Monaco Grand Prix 2019: What time does the race start, what TV channel is it on and what are the odds?

What is it?

The 2019 Monaco Grand Prix, the sixth round of the 2019 Formula One season at the Circuit de Monaco in Monte Carlo.

When is it?

Practice took place on Thursday, May 23, qualifying is on Saturday, May 25, and the race itself on Sunday, May 26.

When time does it start?

Qualifying begins at 2pm BST on Saturday, May 25, and the race starts at 2.10pm BST on Sunday, May 26.

What TV channel is it on?

Sky Sports F1 have exclusive coverage rights in the UK this year and indeed for the next few. Their qualifying program starts at 1pm BST on Saturday whilst the race coverage begins at 12.30pm BST on Sunday.

Channel 4 have just the one live race this year - the British Grand Prix - but their highlights packages start at 6.30pm BST on Saturday for qualifying and 7pm BST on Sunday for the race.

Watch the Monaco Grand Prix through Now TV for £8.99

What happened last year?

Daniel Ricciardo put the disappointment of 2016 behind him - when a pit stop error cost him victory - to claim his first grand prix win in the principality, for Red Bull. Sounds straightforward, but it wasn't. An MGU-K failure left him down on power by around 25 per cent. He brilliantly managed to nurse his injured car to victory, though he was quite lucky to have this problem on a track where it's nearly impossible to overtake. Anywhere else he'd have retired.

What do we know about the Circuit de Monaco?

• Circuit length: 3.337km

• First grand prix:  1929 (first Championship GP was in 1950)

• Laps: 78

• Race distance:  260.286km

• Race lap record: 1.14.260 - Max Verstappen, 2018

• 2018 winner:  Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull

• Number of corners:  19

• Overtaking chances:  Really? Well, maybe going into the chicane after the tunnel. Other than that you're probably going to have to wait until someone goes into the pits.

What are the odds (top six)?

• Lewis Hamilton - EVENS

• Valtteri Bottas - 2/1

• Max Verstappen - 3/1

• Charles Leclerc - 20/1

• Sebastian Vettel - 20/1

• Pierre Gasly - 25/1

What is our prediction?

Sigh. Mercedes have completed a record-breaking five consecutive 1-2s at the start of the season. They can break the outright record for 1-2s in a row with another here in Monaco this weekend which would be impressive and depressing in equal measure. What's even worse this year is that they normally come into Monaco (or have done the last few years) as the second or even third best team. Their pace in the final sector in Spain two weeks ago puts them favourites, though.

Still, we are going to predict something a bit different and say that the gap between Mercedes and Max Verstappen will not be gigantic and that the young Dutchman will be able to challenge the Mercedes. I reckon he will find a way past them in qualifying or the race somehow to become the first non-Mercedes race winner of the year.

Podium prediction: 1st Verstappen, 2nd Hamilton, 3rd Vettel