Max Verstappen completed a rare four-peat last season and aims to win his fifth consecutive Formula 1 championship in 2025. However, the Dutchman will face stiffer competition compared to the years past, according to the SBOTOP Formula 1 2025 odds.
Verstappen won last year despite having inconsistent results. And because he had a washed driver as his no. 2, Red Bull couldn’t win the constructors’ championship, and they replaced Sergio Perez with an inexperienced driver. These things could factor into Verstappen’s chances of repeating this year because Formula 1 is a team sport.
Meanwhile, McLaren and Ferrari are making inroads in the drivers and the constructors’ championships. The Papaya duo of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri seem ready to take over after winning the constructors’ title. Meanwhile, the Scuderia have drastically revamped their ranks with the addition of Lewis Hamilton.
As we look forward to another fun racing season, let’s examine the top candidates who could dethrone Max Verstappen.
Lando Norris
Lando Norris was a huge reason why McLaren secured their first constructors’ championship since 1998 last season. And after winning the team trophy, the Englishman said he is gunning for the drivers’ championship this upcoming season. The 25-year-old achieved his highest finish in the drivers’ championship, securing P2 behind Verstappen after compiling 374 points.
Norris had a shaky start in the 2024 campaign, as he failed to make it to the podium in three of his first five races. However, things changed for him (and the team) during the Miami Grand Prix, as McLaren revamped the MCL38 by “completely revising” their front wing and floor.
As a result, Norris won his first-ever Grand Prix in South Beach and three more races in the Netherlands, Singapore, and Abu Dhabi. He also secured P2 finishes in Imola, Canada, Spain, Hungary, and Mexico and P3 finishes in England and Monza.
Norris was criticised for not being ruthless enough up against Verstappen last season. Because he has tasted the feeling of being on top, expect the Englishman to go all out (and maybe all the way) while producing new Formula 1 2025 highlights this year.
Of course, it also depends on how McLaren will execute their infamous “papaya rules,” which confused their camp at times last year. But by the looks of it, Norris is prioritised to win unless his teammate has something to say about it.
Oscar Piastri
Oscar Piastri also showed remarkable growth during the Papayas’ championship-winning year. After finishing P9 on the grid in his first full season with the team in 2023, the 23-year-old finished P4 with 292 points.
The Australian international also experienced an upturn in form after the Miami Grand Prix, where he finished P13. Piastri secured his first Grand Prix victory in Hungary and won his second in Azerbaijan. The 23-year-old also had P2 finishes in Monaco, Austria, Belgium, and Monza and P3 finishes in Singapore and Qatar.
Piastri won’t say it out loud, but he will feel he also deserves a shot at the title this upcoming season. However, two things are standing in his way. We’ve already mentioned the “papaya rules” that are biased towards Norris, and he was out-qualified by his older teammate on 20 occasions because of his inferior one-lap pace.
Don’t be surprised if Piastri and Norris will butt heads at some point this year. But overall, this is a huge step in the right direction for McLaren, who were struggling to get points consistently not too long ago.
Charles Leclerc
Charles Leclerc has been knocking on the door in the past few years, and he is coming off his best finish in the drivers’ championship with 374 points for P3.
Leclerc started 2024 strongly by finishing not below P4 in his first eight races, which includes his first-ever win at his hometown (Monaco Grand Prix), a P2 finish in Australia, and three P3s in Saudi Arabia, Miami, and Imola. He had a poor run of results from Canada to England but recovered, notching wins in Monza and Texas and more podiums in Belgium, Netherlands, Azerbaijan, Mexico, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi.
Having a seven-time world champion as his teammate would surely help Leclerc’s development, as Hamilton is expected to challenge and push him to his limits. Despite approaching 40, Hamilton still has a lot left in his tank.
When Ferrari decided to get Lewis Hamilton, it became clear that the team chose Leclerc over Sainz. Now is the time for the Monegasque driver to repay their trust by becoming the Scuderia’s first drivers champion since Kimi Raikkonen in 2007.
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