Red Bull driver Max Verstappen claimed his fourth consecutive Formula One (F1) world title in 2024 and is the favourite to make it five-in-a-row next season.
However, McLaren duo Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris gave Verstappen a run for his money this year and will be eager to knock him off his perch next time around.
Piastri will be a formidable contender in 2025
Norris led McLaren’s bid to upend Red Bull’s dominance this season, but Piastri has quietly emerged as a formidable force in his own right.
The Australian star has been on an upward trajectory since making his F1 debut at the 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix. He won his first race in Hungary and produced numerous other impressive performances.
The 23-year-old is proving he has the raw talent and composure to compete with the best in the business, and he has the potential to cause Verstappen headaches next season.
The Melbourne-born star has become a source of national pride to Australian motorsports fans. Sports bettors have also been following his progress with interest.
Many punters have used Australian arbitrage betting platforms to wager on Piastri this season, and have benefited from his ability to upset the odds by overcoming adversity.
Aussie bettors will wager heavily on their compatriot to win the title next season and he believes he will be in contention alongside Norris.
“The highs of this year, I have been very happy with and could have been good enough,” Piastri said. “I think there’s still room to improve. But I think it’s just doing that consistently, which is the big part.
“I think next year I feel like I’m ready. I’ve certainly still learned a lot of things through this year, and there will still be a lot of things to learn next year. Regardless of that, I feel like I can be ready for a championship.”
Heartbreak Will Fuel Norris’ Title Bid
Norris came close to dethroning Verstappen and winning his first-ever drivers’ championship title, but the reigning champion fended off his challenge.
Verstappen and Red Bull started the campaign with a dominant run of form. However, Norris responded brilliantly to emerge as a genuine threat after the Woking-based team introduced a series of car developments, which proved to be a game-changer.
Despite the upgrade, Norris struggled to close the gap to Verstappen and ultimately settled for a runner-up finish, but there are plenty of positives to take from his unexpected title challenge.
The 25-year-old enjoyed his most successful year in 2024. His form, especially in the latter half of the season, has established him as a championship favourite.
The Brit is confident in his ability to fight for the title. Reflecting on his development, he admitted that he wasn’t ready for a title race at the start of 2024 but believes he has grown into a more complete driver.
“Next year, we will go into the season with a car we think we can win the championship with from the first race, and I’m very excited about that,” Norris said.
“I feel like I can fight for a championship. I can say that confidently, I have what it takes, some things to work on for sure, and I can fight against Max.”
If his drive and determination to oust Verstappen is met with significant car upgrades from McLaren, Norris will have everything he needs to claim the holy grail.
