Formula 1 fans expect to see many changes in the upcoming 2021 season and the majority are convinced that Lewis Hamilton’s era will come to an end and that the reigning F1 champion will finally meet his match…
But who will that be? The debate in the Formula 1 community is becoming more intensified as the start of the season approaches. We have many teams who didn’t confirm their line-ups until much later than usual; we are looking at your Red Bull Racing! This all makes everything a bit harder to predict, but when it comes to Hamilton’s possible successor, the list came down to a handful of names – Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc, Valtteri Bottas, Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz Jr.
But currently Lewis is still the #1 candidate for the trophy, and the MansionBet’s F1 betting odds for him to reach a record breaking eighth title and overtake his and Michael Schumacher’s current record of seven are 2/5. Verstappen’s success is 5/1, slightly ahead of Valtteri Bottas at 11/2. Red Bull’s Sergio Perez is 20/1, while behind him is the next big star, McLaren’s George Russell 30/1.
To say a few words about Bottas and Verstappen. The Finish driver is very upset with the way Mercedes treated him during the 2020 campaign. On several occasions, Bottas publicly indicated that the team favours Hamilton and puts the British driver’s results first.
To be honest, that is not big news in the Formula 1 paddock and we have seen multiple situations of this type of team order behaviour in the past. Each team has its hierarchy, and there are no emotions involved, let alone any justice or moral dilemmas. But what we haven’t seen that often, is someone that reacts to it like Bottas.
Verstappen was the only driver who could challenge the Mercedes’ duo throughout last season and indeed, he did win a couple of grands prix, while also showing his incredible talent and gift for competing against a better car like the all-conquering Mercedes W11 was.
Reportedly the Red Bull Racing engineers have found some areas that will bring the 2021 RB17 even closer to the Silver (Black) Arrows, but all that is to be seen once the season starts. It would be very exciting for the fans if Max and both Hamilton and Bottas have similar vehicles next year. A scenario like that would provide a more dramatic championship, or at least a bit closer. It will also help a lot for the championship if Ferrari can deliver a more competitive SF21 for both Carlos and Charles too.
Mercedes superbly won the constructors’ title last season, and the German manufacturer is the #1 favourite in the upcoming campaign. And the odds for that to happen are now 2/9, with Red Bull next up at 10/3 while Ferrari is at 14/1, and far behind we have Aston Martin at 66/1, Alpine at 80/1 and McLaren at 100/1. Sitting at the bottom and propping up the list is Williams who are quoted at an outlandish 1,500/1…
For all the Ferrari fans, 2021 will hopefully be one of rebirth and not the disappointment of the last few years. With a strong young duo of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr, who are both expected to shine for the Scuderia, the fans will be willing them both on. Let’s hope the Maranello engineers and designers finally come to the party with a competitive car this year…
Leclerc, who recently tested positive for COVID-19, is the fifth favourite for the title at 35/1, and Sainz is five places lower at 100/1. Strangely Sebastian Vettel, who was not offered a new contract by the team, sits ahead of the young Spaniard. The odds on Seb to clinch the title sit at 80/1. In between the two Ferrari drivers sits another former member of the Scuderia, Fernando Alonso at 66/1, while Daniel Ricciardo at 70/1 and Lando Norris at 80/1 are the other drivers under the 100/1 marker.
The start of the championship is now planned for March 28th, with the first race being the Bahrain Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir. There are many uncertainties due to the global COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, and we could quite easily see some changes in the calendar before the start of the first race. After the Bahrain Grand Prix, the paddock moves on to Italy and the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix run at Imola on April 18.
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