Formula 1 Australian GP Betting Preview

The 2026 Formula 1 season gets underway in Melbourne this weekend, with a new set of regulations set to shake up the pecking order as Lando Norris begins the defence of his World Drivers’ Championship. A shakedown in Barcelona and two tests in Bahrain whetted the appetite of Formula 1 fans, but test runs are to be taken with a large pinch of salt and this weekend offers the first true representation of how each team might fare this year.

Norris began his championship-winning campaign with a hard-fought win in Australia this time last year, and each of the last five Australian Grands Prix have been won by a driver starting on the front row.

Tip 1. Max Verstappen to finish on the podium @ 8/11 with bet365

Red Bull Racing may be expected to have less outright pace than the likes of Mercedes and Ferrari, but the sheer excellence of Max Verstappen helps to make up for that shortfall and the four-time World Drivers’ Championship winner is always in with a chance of a podium. The Flying Dutchman finished a narrow second to Norris in last season’s Australian Grand Prix and has three podium finishes in his last five trips to Melbourne.

While this may not sound particularly impressive given Verstappen’s record, the two races in which he failed to score a top-three finish came as a result of mechanical retirements. On both occasions, he was in the top three before his Red Bull malfunctioned, and he will be itching to get back to winning ways after relinquishing his title last season.

Nico Hulkenberg to finish in the points @ 12/5

Audi have entered the Formula 1 fray this season, taking over Sauber and working with its own in-house engine, which is usually a recipe for a season of struggle. However, the new team showed impressive pace in pre-season testing, with Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg posting the 10th and 12th fastest times respectively. While it is hard to draw a concrete conclusion from this, their 357 laps in the second test bodes well for reliability, and numerous other teams are in a world of difficulty.

Aston Martin are in a dreadful situation after their switch to Honda engines, while Williams are off the pace after missing the Barcelona shakedown and new-team Cadillac will take a while to get up to speed. This opens the door for some early season points for Audi, and Hulkenberg has a strong record around Melbourne, finishing in the top 10 in seven of his last eight Australian Grands Prix and coming 11th in his one failure to score points.

Oscar Piastri to win @ 14/1 with bet365

Oscar Piastri had a torrid race in last season’s Australian Grand Prix as he lost control in changing weather conditions, eventually finishing ninth in his home Grand Prix. However, he qualified second for that race and brings another year of experience to the table this time around, making him a high-value option given McLaren’s pace in testing. The papaya team posted the third and fourth fastest times in Bahrain test two and Piastri, who won four of the first six Grands Prix in 2025, will be eager to use the home crowd to his advantage and make amends for last season’s disappointment.