F1 odds: Max Verstappen opens as favorite to win Bahrain Grand Prix heading into race week

Formula One heads to the Middle East this week for the 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix on Sunday, March 5. Max Verstappen heads into race week as the favorite to win, with his odds set at -120 at DraftKings Sportsbook. Charles Leclerc follows him at +275.

The Bahrain Grand Prix opens up the 2023 F1 World Championship. Verstappen is the reigning champion after clinching the 2021 and 2022 seasons with a win at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in the former and the Japanese Grand Prix in the latter.

Leclerc is the defending champ of the season-opening race. The Bahrain GP podium consisted of Leclerc, Carlos Sainz, Jr., and Lewis Hamilton. Verstappen did not finish the race due to a fuel system issue.

The 2023 season will consist of 23 races. The 25-year-old Verstappen is also in minus odds to three-peat the World Championship, sitting at -165 ahead of the start of the season, followed by Leclerc at +450 and Lewis Hamilton at +500. The Bahrain Grand Prix begins at 10:00 a.m. ET on March 5 and will be available to watch on ESPN.