Formula 1 picks, odds, race time: 2023 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix predictions, F1 bets from proven computer model

The Formula 1 season will conclude on Sunday at the 2023 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix with the green flag scheduled to drop at 8 a.m. ET at the Yas Marina Circuit. It will be a victory lap for Max Verstappen and Red Bull Racing, who already wrapped up the drivers' championship and the constructors' championship months ago. Verstappen will be seeking his record 19th win of the season while Red Bull has won all but one race so far this season (20 of 21). However, there will still be compelling battles with big money on the line up and down the standings for the drivers and the constructors.

Verstappen has won the last three races at Yas Marina in a row and he's the -333 favorite (bet $333 to win $100) in the 2023 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix odds. Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton has a record five victories at Yas Marina and he's listed at +1800 in the 2023 Abu Dhabi GP odds. McLaren's Lando Norris (+1200), Red Bull's Sergio Perez (+1400) and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc (+1600) are sandwiched between Verstappen and Hamilton on this week's F1 odds board.

Developed by daily Fantasy pro and SportsLine predictive data engineer Mike McClure, this proprietary Formula 1 prediction model simulates every race 10,000 times, taking into account factors such as track history and recent results. It's had a strong history of success in motorsports, correctly predicting nine NASCAR winners since the 2021 season and its projected leaderboards have forecasted winners across multiple racing formats.

The model has been scorching hot when it comes to picking Formula 1 race events dating back to 2021. It nailed both of Charles Leclerc's wins in 2022, and at the 2021 Mexican Grand Prix, the model was strongly backing Verstappen as its top pick. The result: Verstappen dominated the field and ran away with a surprise victory. 

The model followed that up by calling Verstappen's win at the Rolex Emilia Romagna GP in April and then nailed his wins again in Belgium, the Netherlands, Japan, the United States, Mexico and Abu Dhabi. It's also nailed all 18 of Verstappen's wins so far in the 2023 season. Anyone who followed the model's lead on those plays has seen huge returns.

Now, the model has dialed in on the 2023 Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and just released its coveted picks and leaderboard projections. You can head to SportsLine now to see the complete 2023 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix leaderboard projection.

Top 2023 Formula 1 Abu Dhabi GP predictions

One surprise: The model is fading Norris even though he's the second-favorite (+1200). Norris began his season horribly, failing to make the podium in his first nine starts and even failing to earn a point in five of those races. However, he put together a streak of 12 consecutive races where he finished eighth or better with seven podium finishes (six runner-ups) from the British Grand Prix until the Brazilian Grand Prix.

Unfortunately for Norris, disaster struck in Las Vegas when he qualified poorly and then crashed on the third lap of the race for his first retirement of the season. With Norris locked in a four-way battle for fourth in the standings and all three of his rivals collecting points, the result halted his momentum. Now he heads to Yas Marina, where he has never finished better than fifth in his career, and the model is predicting that he misses the podium again on Sunday. See who else the model is backing and fading at the 2023 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix right here.

How to make 2023 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix picks

The model is also targeting multiple longshots getting F1 odds of 25-1 or longer to make surprising surges up the leaderboard. Anyone who backs them could hit it big. You can find out who they are, and see all of the model's F1 picks and predictions, at SportsLine.

2023 Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix odds, field, top contenders

Max Verstappen -333Lando Norris +1200Sergio Perez +1400Charles Leclerc +1600Lewis Hamilton +1800Carlos Sainz +2200George Russell +2500Oscar Piastri +2800Fernando Alonso +6600Lance Stroll +20000Pierre Gasly +25000Esteban Ocon +25000Alexander Albon +40000Daniel Ricciardo +50000Yuki Tsunoda +75000Valtteri Bottas +75000Nico Hulkenberg +75000Kevin Magnussen +75000Logan Sargeant +100000