Sebastien Vettel and Red Bull Racing are favoured to defend their 2010 World Championships this season, according to Australian betting agency sportsbet.com.
The 2011 championship is again set to be a wide-open affair, with several significant rule changes potentially shaking-up the order established last season.
Key among the changes is a switch from Bridgestone to Pirelli tyres, the re-introduction of KERS, the banning of F-Ducts and double-deck diffusers, and the debut of driver-operated moveable rear wings.
According to the bookmakers, Sebastien Vettel ($3.50), Lewis Hamilton ($3.75) and Fernando Alonso ($3.75) are the clear favourites for the Drivers Championship.
Mark Webber and Jenson Button, the ‘second drivers’ at Red Bull and McLaren, follow at $11, despite the Australian winning four races, and the Briton providing more competition for team-mate Hamilton than many expected, in 2010.
Ferrari’s Felipe Massa, who came within a point of winning the 2008 World Championship, is listed just eighth at $17, after going winless last season.
Mercedes GP duo Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg are both paying $13, despite Rosberg outscoring the seven-time World Champion 142 points to 72 in 2010.
The bookmakers are not discounting Robert Kubica’s chances of taking the title – with the seemingly outside chance that the Lotus Renault GP driver will lift the crown paying just $21.
In the betting for the Constructors Championship, Red Bull ($2.88), McLaren ($3.25) and Ferrari ($3.50) sit as the three favourites, with Mercedes GP fourth at $6.50.
Williams are listed below Force India and Sauber, despite beating the pair in the 2010 championship, while the best of the new-teams last season, Team Lotus, sit equal with Toro Rosso – well clear of fellow 2010 debutants Hispania and Virgin Racing.
Official testing for the 2011 Formula 1 World Championship will commence on February 1 in Valencia, Spain.
See below for the betting odds taken from sportsbet.com.au
2011 World Drivers Championship
| S Vettel | 3.50 |
| L Hamilton | 3.75 |
| F Alonso | 3.75 |
| M Webber | 11.00 |
| J Button | 11.00 |
| M Schumacher | 13.00 |
| N Rosberg | 13.00 |
| F Massa | 17.00 |
| R Kubica | 21.00 |
| A Sutil | 51.00 |
| R Barrichello | 51.00 |
| V Petrov | 101.00 |
| K Kobayashi | 101.00 |
| P Maldonado | 126.00 |
| S Perez | 201.00 |
| H Kovalainen | 301.00 |
| J Trulli | 301.00 |
| T Glock | 301.00 |
| N Karthikeyan | 301.00 |
| J D’Ambrosio | 301.00 |
2011 World Constructors Championship
| Red Bull | 2.88 |
| Mclaren | 3.25 |
| Ferrari | 3.50 |
| Mercedes | 6.50 |
| Lotus Renault | 17.00 |
| Force India | 41.00 |
| Sauber | 41.00 |
| Williams | 51.00 |
| Team Lotus | 101.00 |
| Toro Rosso | 101.00 |
| Hispania Racing | 501.00 |
| Virgin Racing | 501.00 |
