Nico Rosberg was crowned the F1 Drivers World Champion on the weekend, despite Lewis Hamilton landing a in win Abu Dhabi. The two Mercedes drivers don’t exactly have a warm and cuddly relationship going at all and Hamilton even rolled out some dirty tactics in the race, by slowing down at the front in the hope that other drivers could catch and pass Rosberg as Hamilton needed the German to finish lower than third. It didn’t happen though and Rosberg got his podium spot to be crowned the champion.
Hamilton defied team orders to not slow the race down while out in front, but Hamilton told them to just let them race and went about his business. That’s pretty fair because after all, he was looking at trying to find a way to win the Championship himself. So Hamilton was left frustrated at the end of the season, but will he be around at the team next season? There is an outside chance that Mercedes suspend or even sack him for his defiance of team orders and for putting Rosberg at risk of not winning the championship.
Of course that would seem like a drastic step because Hamilton is the best in the business and boss Toto Wolff recognises that and it wouldn’t make a whole lot of sense for them to do so. Hamilton is trading at 15/8 with Bet365 to win the F1 Drivers World Championship 2017 title already but that could solely rest on him still being with Mercedes because no other team is close to them.
Hamilton is the best driver in the sport and he will be out looking for a fourth world title. Next season is going to be a little different as well because of the changes which are being made to cars. They will be heavier and wider than they were this season and fatter tyres will be used. That will all mean that the cars will be running even faster, an average of five seconds quicker is expected per lap next season.
So again that is something which plays into Hamilton’s hands because he pushes the boundaries like no other driver does and it is somewhat fair to say that Rosberg claimed his title this year on the back of mechanical failures in the large by Hamilton. Think back to the Malaysian Grand Prix when Hamilton was cruising to the finish at the head of the field only for his engine to fail. Had he won that, he would have gone into the season finale ahead of Rosberg on points and the whole complexion of the title race would have changed.
There is generally a bit of shuffling around and the changes to the cars next season may suit Red Bull, who seem to be getting a jump on things. That will bring the exciting youngster Max Verstappen into the picture who produced one of the races of the season with his third place in the rain in Brazil. He is a driver who likes to live on the edge, much like Hamilton and he finished fifth in the overall standings this season, despite not getting a drive until midway through the season. He has been installed as second favourite at a price of 3/1 for next season’s championship. A full on battle between him and Hamilton would be epic.
F1 Drivers Championship 2017 Betting Odds
Lewis Hamilton 15/8, Max Verstappen 3/1, Nico Rosberg 7/2, Daniel Ricciardo 10/3, Sebastian Vettel 16/1, Fernando Alonso 25/1, Kimi Raikkonen 40/1 Stoffel Vandoorne 40/1, 200/1 bar
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