The 2025 Formula 1 season has been many things, but boring is certainly not one of them. And after a double disqualification for McLaren duo Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri last weekend in Las Vegas, the stage is set for a dramatic finish.
When Max Verstappen crossed the line under the Las Vegas lights last Saturday night, with Norris second, George Russell third, and Piastri fourth, it appeared we would head to this weekend’s Qatar Grand Prix with Norris needing the most epic of fails to miss out on his maiden World Drivers’ Championship crown.
Hours later, that was all upended as both he and teammate Piastri were disqualified for the race because both of their cars were in breach of plank wear limits.
As a result, Norris’s 18 points and Piastri’s 12 points were wiped off of the board, and the three-way title fight between themselves and Verstappen suddenly tightened up to a degree few would have expected weeks ago.
Formula 1 World Drivers’ Championship Standings After the Las Vegas Grand Prix
- Lando Norris – 390 (seven wins)
- Oscar Piastri – 366 (seven wins)
- Max Verstappen – 366 (six wins)
- George Russell – 294
The double DQ for McLaren put extra importance on this weekend’s sprint race in Lusail, as a win for Verstappen would have trimmed Norris’s lead even more.
Fortunately for McLaren, it brought some much needed, though minimal, breathing space, as Piastri took the win, followed by Russell, Norris, and Verstappen in fourth.
Formula 1 World Drivers’ Championship Standings Following the Qatar Grand Prix Sprint Race
- Lando Norris – 396
- Oscar Piastri – 374
- Max Verstappen – 371
- George Russell – 301
That same quartet will occupy the front two rows in Sunday’s 57-lap Grand Prix. Piastri edged out Norris by 0.108 for his sixth pole of the season (and his first since the Dutch Grand Prix), with Verstappen set to start third and Russell fourth.
If that is the finishing order for the race, Norris will head to next week’s season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix with one hand on the trophy. But if he can win the race, the finale at Yas Marina will be rendered meaningless for the championship conversation.
Qatar Grand Prix odds at top online sportsbooks such as BetOnline are a reflection of this starting setup, as Piastri is the favorite, followed by Norris, Verstappen, and Russell.
Odds to Win the Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix
- Oscar Piastri -170
- Lando Norris +250
- Max Verstappen +550
- George Russell +2000
- Kimi Antonelli +6600
- Charles Leclerc +20000
- Isack Hadjar +25000
- Fernando Alonso +30000
- Carlos Sainz Jr. +30000
- Pierre Gasly +50000
- Lewis Hamilton +75000
- Yuki Tsunoda +100000
- Ollie Bearman +100000
- Liam Lawson +100000
- Alexander Albon +100000
- Nico Hulkenberg +100000
- Lance Stroll +200000
- Franco Colapinto +200000
- Esteban Ocon +200000
- Gabriel Bortoleto +200000
Qatar Grand Prix Predictions and Picks
First Lap Retirement – Yes (+206 at BetOnline)
There were retirements on the opening lap at both the Sao Paulo Grand Prix and Las Vegas Grand Prix, and this feels like a worthwhile investment when things might be tense at the start. It’s certainly not a play to put the house, the car, or holiday gift money on, but as someone who enjoys chaos, this is a very appealing wager.
Is there any other decent betting value on the board for the Qatar Grand Prix.
If you don’t mind the extra juice, backing Piastri for his eighth win of the 2025 Formula 1 season is perhaps the next best option.
If you want to look beyond the polesitter, Verstappen may be the best move. Norris has had one too many poor starts this year, and in this instance, he could very well opt for the safe play and let Verstappen by to battle with Piastri instead of trying to get into a tussle with either of them, because even finishing third would be better than potentially knocking himself out of the race.
Other F1 Betting Content
In addition to predictions and expert picks for the Singapore Grand Prix and other upcoming F1 races, you can keep up with the latest Formula 1 World Drivers’ Championship odds at Betting News.
Are you new to betting on Formula 1? Check out our F1 betting guide. Also, we have other sports betting guides that can be handy for betting on Formula 1 odds, including our guide to moneyline bets, our futures bets guide, and our guide to prop bets.