Japanese Grand Prix Preview

The Formula 1 season is reaching an exciting climax with Lewis Hamilton rediscovering some of the form that brought him second and first place in the driver’s championships in 2007 and 2008 respectively. But the renaissance of Hamilton is only a subplot to the real fight in Formula one right now between the two Brawn drivers, championship leader Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello.

Barrichello is pushing hard to keep Button from winning a maiden World Championship title. Back when Button was first brought into Formula 1 he was touted as a potential championship winner but was frustrated for many years with sub par cards and now finds himself with a great chance to win. Due to his excellent start to the season, it was expected from early on that he would win the title, so to lose now would be devastating. He has admitted in an interview this week with BBC sport that he is finding the title run-in tough to handle. Barrichello has odds of 6.50 to become world champion and pip Button to the post.

Fortunately for Button there is light at the end of the tunnel. He is in a position now where a finish in the Japan Grand Prix that earns him more than five points than team mate Barrichello will see him crowned World Champion. If Button wins the race and Barrichello finishes lower than third he wins the title. Because neither of his opponents can match his six race victories this year, any points combination resulting in Button standing at more than twenty points ahead of his rivals will see him win the crown. Bwin.com is offering odds of 8.00 that Button will win the race; the same price is being offered for Barrichello. It looks as though the consensus is that bwin believe Button must rise to the challenge. Back Button at 8.00 to win if you think he has what it takes to tough it out and achieve his dream, or step a crucial win closer to it.

Red Bull appears to be the team to beat in Japan. The experts, including the two Brawn drivers, have hailed the Red Bull car as excellent and have said they are favourites because of the course layout favours their set-up. Red Bull is priced at odds of 2.50 to be the first car home. Their leading driver is Sebastian Vettel at 4.30 to win the race and he is also the favourite in the free practise market, the individual qualifying and outright qualifying markets and the outright race winner market. He has proven he can ride with the best and whilst out of the running for this season he must be a contender for next season’s driver’s championship.

It will be interesting to see how Button is handling the intense pressure that comes from protecting his big lead. Barrichello has outscored Button 34 points to 23 in the last seven races since Buttons last victory but it must be noted and appreciated that Button has not fallen off the rails completely. He has continued to pick up points consistently and only compared to the amazing run of six victories in seven races he achieved at the beginning of the season does he look like a driver who is struggling. He is still massive favourite to win the title and has odds of 1.08 to become World Champion this season, so one should not get carried away by the media trying to make out like he is about to be beaten.

The most intense battle and primary focus of the races between now and the end of the season is between the Brawn drivers, you can bet on either driver at 1.85 to finish ahead of the other in the Japan Grand Prix. If you do not want to bet on the outright winner, bwin offer markets for head to head battles and top three finishers and top six finishers, or even the time margin between the first and second place finisher. There are plenty of options for you to bet on, so fasten your seatbelts and perhaps this will be the weekend where the second British Formula 1 World Champion in a row will be crowned.

By Malcolm Clarke