Formula 1 Drivers' Championship Futures

The 2024 Formula 1 season is officially underway after the Bahrain Grand Prix last weekend and by no surprise, Max Verstappen cruised to victory, winning by a whole 22 seconds ahead of Red Bul teammate Sergio Perez. As we know, Verstappen enjoyed a historic 2023 campaign, taking home the Drivers’ Championship with ease. He’s of course the favorite to win it again at steep -750 odds. There’s no one even remotely close to the Dutchman, either. Charles LeClerc, Lewis Hamilton, Lando Norris, and Carlos Sainz trail Verstappen in the Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship futures. Continue reading for the odds and preview.

Before we get into the analysis, make sure to check out our F1 betting page and our sports betting 101 guide.

Drivers’ Championship Odds

Driver
Max Verstappen	-750	-800	-900
Charles LeClerc	+1200	+1200	+1200
Lewis Hamilton	+2200	+2300	+2200
Lando Norris	+2200	+2300	+2200
Carlos Sainz	+2700	+2800	+2800
Sergio Perez	+4000	+4000	+4000
George Russell	+4000	+4000	+4100
Fernando Alonso	+6500	+6500	+6600
Oscar Piastri	+14000	+14000	+15000

Verstappen has now won the Drivers’ Championship in three straight years and looks to be the king of F1. Before that, Hamilton held that title, capturing the grand prize in five consecutive seasons. It’s essentially been Verstappen or Hamilton across the last 10 years.

Max Verstappen (-750)

When you think of Formula 1 in 2024, the first name that certainly comes to mind is Verstappen. He’s conquered the sport and makes it look easy on a weekly basis. The Red Bull star put together some ridiculous statistics, winning 19 races in total and finishing on the podium 21 times. Remember, there were only 22 races in 23′. That’s an insane winning percentage from Verstappen. The victory in Bahrain proved that Verstappen hasn’t missed a beat and also showed no one is even close to him in F1, hence the -750 odds to win another Drivers’ Championship. Good luck to the rest of the field. You can expect another dominant season from Verstappen as he continues to solidify himself as one of the best ever.

Charles LeClerc (+1200)

LeClerc is the star of Ferrari and has shown well at times in his F1 career. Last season, he ultimately finished in fifth, earning six podiums. The Frenchman’s best season came in 2022, winning three times and finishing on the podium on 11 occasions. Another campaign like that would be a delight for LeClerc, but it’s hard to imagine it happening when Verstappen is so unstoppable. LeClerc was fourth at Bahrain, finishing 39 seconds behind Verstappen. We’ll see if he can give the Dutchman a run for his money at times in 24′.

Lewis Hamilton (+2200)

Don’t get it twisted, Hamilton is still a very talented driver who was once the main man in Formula 1. But, it’s clear he’s not the same guy as in the past. Across the last two seasons, he’s failed to win a single race and only had six podiums in 23′, ultimately finishing third in the standings. The Mercedes star struggled in Bahrain, finishing in seventh spot behind fellow Brits Lando Norris and George Russell. The reality is Hamilton’s days of winning the Drivers’ Championship are gone with Verstappen around. And to be honest, a lot of these younger guys like Russell and Charles LeClerc are fierce competition for him, too.

Lando Norris (+2200)

Lando Norris has never won a Formula 1 race and his best finish in a season was sixth. His seven podiums in 23′ though was a career-best and could be a sign of what’s to come for the young Englishman. Norris was sixth at the Bahrain GP. There is a reason Norris is way down at +2200. Simply winning a race would be the first goal for him. The thought of actually coming in first in F1 above Verstappen is next to impossible. Maybe in the future, but certainly not right now.

Sergio Perez (+4000)

It’s surprising that Sergio Perez is way down at +4000. The reality is he was the second-best driver in F1 last year alongside his teammate in Verstappen. The Mexican won two races and had nine podiums, finishing second in the standings for the second season in a row. Even though Perez is a lot older than some of the guys in F1, he’s clearly still got the talent to compete every single week. The odds don’t really line up here.