Formula One Returns to Las Vegas – Grand Prix Picks and Predictions
After a 20-day break, Formula One returns to The Sin City for the Las Vegas Grand Prix on Saturday, Nov. 23.
The 50-lap contest on the famed Las Vegas Strip Circuit will be defended by last year’s champion and dominant leader of the sport, Max Verstappen of The Netherlands. Verstappen, who is searching for his ninth win of the season, won by more than two seconds with a time of 1 hour, 29 minutes and 08.289 seconds.
Will this year’s edition (round 22 of 24) clinch Verstappen’s fourth straight F1 Driving Championship?
The answer is when, rather than if.
Championship Implications
There are two remaining races left on the schedule – the Qatar Grand Prix (Dec. 1) and the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (Dec. 8). Verstappen is the defending champion in both.
Only one driver – Great Britain’s Lando Norris – can beat him.
Verstappen has a 62-point lead over Norris and needs to be at a minimum of 60 points ahead after the Qatar Grand Prix to win the crown.
Las Vegas Grand Prix Odds
According to the top sports betting sites, Verstappen and Norris are actually tied as the favorite at +225 to win this year’s Las Vegas edition, with Monaco’s Charles Leclerc a close +300. Spain’s Carlos Sainz, Jr. is a distant fourth at +600.
| DRIVER | ODDS TO WIN |
|---|---|
| Max Verstappen | +225 |
| Lando Norris | +225 |
| Charles Leclerc | +300 |
| Carlos Sainz, Jr. | +600 |
Leclerc could tie Verstappen with 393 points, but a whole host of things have to happen. He must take the maximum score from all three remaining races; three fastest lap bonus points plus must take home a sprint race win. All of this must occur without Verstappen scoring and even then, Verstappen would clinch the title on a count-back of grand prix victories.
Highly unlikely indeed.
Verstappen’s Road to Victory
Overall, Verstappen is the out-of-reach favorite to win the Driver’s Championship at overwhelming odds of -5000. Betting apps place Norris as a very distant second at +1000.
| DRIVER | CHAMPIONSHIP ODDS |
|---|---|
| Max Verstappen | -5000 |
| Lando Norris | +1000 |
Other scenarios for Verstappen to clinch the driver’s title: he wins the race; finishes ahead of Norris; Norris finishes lower than ninth or places ninth without the fastest lap.
A runner-up finish for Verstappen will guarantee him the title only if Norris fails to win. If he finishes third and Norris wins, the championship will not be over, however, if Norris finishes second the bonus point for fastest lap comes into play. Third place plus fastest lap for Verstappen will secure him the title if Norris finishes second.
There is also a variety of other circumstances where Verstappen could win finishing in fourth to ninth places, but by far the easiest would be to simply win the race.
Just like he has done all year long.
PICK: Verstappen to win (+225).
