Opening 2020 F1 Championship Odds: Hamilton Listed as -155 Favorite

• Lewis Hamilton dominated the F1 circuit in 2019, and has opened as a clear -155 favorite to defend his title in 2020
• Hamilton has won three straight titles, and is poised to equal Michael Schumacher’s record of seven career F1 championships next season
• Following breakthrough seasons, Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen have emerged as the most likely challengers to Hamilton’s F1 dominance

On the heels of his record-setting victory at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix to close out the 2019 Formula One season, Lewis Hamilton has opened as a clear favorite to successfully defend his Formula One title in 2020, sporting short -155 odds in the F1 Championship odds.

Odds to Win 2020 Formula One Championship

Odds taken on Dec. 5

Hamilton Asserted His Dominance in 2019

In a season that opened amid expectations of dominance from Ferrari, Hamilton wasted no time in asserted himself as the world’s best driver, powering his Mercedes ride to victory in six of the first eight races of the season.

FINAL STANDINGS: 2019 Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship#F1 #AbuDhabiGP ?? pic.twitter.com/aTX1SUzK3A

— GPblog.com (@GPblog_com) December 1, 2019

Listed as a -140 favorite to start the season, the 34-year-old Englishman never saw his championship odds slip to longer than +120 over the course of the year, and would eventually clinch his sixth career F1 title with a second-place finish at the United States Grand Prix, the third last race of the season.

And with his victory in the season finale at Abu Dhabi, Hamilton smashed his own record for most points in a season, closing out the campaign with 413 points, 87 points up on second-place finisher Valtteri Bottas.

With his victory in the season finale at Abu Dhabi, Hamilton smashed his own record for most points in a season, closing out the campaign with 413 points, 87 points up on second-place finisher Valtteri Bottas.

The Formula One champion in five of the past six years, Hamilton has been the most dominant driver on the circuit since Michael Schumacher and is poised to equal the German legend’s record of seven F1 titles in 2020, which also marks the final season of his contract to drive for Mercedes.

Leclerc, Verstappen Lead Next Generation

However, there is no shortage of challengers among a new generation of rising stars eager to end Hamilton’s dominance. Charles Leclerc sits second to Hamilton with +350 odds, just ahead of Max Verstappen at +450, while Bottas, Hamilton’s Mercedes teammate sits at +500.

We thought we would make @Charles_Leclerc’s poles into a thread for you ?

Enjoy the action ? #essereFerrari ? #F1 pic.twitter.com/bKnqEdIxcC

— Scuderia Ferrari (@ScuderiaFerrari) December 5, 2019

Entering just his second season of F1 driving, and his first with Ferrari, Leclerc endured a frustrating start to the campaign, with the new Ferrari car experiencing an array of technical problems.

Leclerc was denied his first career F1 victory due to technical problems at Bahrain, and finished higher than fifth just once in his first six outings, but enjoyed a steady midseason stretch, with eight podium finishes in 10 races, including back-to-back wins at Belgium and Italy.

Verstappen Emerging as Elite Driver

Verstappen cemented his position among Formula One’s elite drivers in 2019 with steady consistency. The 22-year-old carried over the momentum gained from five straight podium finishes to close out 2018, finishing top five in the first 12 races of 2019, including victories at Austria and Germany.

.@Max33Verstappen's 2019 season:

– 3 wins ?
– 9 podiums ?
– 2 pole positions ?
– 3 fastest laps ⏲️
– 278 points ?
– 3rd place in the championship ? pic.twitter.com/ntqt0eDGyR

— Max Verstappen (@VerstappenNL) December 1, 2019

Podium finishes in the final three races of his fourth full season with Red Bull Racing secured a career-best third-place finish for Verstappen. And while Verstappen has publicly stated his optimism about returning to Red Bull in 2020, speculation is growing that Formula One’s fastest rising star could be set to move to Ferrari, where a disappointing season has fueled an increasingly bitter rivalry between Leclerc and veteran Sebastian Vettel.

Bottas Likely to Play Second Fiddle to Hamilton in 2020

Fresh off his best-ever F1 season, Bottas will be aiming to take the next step in 2020, with the hopes of overtaking Hamilton, his Mercedes teammate. Bottas opened this past season on a high, taking the checkered flag at Melbourne for his first victory since 2017, and remained steady, reaching the podium in nine of the first 10 races of the season.

Overall, Bottas tallied four wins on the season, and finished second to Hamilton on six occasions, on his way to a career-high 326 points. Bottas has been confirmed to once again drive for Mercedes in 2020, but with the clock now ticking on his career, and the 30-year-old Finn once again expected to give way to Hamilton in critical situations, it will likely require dramatic unforeseen circumstances for him to emerge as the dominant driver for the world champion constructor.

Vettel Faces Uncertain Future

Following a disappointing campaign that saw him drop to fifth place on the Formula One Drivers Standings with just one victory, Vettel closes out the front of the pack as a lengthy +600 bet. A four-time Formula One champion during his time with Red Bull Racing, Vettel has failed to maintain that level of dominance since moving to Ferrari in 2015.

Do you think Leclerc & Vettel’s rivalry can be the next Hamilton & Rosberg or Prost & Senna if they remain teammates for the next few seasons? There are suggestions in the Italian Media that Ferrari are having an internal feud and it’s only been 1 season.#F1 #Ferrari pic.twitter.com/jaPlAWpqxp

— MOTORVOIDF1 (@MotorVoid_F1) October 8, 2019

Indeed, Leclerc’s breakthrough this season has established him as the top driver at Ferrari, and the growing feud between the two teammates has cast doubt on how long the 32-year-old German will remain with the Italian team. As a result, plenty of value exists in head-to-head wagering on Vettel and Leclerc, with the youngest from Monte Carlo sporting short but attractive -165 odds of topping the former champion on next season’s F1 standings.

Picks: Lewis Hamilton to win 2020 F1 title (-155); Leclerc over Vettel (-165)