Charles Leclerc Bets Against Verstappen for 2025 F1 Title, Favors McLaren

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc believes that if he were to place a bet on the 2025 F1 Drivers' Championship, his money would be on a McLaren driver, citing Max Verstappen's 'significant' 40-point deficit to current leader Oscar Piastri. This comes as Verstappen has closed the gap significantly in recent races, but still faces an uphill battle with only five rounds remaining.

Why it matters:

Leclerc's assessment highlights the intense and unpredictable nature of the current F1 season, which sees Verstappen chasing a historic fifth consecutive title against two McLaren drivers vying for their maiden championships. His perspective as a rival driver offers valuable insight into the perceived strengths and weaknesses of the championship contenders, especially considering the differing development strategies teams have adopted for the season.

The details:

• Current Standings: With five races left, Oscar Piastri leads the drivers' championship. Max Verstappen trails Piastri by 40 points, despite having gained 64 points on the Australian in the last five races. Lando Norris is 12 points behind Piastri.
• Points Remaining: A total of 141 points are still up for grabs in the season.
• Verstappen's Pursuit: Verstappen is aiming to become only the second driver in F1 history, after Michael Schumacher (2000-2004), to win five consecutive titles.
• Leclerc's Bet: When asked about the title race, Leclerc stated he would bet on a McLaren driver if he were a betting man, emphasizing the 'significant' 40-point gap Verstappen still faces.
  • He noted that Red Bull and Mercedes have pushed development longer into the season compared to Ferrari and McLaren, which stopped 'quite a while ago.'
• McLaren's Form: Leclerc praised Oscar Piastri's 'very, very strong' and 'solid' season, while also observing that Lando Norris has shown a return to 'strong form' in the last two or three races, predicting a close finish between the two McLaren drivers.

What's next:

The championship battle is set to intensify over the final five rounds. While Verstappen's recent charge demonstrates Red Bull's development push and his consistent high performance, the points deficit remains a considerable hurdle. The strength of both Piastri and Norris, coupled with McLaren's sustained competitiveness, suggests that the title fight will likely go down to the wire, making for a thrilling conclusion to the season. The final races will reveal whether Red Bull's prolonged development can entirely offset McLaren's earlier season momentum and strategic advantage in championship points.