2023 F1 Monaco GP: Preview and odds for the race explored

F1 is set to roll down the streets of Monte Carlo for the 2023 edition of the historic Monaco GP. It is the shortest circuit on the calendar, yet, it's quite an exciting one because of the history it shares and the challenge it poses to the best drivers.

After the rather 'boring' (as many fans labelled it) Monaco GP on the circuit last year, a lot of changes are expected. However, with a single team's domination until now, it is a little hard to not be biased towards their victory.

The circuit itself is 3.3 kilometres long. It is composed of 19 corners, and a very uphill stint after turn 1, leading to turn 4, leading all the way down to the slowest corner on the Formula 1 calendar, the Fairmont Hotel Hairpin. The entire circuit, though very slow, is extremely hard to drive on, the smallest of mistakes can lead to disasters for the drivers.

Charles Leclerc of Monaco driving on the track during final practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Monaco on May 28, 2022, in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. (Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images)

Heading into the 2023 edition, Max Verstappen is in domination, having won three out of the five races so far. Meanwhile, the other two have gone in favour of his teammate, Sergio Perez.

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Opening odds for the 2023 Formula 1 Monaco GP

Here are the odds for all of the drivers competing in the 2023 Monaco GP -

Max Verstappen +150

Charles Leclerc +250

Fernando Alonso +450

Carlos Sainz +600

Sergio Perez +800

Lewis Hamilton +2000

George Russell +5000

Lando Norris +6600

Lance Stroll +10000

Esteban Ocon +25000

Pierre Gasly +25000

Valtteri Bottas +25000

Guanyu Zhou +100000

Kevin Magnussen +100000

Nico Hulkenberg +100000

Yuki Tsunoda +100000

Alex Albon +150000

Nyck de Vries +200000

Logan Sargeant +250000

Oscar Piastro +250000

What to expect from the 2023 Monaco GP?

As mentioned, Verstappen has been particularly strong this season, with Red Bull's RB19 being an absolute beast on the track. However, the first practice session of the Monaco GP saw him facing issues with the setup in his car, evidently in the rear of the car. This saw Ferrari's Carlos Sainz put in the fastest lap of the first session.

The second practice session saw Verstappen climbing back to the top again, leading Charles Leclerc and Sainz right behind him.

Mercedes are not far behind in this state of development. They have introduced a completely changed sidepod design of the W14, which is expected to bring in more performance and competitiveness. However, the exact change is a little hard to estimate currently.

It is estimated that there will be a close competition between the top runners. Ferrari is looking stronger than how they have been for the rest of the season. Mercedes, with new development, is also better, and Fernando Alonso, with his amazing pace, is also in the game. At the same time, however, Red Bull might still be dominating, going by their performance in the season until now.

While overtaking might not be the play during the Monaco GP for the ones who will not be starting in the pole position, it is quite possible to perform a very strong overcut over rivals.

While strategic planning might play a crucial role in the finishing position for most drivers, it is to be noted that rainfall is expected on Sunday. In the previous season, there were a lot of errors because of the unpredictable weather, which even saw the entire race being red-flagged.

Charles Leclerc infamously lost the race because of a huge blunder that Ferrari made while calling their drivers in for the pitstops.

There will be a lot to look out for in the 2023 Monaco GP for the fans, so it will be important to keep an eye out for all of the sessions during the race weekend here!