Canadian Grand Prix tips: Alonso to finish on podium, Verstappen for fastest lap
- Mark Scott
- 16 June 2023
Max Verstappen’s dominance of the 2023 F1 season makes it hard to look past him as race winner for the Canadian Grand Prix on Sunday - but we have some other suggested bets for the race.
Defending champion Max Verstappen is simply in a class of his own - and leads the driver standings by a whopping 53 points, with Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez sitting on 117 compared to the Dutchman's haul of 170 so far.
Talking of class, Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso continues to impress and is third in the standings having banked 99 points - he will be looking to bring up his century on the weekend of the first Ashes Test between England and Australia at Edgbaston.
Alonso finds himself ahead of Mercedes duo Lewis Hamilton and George Russell - but the English duo finished second and third respectively in Spain, giving F1 fans hope that Mercedes are back on track in terms of trying to challenge Red Bull's relentless pace.
PlanetF1.com editor Mark Scott spills his top tips and suggested bets for the Canadian Grand Prix.
Fernando Alonso podium finish
Red Bull are once again expected to dominate the latest Grand Prix weekend, but the battle for the podium spots behind is a fascinating puzzle to solve.
After introducing their B-spec W14 at Monaco, Mercedes took a big step in the right direction at the next race in Spain with their first double podium result of the F1 2023 season.
However, the Canadian GP track will present a very different challenge to the Silver Arrows crew and Aston Martin are coming to Montreal armed with a significant upgrade package which could well see them overtake Mercedes in the F1 pecking order once more.
Alonso has got an insatiable thirst for champagne again after finishing on the podium five times in seven races so far this season and will be absolutely determined to occupy one of the top three steps come Sunday.
Max Verstappen fastest lap
The way Verstappen is driving at the moment you would think he is in a desperate need to score his first point of the season before it concludes, such is his relentlessness and tenacity to dominate in all areas.
Verstappen, who was close to receiving a penalty for exceeding track limits on multiple occasions last time out in Spain, ignored Red Bull's pleas for caution and promptly set the fastest lap of the race just for the sheer hell of it.
The Dutchman is so far ahead that he is already setting new challenges for himself and the fastest lap award is one that he clearly doesn't want anybody else to have.
Under 17.5 finishers
There is rain forecast for race day in Montreal and that would bring some much-needed spice to an F1 season that has struggled for high drama and big storylines so far this year.
The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is a chaotic track even when it is bone dry so, if the rain does arrive on Sunday, then it will provide an added boost in our quest for there to be 17 drivers or fewer that finish the Canadian Grand Prix.
