Montoya Predicts McLaren To Be Dark Horses At Silverstone

Harry Sadoun Sports Betting Expert

4 minute read

The 74th edition of the British Grand Prix takes place this weekend at Silverstone. The circuit has hosted the third highest number of F1 grands prix after Monza and Monaco with the 2023 edition being the 58th British GP at the circuit.

To discuss the hotly-anticipated race, we talked to F1 great and 2005 British Grand Prix winner, Juan Pablo Montoya who shared his expectations from the weekend.

While the Colombian, like every F1 fan this season, expects a Max Verstappen win but he is not certain about who finished behind the reigning world champion. He has tipped Aston Martin to do well and Mercedes to improve from what he saw at the Red Bull ring but also gave his former team, McLaren, the ‘dark horse’ title for the British Grand Prix.

Silverstone favours a team like Aston Martin

While Montoya expects Red Bull to run very strong, he pointed out that Silverstone favours a team like Aston Martin and Fernando Alonso who have strong mechanical grip.

"Silverstone is tricky because it's a really fast track.” 

“You would think that Aston Martin will be really strong. They seem to have a lot of mechanical corner grip and slow corner grip. So, from that point of view, it would be an Aston type of track.” 

“It is their home grand prix as well so I'm sure they want to run well."

McLaren can be dark horses at Silverstone

The Colombian motorsport legend was pleasantly surprised by McLaren’s performance at Red Bull ring and thinks that if they can carry on that at Silverstone, they would be contending for a podium.

He was also surprised by Ferrari’s performance in Austria and thinks they could be contending this weekend as well. Ferrari won the last edition with Carlos Sainz grabbing his maiden F1 win.

"McLaren surprised me by how strong they were at the Red Bull ring. Ferrari as well. They were better than expected so it wouldn't surprise me to see a Ferrari or McLaren doing well."

"McLaren is the dark horse for Silverstone. The McLarens after what they showed they can do, they might run good or they underperform completely."

"I wasn't in the garage so I don't know if they had a massive upgrade on the car for Red Bull ring or whatever it was, they found something that made their car better because the performance was huge."

Mercedes should improve but they disappointed in Austria

Lewis Hamilton, who holds a record eight wins at Silverstone and in a study conducted by bet365, tops the all-time Silverstone leaderboard (after adjusting all points to the current scoring system), had a race to forget in Austria.

Montoya was also disappointed by their performance and believes that Mercedes should relatively, be in a better spot as Toto Wolff, according to him, is very good at making the team better.

"I was kind of disappointed with Mercedes at the Red Bull ring. I don't know if they had balance issues, not sure what happened."

"I've always been a fan of how well Mercedes works. Toto and his way of working and driving the team around I think is really good, I'm a big fan of that. For me to see him struggle and work through it and get better, it's always fascinating."

"Silverstone is a tough place but Mercedes should perform better there. From a Mercedes point of view, they will perform better.”

Montoya’s podium predictions

The Colombian sees a straightforward win for Max Verstappen but it is the other two spots where he’s not so certain.

He feels there’s a question mark around Sergio Perez and if he can get in a great qualifying lap, then he can finish third, with Ferrari being his pick to get the second spot.

“I think we have to say that Max Verstappen is going to win. I think it would be amazing if he is going to win all the races and it would shut everybody up and that would be pretty cool.”

“The number one question mark is, what will happen with Checo Perez? Is Checo going to pull it together and get a lap in qualifying?”

“It gets to a point where he needs to stop trying so hard because the car is fast enough. It's okay if you make it to Q3 being sixth or seventh and being six-tenths off your teammate. And then in Q3 you try and see what happens. He just needs to see what happens and put a banker lap for top five and then give it his all.”

“Is he going to be on the podium? I´m going to say 90% yes. Is he going to be second? I´m not so sure. I see him finishing at number three and then Ferrari, in my opinion, will most likely take the number two spot. And then everybody else will be right there.”

Image Credits: IMAGO/Wirestock

Harry Sadoun

Harry Sadoun is a seasoned sports betting expert with a wealth of experience in the iGaming and sports betting industry. Over the past 5 years, he has established himself as a go-to source for insightful analysis and predictions at Vegasinsider. With a passion for sports, Harry specializes in football, basketball, tennis, rugby, and soccer, showcasing a diverse understanding of athletic competitions. Harry's unique approach to sports betting is rooted in a combination of statistical analysis, in-depth research, and a keen understanding of the dynamics that influence game outcomes. His expert opinions and strategic insights have made him a trusted voice in the industry, guiding both novice and seasoned bettors alike. With an unwavering commitment to delivering accurate and up-to-date information, Harry Sadoun continues to be a prominent figure in the world of sports betting, providing enthusiasts with the tools they need to make informed decisions. More from Harry Sadoun