JENSON Button is 9/1 to retain his Formula One crown ahead of the start of the new campaign.- The biggest price offered about a defending champion in 13 years. (Damon Hill, was 50/1. Jenson Button believes he will have to make another lightning start to the season if he is to retain his Formula One world title. The 30-year-old’s soaraway early success proved crucial as he only managed two podium finishes in the final 10 grands prix, doing just enough to hold off a charge from Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel.
Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton acted like two giddy schoolboys on a day when the new term started in Formula One. You would hardly have guessed the battle for supremacy of the sport begins in earnest on Friday as the McLaren duo whispered and giggled their way through the first FIA media gathering of the season.
Sebastian Vettel is hoping ‘Luscious Liz’ will carry him to Formula One world title glory this season after going close last year with ‘Kate’s Dirty Sister’. Vettel likes the personal touch with his Red Bull Racing cars and has developed a habit of providing them with names, starting off last season with the simply monikered ‘Kate’.
The Frome Flyer’s McLaren teammate Lewis Hamilton is 7/2 to claim his second title with rival Fernando Alonso 9/4 favourite for the accolade. – The Spaniard is the same price to win the opening race in Bahrain. Fernando Alonso is relishing the renewal of his on-track battles with Michael Schumacher, claiming any victory will now mean more.
Bahrain Grand Prix….Some Changes for the new season…
There may be a fly in the ointment if the first practice session of the new Formula One season is anything to go by. All the talk in the pre-season build-up has centred around ‘the big four’ of McLaren, Ferrari, Red Bull Racing and Mercedes. One team, though, has quietly been beavering away in the background and they came to the fore after the opening 90 minutes ahead of the curtain-raising grand prix in Bahrain this weekend. The name of Force India‘s Adrian Sutil topped the timesheets for the recently-lengthened Sakhir circuit that sits in the middle of the Bahraini desert, stretched from 5.412km to 6.299km, perhaps underlining the suggestion by a few they are darkhorses.
Charlie McCann From Stan James talks you through some of the betting markets;
LATEST BETTING
Drivers Championship winner
F Alonso 9/4
L Hamilton 7/2
S Vettel 5/1
F Massa 6/1
M Schumacher 6/1
J Button 9/1
M Webber 16/1
N Rosberg 20/1
R Kubica 33/1
A Sutil 50/1
R Barrichello 66/1
K Kobayashi 66/1
N Hulkenberg 100/1
P De La Rosa 100/1
V Liuzzi 150/1
S Buemi 200/1
V Petrov 200/1
J Alguersuari 250/1
T Glock 500/1
J Trulli 500/1
H Kovalainen 500/1
L Di Grassi 1000/1
B Senna 2000/1
K Chandhok 2000/1
Constructors Championship
Ferrari 13/8
McLaren 2/1
Red Bull 4/1
Mercedes 5/1
Renault 40/1
Force India 40/1
Sauber 50/1
Williams 50/1
Torro Rosso 80/1
Lotus 500/1
Virgin Racing 500/1
HRT F1 2000/1
Bahrain Grand Prix
F Alonso 9/4
L Hamilton 4/1
F Massa 9/2
S Vettel 8/1
J Button 8/1
M Schumacher 10/1
M Webber 16/1
N Rosberg 20/1
R Kubica 20/1
A Sutil 20/1
V Liuzzi 50/1
R Barrichello 66/1
K Kobayashi 66/1
N Hulkenberg 80/1
P De La Rosa 80/1
S Buemi 150/1
J Alguersuari 150/1
V Petrov 200/1
T Glock 500/1
J Trulli 750/1
H Kovalainen 750/1
L Di Grassi 750/1
B Senna 1000/1
K Chandhok 2000/1
Which car will win the race
Ferrari 11/10
McLaren 12/5
Red Bull 5/1
Mercedes 6/1
Force India 14/1
Renault 18/1
Sauber 40/1
Williams 40/1
Toro Rosso 80/1
Lotus 400/1
Virgin Racing 500/1
Hrt F1 1000/1
