Formula One 2017: Can anyone stop Lewis Hamilton?

Next season sees a raft of new regulations come into Formula One, aimed at making the sport quicker and more exciting. But with Nico Rosberg having retired, is there anybody who can stop Lewis Hamilton?

Our traders have priced up a range of special markets for the 2017 campaign, which gets underway in Australia on March 26.

Valtteri Bottas is the man expected to take Rosberg’s seat at Mercedes, but for all the Finn’s talent, he’ll be on the back foot when it comes to taking on three-time champion Hamilton.

And after winning 19 of last season’s 21 races – their most dominant campaign yet – Mercedes head into 2017 as firm favourites at 4/6 for the Constructor’s Championship.

But while Red Bull and Ferrari spend the off-season desperately putting in the hours to mount a title challenge, the bookies make it just 3/1 that Hamilton wins the opener Down Under from pole position.

That result won’t bode well for the season ahead – unless you’re Lewis – and the Brit is 5/1 to win 10 or more Grand Prix next term.

Having hit that target in each of the last three seasons – while battling Rosberg – that price is sure to prove popular.

But if anyone is going to take it to Hamilton next season, then teenage superstar Max Verstappen is that man.

The Dutch ace won on his Red Bull debut to win in Spain last term, and his drive in Brazil to finish third will rank among the greatest of all time.

The bookies make it 4/1 the 19-year-old wins more races than Hamilton next season.

Further down the grid, Jolyon Palmer gets a second shot at it with Renault, after coming on strong in the second half of the campaign.

The Englishman only has one world championship point to his name, but with the French squad set to make major improvements next season, it’s 5/1 Palmer lands a podium in 2017.

And 2017 will hopefully see the return of McLaren to race-winning contention. The former champions showed plenty of encouragement last term, and the bookies make it 3/1 they outscore Ferrari next year.

Ladbrokes Latest Betting

Formula One 2017 Specials

Lewis Hamilton to win 10 or more Grand Prix – 5/1

Lewis Hamilton to win Australian Grand Prix from Pole Position – 3/1

Max Verstappen to win more Grand Prix than Lewis Hamilton – 4/1

Jolyon Palmer to have a top-three Grand Prix finish – 5/1

McLaren to score more total championship points than Ferrari – 3/1

Max Verstappen to win BBC Overseas SPOTY Award – 10/1

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing