Fresh from his podium finish in the opening Grand Prix of the 2023 season in Bahrain, popular Aston Martin veteran Fernando Alonso is now priced at 5/1 in our 'Without Max Verstappen' market.

Following Max Verstappen's dominant victory in the Bahrain Grand Prix, finishing just shy of 12 seconds ahead of Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez in second, the Dutchman looks like he will be difficult to stop in his pursuit of a third consecutive Drivers' Championship crown this season.

The battle for second place in the standings may just prove to be more intense, with a number of drivers likely to back themselves to finish as runners-up should Verstappen come out on top.

Let's take a look at the field in our 'Without Max Verstappen' odds market:

Charles Leclerc

Latest odds Without Max Verstappen - 5/4

Last year's distant runner-up to Verstappen in the Drivers' Championship, winning three races along the way, 25-year-old Charles Leclerc is once again backed to lead the chasing pack to Red Bull's Dutch dynamo.

Leclerc's 2023 F1 campaign could not have got off to a worse start in Bahrain, however, after he was forced to retire following a power failure whilst in third place with 17 laps remaining.

Sergio Perez

Latest odds Without Max Verstappen - 7/4

Verstappen's Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez is second in the reckoning, after placing third in the overall drivers' standings last year.

Perez's 2023 season began in style in Bahrain, as Red Bull achieved a dream one-two finish with the Mexican in second to demonstrate the speed of their latest car in dazzling fashion.

Fernando Alonso

Latest odds Without Max Verstappen - 5/1

An enticing shout at 5/1 Without Max Verstappen, 41-year-old two-time F1 world champion Fernando Alonso is tipped to go well this year with the Aston Martin car looking in impressive shape.

Age-defying Alonso performed well in both qualifying and the race itself in Bahrain, finishing fifth and third respectively, with this podium on the opening weekend likely to instil renewed confidence in the skilful Spaniard ahead of the rest of the campaign.

Lewis Hamilton

Latest odds Without Max Verstappen - 8/1

Regarded as one of the best F1 drivers of all time, Lewis Hamilton endured his first ever season in F1 without a race win last term as he eventually placed sixth in the drivers' standings, behind Mercedes teammate and compatriot George Russell in fourth.

The early signs are not great for Mercedes in the 2023 season, with Hamilton lagging behind the leading pack to finish fifth in Bahrain and bemoaning the car thereafter, but the 38-year-old Brit has proved his doubters wrong before.

George Russell

Latest odds Without Max Verstappen - 18/1

Hamilton's teammate George Russell enjoyed a strong maiden campaign with Mercedes last term, finishing in fourth place in the overall drivers' standings whilst securing his first podium finish in the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

The 25-year-old year old will hope to back this form up in the 2023 season, despite ongoing concerns surrounding the level of the Mercedes car.

Carlos Sainz

Latest odds Without Max Verstappen - 28/1

Finishing in fifth place in the drivers' standings last year, Ferrari's Carlos Sainz was able to secure a respectable fourth place finish in the opening Grand Prix of the season in Bahrain.

An outsider in this market, it appears a tough ask for the Spaniard to usurp his Ferrari teammate Leclerc and the rest of the chasing pack to Verstappen this season.