There has been a good twist in the closing stages of the F1 betting season, with Drivers’ Championship leader Sebastian Vettel getting disqualified from qualifying at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The Red Bull driver, who is the defending world champion, had qualified third fastest, but because of a fuel issue of not having enough left in his tank for a sample to be taken, means that he goes from right at the back of the grid. Vettel stopped his car on the track as he was making his way back to the pits, with the team having an error of judgement in the fuel levels. Vettel holds a slender 13 point lead in the Drivers’ Championship heading into Sunday’s race, following back to back wins in each of the last four races in the season.
This should provide a massive chance for title rival, Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso, to make up some ground. The Spaniard gets promoted to sixth on the starting grid after the demotion of Vettel. There is a lot of work to be done by the Ferrari driver though as he looked to be struggling to keep pace with the McLarens at the Red Bulls at he head of the pack. With only two Grands Prix to come after Sunday’s race, every point is vital now. The form of Alonso has fallen away, coinciding with the Red Bull’s discovering extra and pace and power over the last third of the season. Still, if Alonso ever needed a boost, he has received it with the slip up from Vettel.
Lewis Hamilton in his McLaren was dominant in qualifying and took Pole ahead of Red Bull’s Mark Webber. While the chances of Hamilton or his team mate Jenson Button winning the title remain extremely remote, they will be in the hunt for a morale boosting win and it could upset the title hopes of either Vettel or Alonso, or maybe both, keeping the season alive for the final two races of the season. It was an impressive session from Hamilton who now runs as firm favourite to take the chequered flag in Abu Dhabi.
As always for your F1 betting, online bookmaker BetFred have a good promotion running for this weekend’s race. If your selection in the race fails to complete the first three laps of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, then the bookie will refund all losing Outright and Fastest Lap Singles as a free bet. The maximum coverage on this is up to the value of £200.
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Outright Winner Betting Odds at online bookmaker BetFred
Lewis Hamilton ½, Mark Webber 3/1, Fernando Alonso 10/1, Jenson Button 22/1, Sebastian Vettel 25/1, Kimi Raikkonen 33/1, Pastor Maldonado 33/1
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Fastest Lap Betting Odds at online bookmaker BetFred
Sebastian Vettel 9/4, Lewis Hamilton 7/2, Mark Webber 5/1, Jenson Button 7/1, Fernando Alonso 14/1
Online betting site BetFred offer a free £50 bet for new customers registering an account with them. The bookie will match the value of your first stake on a new account with a free bet, up to the maximum value of £50.
