this weekend and the initial verdict seems to be positive. Albon has made the points only twice this season with ninth-placed finishes in Monaco and Silverstone, but a third top-ten finish looked possible before the news last night that his car was under investigation for technical infringements that could lead to him being excluded from the qualifying results and starting at the back.

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