Oscar Piastri improves to a big odds-on favourite to win the Drivers' Championship following his Miami GP victory - while his teammate Lando Norris is next at 15/8
It marked Piastri's fourth win of the season in six starts - with the Australian also securing victories at the Chinese GP, Bahrain GP and Saudi Arabian GP.
As a result, at the time of writing - Piastri leads the standings on 131 points, while his McLaren teammate Lando Norris is in second on 115 points.
With the above in mind - it shouldn't come as a surprise that Piastri and Norris are the best-backed to be crowned champion this season, with the pair priced at 8/13 and 15/8 respectively.
Meanwhile, four-time reigning champion Max Verstappen is third in the market at a boosted price of 10/1.
Verstappen is currently third in the standings on 99 points with a win and three podium finishes to date this season.
Lastly, for those after an outsider - George Russell and Kimi Antonelli round out the five favourites in the market at 33/1 and 50/1 respectively.
Sky Bet favourites to win the 2025 Drivers' Championship:
Oscar Piastri 8/13
Lando Norris 15/8
Max Verstappen WAS 8/1 NOW 10/1
George Russell 33/1
Kimi Antonelli 50/1
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The Guardian
2 hours ago
- The Guardian
Oscar Piastri eases away from Norris to win rain-hit Belgian Grand Prix
Calm assurance and closure were once more the hallmarks of victory for Oscar Piastri at the Belgian Grand Prix. The 24-year-old Australian displayed purpose, conviction and touch behind the wheel to grind out a win in challenging conditions and under no little pressure in seeing off his McLaren teammate Lando Norris. The title fight will be decided between the two drivers and, as at Spa, single significant moments may prove decisive. In what was far from a thriller, Piastri won with a dominant drive to beat Norris into second and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc into third. Max Verstappen was fourth for Red Bull in the team's first race without the recently dismissed team principal Christian Horner in charge, while Lewis Hamilton made the most of the changeable, wet-dry conditions to move from 18th on the grid to finish seventh. After a delayed start of almost an hour and 20 minutes because of heavy rain in the Ardennes mountains, when racing finally began in earnest Piastri pounced to take the lead from Norris with an opportunistic and decisive move. He launched it with almost breathtaking commitment. As the pair plunged down the hill into Eau Rouge on the first racing lap in anger, Piastri scythed into the slot just under Norris's gearbox in an all or nothing, fearless display. They hurtled up through Raidillon and thence with the slipstream on the Kemmel straight it was advantage Piastri as he sped past and into the lead at Les Combes. Norris was powerless to resist and not at fault – as his team principal, Andrea Stella, noted – the driver leading the pack out on the first lap is always vulnerable; indeed a lesson Piastri had learned from the sprint race on Saturday when Verstappen pulled an identical move on him. He was aware of its import. 'I knew that lap one was probably my best chance of winning the race,' he said. 'I lifted as little as I dared through Eau Rouge and then it was enough.' Having got to the front he was relentless in grinding out a victory and even a counter-tyre strategy from Norris could not bring him quite back into contention. Yet it required a steely resolve and, with the decision to make his medium tyres last to the finish, no little finesse, as Norris chased him down on the more durable hard rubber. For all that the McLaren is easy on its rubber, Piastri eased it on with a gentle mastery. It was, then, another combative statement of intent from the Australian, demonstrating that even when he is on the back foot he retains a fierce determination. Once he had retaken the lead from second on the grid he was in assured control from the front, with the same measured, calm confidence that is almost disarming as it becomes ominously clear to his rivals that he has all the traits of a world champion in waiting. It was his sixth win from 13 races this season and for all that Norris took the previous two on the trot, really no other driver has matched the Australian's consistency. What had begun in Melbourne with a win for Norris has since become very much bossed by Piastri, who has laid down another marker that it will be remarkably hard to beat him this season, but it will be a hard-fought show. He now leads Norris by 16 points with 11 meetings remaining in a contest that increasingly looks like it will go down to the wire. Certainly Stella believed that there was little to choose between his drivers and noted that it would likely come down to the minutiae of execution that would tell for the title. Sign up to The Recap The best of our sports journalism from the past seven days and a heads-up on the weekend's action after newsletter promotion Norris might consider that on his chase he dropped a little time, two lock-ups at La Source and going wide once at Pouhon but they were not enough to be truly decisive. He had closed to within 3.4sec by the end but for the final laps Piastri still had enough in the locker to hold his lead. Norris, too, conceded that he had been well beaten and that he did not believe his minor errors had made the difference. 'Oscar just did a good job [at the start], nothing more to say, committed a bit more through Eau Rouge,' he said. 'That was it, Oscar deserved it today. It's shoulda‑woulda‑coulda. Oscar deserved it and I'm sure he made a couple of mistakes, too. I couldn't have won today.' With rain having swept across the circuit on and off all day, another deluge began just before the start and the race was delayed after a single formation lap, because of the poor visibility caused by the spray. The cars returned to the pit lane for more an hour and 20 minutes until the FIA deemed it could begin behind the safety car and with a rolling start. The long delay was questioned by some with the track drying – notably Red Bull and Verstappen, who had their car set up for a wet race – but the consensus was the governing body had made the right call to err on the side of caution on a circuit that is a high-speed challenge in perfect conditions. An earlier opening in more difficult conditions would maybe have made for a more interesting race, but it is hard not to imagine that Piastri would not have exhibited similarly iron control even then as – rain or shine – the Australian very much had the measure of Spa.
Reuters
3 hours ago
- Reuters
Different horsepower for Horner as Red Bull enter new era
SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium, July 27 (Reuters) - Former Red Bull team boss Christian Horner posted a video on social media of himself riding on horseback in the English countryside on the day of the Belgian Grand Prix. "Different horse power this Sunday," read the simple caption. Spa-Francorchamps marked the start of a new era for the former Formula One champions, the first race without Horner -- dismissed two weeks ago -- at the helm since Red Bull entered the sport in 2005. New boss Laurent Mekies started with a win, with Max Verstappen taking the Saturday sprint, and then a frustrating fourth place for the Dutch four-times world champion in the main Sunday grand prix. Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda failed to score for the sixth race in a row. Apart from expressing surprise at the long delay in getting the race started, due to heavy rain, Mekies avoided any polemic. He blamed the team for Tsunoda's blank, saying the Japanese had done a great job in qualifying but was called in too late for his pitstop in a mistake that cost him three or four positions. "After two weeks at the factory, trying to meet as many people as possible, it was nice to also meet the race team," said the Frenchman when asked to assess the weekend. "To also enter into the race dynamics and see how the flows and the processes and preparation are. That was super-good in terms of getting to know the team. As you would imagine, it's a team where everything is done at the mega level." Horner's absence was the talk of the paddock but by the time the circus regroups in Budapest next week, the conversation is likely to have moved on. "I think Laurent is very good. The sport moves on quickly, so it probably won't be something that we're talking about come Monday," McLaren boss Zak Brown told Sky Sports television. "He (Horner) had fantastic results. It's a shame to kind of go out the way he did." Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff said earlier in the weekend that he would miss his old sparring partner and Netflix 'Drive to Survive' protagonist -- in a way -- and expected him to return sooner or later. "I don't think he's gone forever. I think he's going to pop up in some kind of other function," said the Austrian.
Scotsman
3 hours ago
- Scotsman
Scotland's trio deserve chance for sporting immortality with Lions - and one man deserves place in sun
Sign up to our Rugby Union newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... After one of the greatest British and Irish Lions Test matches, it is safe to assume that a few drinks were consumed by the tourists in Melbourne over the weekend. The 29-26 victory in front of 90,000 spectators at the MCG clinched the series against Australia with a game to spare in the most dramatic of circumstances, with Hugo Keenan scoring a try right at the death. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The Lions at one point in the first half trailed a rejuvenated Wallabies outfit 23-5. They produced their greatest fightback of all time, which had previously stood at toppling South Africa when 10 points behind in 1938. Keenan's score is now etched into folklore. Scotland's Finn Russell signs a flag after the Lions overcame Australia. | Getty Images The squad and the tens of thousands of Lions fans who flocked to Melbourne surely celebrated long into the night. Winning tours are the exception, not the rule, and regardless of Wallabies' well-documented issues, they put up a serious fight in the second Test. Some will argue that the hosts were hard done by when Italian referee Andrea Piardi stuck to his guns and refused to rescind Keenan's try amid Australian complaints that Jac Morgan had taken out Carlo Tizzano illegally in the build-up. It was a big call for Piardi and his team of officials, but Morgan did not do enough to concede a penalty. No doubt the ref enjoyed his post-match pint after such a stressful moment, even if the Australians were unhappy. The foundations of this Lions team have been been built in Ireland - nine starters on Saturday night came from that nation. But amidst the Guinness, there is whisky. Scotland can rightfully claim a tangible part in this victory, even if only two Scots were in the first XV in Melbourne. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Jones has his moment in the sun Finn Russell pulled the strings at stand-off and while his goal-kicking was wayward - he only landed two from five - his general play was strong, especially in the second half. He spotted gaps in behind the Australian defence and held his nerve at the death to make sure the ball eventually found its way to Keenan. Huw Jones would not have kept his place at centre had Garry Ringrose not self-certified his concussion 48 hours before kick-off. Ringrose is undoubtedly a world-class 13, but so is Jones. This match was further evidence of his capabilities. He scored a try yet again, displayed his pace and power while defending diligently. From a Scottish perspective, it was a shame that his usual partner, Sione Tuipulotu, was unavailable due to injury after the first Test. He has been the poster boy of Scottish rugby over the past 12 months, but Jones rightly has his moment in the sun. Blair Kinghorn made his Lions Test debut on 60 minutes when replacing James Lowe and he played an important part in a vital period of the match. His searing running nearly brought a try and it was telling that the Lions wrestled control away from the Wallabies when they called for reinforcements off the bench. Kinghorn - the third Scot in this momentous win - continued his remarkable rise to the very top of world rugby. Since moving to Toulouse in December 2023, he's won the French Top 14 twice, the European Cup once and is now a Lions tour winner. Not bad at all. Blair Kinghorn came off the bench and helped the Lions land victory. | Getty Images There could be more for these Lions. Immortality awaits in Sydney next Saturday. A series whitewash beckons at the Accor Stadium and with Australia clearly shattered by events in Melbourne, history is there for the taking. Even the classes of 1971 and 1974 were unable to produce 100 per cent records, achievements that also eluded the 1997 and 2013 vintages from the professional era. Becoming the greatest Lions team of all time was the aspiration when arriving Down Under and, while the strength of the Wallabies may mitigate against that being a realistic claim, 2025 will at least be in the conversation. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Russell, Jones and Kinghorn will want to be part of that. Russell is the Lions' undisputed stand-off and it would be madness to take him out of the firing line next weekend, but Jones' and Kinghorn's positions are less nailed-on. Head coach Andy Farrell may want to turn to Ringrose if he has recovered from his concussion in time, or his son Owen Farrell, who came on in Melbourne. Tuipulotu could also be in contention. Pre-tour, many saw Kinghorn as the first-choice full-back. Has he done enough to push back in front of Lowe? Farrell and Co know the significance of one final win. Ahead of travelling down under, many rugby experts believed the Lions may never have a better chance of going undefeated on tour and while some of the pre-Test matches were tough watches, the team was never in any real danger. You can only defeat what is put in front of you and the Lions, so far, have pounced upon their prey. Do other Scots have a chance? Could any other Scots enter calculations? Prop Pierre Schoeman is down the pecking order and winger Duhan van der Merwe, despite scoring a hat-trick of tries against an Invitational XV, hasn't yet troubled at Test squad. Lock Scott Cummings and scrum-half Ben White have been more impressive when called upon and would be in with a shout should Farrell wish to switch things up. Then again, the coach may stick with the guys that have so far proved their worth. They deserve to finish the job. That includes Jones, one of the stars of this tour. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad What do Australia have left? Returning forward Rob Valetini and Will Skelton, both back from calf injuries, were magnificent and lifted everyone around them in Melbourne, but their team was clearly undercooked for the first Test. While pride is at stake, the Wallabies have a Rugby Championship starting next month to focus on.
