Max Verstappen’s F1 Drivers’ Championship Odds Improve Significantly After Stunning Austrian Grand Prix Victory; Is There Any Value in Him?
- Max Verstappen continued his steady rise up the F1 Driver Standings with his thrilling win at the the Austrian Grand Prix
- Verstappen has reached the podium on three occasions, but remains 71 points back of first-place Lewis Hamilton on the standings
- Hamilton looks poised to claim a fourth straight F1 championship as a heavy +1200 favorite, but plenty of opportunity remains to find value in wagering on Verstappen on race day
Max Verstappen has begun to reap the benefits of his consistent performance so far in the 2019 Formula One season. Fresh off his first victory of the season two weeks ago at the Austrian Grand Prix, the 21-year-old has vaulted to third on the F1 Driver Standings, and has been rewarded on the F1 Drivers’ Championship odds, where now sits at an improved +5000, well ahead of the +20000 odds he sported just three weeks ago.
Odds to Win 2019 Formula One Drivers’ Championship
| Team | 2019 Drivers’ Championship Odds |
|---|---|
| Lewis Hamilton | +400 |
| Valtteri Bottas | +500 |
| Max Verstappen | +700 |
| Sebastian vettel | +700 |
| Charles Leclerc | +700 |
*Odds taken 07/11/19
Verstappen’s Star on the Rise Following Win at Austria
Verstappen has quickly established himself as a legitimate star during four seasons behind the wheel with Aston Martin Red Bull Racing. The young Belgian made an impressive debut with Red Bull, capturing the checkered flag at the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix to become the youngest driver in Formula One history to win a race.
Now with six career F1 wins to his credit, Verstappen has emerged as a model of consistency on this year’s Formula One circuit, finishing top four in eight of nine races this season, and reaching the podium on three occasions, capped by his thrilling victory at Austria as a lucrative +2500 bet.
Verstappen has emerged as a model of consistency on this year’s Formula One circuit, finishing top four in eight of nine races this season
Now sporting a narrow three-point lead over four-time F1 champion Sebastian Vettel in the 2019 F1 Driver Standings, Verstappen looks to continue producing steady results at this weekend’s British Grand Prix, where he recorded a second-place finish in 2016, and sits as a short +550 bet on the F1 odds. However, he will need more two wins to close the gap on Lewis Hamilton, whose six wins this year have lifted him to the top of the F1 Drivers’ standings, 71 points ahead of Verstappen.
Hamilton Dominating F1 Circuit
Hamilton has been simply dominant so far this season, taking the checkered flag in six of nine races and reaching the podium on eight overall occasions. The 34-year-old Englishman returns to Silverstone this weekend for his home race with 197 points, 31 ahead of Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas, a lead that is reflected on the Formula One championship odds, where Hamilton sits perched as a heavy -1200 favorite.
Lewis Hamilton's stats are mind blowing ??️?? pic.twitter.com/WzRoIwIHZJ
— SuperSport ? (@SuperSportTV) July 10, 2019
A five-time winner at Silverstone, Hamilton will be looking to extend that lead in this weekend’s home race, and is supported on the British Grand Prix odds, where he is listed as a -135 favorite to take the checkered flag, as well as lofty -150 chalk to capture the pole position for Sunday’s race.
Bottas Emerging from Hamilton’s Shadow
Indeed, Hamilton is just part of the story of Mercedes’ dominance this season. Bottas has cemented his second-place position on the F1 Drivers’ Standings with a pair of victories, at Melbourne and Azerbaijan, and eight total trips to the podium.
Valtteri Bottas beat Lewis Hamilton to win the Azerbaijan Grand Prix as Mercedes set an all-time record of four consecutive one-twos.
More: https://t.co/PqaOdsufiF pic.twitter.com/SCPcExaObV
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) April 28, 2019
In addition to positioning the Finn as a solid +800 second favorite on the F1 Drivers’ Championship odds, Bottas’ strong performance has been key to Mercedes’ near insurmountable lead on the F1 Constructors’ Standings, where the German powerhouse leads second-place Ferrari by 135 points with just 12 races remaining, and is firmly entrenched as a massive -20000 favorite on the odds to claim the F1 Constructors’ Title for a sixth straight year.
Search for Value Bets Worthwhile
But while it may be too late for Verstappen or any other driver to prevent Hamilton from winning a fourth straight crown, plenty of opportunities continue to exist to find place value wagers on Verstappen on race day. In addition to earning his second career victory at Austria two weeks ago, Verstappen also turned in the fastest lap in the race, and is pegged as a +350 co-favorite to do the same this weekend at Silverstone.
After taking a break from the podium in Austria, Lewis Hamilton heads to Silverstone for his home race pegged as a heavy favorite on the #BritishGP #odds.#F1 @SBD https://t.co/htei3c4d78
— Daniel Coyle (@thepopgun) July 9, 2019
Verstappen’s steady results have also made the lengthy +200 odds of the Belgian finishing in the top three at the British Grand Prix worthy of consideration. The Red Bull driver has also started six of his nine races this season from the two front rows, including a start from the no. 2 spot at Austria, and is worth considering as a +1000 bet to earn his first career pole position at this weekend’s race.
Pick: Lewis Hamilton (-1200)
Daniel has been writing about sports and sports betting for over 23 years. The seasoned pro has contributed to the likes of Sports Illustrated, Sportsnet, NESN, Bleacher Report, OddsShark, the Globe and Mail, and The Nation magazine.
