At a glance, the 2019 Formula One season looks to have been business as usual. Lewis Hamilton picked up yet another Drivers’ Championship title, and Mercedes sealed their dominance of the Constructors Championship.

But it was a season that was far from straightforward. Many of the individual races threw up some very surprising results, and Hamilton could even be considered lucky to have picked up his sixth World Championship title.

It’s all a handy reminder that Formula One is far from being the predictable sport that many detractors think it is. F1 remains the most popular motorsport to bet on as a result of the surprise results that sometimes emerge. For anyone wishing to bet on F1, this SportingBet review might help you find one of the many bookmakers who covers this motorsport. So here’s a look at some of the moments that could have helped some punters get some surprise wins.

Max Verstappen’s Remarkable Run of Form

The 22-year Dutchman has easily been Formula One’s most unpredictable star of recent years. But from his first win at the Spanish Grand Prix in 2016, it has been clear that this driver is destined for big things. Verstappen put in some remarkable performances in 2019 and could have run Hamilton much closer for the title.

We saw no end of phenomenal races from Verstappen including a stunning win in Austria, a perfect piece of controlled driving in Germany, and an exemplary victory in Brazil. Plus there was even that jaw-dropping duel with Leclerc at Silverstone that was undoubtedly one of the racing highlights of the season.

However, the young Dutchman still made things difficult for himself. Big mistakes in Italy and Belgium cost him dearly, and his carelessness in Mexico was an error that he’ll be desperate not to make again. But one thing’s for sure, and that’s the fact that Verstappen is single-handedly making F1 racing a whole lot more watchable.

Sebastian Vettel’s Rich Catalogue of Errors

For a driver who has won no less than four F1 titles, Sebastien Vettel seems to be making a lot of rookie errors. From his blunder in Canada to his ill-fated overtaking attempt of Max Verstappen at Silverstone, there were plenty of moments where Vettel let himself down in style.

Much of this could be put down to the frustration of seeing his Ferrari car once again underperforming, but sometimes it was Vettel’s lack of concentration that was his undoing.

It was perhaps his nightmare at Monza that will be Vettel’s crowning glory in terms of daft mistakes. Not only did the German star spin-off completely unnecessarily, but the fact that he decided to rejoin the race and took out Lance Stroll in the process made the whole thing deeply embarrassing for all concerned. Little wonder that Vettel is saying that he must do better when it comes to next season’s F1 racing.

Carlos Sainz Breaking the Big Three Teams

McLaren had a fantastic year in 2019, and it’s hard to believe that they had the second slowest car in 2018. Much of McLaren’s progress can be put down to the way in which Lando Norris emerged to become the fans’ F1 rookie of the year. But ultimately, it was all about Carlos Sainz and his steely determination to break down the dominance of Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull.

After a shaky start, Sainz had an excellent second half of the season and the Spanish driver’s stunning performance in Brazil that saw him climb from last-place to third was one of the highlights of the season. All of which points to very big things for a new-look McLaren in 2020 Formula One.