Japanese Grand Prix Betting Tips: Russell can hustle to second win of the season
Mercedes have won the first two races of the 2026 Formula 1 season with both their drivers taking a victory, and another close contest is expected as the teams head to Japan this weekend.
The Japanese Grand Prix will be the last event until the Miami race in May due to the recent cancellation of the rounds in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia that were due to take place in April.
As such, the teams have just one more chance to impress before the unexpected break and racing at the challenging Suzuka circuit is always eagerly anticipated by fans and drivers alike.
George Russell leads the drivers' championship by four points after his success in the opening event in Australia and the Sprint in China, but his teammate Kimi Antonelli is second after securing his maiden Grand Prix success in Shanghai.
The Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton are third and fourth after filling those positions at each of the first two races, but there is work to do for world champion Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri at McLaren after they were not even able to start the race in China due to electrical problems.
Max Verstappen has won the Japanese Grand Prix from pole in each of the last four seasons, but he can be backed at 33/1 to make it five in a row after a tough start to the campaign for Red Bull which has left him with just eight points on the board after two races.
Tip 1 – George Russell to win @ 4/6
Mercedes have recorded a pair of one-two finishes in the first two rounds but there has not been much between their drivers in terms of pace and that is reflected in the odds with Kimi Antonelli handed his shortest quote yet this season at 3/1 for a Suzuka success.
The 19-year-old certainly does not lack the bravery required to shine at the high-speed figure-of-eight circuit, but his natural enthusiasm could get him into trouble at the unforgiving track.
George Russell is the favourite and available at a bigger price than he was for the last race after finishing second in Shanghai.
The Silver Arrows should be out in front again and the British driver looks the more reliable choice for a race win.
Russell's fifth place in Suzuka last season was his best result so far at the track, where Max Verstappen has dominated in recent years, but Mercedes won the race on six successive occasions from 2014 to 2019 and they can add another victory on Sunday.
Tip 2 – Lewis Hamilton podium (1-3) finish @ 2/1
Ferrari have had the pace to harry Mercedes in the early stages of both of the first two races and their start-line prowess could give the Silver Arrows plenty to think about again, but they are likely to end up as the second-fastest team over a race distance.
The battle between the Italian team's drivers has been extremely tight, though, with Charles Leclerc just one point ahead in the standings after he took the podium finish in Australia and Lewis Hamilton was third in China.
There was less than a second between the pair with Hamilton finishing strongly in Melbourne, while the British star was just over three seconds ahead in Shanghai.
Hamilton's record at the track makes him a value bet to add another podium finish in Suzuka, where the seven-time world champion has won on five occasions.
Leclerc goes well at the track too, finishing third or fourth there in each of the last four seasons, but the rejuvenated Hamilton is a more appealing bet for the top three this week as the bigger-priced of the Ferrari pair.
Tip 3 – Franco Colapinto Top 10 finish - 2/1
Expectations that Alpine could make a major improvement this season after finishing last in the Constructors' Championship last season were questioned after they qualified only 14th and 16th in Australia, but they took a big step forward in China.
Pierre Gasly followed up a 10th place in Melbourne with an impressive sixth in Shanghai and his team-mate Franco Colapinto also made it into the points in China in 10th.
The Argentinian driver might have fared even better than that with a clean run, having been hit and spun by Esteban Ocon's Haas, and he looks a nice price at 2/1 for another points finish.
Colapinto is in his third F1 season but will be racing at the track for the first as his two previous partial campaigns did not coincide with the visits to Suzuka.
However, the Alpine seems to have taken a big enough leap forward after switching to Mercedes power from Renault this season to make him a regular contender for the lower points-paying positions.
Odds correct at time of publication but subject to fluctuation