Abu Dhabi GP & Formula 1 World Title: Bookmakers revved up

The Dutchman’s win at Lusail has cut his price from 18/1 to 5/2 with Esports Bets, transforming what looked like Lando Norris’s championship to lose into a genuine three-way shootout with Norris and Oscar Piastri, while Verstappen lurks.

Norris remains the title favourite at 1/3 after finishing fourth in Qatar, drifting from 1/6 as Verstappen’s late-season surge closed the gap. Piastri’s second place in Qatar keeps him in the fight at 10/1, although he will need both rivals to slip for a realistic shot at the crown.

For the race itself, Esports Bets lists Verstappen favourite at 11/8, ahead of Norris at 9/4 and Piastri at 10/3. Crucially, even a Verstappen win will not be enough to secure a fifth championship if Norris finishes within three positions of him.

Poker Scout, spokesperson Darragh Harbison said: “Ahead of the final race of the Formula 1 season in Abu Dhabi, Verstappen has seen his odds collapse to win a fifth Drivers’ Championship, he’s into 5/2 from 18/1.

A strategy error in Qatar meant Norris could only finish fourth; however, he still looks to hold all the aces in the title race. He’s out to 1/3 from 1/6. Piastri kept his title hopes alive with a second-place finish in Qatar; he’s 10/1 to win his first Drivers’ title, and whilst it seems unlikely, you can’t rule him out given the drama we’ve seen on the track this season.”

Betfair’s pricing paints a similar picture. Norris is the 1/4 favourite to seal his first F1 title under the Abu Dhabi lights, with Verstappen at 11/4 and Piastri 12/1. Verstappen again heads the race-win market at 11/8, followed by Norris at 9/4 and Piastri at 16/5. George Russell at 10/1, Kimi Antonelli at 14/1, Charles Leclerc at 25/1 and Lewis Hamilton at 40/1 complete the top contenders.

Betfair spokesperson Sam Rosbottom said: “As the F1 title race heads to the final weekend for the first time since 2021, Lando Norris is 1/4 favourite to seal his first Drivers’ Championship under the lights in Abu Dhabi. Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri were joint-favourites for the title ahead of the Mexico GP just over a month ago.

Now Piastri is very much the outsider in a three-horse race with odds of 12/1. With his World Championship pedigree, Max Verstappen is 11/8 favourite for the race itself, with the chance of winning his fifth drivers’ crown. Meanwhile, Norris is 9/4 to top the podium, with Piastri 16/5 after re-finding his form in Qatar.”

The 2025 title will now be settled in the Yas Marina finale, with Norris on the brink of a maiden crown, Verstappen hunting a comeback for the ages, and Piastri hoping for one final twist in a season that refuses to stabilise.