Shake-up at Red Bull; needle at McLaren.
Formula 1 driver Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing. Picture: Marcel van Dorst / EYE4images/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Many talking points ahead of Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix translates into a more open betting market and more attractive odds than usual.
During Formula 1’s two-week minibreak the once dominant Red Bull team sensationally fired its team principal Christian Horner, who had been at the helm for 20 years and won six constructor titles.
Can the unsettled Red Bull operation stabilise and get back to winning ways? Or will the opposite happen under new boss Laurent Mekies?
Sunday’s action at Spa-Francorchamps circuit sees battles for 2025 season titles hotting up – notably within the in-form McLaren team.
Just as Oscar Piastri seemed to be gaining the upper hand in the drivers’ title race, clocking up five victories in 12 GPs, McLaren teammate Lando Norris bounced back, with successive wins in Austria and Great Britain, bringing his seasonal total to four.
Piastri holds still tops the log, but odds layers are taking no chances and had the two at 2.65 apiece for the Win at the start of the weekend.
At Silverstone, Piastri was livid about the 10-second time penalty that cost him the British GP win. So, this weekend he’ll be channeling the rage into redemption on the track. Till now, the competitive needle with his teammate has been on a tight rein, but it could burst forth any day now.
Reigning world champ Max Verstappen of Red Bull is third favourite to win at Spa, at 4.95, with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc next at 14.80.
The ructions inside Red Bull were partly to do with Verstappen’s dissatisfaction with the performance of the current car and there has been talk of the four-time champion defecting to Mercedes.
So, there’s huge pressure on Mekies and his team to keep the Dutchman happy and get him back on top of the podium.
McLaren are 1.40 for the Belgian win, but bookmakers no longer offering odds on them to take the championship. Red Bull are at 4.50 for Sunday’s race and 6.50 for the season – without McLaren.
Ferrari, who have shown improved form of late, are 7.00 for Belgium and 1.50 for the season (without McLaren) – suggesting that some people don’t predict a Red Bull turnaround.
Mercedes are at 11.00 and 3.50 respectively.
