Max Verstappen dominated his team’s home race at Red Bull Ring for the past three years and stands strong as a favorite in this weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix. But, with Aston Martin and Mercedes covering more ground following their recent upgrade packages, Red Bull could come under pressure.

The Sprint Race also makes a return to the calendar. While it’s likely that Verstappen caves under pressure, it’s always worth looking at unexpected storylines of a race. Before all else, Nitrobetting checks out the top 2023 Austrian Grand Prix sleeper picks for Formula 1 fans and bettors.

Top Sleeper Picks for the 2023 Austrian Grand Prix

All the main talking points ahead of our trip to Austria #AustrianGP #F1https://t.co/zd8YkM8rVp

— Formula 1 (@F1) June 26, 2023

READ MORE: 2023 Austrian Grand Prix F1 Odds, Preview, and Prediction

Nico Hulkenberg

• 2023 Austrian Grand Prix Odds: +10,000

The returning German driver surpassed expectations and secured P7 in his previous Australian Grand Prix appearance. Although he is yet to score points since racing in the Land Down Under, we’ve seen the veteran operate the Haas VF-22 to its limits. He currently holds 13th place in the Drivers’ Standings with six points, with an average finish position of 14.13 and an average grid position of 9.00.

His head-to-head with teammate Kevin Magnussen is an intriguing one. The battle featured Hulkenberg’s dominance both in qualifying and points. The Hulk is four points ahead of his teammate at the time of this writing and is a solid contender for this weekend’s sleeper picks. No one imagined the 35-year-old to outperform his Danish teammate considering the latter’s positive 2022 run, but we see Nico’s experience come into play at the most important moments.

Alex Albon

• 2023 Austrian Grand Prix Odds: +10,000

Alex Albon makes his way to our list. The Thai driver has winning experience under his belt, scoring a pair of P3 finishes with his former team, Red Bull. Albon finished P12 in his previous Austria appearance and P15 with Toro Rosso in 2019. So far, we’ve seen the 27-year-old showcase the FW45’s straight-line speed and scored his team’s best result this season at P7 in Canada.

If Williams can dial in his car for the weekend, there’s reason to believe that Albon can create chaos up front. His smooth driving style and ability to pull off confident overtakes can allow him to hang with the favorites. The Red Bull Ring’s layout might offer several advantages for the car as well given its long straights.

Lando Norris

• >2023 Austrian Grand Prix Odds: +10,000

McLaren continues to struggle this season. Nevertheless, there’s no way but up for a team that controlled the midfield for the past few years. The duo of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in Montreal failed to bag points as both are trying to earn a place in the Drivers’ Standings top ten. They failed to draw positive results into the last race following a double-points finish in Monaco.

Ultimately, Norris should not be overlooked in this pack. His results at the Red Bull Ring point in the right direction. The McLaren wheelman claimed a spot in the top six on three of his four appearances, including a podium finish (P3) in 2020. The Englishman offers solid value as a sleeper pick, and if his team can provide him with upgrades that will complement the circuit, expect him to climb up the ladder and rack points before his home race in Silverstone.

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