After Red Bull cruised to victory in the first two races of the F1 season, the Australian Grand Prix finally opened up the track to the rest of the paddock. Formula 1 kingpin Max Verstappen was forced to abandon due to a power failure, and Ferrari stepped into the gap at the front of the race.
While he was unable to score a third consecutive victory to begin the season, Verstappen remains a huge favorite in the latest F1 Championship odds:
F1 Drivers Championship Odds
| Driver | Odds |
|---|---|
| Max Verstappen | -800 |
| Charles Leclerc | +1200 |
| Carlos Sainz Jr | +1400 |
| Lando Norris | +2200 |
| Sergio Perez | +2200 |
| Lewis Hamilton | +5000 |
| George Russell | +5000 |
| Fernando Alonso | +5000 |
| Oscar Piastri | +6600 |
| Daniel Ricciardo | +100000 |
| Yuki Tsunoda | +150000 |
| Lance Stroll | +150000 |
| Alexander Albon | +200000 |
| Pierre Gasly | +250000 |
| Estaban Ocon | +250000 |
| Valterri Bottas | +250000 |
| Guanyu Zhou | +250000 |
| Kevin Magnussen | +250000 |
| Nico Hulkenburg | +250000 |
| Logan Sargeant | +250000 |
Odds as of March. 28
F1 Championship Odds: Verstappen Clear Favorite
Even with his abandonment, Verstappen’s dominance has sportsbooks deeming the Dutch driver as almost unbeatable in the F1 Championship odds. His -800 odds top the table and imply a 88.89% chance of winning his third straight F1 Championship.
Verstappen won the first two races of the season in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia with ease. He also started on pole in Australia before being forced to withdraw. Once the green lights go on, he’s been the quickest car on the track by a country mile.
Here’s a stat: Max Verstappen has already lost almost as many points based off race position as he did all of last season because of 1 DNF.
— Daniel Valente 🏎️ (@F1GuyDan) March 28, 2024
Points dropped (excludes fastest laps & sprints):
2023 - 29 (2nd x2, 5th x1)
2024 - 25 (DNF)
Shows how close to perfect 2023 was. pic.twitter.com/No3J4ycMyl
A speculative wager on his teammate Sergio Perez at +2200 is worth a shot. But at this point, betting against Verstappen is like throwing money away. He’s won more races two years than any driver in the history of the sport. Expect the Dutchman to run away with the F1 Championship yet again.
Last 10 F1 Championship Winners
| Year | Champion | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Max Verstappen (3) | Red Bull |
| 2022 | Max Verstappen (2) | Red Bull |
| 2021 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull |
| 2020 | Lewis Hamilton (7) | Mercedes |
| 2019 | Lewis Hamilton (6) | Mercedes |
| 2018 | Lewis Hamilton (5) | Mercedes |
| 2017 | Lewis Hamilton (4) | Mercedes |
| 2016 | Nico Rosberg | Mercedes |
| 2015 | Lewis Hamilton (3) | Mercedes |
| 2014 | Lewis Hamilton (2) | Mercedes |
F1 is undoubtedly the most top-heavy sport in the world. It is often dominated by teams and the best drivers of their era - a trend which has remained a constant since Michael Schumacher won five straight F1 championships in the early 2000s. His compatriot Sebastien Vettel than took over, winning four straight championships from 2010-2013, and setting the stage for future Red Bull dominance.
From there, Lewis Hamilton dominated the remainder of the 2010s, taking home six championships in seven years. Finally, Max Verstappen has won three straight F1 Championships in the dominate Red Bull machine.
