Could Verstappen still win Drivers Championship? F1 Bookmaker’s Odds

McLaren’s Battle at the Front
The four time World Champion has dominated the sport from 2021 to 2024 – taking the title in each of those seasons – but this year was supposed to be different.
This year McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have held their own mini-battle for the title for most of the year, with the two teammates going head-to-head all year long for a battle for top spot.
But all that has changed again recently as Formula 1 may have a surprise third contender for its 2025 world title after Verstappen’s domination of the previous two grands prix compared to McLaren’s downfall.
The Red Bull driver won from pole in both Monza and Baku, marking the first time this year that McLaren had gone consecutive races without winning.

The Odds and the Obstacles
There are still seven races to go (including three sprint events) remaining and for Verstappen that lead at the top has been cut to 69 points.
Speaking after his latest win, the Dutchman said: “Seven races to go and it’s still 69 points, it’s a lot,” Verstappen told Sky Sports F1.
“Basically, everything needs to go perfect from my side and then a bit of luck from their side I need as well. So it’s still very tough.”
The bookmakers have picked up on that as Ladbrokes have him now at 6/1 for the title, while BetVictor have him at 15/2.
Obviously, with a 245 point lead Piastri remains the favourite (4/9 at Ladbrokes and BetVictor) while Norris is at 3/1 with Ladbrokes and 9/4 BetVictor.
For Verstappen to win, everything has to go nearly perfectly. He needs maximum points in nearly every remaining race, including sprint rounds where points are less predictable and where starting position is critical – but he can do that. He has shown it in the past, he is one of the best drivers in the history of the sport.
But, he needs McLaren to suffer setbacks, whether that be reliability problems, strategy errors, crashes or penalties.
He has the car to take advantage if they do as well as rising form in Red Bull suggests that car upgrades are starting to pay off; in Monza and Baku he appeared much more at ease than in some earlier circuits.
If in those races Verstappen can not only win but limit Piastri and Norris to lower points finishes, the gap might shrink sufficiently.
But there are real headwinds.
The 69 point deficit is large, nobody is denying that, but sprint races bring an extra twist: more chances to score, but also more chances for thigs to go wrong.
McLaren has displayed far more consistency over the course of the season and that is why they have the top two.

Can Verstappen Pull Off the Impossible?
Despite that, McLaren team principal Andrea Stella said Verstappen was still in championship contention and he thinks Sunday’s race confirmed that.
Speaking to Sky Sports he said: “We are talking about Max Verstappen, we are talking about Red Bull. In Monza, they made an improvement because the way they won Monza was something more for what was our assessment than simply a car that adapts well at low drag.
“They were fast in the corners, medium speed and low speed corners, fast in the straights. We know that Max, when he has a competitive car, can deliver strong weekends.
“Conversely, we also knew that Baku for us would have been a difficult circuit. So we will see now in Singapore, which should be more of one in which we should perform well. Hopefully, we can go back to fighting for victories and then we will see how the rest of the championship will unfold.”
Piastri has not only secured more wins, but he has added to that by avoiding the kinds of mistakes that tend to cost championships.
Team orders between Norris and Piastri could complicate matters, if McLaren prioritises Piastri (if he leads), or if one car is sacrificed for another that could help Verstappen as tension in the ranks will only lead to issues developing.
Also, weather, safety cars, tyre degradation, and qualifying performance over the rest of the season will all matter heavily; they tend to benefit a driver like Verstappen when his car is at peak, but when Red Bull is off in setup or tyre management, Grosjean-like crashes or poor strategy could kill momentum.
In short, yes: Verstappen can still win. The improvements in recent races, the number of points still available, and his proven talent mean it is far from impossible, but he is clearly not the man the bookmakers are favouring as season’s end looms.
The market is leaning towards McLaren’s Piastri, perhaps Norris, and to some extent Leclerc, as more likely winners. If Verstappen is going to pull off a fifth straight title, he needs near perfection, a drift in luck toward his side, and McLaren to falter unexpected times.
It’s not a long shot in the most literal sense, but it is an uphill battle.