Best Bets: F1 Japanese Grand Prix Pre-Event Odds Analysis

Schedule and How to Watch the F1 Japanese Grand Prix

The green lights flash on the 50th edition of the Japanese Grand Prix on Thursday, April 3rd, 10:30 PM ET for the first practice session. A weekend of late nights lie ahead for F1 fans stateside with qualifying in the program for Saturday at 2 AM ET.

It all comes down to the main event on Sunday, April 6th at 1 AM ET when the grid lines up for the Grand Prix. The ESPN+ camera crew is at Suzuka and ready to feed you every overtake and pit stop from Thursday through Sunday morning.

Weather Forecast for the Japanese Grand Prix

Conditions are expected to be fair around the Suzuka Prefecture throughout the weekend. High 50s, with blue skies, are forecast throughout Friday, before the cloud cover rolls in on Saturday and Sunday. Temperatures remain stable throughout practice, qualifying, and the grand prix, with no rain expected during any of the sessions.

What is F1 DFS Betting

Formula 1 Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) gives you a chance to win if your drivers and constructor return more points than other players’ picks. You pick five drivers (one is designated as your captain), and a constructors team. Points are assigned to each driver based on how they finish, fastest laps, laps led, and starting grid position. The captain receives double the amount of points.

All points count towards your total, and the player with the highest points tally at the checkered flag wins the pot.

F1 Japanese GP Odds

Top Picks 

Lando Norris (+160)

The Saturday sprint cost Lando Norris in Shanghai as he walked away with the final point, allowing Verstappen to narrow the gap by five in the Championship. After tweaking his car on Saturday, the Brit rallied on Sunday to finish second behind his teammate and earn six points more than “Mad Max.” Norris is now eight points clear in the standings heading into Suzuka, a track he has yet to win on.

Oscar Piastri (+160)

While his partner Lando grabs all the headlines Oscar Piastri seemed to have a better handle on the MCL 39 in China, guiding it to victory. The Australian started in pole position at the Shanghai International Circuit and looked in control for all 56 laps, taking the checkered flag 9.748 seconds ahead of Lando. Piastri is only 10 points shy of Norris and is arguably his biggest challenger for the Driver Championship.

Max Verstappen (+850)

Teammate challenges, understeer frustrations, and still, Max Verstappen lands in Japan as the second-ranked driver. The Red Bull number one crossed the line in second at Albert Park and backed it up with a fourth in China. He endured an abundance of distractions around the garage and the boardroom leading into Suzuka, but Verstappen is a Champion and should have no issue rising above it.

Outsider Bets

Charles Leclerc (+1100)

 “Il Predestinato” Charles Leclerc completed the Shanghai Grand Prix without his front wing end plate, which caused his car to weigh nearly two pounds short of the requirements. That leaves him with an eighth and a DQ next to his name this season.  Leclerc is a consistent performer around the Suzuka Circuit with three top-five results in his last three trips, including a podium in 2022.

Lewis Hamilton (+1100)

Lewis Hamilton showed glimpses of his best form in the sprint qualifying and race, where he navigated to victory. The Briton is adapting to his Ferrari but was unfortunately disqualified after Sunday’s Grand Prix, as the stewards found his rearward skid didn’t meet the threshold. The Japanese Grand Prix holds fond memories for Hamilton as a five-time winner and the lap record holder

.George Russell (+1100)

Mercedes’ senior George Russell earned his second podium in two races in China, and he is still flying under the radar of pundits and bettors. The Norfolk native showed the speed of his vehicle in Q3 in Shanghai clocking 1:30.723, good enough for second on the starting grid. Suzuka has proven challenging for Russell in past seasons, never bettering seventh position.

Expert Pick for the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix

The joint favorite for the win at Suzuka, Oscar Piastri, is our expert pick. The Honda-owned and operated track is fast but challenging. The Australian appears to have a better handle on the MCL 39 and may get the most out of it this weekend. His odds are set at +160 to win here, offering a potential return of $52 for a $20 stake.

Japanese Grand Prix Event Winner Odds: All Drivers

Japanese Grand Prix Podium Odds

Lando and Oscar enter the Japanese Grand Prix with the shortest odds on the grid to podium at Suzuka. Norris boasts two podiums in two races, including a win. Oscar missed out on a podium place in Australia but looked the better of the two McLaren drivers in Shanghai.

Max Verstappen starts as the third favorite to podium, with one runner-up to his name at the Melbourne Grand Prix. Lewis Hamilton is worth a look for a podium bet after he reminded us of his class in China. Hamilton also needs one more win at Suzuka to tie Michael Schumacher for most wins at the venue.  George Russell starts with favorable odds to finish on the podium, despite back-to-back third places.

F1 Japanese GP Top 6 Odds

The usual favorites, Norris, Piastri, and Verstappen carry the shortest odds to finish in the top 6. Besides Piastri spinning off the track and finishing ninth in Melbourne, all three have finished inside the top six in the first two races.

Expectations are high for Yuki Tsunoda in his first start for Red Bull at his home circuit, with odds of +135. Kimi Antonelli is a fair price for a top 6 result, considering he crossed the line fourth and sixth in the first two races. The wunderkind is +140 in the pre-event odds, offering excellent value for money. 

Japanese GP Top 10 Odds

Pre-event odds are short, with more than half the field priced in the negative. Lando, Oscar, and Max are sitting at -1800 to cross the line inside the top 10, closely followed by Hamilton, Russell, and Leclerc.

Esteban Ocon and Lance Stroll exit the pit lane at +450 to claim a top-10 result, a feat they achieved in the last round. After two races, Stroll has an average finish of 7.5 while Ocon has an average finish of ninth. 

Where to Bet on the Japanese GP

Visit our partner sportsbooks to access special deals that will elevate your betting experience as you prepare for the F1 Suzuka Grand Prix. If you’re a newbie in the world of F1 betting, our comprehensive F1 Betting Guide is a must-read. Remember to enjoy the race and make your betting choices wisely. Betting responsibly ensures the fun lasts all season long.

McLaren stole the show in the first two rounds, winning in Australia and China. Can the Bristol native carry the early momentum into round three and take his first checkered flag in Japan? Will Yuki Tsunoda start his tenure in the Red Bull hot seat in style and clinch victory in front of his home crowd?

McLaren stole the show in the first two rounds, winning in Australia and China. Can the Bristol native carry the early momentum into round three and take his first checkered flag in Japan? Will Yuki Tsunoda start his tenure in the Red Bull hot seat in style and clinch victory in front of his home crowd?