More interesting is the person, or people, next most likely, with odds of 16-1 available on Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris. In one respect this is no surprise at all, as these are the either real or perceived number one drivers of the teams that finished second, third and fourth behind Red Bull in the 2023 constructors’ championship. But far more attractive from a betting point of view are their team-mates. I don’t think it is any kind of given that Lewis will beat George Russell over a season – their score in the two seasons they’ve been together is one-all – yet George’s odds are over twice as long at 33-1.
Nor do I think it in the least certain that, given Oscar Piastri’s rate of improvement, Lando is just going to drive away from him, yet you can get 125-1 for Oscar to win the title. And is it not curious that you can get 33-1 on Checo Perez despite the fact that unless Max falls under a bus, I have about as much chance of taking the title as he does? At least all the others can pray that the Red Bull is not as fearsomely competitive as it currently seems, for that appears to be their only chance. To me Perez is one of the least likely drivers on the grid to take the title.
But of course none of the above will end up wearing the crown and in reality I’d not suggest anyone puts money on any them because of the overwhelming likelihood of losing it; but it nevertheless remains interesting to see the shape of the book as it forms beneath an apparently invincible Verstappen.
And because you can bet on anything, you can also get odds on who would be likely to win were Max not around, which is almost another way of saying who’s most likely to come second. Here there is no odds-on favourite but I’m not sure Perez looks a bargain at 5-4. I think Leclerc is a better bet at 5-2 and Lewis excellent value at 7-1 — longer odds, note, than the 13-2 you can get on Lando. But really my eye is drawn towards George at 14-1 and Oscar at 66-1, the latter only because of the wild disparity between him and his team-mate. But George at double the odds of Lewis? Were I of a mind, that’s where my money would go.