F1 World Drivers' Championship Odds: Hamilton Favored to Win Back Title in 2022

It'll be difficult to top what was a spectacular and impossibly dramatic 2021 Formula 1 season but regardless, the page has turned to 2022 with F1 odds on the board ahead of the new season.

Max Verstappen may be the defending F1 World Drivers' Champion but it's the seven-time world champion and 2021 runner-up Lewis Hamilton who is favored to take the drivers' title in 2022. On the team side, it comes as no surprise that Mercedes, on the back of eight consecutive World Constructors' Championships, are the favorites to win again in 2022. 

Check out the latest Formula 1 odds ahead of the 2022 season below.

F1 World Drivers' Championship odds

Odds courtesy of bet365 on January 12, 2022.

Favorite to win the 2022 F1 World Drivers' Championship 

Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes and the defending champion, Red Bull's Max Verstappen, took part in an all-time title battle in 2021. For all the controversy around the way it was decided, there's simply no denying the pair delivered incredible drama and either would have been a deserving champion after entering the final race of the season level on points.

After Hamilton and Verstappen defined last season, it's only right they head into 2022 — a new era for the sport — as favorites. 

Lewis Hamilton (+100)

With the illustrious career, almost every record in hand, and likely the superior car, Hamilton is atop the odds board. Though the British driver is yet to confirm he'll return in 2022, after a draining 2021 season, talk of a year away or retirement remains largely rumors at this point.

Should Hamilton indeed return and chase a record-setting eighth title, he will no doubt maintain favorite status until preseason testing, when we begin to get a sense of each teams' cars as new regulations come into the sport. 

Max Verstappen (+225)

There was plenty of talk surrounding the end of the 2021 season and the way in which the title-deciding race played out, but there was no talk around Verstappen himself as a champion. The young Dutchman was downright dominant in 2021 and his first Drivers' Championship reflects a title-worthy season.

With Red Bull pouring everything into 2021 and engine supplier Honda leaving the sport, Verstappen's team faces more uncertainty ahead of 2022 than Mercedes and Hamilton. However, as 2021 proved, as long as Red Bull can give Verstappen a car that can compete with Mercedes, he will push one of the GOATs every step of the way. 

George Russell (+500)

Another sign of the expectations around Mercedes compared to Red Bull, ahead of 2022, is Russell's place on the odds board (third at +500) compared to Verstappen's teammate, Sergio Perez (sixth at +3,300). Russell takes the second Mercedes seat with plenty of hype and deservedly so, after a flawless junior career and two seasons with Williams in which he exceeded expectations on a regular basis. However, unless Russell proves to be quicker than Hamilton from the first race, the team will again give Hamilton priority and focus on his title push.  

F1 World Constructors' Championship odds

Odds courtesy of bet365 on January 12, 2022.

Favorite to win the 2022 F1 World Constructors' Championship

Despite Red Bull's Verstappen taking the Drivers' Championship in 2021, it was again Mercedes crowned the Constructors' Champion as they edged Red Bull by 28 points. 

It's worth noting that the 2022 Constructors' Championship battle could have plenty of surprises. This upcoming season will bring brand new regulations to the sport, with both the cars and the racing expected to change drastically. The last several seasons have seen teams regress (Haas) and save resources (McLaren) for the new regulations, while others (Red Bull) went all-in ahead of the change. Don't be stunned if an expected backmarker team impresses, or one of the leaders falls back, or even a title challenge from the two dominant midfield teams in McLaren and Ferrari.  

Mercedes (-225)

With eight straight titles and a potentially much, much better second driver in 2022, Mercedes is a heavy favorite for the Constructors' Championship already. Barring a stunning retirement from Hamilton, he'll be partnered by the highly thought of Russell in 2022, giving Mercedes a second world-class driver after Valtteri Bottas was replaced. The German team is better suited, both in terms of resources and being a factory team, to adapt to the new regulations in 2022. 

Red Bull (+250)

As noted, Red Bull poured everything into 2021, sensing an opportunity and being rewarded for it. However, they may be forced to pay the price in 2022 as their engine supplier, Honda, has left the sport (though not entirely). With the defending Drivers' Champion leading the way, they're unlikely to fall too far back in the Constructors' Championship battle but at the moment, it's difficult to assume they'll contend. 

Ferrari (+700)

The 16-time champions finished 2021 brilliantly, finishing third in decisive fashion. The general consensus seems to be that Ferrari were able to look ahead to the new regulations while also improving their 2021 car, so the Italian team should be expected to build upon a successful season. Helping a potential Constructors' Championship challenge is their driver pairing of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr., which may be the best on the grid.

Past F1 World Champions 

Hamilton's dominance of Formula One is simply astounding: not only has he won six of the past eight years, but the two years he did not win the Drivers' Championship he finished in second place by five and eight points, with both runner-up finishes coming down to the final lap of the final race.

Past F1 World Constructors' Championship winners

Mercedes has won the Constructors' Championship in each of the past eight seasons and is a favorite to do so once again in 2022.

How to bet on F1 futures odds

The most popular way to bet Formula One futures is by simply picking the winner of the F1 World Drivers' Championship. The champion is crowned via a points system based on the final race results of each drive. While the winner is not officially given the title until the final race of the season they can secure the championship with races remaining on the schedule. 

Another F1 futures bet is the World Constructors' Championship which is awarded to the constructor (the team that builds the components of the car) who accumulates the most points at the end of the season. In 63 seasons, only 11 times has the winning constructor not been on the same team as the winner of the World Drivers' Championship.

F1 futures odds will usually look like this:

• Lando Norris +1,200

This means that on a $100 bet, you'll stand to profit $1,200 if Norris wins the Drivers' Championship. If it's close to the end of the season or one driver is simply that dominant, you might see a minus sign (-) ahead of their odds. 

• Lewis Hamilton -175

This means that you would need to bet $175 to win $100 on Hamilton winning the Drivers' Championship.

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