Fourth fav Webber benefits from Alonso’s reign in Spain

Formula One’s thrilling record-breaking run was brought to a dramatic end on Sunday as Fernando Alonso became the first driver to win a second race this season.

After registering seven winners from the first seven races, Lotus’ Sebastian Grosjean had briefly suggested he would be the man to stretch that run to an amazing eight races as he took second place following Sebastian Vettel’s retirement, and looked set for an assault on leader Alonso before retiring himself with 16 laps to go.

It meant that the Spanish driver could finish the race relatively unchallenged infront of a rapturous home crowd, remarkably seeing the chequered flag despite having started 11th on the grid. Kimi Raikonnen finished second while Michael Schumacher claimed third – his first podium finish since returning to the sport in 2010.

Unlike the screaming Spanish fans, McClaren drivers Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button will not look back at this race fondly – Hamilton was forced off the track into the wall after a controversial collision with Williams’ Pastor Maldonado with only two laps to go, while Button had to make do with only four points, finishing eighth. It leaves the 2009 champion 62 points behind leader Alonso, who tops the standings on 111 points.

One man who stayed under-the-radar for much of the race today was Red Bull’s Mark Webber, who, despite only finishing fourth, seems to have quietly benefited from seeing his teammate Vettel and rival Hamilton crash out, as he climbs into second place, only ten points behind Alonso in an increasingly tight and exciting championship scrap.

Webber, who won his first race of the season in Monaco in May, remains 14/1 fourth favourite to take his maiden title, as Ferrari’s increasingly confident Alonso is the favourite at 7/4, with reigning champ Vettel 2/1 and Hamilton third fav at 3/1.

Race number nine arrives in Britain, with Silverstone once again hosting, a venue where Webber could finally convince most people that he should be considered a real threat to the more-fancied three drivers above him in the betting. Webber won at Silverstone in 2010, while he came third in 2011 and second in 2009.

It’s clearly a track he favours, and with season set to move to Germany for race ten – another track that Webber has enjoyed success at, having won at Hockenheim in 2009 – the Australian could really kick on from here, meaning now could be the time to back the Red Bull driver at a very tempting 14/1.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.