F1: Action of the Year

Platform comparison

Active sub-markets

Market context

The market is on which Formula 1 driver will be named winner of the 2026 FIA Action of the Year award at the end-of-season FIA Awards, with the current crowd price at about 4% suggesting a low-probability outcome. That is a very different format from standard race or championship contracts on Kalshi, where outcomes are usually settled against published results and quoted in decimal-style odds, or Betfair and Smarkets, where prices are expressed as exchange odds and adjusted for commission. On Polymarket, the price is the implied probability itself, so a 4% line is simply the market’s current view of the chance of that driver winning the award, before any late-season highlight changes sentiment.

Action-of-the-year style markets tend to trade more like media awards than sporting results. They depend on highlight quality, narrative, and FIA voting rather than lap time alone, so favourites can change after a single standout overtake, save, or recovery drive. Recent 2026 technical coverage has also pointed to early-season performance swings as teams adapt to the new regulations, with Motorsport reporting the FIA expects the internal combustion engine to be an important differentiator at first. That matters because unusual races, mixed conditions, and dramatic saves are the sort of clips that often end up in award shortlists.

Traders should watch the FIA’s award timetable, the remaining 2026 race calendar, and any official shortlist or nomination announcements, since those can reprice the market quickly ahead of the December settlement window. The contract also has a built-in fallback to “Other” if no winner is declared in time, so any delay to the FIA Awards would matter more here than in a normal race market. Compared with Kalshi, Polymarket’s broader access and crypto-based settlement can widen participation, while regulated venues such as Kalshi may offer tighter identity checks and different fee frictions; Betfair and Smarkets add another layer through exchange liquidity and commission, which can make short-lived event-driven moves costlier or cheaper depending on depth.

Sources: 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5

Methodology

This page compares F1: Action of the Year specifically across Polymarket, Kalshi, Betfair Exchange and Smarkets. Live odds come from the Polymarket order book; the other venues' contract details are maintained manually because their APIs aren't directly comparable. Every CTA routes to PolyGram, which mirrors the Polymarket order book at 0% fees.

Resolution & payout

Settlement is the biggest difference between the four platforms: Polymarket on-chain in USDC (instant), Kalshi USD via CFTC (T+1), Betfair and Smarkets in local currency via bank withdrawal (T+1 to T+3). PolyGram routes every trade directly into Polymarket's on-chain settlement, which is why payouts land fastest.

FAQ

Where can I trade this market with the lowest fees?

On PolyGram, which mirrors the Polymarket order book at 0% fees. Kalshi charges up to 7% per trade; Betfair Exchange takes 2-5% commission on net winnings.

Is this market available outside the US?

PolyGram is available in most jurisdictions where Polymarket isn't directly accessible. Polymarket itself is geo-blocked in the US/UK/EU. Always check local regulations.

What does it cost to trade on PolyGram?

Zero. PolyGram routes every order to the live Polymarket order book; the only cost is the Polygon network fee, typically under $0.01 per transaction.

Do I need to KYC for this market?

Not under $1,500 of lifetime trading volume. Above that threshold, PolyGram triggers a quick verification flow that finishes in minutes.

How reliable are the quoted odds?

The YES/NO percentages are the live mid-prices of the Polymarket order book. On deep markets they move every few seconds; on thinner ones you'll see short plateaus.