Even though Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes opened the 2021 F1 Championship as heavy chalk, Verstappen and Red Bull have almost taken over. As such, the betting odds now reflect a much tighter race and we could see a new champion for the first time in five years.
It's between Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes and Max Verstappen and Red Bull now. There are no ifs and buts about it barring both drivers suddenly retiring or something we won't even entertain. Lando Norris of McLaren sits a distant third.
Let's look at how Hamilton and Verstappen got to this point and what their paths to victory are (odds via SportsInteraction (SIA)):
2021 F1 Drivers Championship: Hamilton versus Verstappen Heats Up
Hamilton and Verstappen have ten more races to decide who among them will be crowned the 2021 champion. The betting odds have them deadlocked, but Verstappen should have the advantage.
Max Verstappen (1.75)
Verstappen has been the better driver throughout this championship. The 23-year-old has beaten Hamilton in half of the races and has recorded the fastest lap four times and pole position five times. Like Hamilton, he has also finished in the top-three in all but three races.
Had the Belgian Grand Prix not been cut short, he'd be ahead of Hamilton right now. But as it stands, Verstappen will need to consistently finish in the top-three and win at least half of the races to keep pace with Hamilton. Stay steady but keep up the pressure.
Lewis Hamilton (1.75)
As for Hamilton, the Brit had a hot start and won three of the first four races. But he stumbled somewhere along the middle. Between the Monaco Grand Prix and the Austrian Grand Prix (five races), Hamilton failed to win and only finished on the podium twice while Verstappen had three consecutive first-place finishes.
But Hamilton has come roaring back by winning the British Grand Prix and finishing second in Hungary while Verstappen stumbled in both races. He will need to recapture his earlier form if he hopes to pull away from the young upstart.
2021 F1 Constructors Championship: Only Two Got A Shot Now
Like Verstappen and Hamilton, the championship is now only decided between two teams: Red Bull and Mercedes. McLaren and Ferrari are long shots at best and the rest are all but mathematically eliminated.
Red Bull (1.75)
Red Bull holds a slight edge here as Sergio Perez, Verstappen's teammate has been more consistent in nabbing points than Bottas, Hamilton's teammate. Perez has only two podium finishes but he won the Azerbaijan Grand Prix when the other three did not even sniff the podium.
Perez has also only failed to finish a race once. There's a reason he's listed third in the Drivers Championship odds and head of Bottas. If he can continue being a solid wingman for Verstappen, Red Bull may just clinch the title even if Verstappen falls short.
Mercedes (1.75)
But not so fast. "If you come at the King, you best not miss" as they say. And the team isn't just held by Hamilton, but Bottas has also been a sneaky contender. He's been a bit of a hit-or-miss this season having retired three times, but he has finished on the podium in half of the races.
Bottas has also bested Perez in seven of the 12 races. If he can stay on the course, he is almost a shoo-in for third place. But that is a big if.
2021 Dutch Grand Prix Picks: Verstappen Has the Edge
Buckle up as the Dutch Grand Prix this Sunday, September 5 will be one to watch. Not only will this be the inaugural Formula One Race at the Circuit Zandvoort but this could be a wide-open race given every driver's unfamiliarity with it.
The betting lines have Verstappen as a very slight favourite over Hamilton in what could be a pivotal race for either driver and team here:
Max Verstappen (2.10)
The Hometown favourite could shine in this course. The Zandvoort has plenty of twists and turns and with the added pressure of catching up with Hamilton, Verstappen is due for a breakout performance here.
He has been near flawless this championship and had it not been for Bottas's driver error in Hungary, he could be leading the standings. He gets to rectify this "fluke" here.
Lewis Hamilton (2.20)
But Hamilton won't be denied here. He has won three of the new races from last season and will look to add this to his resume. He will be in "enemy territory" here as Verstappen looks to do what he did in the British Grand Prix.
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