Is the season getting away from Lewis Hamilton? His Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg took a win in Singapore last weekend and now the pair have to go into battle in the humidity of the Malaysian Grand Prix this weekend. The Sepang International Circuit is the setting and it is a pretty exciting track as well, some say one of the best on the entire F1 circuit. There are fast turns, great straights and tricky sections, everything you want for a mix of action and bravery.
Hamilton goes into the race trailing his teammate Rosberg by eight points. Not a huge gap to make up, but the swing of form is just running with Rosberg at the moment, the German having won the last three races on the bounce. So Hamilton’s purple patch looks to be over and he is hanging onto the coat tail of Rosberg at the moment, his disappointing third place finish in Singapore has raised questions about his ability to push on and defend his World Championship title this term.
Hamilton admits himself that he needs to be driving better in order to get his championship run back on track. Hamilton had won six of the previous seven before Rosberg’s run of form but ran into trouble in Singapore with a hydraulic failure. Add on to that his engine failures in China, Russia and Belgium, and the British driver has had some issues to contend with this season. Hamilton has been in Malaysia all week and will be shooting for a repeat of his 2014 success there, his only win in the race. Hamilton did get off from Pole Position last season, but could only come home second to Sebastian Vettel. Hamilton has had three pole positions in Malaysia and has been on the podium five times as well.
Malaysian Grand Prix Pole Position Odds
Lewis Hamilton even money, Nico Rosberg 11/10, Daniel Ricciardo 12/1, Sebastian Vettel 16/1, Max Verstappen 16/1, Kimi Raikkonen 25/1, 200/1 bar
Rosberg has never won in Malaysia, but then, he because the first non-champion to win the Singapore Grand Prix last weekend. Interesting four of the last five winners in Singapore have gone on to win the F1 title that season. The pressure is really on Animation because Rosberg came good at the end of last season, winning the final three races of the season. That was far too little too late then to get anywhere near Hamilton, but with the recent swing of form going to the German, there are big reasons to be concerned for Hamilton. Can he turn it around and land a much needed win in Malaysia, not only to boost his own chances in the title race, but to knock some momentum out of Rosberg? Hamilton is running at a price of even money, but Rosberg is being heavily backed at a price of 11/8 to land the victory.
Malaysian Grand Prix Betting Odds
Lewis Hamilton even money, Nico Rosberg 11/8, Daniel Ricciardo 11/1, Sebastian Vettel 12/1, Max Verstappen 14/1, Kimi Raikkonen 28/1, 300/1 bar
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