Last week, Lewis Hamilton shocked the Formula 1 world when announcing he was joining Ferrari at the start of 2025. The multiple World Champion had signed a two-year contract with Mercedes at the end of August.
Although he will drive for the German team throughout 2024, bookmakers immediately pulled the shutters down on several Hamilton markets, including teammate-on-teammate props with George Russell. Before the announcement, Hamilton was 4/9 to outscore his garage mate.
The odds were probably too short. While Hamilton outscored Russell 234 to 175 points in 2023, 2022′s scores saw Russell come out on top with 275 to 240. Understanding Russell will now receive preferential treatment in the team in 2024 – and Hamilton will be locked out of all developmental meetings – logic dictates Russell come out on top this season.
Hamilton is on a 45-race winless streak. Nevertheless, bet365 quotes him on 1/3 to win one of 2024′s 22 races. If that price appears short, experts have to question the validity of Lando Norris winning a race – it, too, is quoted on 1/3. Norris has never won a Formula 1 race in 104 attempts.
Bookmakers expect big things from Norris and his McLaren team in 2024. In the ‘without Red Bull in the Constructors Championship’ betting, the Woking-based team is quoted at 11/10. Ferrari, who will drop Carlos Sainz in favour of Lewis Hamilton in 2025, is 9/4 in this market, as is Mercedes.
In 2023, Aston Martin finished just 22 points adrift of fourth-placed McLaren in the Constructors’ Championship. Its star driver, Fernando Alonso, took six podiums in the season’s first eight races. A similar run of form at any part of the season could see McLaren make a mockery of its 20/1 quote in the ‘without Red Bull in the Constructors Championship betting odds.
*Betting odds correct at the time of publication. All odds are subject to changes.
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