Max Verstappen is marching towards the F1 title - but there is a HUGE scrap for the best of the rest

Hamilton, Sainz, Perez, Britain, 2022 — Photo: © LAT Images

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Verstappen is marching towards the F1 title - but there is a HUGE scrap for the best of the rest

Who is most likely to grab second place behind Max Verstappen?

Dan Ripley Global Editor

Professional F1 journalist and analyst

Tuesday 26 September 2023 22:29

Trying to work out who will be the Formula 1 world champion in 2023 is not the most thought-provoking question, with Max Verstappen all but set to clinch the crown at the very next race in Qatar.

The Dutchman bounced back from a sloppy Singapore Grand Prix where Red Bull were beaten for the first time this season to dominate the Japanese Grand Prix and put himself on the cusp of winning a third successive world title.

Victory in Suzuka though did crown Red Bull as constructors’ champions for the second straight season – with Christian Horner and his team celebrating their success long after the sun had set on the Japanese Grand Prix.

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Nevertheless, the competition remains fierce for the runner-up position in the world championship, with several drivers in contention.

Here, we take a rundown on the contenders with their runners-up odds supplied via sportsbettingapp.com.

Sergio Perez remains a strong favourite to finish second in the championship

Sergio Perez (1/10)

It’s Verstappen’s team-mate Sergio Perez who is favourite to finish second, and help the team complete a first-ever one-two finish in the drivers’ title. He stands on 223 points and a full 177 points behind Verstappen but a clear 33-points ahead of anyone else giving him a nice race-win buffer over his competitors. However after an error-strewn horror show in Suzuka where he retired from the race and his form criticised, is his season in danger of going on a downward spiral?

Lewis Hamilton has scored points at every race in 2023 so far

Lewis Hamilton (6/1)

The seven-time world champion spent the entire season playing catch up, however, thanks to being the only driver alongside Verstappen to have scored points at every race this season, the Brit has surged into the top three. With just six races left and an inferior car to the Red Bull, the gap may just be too big for the British star to pip Perez but if anyone can, then there are few better bets than Hamilton to pull off the unthinkable.

Fernando Alonso started the season well but Aston Martin have fallen away in recent races

Fernando Alonso (100/1)

Alonso started the season like a train, bagging six podiums from eight races and reminding everyone why he is a two-time F1 world champion. However, Aston Martin's struggles in the development race have limited Alonso to just one top-three finish since. While form isn't in his favour, the Spaniard remains in contention with 174 points, making the long odds on a proven megastar intriguing for a late-season punt.

Carlos Sainz is the only non-Red Bull driver to win a race this season

Carlos Sainz (200/1)

Sainz has enjoyed a late-season burst of form which has currently peaked with him being the only driver to score 25 points at a race this season outside either of the Red Bull drivers when he triumphed at the Singapore Grand Prix. That’s a massive plus in his bid to hunt down Perez, but a big negative is he already trails the Mexican by 73 points.

Charles Leclerc is starting to find his groove again in the sister Ferrari

Charles Leclerc (200/1)

If you don’t fancy one Ferrari star to close the gap at this late stage of the season, then maybe you could be persuaded to back his team-mate in the chase. It’s been a scrappy season for the Monegasque driver who trails Sainz by 15 points in the championship. However, he has often been the naturally faster of the two Ferrari drivers and a trio of fourth-place finishes indicate he is getting back into the groove.

George Russell has not enjoyed the best of seasons for Mercedes

George Russell (250/1)

A wonderful first season as Lewis Hamilton’s team-mate saw him beat the seven-time world champion to give him a huge boost. Mercedes have extended his contract as a result but his second season hasn’t been much of a success. With just 115 points and just one podium all season, it’s hard to see him getting back into the fight for second. Although the Sao Paulo Grand Prix is on the way where he took his first and so far only win in F1 last season.

Lando Norris (right) is in excellent form but may still struggle to hunt down Perez (left)

Lando Norris (250/1)

One of the biggest stories in the second half of the 2023 season has been McLaren’s revival, mainly led by British star Norris who has started to rack up podiums. Four second-place finishes in the last seven races make him one of the most in-form drivers on the grid and coupled with his reputation and potential to be a future F1 world champion, could see him eat away at the gap to second despite sitting on just 115 points.

Oscar Piastri is improving with every F1 race and took a his maiden podium last time out

Oscar Piastri (1000/1)

A brilliant debut season for the Australian who continues to improve and enjoyed his first F1 podium at the most recent Japanese Grand Prix with an excellent drive. On 57 points, a charge to second now would be nothing short sensational for the McLaren rookie… and also incredibly unlikely.

*All odds courtesy of Betway

Written by

Dan Ripley - Global Editor

I've been a massive F1 fan since the mid 1990s and continue to study the history of the sport long before that. As an experienced motor sport reporter covering F1, MotoGP and the LeMans 24 Hour race, being part of GPFans has allowed me to work with a diverse team with all sorts of different backgrounds in watching the sport and given me a greater appreciation of F1.

View full biography