Monaco Grand Prix Odds: Oscar Piastri favourite to take his 5th win of the F1 season

The Australian, who spent much of his youth at a boarding school in the UK, currently has a 13-point lead over his team-mate Lando Norris. 

Verstappen, who took his second victory of the season at last weekend’s Emilia Romagna race, is a further nine points behind. And, according to bookmakers, it will come down to these three when determining who will pick up the 25 points.

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The Monaco Grand Prix is known for its tight track, offering very few opportunities to overtake. The overtaking problem has worsened in the track’s 75-year history, as cars have gotten wider while the roads have not changed. The street circuit has come in for criticism, with some fans claiming it is a boring track for spectators. 

And it isn’t just racing fans who are critical – Nelson Piquet once said of the iconic track: “It’s like riding a bicycle around your living room.”

This year’s race may offer a little more excitement as F1 has introduced a new rule that means drivers will be forced to complete two mandatory pitstops.  

Monaco’s position means that a lot of the drivers are able to commute for the race, but Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc can reasonably call it his home track, having learned to swim in the pool at turns 14 and 15. After five previous attempts had failed to even yield a podium finish, Leclerc managed to break his home track curse last year. One of the reasons for his victory was his pole position.

READ: Jennie Gow F1 predictions: Monaco GP betting tips, odds and race preview

Monaco holds the joint record for the most victories from pole, along with the German Grand Prix. There have been 70 races over the track’s 75-year history, and 32 of those victories came from the driver in pole position. As such, bettors will be watching keenly when qualifying begins on 24 May. 

Leclerc held Piastri off to win last season’s race, but the slow corners may play to McLaren’s strengths, which would favour Lando Norris or Piastri. 

Verstappen will come into the race with some confidence, however. Not only has he won the race twice, in 2021 and 2023, but the four-time world champion also got back to winning ways with victory in Imola’s last-ever F1 race last week. The victory was Verstappen’s second of the season and some commentators have suggested it might mark the start of a Verstappen surge.

Although his season has been largely poor, one other driver worthy of discussion is Lewis Hamilton. He holds the current lap record at Monaco and won it in 2008, 2016, and 2019. 

However, despite his history at the course, the Ferrari driver is some way back in the betting, at around 20/1, after having said that his car is P-nowhere. 

However, the Brit did fare better in Imola, finishing above team-mate Leclerc for the first time this season when crossing the line in fourth.

Odds, from Ladbrokes, correct at the time of writing.