F1 odds back Max Verstappen for 2025 title as gap shrinks to 40 points ahead of Mexico GP

DraftKings Sportsbook now lists Max Verstappen as the public's favourite to win the 2025 Formula 1 drivers' championship.

The Dutchman is now priced at +130, with McLaren's Oscar Piastri following in second at +185 and his team-mate Lando Norris at +200. Mercedes' lead driver George Russell is at a distant +100,000.

This change comes as Red Bull sees an upturn in performance with the reigning champion winning three of the last four grands prix. McLaren started the season strongly, with its drivers trading points as Verstappen struggled with his Milton Keynes machinery. But after a number of upgrades to the RB21, suddenly the four-time champion is back in the game, cutting into the points deficit with stronger Sundays, including a clean sweep at the United States Grand Prix.

There are now just 40 points between the top three drivers.

Verstappen was questioned on how this changes his mindset in the 2025 campaign during Thursday's media day ahead of the Mexico Grand Prix.

"I mean, worst case I finish P3, right? So nothing really changes. I just want to try and win races till the end of the season.

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"I hope it's possible every weekend but it's impossible to know it at the moment. We're on a good run and we also know as a team that it needs to be perfect till the end to have a chance so if it works then yeah great unbelievable comeback.

"If it doesn't work you know you just continue. You can be proud of I think the end of the season that we've had and the upswing in performance but we'll worry about that in Abu Dhabi."

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Photo by: Simon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images

He was further asked about how being 'on the hunt' changes how he approaches the challenge.

"Of course naturally you want to win, you want to win the championship, of course I've won championships very late, very early. Now this one of course is very different because I think for most of the season it was a lot harder for us and to be honest with you to still be in this fight is very surprising but I take it and now like I said before we need to be perfect but for me it's just positive pressure.

"I mean I'm loving what I'm doing. If the car is competitive it's much better to be racing it than when it's not so yeah every race that you do I know until the end we can't afford any bad luck or mistakes but this team I think has shown in the past that normally we perform really well under pressure anyway and that's what we'll try to do until the end."

Championship leader Piastri was unfazed by Red Bull's sudden jump in performance, but with the team bringing further upgrades this weekend in the shape of a new floor, McLaren is likely feeling the pressure.

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