While the season is yet to reach its halfway mark, it’s safe to say that the defending champion is still the fastest man on the grid. Another dominant display by Red Bull showcases Max Verstappen’s undeniable talent and a potential third consecutive title. However, there’s still a long way to go and it’s tough to be the guy leading the pack.

Can any of the other teams close the gap, catch up, and put Max under pressure? And will his teammate Sergio Perez prove worthy of a shot at the championship? Let’s take a look at this season’s Drivers’ Championship table.

Odds to Win the 2023 F1 Drivers’ Championship

More milestones for Max

The Dutchman passed Nigel Mansell on his way to victory in Barcelona #SpanishGP @redbullracing pic.twitter.com/I4NyLFm1NM

— Formula 1 (@F1) June 5, 2023

Red Bull Era

The Belgian-Dutch driver dominated the 2023 Spanish Grand Prix and took his fifth race victory of the season to stretch his Drivers’ Championship lead. Despite pressure from Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz into turn one, the 25-year-old never flinched over the 66-lap race. No other driver came close to him and it perfectly displayed why he is the man to beat at -5,000 odds. As it stands, Max leads the 2023 Drivers’ Standings with 170 points in eight races.

Fellow Red Bull wheelman Sergio Perez 2023 F1 winner achieved moments of glory but is much more inconsistent than his teammate this season. Despite the ups and downs, the 33-year-old took second in the rankings. Although showing potential early into the campaign, Perez was nowhere to be found in the last two rounds by qualifying errors. He is currently second in the 2023 Drivers’ Standings with 117 points.

Veteran Showdown

Many expected Ferrari to hold onto the second-best records this year. However, it’s Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso who delivered good results throughout the campaign. The two-time champion fought to the podium five times, taking P3 in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Australia, and Miami. He followed this up with a P2 finish in the Monaco Grand Prix and scored a few points in his previous home race. The 41-year-old sits third in the 2023 Driver Standings with 99 points and a +10,000 favorite to win this year’s title.

Meanwhile, Mercedes ditching their zero sidepod design yielded solid results for the constructor last weekend. Lewis Hamilton recorded his best finish of the season so far at P2 and is closer to Alonso in the standings and a solid +6,600 winner this season. The seven-time champion looks energized ahead of the next race weekend in Montreal as he closed the gap to third by 12 points. Right behind him is Mercedes teammate George Russell with 65 points in fifth place and a +50,000 season winner.

The Rest of the Grid

The Scuderia are nowhere close to their goal of breathing down the necks of both Red Bulls. Sainz outperformed his teammate Charles Leclerc on multiple occasions and now sits fifth in the standings with 58 points and a +100,000 winner. Meanwhile, the Monegasque suffered a series of disappointing results and scored just 42 points across eight races. This bumps them back down under the pressure of the midfielders like Lance Stroll (35 points and +400,000) and Esteban Ocon (25 points +400,000)–both of which have competent cars and improving results.

It’s also a disappointing season for McLaren so far. Lando Norris secured P3 in qualifying last weekend but an early collision meant he had to pit for a new front wing and lose places. The Brit eventually finished P17 and is now outside the top ten with only 12 points to his name and a +400,000 sleeper pick. Additionally, the constructors’ rookie driver Oscar Piastri is yet to uphold expectations at 13th place and five points. Even Haas’ mediocre car with Nico Hülkenberg behind the wheel managed to outpace the MCL60 on several instances as the German racing driver sits 12th in the standings and a +400,000 sleeper this year.

Furthermore, the season’s sleepers will try to find themselves out of the single-digit range. Zhou Guanyu (+400,000) secured his best finish of the season at P9 in Spain, while Yuki Tsunoda (+400,000) produced an incredible drive to finish in the points only to sustain a penalty that brought him outside the top ten. The Alfa Romeo wheelman ranks ahead of Tsunoda at 15th place.

Where to Bet on F1 with Crypto

Formula 1 features a continuously growing betting market for veteran and novice punters. Motorsport lovers will get a kick out of our Formula 1 odds selection, which features Drivers and Constructors’ Championship futures and outright winners of each Grand Prix.

This is just one of the many sports betting guides that you can read here at Nitrobetting news. Stay tuned for more Formula 1 previews and articles, and don’t forget to check out the latest sports betting odds at our crypto sportsbook.

READ MORE: 2023 F1 Constructors’ Championship Mid-Season Overview