McLaren well priced to get better of Red Bull in Abu Dhabi

There were suggestions ahead of arriving in the UAE that the Yas Marina circuit would be better suited to McLaren than Red Bull and this could well be true based on the times posted during the two free practice sessions ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

The long straights at Yas Marina were expected to play to the strengths of the quicker straight-line speed of McLaren and this proved the case in practice as the team dominated both sessions.

Jenson Button was the fastest in the morning session, with teammate Lewis Hamilton posting the quickest time in the second session.

With the two McLarens filling the top two quickest spots in the afternoon, there is every reason to expect that one of the two drivers will top the podium at the end of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

It is 7/4 in the Formula One odds that either of the two McLarens win the race, with Hamilton priced at 4/1 and Button 9/2.

McLaren certainly enjoyed fewer problems than their rival teams, with world champion Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso both running into trouble.

The pair were both casualties at the end of the straight into turn one and both ended up colliding with walls.

Vettel could only post the sixth quickest time of the day, but still remains the 10/11 favourite to win the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and this could be slightly based on his uncanny habit of qualifying on pole after troubles during practice.

Alonso will be keen to provide himself with some closure after wasting the chance to become world champion last year at Yas Marina and performed credibly in practice with the third fastest time.

He is 8/1 to win the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and hand Ferrari just a second victory of the season.