Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was eliminated from 2024 Formula 1 world championship contention in Sunday’s Sao Paulo Grand Prix at Interlagos Circuit, as he now trails Red Bull’s Max Verstappen by 86 points in the standings with three Grands Prix and a sprint race remaining on the record-breaking 24-race schedule.
There are up to 26 points available for each driver in each Grand Prix, as a race win is worth 25 points. A driver can score an additional point for running the race’s fastest lap, provided he finishes the race inside the top 10. A sprint race win is worth eight points.
So there are up to 86 points on the table for each driver throughout the remainder of the season. Leclerc and Verstappen can theoretically tie, if the Ferrari driver wins all three remaining Grands Prix (with the fastest lap in each) and the remaining sprint race – and Verstappen goes on his first three-race scoreless streak since 2017.
Verstappen has won eight races this year while Leclerc has won three, meaning that Leclerc has no way of overtaking the 27-year-old Dutchman in that category before the end of the 2024 season.
Yet for some reason, Leclerc is still listed as a world championship contender at sportsbooks.
At FanDuel Sportsbook, Verstappen is listed as the favorite at -6000 while McLaren’s Lando Norris, the only driver still mathematically in contention to challenge Verstappen, is listed at +1800. Leclerc, despite being eliminated, is listed at +11000.
At DraftKings Sportsbook, Verstappen is listed as the favorite at -5000, followed by Norris at +1600. Leclerc is listed at +10000.
Norris trails Verstappen by 62 points.
The fact is that Leclerc should no longer have odds. Even if the odds were for Leclerc to tie Verstappen (which they are not – so don’t bet on them), they aren’t long enough to be worth considering taking.
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The final three races on the 2024 Formula 1 schedule are the Las Vegas Grand Prix at Las Vegas Strip Circuit, the Qatar Grand Prix at Lusail International Circuit, and the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina Circuit. They are schedule to take place on Sunday, November 24; Sunday, December 1; and Sunday, December 8, respectively. The sprint is scheduled to take place in Qatar on Saturday, November 30.
