Formula 1 already has a new world championship favorite for 2025

As a seasoned F1 enthusiast who has witnessed the highs and lows of this thrilling sport for decades, I must admit that I was initially taken aback by the sudden shift in betting odds favoring Lando Norris over Max Verstappen for the 2025 world title. But let’s not forget that we’re dealing with a driver who has proven to defy expectations time and again – just look at his record-breaking season in 2022 when he snatched the championship despite driving for a third-place team!

In the gap between the 2024 and 2025 Formula 1 seasons, four-time world champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull was initially tipped as the likely winner of the upcoming 2025 title. His odds were set at roughly $175 for every $100 wagered on him, compared to McLaren’s Lando Norris who had slightly longer odds of about $250.

But just days into the offseason, those odds have seen a drastic shift in Norris’ favor.

At DraftKings Sportsbook, Norris currently holds the top spot as the favorite for the 2024 season with odds of +180, followed closely by Verstappen at +225. Leclerc and Hamilton, teammates from Ferrari, are listed further down the line with odds of +450 and +600 respectively.

Norris favored to end Verstappen’s four-year title run

In the year 2024, McLaren clinched the constructor championship title, marking their first win since 1998. This triumph came following a revival sparked by Verstappen and Red Bull’s victory in four out of the season’s initial five races. Interestingly, Ferrari managed to surpass a struggling Red Bull for the second position as the season drew to a close. McLaren continues their chase for their first championship since 2008.

Previously, Verstappen has found himself in similar situations, even when he was crowned as the world champion. As the 2022 season began, Lewis Hamilton, driving for Mercedes, was considered the top choice to win the championship. However, Verstappen defied expectations and set a then-record of 15 wins on his way to Red Bull’s first constructor title since 2013.

As a gaming enthusiast, I’d say: This year, I was the one who clinched the title, making history as the first racer in more than 40 years to do so while representing a team that finished third in the rankings!

2024 saw him secure nine victories, making it undeniable that 29 out of his total 63 career wins – third highest in history – were achieved in seasons where his team didn’t claim the championship. Michael Schumacher, a seven-time world champion, holds the record with 32 such wins (out of 91).

In the time frame stretching from the Miami Grand Prix where Norris claimed his initial victory, up to the conclusion of the season, Verstappen surpassed Norris’s points tally. Subsequently, Verstappen added five more victories to his record, which coincidentally matched McLaren as a complete team in terms of race wins.

During that period, Norris accounted for three out of the five victories his team achieved, among them being the decisive win in Abu Dhabi that he anticipates will catapult him towards the 2025 championship. Interestingly, every driver who has triumphed at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix since 2018 went on to claim the title the following season.

Full world championship odds can be found here. Odds and availability are always subject to change.

In simple terms, the 2025 Formula 1 season kicks off on March 16 (a Sunday) with the Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park Circuit. Carlos Sainz Jr., who will be joining Williams next year, clinched this race for Ferrari in the previous season (2024).

2024-12-11 14:32

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