F1 News: Who’s the Betting Favorite to Win the F1 This Year?
The high-octane action in F1 is drawing in millions of spectators and bettors each year. Everyone’s craving to see what happens week by week, and bookmakers have odds ready for all the drivers and construction teams ready.
This year so far, the championship has been much closer than expected. The races are more exciting to watch than past years, even if Max Verstappen is still the leading favorite to win it all. Let’s take a look at the challengers behind him and their chances of usurping his throne.
F1 Racing Betting Favorites
The betting odds for the championship are released months before the races even start. As the season moves forward, the odds change reflecting the action on the circuits. It’s not any different this year. Championship favorites odds are already out, and these are the top 3 drivers that can lift the trophy come year’s end.
Max Verstappen
No surprises at the top spot, with Max Verstappen being the overwhelming favorite to win a 4th title in a row. Verstappen’s season has been dominant yet again, even though there are challengers close to usurping him at the top spot. The Dutch driver has won most races and is in the pole position for another trophy.
However, some failures this year might be cast doubts over his championship claims. As the race heats up, several other drivers have shown they can beat Red Bull’s maestro. Additionally, some technical faults in Red Bull’s car may slow Verstappen down, which will surely reflect in his odds moving forward.
Verstappen left Silverstone 84 points clear of McLaren’s Norris – an advantage which is effectively the equivalent of three race wins and a fifth place – while Red Bull are 71 points ahead of Ferrari.
Both advantages represent healthy leads at the halfway point of a season – although neither are still anywhere near as comfortable as they were for the team after 12 rounds last season when Verstappen led by 125 points (and by 165 over the first non-Red Bull driver in the standings) while Red Bull’s advantage was a whopping 256.
Lando Norris
The big surprise this year is McLaren’s Lando Norris. Experts will say that it’s not that big of a surprise, as he has consistently proven he can go toe-to-toe with the best F1 drivers. The 24-year old British driver is widely touted as the future of F1 and he’s starting to prove himself as a fantastic driver after winning the Miami Grand Prix.
Norris is set to remain at McLaren for 3 more years. He has been impressive this year with 7 podiums, and if he had a better car (not that it’s bad), he would have likely presented himself as an even greater challenge to Verstappen. One thing’s for sure – he has the quality to compete for the top spots, and with a few more wins, he’ll surely be breathing down Verstappen’s neck.
Charles Leclerc
There’s no question that Leclerc is among the top 3 favorites to win the F1 championship year in and year out. The Monegasque driver has the quality to beat Verstappen and any driver on any circuit. It’s just that Ferrari has been in a slump for years, and the car doesn’t match his quality and standards.
Regardless, he’s still among the top 3 favorites at bookmakers, sitting right behind Verstappen and Norris. With a bit of luck and some good driving, Leclerc can creep up the standings and take a shot at the throne. The question remains if the car holds up, but if it does, Leclerc is a great betting pick for those looking to earn more.
