Saudi Arabia Grand Prix picks & preview

What: Saudi Arabia Grand Prix
When: Saturday, March 9th, 12 PM ET
Where: Jeddah Corniche Circuit

Saturday we’re back at it in the Middle East with the second Formula 1 race of the year. The Saudi Arabia Grand Prix will take place at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit. This is only the fourth-ever edition, having started in 2021. By no surprise, Max Verstappen, who won the Bahrain GP by 22 seconds last weekend, is the heavy favorite here to win at -500 odds. Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez, the 2022 winner at the Saudi GP, sits at +1200. Charles LeClerc, George Russell, and Fernando Alonso are others who are expected to be in the mix. Keep reading for the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix picks.

Before we get into the odds and predictions, make sure to check out our F1 betting page and our sports betting 101 guide.

Saudi Arabia Grand Prix Odds

Driver
Max Verstappen	-475	-500	-500
Sergio Perez	+1200	+800	+800
Charles LeClerc	+1600	+1200	+1200
George Russell	+2500	+2500	+2500
Fernando Alonso	+2500	+2500	+2500
Lewis Hamilton	'+4000	+3300	+3300
Lando Norris	+3300	+6600	+6600
Carlos Sainz	+4000	+2000	+2000

Max Verstappen (-500)

Get used to these types of odds, they’re probably going to be similar for every single race in 24′. The reality is no one is even close to Verstappen in terms of talent plus his Red Bull car is a beast. Yes, there is some off-track drama between Verstappen’s dad and Christian Horner right now, but that shouldn’t disrupt the Dutchman’s form. He was utterly dominant in Bahrain, finishing way in front of the pack in what proved to be a rather boring race because of how far ahead he was. Verstappen won the 2022 Saudi Arabia GP but was edged out last year by Perez. Don’t expect that to happen again, though. Verstappen should cruise in Jeddah. Hopefully, it’s a little bit closer this time for the fans’ sake, however. By the looks of it, we’ll probably see another dominant season from Verstappen.

Sergio Perez (+800)

As already mentioned, the Saudi GP was one of Perez’s two wins in 23′. He ultimately finished second in the standings behind his Red Bull teammate. The Mexican is also off to a good start this season, locking down runner-up in Bahrain following a very strong finish to that race. He’s also secured pole position in back-to-back appearances at the Saudi Arabia GP, which could happen again if he does well enough in qualifying. Expect Perez to be in the mix on Saturday. Will he edge out Verstappen again? Probably not, but a more specific bet may be worth a small wager.

Charles LeClerc (+1200)

LeClerc did not have a great season last year. In 2022, he really broke onto the scene as one to watch with three victories but he failed to finish in the winner’s circle in 23′. That being said, LeClerc did finish the campaign strong with a pair of second-place finishes while coming in fourth at the Bahrain GP. He was a disappointing seventh in the last Saudi GP but did finish as a runner-up in 2022 behind Verstappen. Ferrari surely wants to compete with Verstappen and Red Bull and it’ll be up to LeClerc to make that happen. He certainly has his work cut out for him, though.

George Russell (+2500)

Russell is slowly becoming the main man for Mercedes with Lewis Hamilton entering his twilight years. The young Englishman has loads of talent and Mercedes appears to be happy with the cars both of these guys are driving. Russell showed well in Bahrain, finishing in fifth, just ahead of Hamilton. Last season, Russell was eighth in the final standings with no wins and two podiums. Just based on how he’s looked so far however, there’s optimism he could be a lot better off when 24′ is done. A podium spot is definitely possible on Saturday for Russell.

Lewis Hamilton (+3300)

Hamilton was once the king of F1, winning five years in a row before Verstappen burst onto the scene. He struggled in the first race of the season with a seventh-place finish and didn’t even win a single race last year. But, Hamilton was still third in the standings with six podiums. Expect him to be in contention again this season. He also won the inaugural Saudi Arabia GP in 21′. Could he do it again? Unlikely with Verstappen standing in the way.