Monaco Grand Prix Betting Odds: Lando Norris' 275/1 screams value with rain clouds looming

The Monaco Grand Prix is the most glamorous of the year. Free Practice 1 saw the top two teams dominate with Charles Leclerc topping the timesheets followed by Sergio Perez, Carlos Sainz and Max Verstappen. The four of them were split by less than two tenths of a second.

Winner odds are listed below and Neil Monnery has some thoughts heading into Sunday’s race following the opening practice session on Friday afternoon…

Six races into the 2022 F1 calendar and only Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen have stood on the top step on the podium. It has been a very strong start for the top drivers at Ferrari and Red Bull but with a very real possibility of rain interfering with the action on Race Day, I’m going to look past both men for the win. Neither are good prices with both hovering around the even-money mark. They are rightly the two favourites but I don't see much betting value. Therefore I’m going to look deeper in the market.

The obvious first Port of Call is Mercedes and their multiple World Champion Lewis Hamilton. After a turgid start to the season, the team brought updates to Barcelona last time out and seemingly solved their rather significant porpoising issues. Had he not tangled with Kevin Magnussen on the opening lap, the 37 year-old could well have been fighting with his old foe Max Verstappen for the win.

That was a massive step forward as the car had very much been in the mid-field but in FP1, both Lewis and his teammate George Russell were both complaining about the ride. This feels like an issue they may struggle with throughout the weekend. If rain does fall on Sunday however, then Hamilton’s odds of around 20/1 would be extremely tempting as he's been a master in less than stellar conditions throughout his career.

Both Leclerc and Verstappen have very good drivers as teammates so neither should be discounted. Both Carlos Sainz and Sergio Perez offer much better value for money in the markets compared to their short-priced team leaders. The former has struggled so far in 2022 but the latter has got to grips with this year's car far quicker than he did a year ago. A dabble each-way wouldn’t be the worst way to go certainly for the Mexican as he's finished second in three of the past four races.

However I’m looking at the weather forecast and thinking the betting value may be in one of the outsiders. If we have rain then someone is likely to finish top two beyond the top teams. The McLaren duo of Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo are where my eye is being cast towards as both are outstanding drivers and that car looks to be performing well compared to the rest of the field below Ferrari and Red Bull.

22 year-old Norris is my preferred play of the two. He has yet to taste victory in his F1 career but he looks very much like a driver on his way to stardom. With a bit of chaos, a top-two finish wouldn’t shock me and a small bet each-way at 250/1 tempts. The 5/4 on the young Brit to finish Top Six seems like a each solid odds against play come rain or shine. He was best of the rest in FP1 behind Ferrari and Red Bull. With a strong qualifying performance, I'm sure his odds will come in.