After the thrills and spills of last week’s Formula 1 season opener in Australia, the teams and drivers will be hoping for a more straightforward weekend at the Chinese Grand Prix.
The Shanghai event returned to the calendar for the first time since 2019 last season and, as was the case then, this will be a sprint weekend, with only one hour of practice before the important sessions begin.
Chinese Grand Prix Betting Tips
- Both McLaren’s podium finish @ 5/6 with bet365
- Fernando Alonso points finish @ 12/5 with bet365
- Jack Doohan points finish @ 5/1 with bet365
McLaren’s could demonstrate their dominance
Three different teams featured on the podium in Melbourne, as McLaren’s Lando Norris beat defending champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull, with George Russell’s Mercedes third.
However, prior to a safety car appearance Norris and his team-mate Oscar Piastri had opened up a 15-second gap on the chasers to seemingly confirm the impression from pre-season that McLaren are very much the team to beat in 2025.
An off-track excursion during a rain shower dropped Piastri down the order, but he had spent a lot of the race pressuring Norris and we can look forward to a duel between the two hungry young racers this weekend.
If their car remains the class of the field, there is a world championship up for grabs for either Norris or Piastri and it seems likely both will be standing on the podium after Sunday’s race.
Chinese Grand Prix Tip 1: Both McLaren’s podium finish @ 5/6 with bet365
Evergreen Alonso can add to his tally
Fernando Alonso proved it wasn’t just the youngsters who could be caught out by the conditions in Australia last week.
The most experienced driver in Formula 1 history spun into the wall on loose gravel in Melbourne, costing himself a likely points finish, but the Spaniard can quickly make amends in Shanghai.
Alonso rolled back the years in China last year, qualifying his Aston Martin third for both the sprint and Grand Prix. His luck was out in the race, as he trailed home seventh, but if he shows the same liking for the track this year then a top-10 finish should be well within his scope.
Chinese Grand Prix Tip 2: Fernando Alonso points finish @ 12/5 with bet365
Doohan to pick up first points
Rookie Jack Doohan’s Australian Grand Prix lasted less than a single lap, but the Alpine driver had been having a solid weekend up to that point.
The Australian had compared well with his much more experienced team-mate Pierre Gasly in the preliminaries and was unlucky not to make the top-10 shootout in qualifying, as he was forced to abandon his fastest attempt when another driver went off.
Gasly was unlucky in the race, dropping out of the points late on, but the Alpine looks a lot better than it did at this stage last year and Doohan is a big price to pick up his first career points finish.
Chinese Grand Prix Tip 3: Jack Doohan points finish @ 5/1 with bet365
