The 2023 Formula 1 championship is likely to be a one-way street. Unlike last year, when Ferrari did well for much of the season, Red Bull is far too strong for its rivals at the start of the year.
Max Verstappen, the two-time reigning world champion, is expected to battle with Sergio Pérez, his second driver, for the final title. And the competition is already far behind…
It seems like a long time ago that Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen were fighting for first place and the ultimate Formula 1 World Championship title every race weekend.
In 2021, the two men gave us one of the best battles in history to determine the championship title, ending in a rather controversial victory for Verstappen in Abu Dhabi ahead of Hamilton. But after this incredible contest, Formula 1 and its new rules and single seaters have completely reshuffled the deck, much to Mercedes’ misfortune.
Indeed, the German firm stopped the development of the single-seater during the duel with Red Bull and was left with a huge delay! Ferrari, on the other hand, started very well but strategic errors very quickly cost Charles Leclerc the title, as well as the reliability of the car. If Verstappen had no trouble winning the Formula 1 title, this year he should have some competition… From his own team!
In-house Red Bull challenge: Verstappen versus Pérez for the F1 title
After five races, Max Verstappen is fighting with Sergio Pérez, his second driver in the Austrian team. The Dutchman, who has won 3 races and taken 5 podiums out of 5, has a 14-point lead over the Mexican (2 wins, 4 podiums).
In short, all the races have been won by Red Bull since the beginning of the season. Far behind is the surprising Fernando Alonso, who is 44 points behind Verstappen and 30 behind Pérez.
According to the F1 betting odds available at Bwin, the final title on November 26 in Abu Dhabi will be decided between the two Red Bull drivers. For the moment, the two-time world champion, with the number one car, is the favourite of the bookmakers with an odds of 1.12, against 6.00 for Pérez. For comparison, Alonso’s odds are 41.00 and Lewis Hamilton’s 51.00!
And at the Formula 1 constructors’ level there is already no debate! After 5 races, Red Bull is already 122 points ahead of Aston Martin, and 128 points ahead of Mercedes. The gap seems to be so monstrous between the different teams that it seems impossible to catch up with the difference between the Red Bull arrows and the other single-seaters!
The chances of a Red Bull victory at the end of the season are not even interesting as they are 1.02. On the other hand, the trend is more towards a 2nd place for Mercedes at the end of the season. The Silver Arrow has a rating of 41.00, the same as Aston Martin.
Expectations are that when Mercedes get their Formula 1 act together, Hamilton and Russell should be able to overtake the Fernando Alonso – Lance Stroll pairing in time.