Lewis Hamilton has been tipped by the bookmakers to claim an eighth Formula 1 World Championship in Abu Dhabi this weekend.
Hamilton and championship rival Max Verstappen, who is seeking a maiden title, are currently level on points heading into the final race of a 22-round schedule. Whilst Verstappen is ahead in the standings thanks to his extra race wins, Hamilton currently has the momentum having won the previous two races.
However the pair have been closely matched across much of the season and you might expect the odds to be close, but bookies have Hamilton at 1.5/1 to claim the victory, whereas Verstappen is just 3/1.
If you’re in the UK there are several options available to bet on the F1 finale, whilst the best options for US players are limited, so we’ve collated the top sports betting sites for you.
Who else could win?
Although Hamilton and Verstappen are obvious favourites for the win in Abu Dhabi, there are outside chances for others drivers on the grid, with Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez sitting at 17/1 and 29/1 respectively.
Yet to win races in 2021, Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris are a distant 67/1, whilst recent winners Daniel Ricciardo and Esteban Ocon are 125/1.
The new layout for the Yas Marina track is expected to favour Mercedes and therefore Hamilton is an obvious choice, but given the possibility of Verstappen taking his rival out to take the crown, a punt on an outside result might be smart!
However there have been calls for a fair fight not only from Mercedes and Red Bull team boss Toto Wolff and Christian Horner, but also from the FIA, which earlier this week warned the drivers that they could face points deductions for unfair driving.
What have their rivals said?
Fernando Alonso has come out in support of the Dutchman, saying: “It will depend on the package a little bit; Mercedes lately have been more performing and they’ve won a couple of races now, but Max is driving – in my opinion – one step ahead of all of us. We saw the [qualifying] lap in Jeddah, until he touched the wall at the last corner, that lap was coming from Max, not the Red Bull.
“In a way, that’s my opinion: Mercedes deserve the constructors’ championship because the car is superior and Max, maybe overall in the year, was driving one step ahead of everyone.”
Others have backed the more experienced seven-time champion Hamilton, whilst Sebastian Vettel and Mick Schumacher are keen to see Michael Schumacher’s seven title tally go unbeaten, so are rooting for Verstappen to put an end to Hamilton’s reign.
No matter what happens, the sport is set for one of its most historic final races, a title decider that will be remembered for years to come.
