Webber wins in Monaco as F1 title race remains wide open
Published:The Monaco GP very rarely fails to entertain, but today’s race can be seen as a microcosm of the Formula One season so far, which is shaping up to be the most exciting for years.
Aussie Mark Webber claimed his second Monaco win in three seasons as an enthralling final ten laps saw the Red Bull driver pip Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg by half a second. Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso finished third and claimed the 15 points that sees him edge clear in the championship by just three points ahead of Red Bull duo Sebastian Vettel and Webber.
Webber’s win means that, for the first time ever, the first six races in a Formula One season has produced six winners. This open field is reflected in the odds, with last year’s champion Vettel remaining favourite to claim his third title at 4/1 alongside Lewis Hamilton.
Current leader Alonso is 5/1 third favourite, with Webber 7/1 and Jenson Button 8/1.
It proved a tough day for the McLaren pair, as while Lewis Hamilton finished fifth and could only watch as Alonso and Vettel overtook him, Button endured a torrid time – forced to retire after spinning out on the 70th lap.
Following several disappointments since winning the season opener in Australia, Button now trails Alonso’s Ferrari by 31 points.
However despite failing to register a single win this season, his colleague Hamilton should be so despondent – he ‘s behind the top spot by only 13 points and goes into the next race, the Canadian Grand Prix on June 8th, knowing that he has won twice before in Montreal, in 2007 and 2010.
It makes the 4/1 on him to register his first win of the season in Canada a very tempting punt, particularly as it would be in-keeping with the pattern of success so far this season – resulting in the seventh winning driver from seven races.
