Formula One – Drivers’ Championship 2012

Vettel a hot favourite to dominate again in 2012 ?

Formula1 - Jenson Button
Formula1 - Jenson Button © GEPA pictures

Sebastian Vettel is no bigger than 6/4 with Betfred and Victor Chandler to win a third successive Formula One world title after clinching the 2011 Driver’s Championship in the Japanese Grand Prix with four races to spare. The German only needed a point to secure another championship and he duly did so at Suzuka, finishing third behind Britain’s Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso.

Unsurprisingly the Red Bull driver is a hot favourite to complete the hat-trick in 2012 but there are signs that McLaren are beginning to close the gap on their great rivals and, having just signed a new contract, Button could well mount a more concerted challenge to Vettel next year. He is 9/1 with William Hill to win his second world title in 2012.

Ferrari‘s Alonso, already a two-time world champion himself, is second favourite behind Vettel at 9/2 with bet365 but what now for Lewis Hamilton. Continually courted by controversy this season, (he had yet another coming together with Felipe Massa at Suzuka) Hamilton needs to get his head down and concentrate on doing the basics as he’s just taking too many risks at the moment in an attempt to remain competitive and that level of  indiscipline is unlikely to be tolerated again next year by those holding the purse strings at McLaren, especially with the Brit’s contract up for renewal. Hamilton is 6/1 with William Hill to regain the Drivers’ Championship in 2012.

Incidentally, you can still bet on this year’s championship, without Vettel of course. Button, currently in second place, is 11/17 with bwin to finish as runner-up with Alonso at a general 7/2 and Vettel‘s team-mate Mark Webber a general 6/1. More immediately, Vettel is 13/10 with Blue Square and 888sport to win next week’s Korean Grand Prix, with Button 9/2 with the same two firm and Hamilton 5/1 at Victor Chandler. Alonso, winner of the inaugural race at the Korean International Circuit last year, is 11/2 at Paddy Power.