For the first time since there were five different Formula 1 world champions in five seasons from 2006 to 2010, Formula 1 crowned its third different champion in three years one weekend ago in Mexico City.
Second-year Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli became the youngest world champion in Formula 1 history, as his third place finish in the Mexican Grand Prix gave him a 119-point lead with four races (up to 100 points) remaining on the 2026 schedule.
It took no time at all for the sportbooks to release their odds for the 2027 world championship, and it's no surprise who's at the top. Or is it?
Kimi Antonelli not favored for 2027 F1 championship repeat
At DraftKings Sportsbook, it's four-time world champion Max Verstappen who is listed as the +175 favorite, just ahead of Antonelli at +225. Nobody else is listed with shorter odds than +800.
It's no surprise to see the Red Bull driver back on top, given his current run of form.
After starting the season with just one podium finish in the first seven races, Verstappen has reeled off 10 in the past 12, with the only two exceptions being crashes. His podium streak is currently at seven races, and that includes three wins in the past four events. He has won multiple races in 10 consecutive seasons, all 10 of his full seasons with Red Bull.
And with that, the driver who had spent much of the year fighting for a top five spot in the points, is up to second, and with far more momentum than any of the four drivers who figure to be in that battle for P2 over the season's final four race weekends.
Of course, it is worth noting that Verstappen also closed out the 2025 season incredibly strong after a rocky start. He turned a 104-point deficit to Oscar Piastri into just a two-point defeat to Lando Norris with 10 straight podium finishes, including six wins, to wrap up the season. That obviously did not translate to the start of 2026.
But with the new regulations going into effect in 2026, and those regulations long expected to favor Mercedes, it was George Russell who was considered the way-too-early world championship favorite. Despite winning the opener, Russell was never truly able to find his groove in 2026, and he's actually now down to fourth in the standings with four races left.
In 2027, however, there is no major regulation overhaul, so Verstappen's current form should have the rest of the grid on high alert. It's clear that Red Bull have found something competitive, not only because of Verstappen's hot streak but because of teammate Isack Hadjar's own recent run of strong results.
As the 29-year-old Dutchman has proven time and time again throughout his career, if you give him a car even remotely close to being the best, it's the rest of the grid's job to keep him from winning. And that's proven to never be an easy task, even lately in a season during which he started out looking like an also-ran.
Verstappen's three wins this year have brought him to 74 in his career, and 40 of those 74 have come in seasons during which Red Bull did not win the world championship, surpassing Michael Schumacher's record of 32. In fact, 28 of the 40 have come in seasons they didn't even finish in the top two, by far an all-time record. In 2024, he became the first driver to win a world championship for a team that finished outside of the top two in the constructor standings since Nelson Piquet in 1983.
Full Formula 1 world championship odds for 2027 can be found at DraftKings Sportsbook and are always subject to change.
The 2027 Formula 1 season is scheduled to begin with the Bahrain Grand Prix at Bahrain International Circuit on Sunday, March 14, provided the political climate allows for it this year. This year's "Bahrain" race was held in Malaysia at Sepang International Circuit, and it was at that race in which Verstappen earned his first win of 2026. All race coverage is once again set to be provided by Apple TV in 2027.
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