Formula 1 already has a new world championship favorite for 2025

Four-time reigning world champion Max Verstappen opened up the offseason between the 2024 and 2025 Formula 1 seasons as the slight betting favorite to win the 2025 world title over McLaren's Lando Norris. The Red Bull driver was listed at +175 (bet $100 to win $175), with Norris slightly behind him at +250.

But just days into the offseason, those odds have seen a drastic shift in Norris' favor.

At DraftKings Sportsbook, Norris is now listed as the outright favorite at +180, with Verstappen listed closely behind at +225. Ferrari teammates Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton are listed just behind the 2024 season's top two points finishers at +450 and +600, respectively.

Norris favored to end Verstappen's four-year title run

McLaren won the 2024 constructor title, their first since 1998, amid a resurgence that came after Verstappen and Red Bull won four of the season's first five races, and Ferrari were even able to jump a slumping Red Bull for second place by the time the season wrapped up. They remain in pursuit of their first championship since 2008.

Having said that, Verstappen has been in this position before, even as a reigning world champion. Entering the 2022 season, Lewis Hamilton, then with Mercedes, was listed as the betting favorite to win the title, and Verstappen went out and won a record-breaking (at the time) 15 races en route to Red Bull's first constructor title since 2013.

Additionally, the 27-year-old Dutchman became the first driver in over four decades to win a title driving for the team ranked third in the constructor standings this past season.

With nine wins in 2024, it is now official that 29 of his 63 career wins (third most all-time) have come in seasons his team did not win the championship. Only seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher has more of such wins with 32 (of 91).

Verstappen also outscored Norris from the Miami Grand Prix, when Norris secured his first career win, until the end of the season. After that race, Verstappen earned five more victories, which was actually tied with McLaren as an entire team.

Norris secured three of his team's five wins during that stretch, including a season-ending victory in Abu Dhabi that he hopes will propel him to the 2025 title. Every Abu Dhabi Grand Prix winner, dating back to 2018, has won the title the following season.

Full world championship odds can be found here. Odds and availability are always subject to change.

The 2025 Formula 1 season is scheduled to get underway on Sunday, March 16 with the Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park Circuit. Carlos Sainz Jr., who is set to move to Williams, won this race with Ferrari in 2024.