Saudi Arabian Grand Prix betting tips and F1 predictions: Red Bull's rivals need to find more

Where to watch the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix

Practice one & two
Sky Sports F1, 1.30pm & 5pm Thursday

Practice three & qualifying
Sky Sports F1, 1.30pm & 5pm Friday

Race
Sky Sports F1, 5pm Saturday

Best bet

S Perez fastest qualifier
1pt e-w 15-2 Betfair, Paddy Power

Saudi Arabian Grand Prix race predictions

Red Bull began the season with an ominous one-two finish in the Bahrain Grand Prix last Saturday and their chief rivals all have work to do when the teams reconvene in Saudi Arabia this week.

The schedule matches last week's, with practice on Thursday, qualifying on Friday and the race on Saturday evening in the UK and Ireland, and the back-to-back races will make it difficult for the challenging teams to make major steps forward, other than their cars being more suited to the Jeddah track than to Bahrain.

That last comment could be the case for McLaren, but expected improvement from the papaya cars would probably only help them to challenge Ferrari and Mercedes for the title of best of the rest rather than take the fight to Red Bull. 

We may well see more from Ferrari this week as they showed decent pace throughout the weekend but Charles Leclerc was blighted by brake problems early in the race after impressing in qualifying to line up on the front row.

Mercedes showed some hope for the rest of the season in finishing fifth and seventh, but with three each-way places available for qualifying, the best early bet to make for the event may be to back Sergio Perez each-way for qualifying at 15-2.

The Mexican was only fourth on the grid last week, but finished runner-up to team-mate Max Verstappen. He took pole for this race last season, when Verstappen had problems in qualifying, and won the grand prix. It may take more time for their rivals to get their act together than they have had this week.

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