George Russell is on Max Verstappen’s heels within the 2026 F1 title odds

Max Verstappen and George Russell are the frontrunners within the 2026 System 1 championship odds based on bookmakers. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri full the highest 4.

Sky Guess’s opening board for the drivers’ championship makes Verstappen the favorite at 5/2. Russell is shut behind at 11/4 and Norris sits third at 7/2. Piastri is subsequent at 6/1. These costs roughly translate to Verstappen at slightly below 29%, Russell round 27%, Norris 22%, and Piastri about 14%. These tight margins are truthful contemplating the championship is coming into a season that sees a significant overhaul of rules.

For Russell to take a seat inside touching distance of Verstappen implies there’s loads of religion in not simply the Briton, but in addition the equipment he can be piloting. After Mercedes’ success with hybrid-powered vehicles from 2014, there’s loads of confidence from the market in its 2026 bundle.

Reinforcing this concept, Mercedes is priced as a favorite for the 2026 constructors’ championship at 8/5, based on aggregator Oddschecker. The group sits narrowly forward of McLaren at 13/8, with Ferrari and Crimson Bull a lot additional again.

Verstappen’s place on the high of the motive force odds can also be fascinating contemplating Crimson Bull’s problem of bringing its partnership with Ford to a profitable begin. It appears as if the market is not spooked by Ford’s half within the group’s all-new energy unit. It does, nevertheless, additionally affirm the market’s confidence within the four-time champion’s degree of driving – one thing he is confirmed numerous occasions during the last a number of years.

Additional again on Sky Guess’s listing, Fernando Alonso and Kimi Antonelli sit at 12/1 with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc at 22/1. Lewis Hamilton sits even additional at 33/1. There may be little confidence in Ferrari.

Sky Guess: 2026 F1 drivers’ championship odds

Oddschecker: 2026 drivers’ championship winner odds

Driver
Odds (fractional)
Implied chance

Max Verstappen
14/5
26.32%

George Russell
10/3
23.08%

Lando Norris
7/2
22.22%

Oscar Piastri
15/2
11.76%

Oddschecker: 2026 Australian Grand Prix winner odds

Driver
Odds (fractional)
Implied chance

Max Verstappen
33/10
23.26%

George Russell
10/3
23.08%

Lando Norris
18/5
21.74%