A new Formula 1 season gets underway this weekend at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, and fans will get their first taste of the action under new regulations.
Drastic changes forced teams to redesign their cars, and Mercedes appears best prepared to capitalize while other constructors work through upgrades.
Mercedes is the betting favorite to win the constructors' championship despite not having done so since 2021. Toto Wolff's pair of George Russell and Kimi Antonelli is +125 on theScore Bet, with Russell the +200 favorite to capture the drivers' title as well.
Constructors' championship odds
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Mercedes | +125 |
| Ferrari | +225 |
| McLaren | +275 |
| Red Bull | +600 |
| Aston Martin | +5000 |
| Alpine | +8000 |
| Williams | +8000 |
| Audi | +25000 |
| Haas | +25000 |
| Cadillac | +50000 |
| Racing Bulls | +50000 |
Mercedes won eight consecutive constructors' titles from 2014-21, led by Lewis Hamilton's dominance. However, the team took a step back in recent years and found itself battling for second and third place instead.
The betting market appears ready to trust the Silver Arrows again. After massive regulation changes ahead of the 2014 season, Mercedes dominated, and it's expected to find similar success while other constructors struggle to catch up. The car performed well during preseason testing, and there's speculation that Mercedes hasn't yet unleashed its true potential in order to keep competitors in the dark.
There's a ton of buzz around Ferrari as race day approaches. It's second on the oddsboard despite last season's fourth-place finish. The Italian manufacturer posted some of the fastest lap times during preseason testing, and Hamilton says he's "refreshed."
Two-time defending champion McLaren is third on the oddsboard at +275. There's a lot of uncertainty heading into the new season, and the betting market appears to be taking a cautious stance on the papaya squad.
Audi (formerly Sauber) and Cadillac will make their debuts on the grid, but they're buried on the oddsboard with Haas and Racing Bulls.
Drivers' championship odds
| Driver (team) | Odds |
|---|---|
| George Russell (Mercedes) | +200 |
| Max Verstappen (Red Bull) | +250 |
| Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) | +550 |
| Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) | +700 |
| Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) | +950 |
| Lando Norris (McLaren) | +1000 |
| Oscar Piastri (McLaren) | +1600 |
| Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) | +5000 |
| Carlos Sainz (Williams) | +10000 |
| Isack Hadjar (Red Bull) | +10000 |
| Alex Albon (Williams) | +15000 |
| Pierre Gasly (Alpine) | +15000 |
| Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls) | +25000 |
| Esteban Ocon (Haas) | +25000 |
| Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) | +25000 |
| Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) | +25000 |
| Franco Colapinto (Alpine) | +50000 |
| Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi) | +50000 |
| Nico Hulkenberg (Audi) | +50000 |
| Oliver Bearman (Haas) | +50000 |
| Sergio Perez (Cadillac) | +100000 |
| Valtteri Bottas (Cadillac) | +100000 |
Russell, who's presumed to be driving the fastest car on the grid, is the favorite, with Max Verstappen right behind him at +250.
It doesn't seem to matter what car Verstappen's driving; he'll always be a contender. Even though Red Bull's second seat, which was split between Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda, earned points in just seven races last season, Verstappen finished two points behind Lando Norris for the driver's title. Two years ago, Verstappen was -700 to win the drivers' championship.
Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Hamilton trail Russell and Verstappen at +550 and +700, respectively. If the Scuderia have a championship-caliber car and the title is up for grabs late in the season, which driver would they favor?
Defending champion Norris is +1000 to repeat, landing further down the oddsboard because of doubts about the McLaren car.
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