The hustle and bustle of Formula One returns to the glamorous streets of Monaco this weekend, as the sports showpiece event enters a 77th year.
Although speeds are comparatively low when compared to other circuits on the F1 calendar, the tight, unforgiving barriers around the glitzy roads of Monte Carlo make it one of the most dangerous, mentally taxing and enjoyable races in the sport.
Former Red Bull man, Daniel Ricciardo brought home a well-deserved victory in last year’s race, ahead of Sebastian Vettel. Five-time world champion, Lewis Hamilton, will be hoping to win his third Monaco crown this time around.
Our Formula One betting expert previews the action and gives you the best bets to look out for.
Red Bull Have Wings
Despite Mercedes’ dominant start to the season, Christian Horner will be hoping his Red Bull team can extend their reasonable record at Monaco over recent seasons. Ricciardo couldn’t convert his pole position in 2016, much to his frustration, finishing second behind Lewis Hamilton. The Australian also finished on the podium in 2017, before claiming his revenge in 2018.
The intelligent chassis of the RB15 means they can carry more speed through the corners than the Mercedes’ or Ferrari’s, making Monaco a race victory targeted by the Red Bull’s every season.
Max Verstappen is currently 5/2 at Grosvenorsport.com to put his car on pole and 11/4 to be stood on top of the podium come Sunday. The Dutchman holds the current lap record around the circuit. Teammate Pierre Gasly could also be well placed to pick up pole position at 14/1.
Overtaking is especially difficult in Monaco, making qualifying the key session of the weekend. On only 10 occasions since 1950 has somebody starting lower than third won the race and pole position has produced the winner in 11 of the last 18 Monaco GP’s.
More Mercedes Mastery?
Hamilton’s victory in Spain last time out saw Mercedes become the first team ever to finish first and second in the first five races of a season. Teammate Valtteri Bottas, is the only driver to convert a pole position into a race win so far this year though, after victory in Azerbaijan.
Hamilton, currently sits seven points ahead of his teammate in the search for his sixth world title and both have begun to build a gap to third place, Verstappen. Hamilton remains pole favourite at 6/5 on Grosvenorsport.com, despite Bottas delivering three pole positions already this year. The German is 2/1 to make that four on Saturday.
Mercedes will point to the sector three times from the Spanish Grand Prix, a part of the circuit that would usually favour Red Bull, to suggest that the two teams will be much closer this weekend than in previous years.
Ferrari’s newest addition Charles Leclerc is the only non-Mercedes driver to take a pole position so far this season but couldn’t bring home victory for the Scuderia after engine trouble denied him in Bahrain. He can become the first driver from Monaco to score points in Monte Carlo since a third-place finish for Louis Chiron in 1950. Leclerc is 14/1 to grab pole position and 7/4 to pick up his first Formula One win at grosvenorsport.com.
Monaco Grand Prix selections:
Pole Position: Max Verstappen- 5/2
Race Victory: Valtteri Bottas- 5/2
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