Australian Grand Prix predictions: Perez to make his presence felt![Copy icon](/ls-web-assets/svgs/common/link-471b4.svg)
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![Sergio Perez won the Saudi Arabia GP and offers greater value for Red Bull to end their Australia drought](https://uk1.sportal365images.com/process/smp-image-api/livescore.com/28032023/f5151f78-386e-4e30-bb22-3e4f0ce063dc.jpg?operations=fit(707:)&w=707&quality=100)
- Four of Sergio Perez's five F1 wins have come at street circuits
- The last two races in Australia have had winning margins of at least 20 seconds
- Recommended bets:
- Sergio Perez to win the Australian Grand Prix
- Australian Grand Prix winning margin over 10 seconds
- Lando Norris top-10 finish
The die has seemingly been cast for the Formula 1 season with Red Bull so far ahead of the field that the Drivers’ Championship is shaping up to be a two-horse race.
Reigning champion Max Verstappen currently leads the standings by one point after two races, but team mate Sergio Perez is nipping at his heels as F1 heads down under.
Red Bull have gone 12 years without a win at the Australian Grand Prix, with Ferrari having won three of the last four editions of the race.
However, it would be a major surprise if a Scuderia, a Mercedes or even one of the impressive Aston Martins took the chequered flag at the revamped and speedy Melbourne venue this weekend ahead of the seemingly unstoppable Red Bull.
Verstappen may not end Australia hoodoo
Verstappen is the 3/10 favourite with LiveScore Bet to get back to winning ways in Australia with the Dutchman having been off-colour in Saudi Arabia due to a virus.
Perez took full advantage to secure a deserved victory, continuing his excellent start to the season having performed well in Bahrain, and he could go back-to-back for the first time in his career at Albert Park.
The Mexican relishes a street circuit, securing four of his five wins in F1 venus of that ilk and although Albert Park straddles the line between street and permanent race track, he can contend.
Perez took second behind Ferrari's Charles Leclerc in Australia last year and with no one in a position to seriously challenge Red Bull, Perez holds far more appeal at his price of 9/2 with LiveScore Bet than Verstappen.
Red Bull could run away with win
![Fernando Alonso has been best of the rest behind Red Bull so far, but never closer than 20 seconds](https://uk1.sportal365images.com/process/smp-image-api/livescore.com/28032023/cb3be4a5-f1fa-418d-ac50-4202b2d7ca79.jpg?operations=fit(707:)&w=707&quality=100)
Fernando Alonso has chased the Red Bulls home in the first two races but has not been closer than 20 seconds to the race winner come the chequered flag.
While there was only five seconds between Perez and Verstappen in Saudi Arabia, should one Red Bull encounter an issue or get stuck in traffic at a circuit where overtaking is tricky, the other could easily pull away.
The last two races in Australia have seen the winner cross the line at least 20 seconds ahead of his nearest rival and Red Bull may maintain that streak with a winning margin of 10 seconds or more 11/10 with LiveScore Bet.
Norris out to erase nightmare start
McLaren are among the teams way off where they expected to be this season with a disastrous first two races, leading to an off-grid shake-up of the technical staff.
While they have yet to post a finish higher than 15th, they have been unlucky with how the races have played out and, at times, have shown the kind of pace that suggests they can challenge for points.
Although the locals will be eager to see home favourite Oscar Piastri lead McLaren's charge, Norris is the more likely to register the team's first points of the year.
The Briton is the pick of the midfield drivers and scored points in 17 of last year's 22 races.