Vettel closes in on world title hat-trick after Korean GP success
Published:Sebastian Vettel is just four races away from becoming only the third man in Formula One history to win three straight world titles.
The German is now just 2/7 to lift the 2012 drivers’ championship after taking the lead from Fernando Alonso by winning the Korean Grand Prix in Yeongam.
Vettel currently holds a six point lead over Ferrari’s Spanish driver, who moves out to 11/4 to pick up what would be his third career world title.
After completing a Far East treble with victories in Korea, Japan and Singapore, Red Bull’s youngest ever world champion looks set to join the legends of Formula One.
Only Argentina’s Juan Manuel Fangio and Germany’s Michael Schumacher have won three world titles in succession, but Vettel could become a part of that small elite this season.
Firstly though, he needs to ride out Alonso’s challenge, which will reconvene at the Indian Grand Prix with a price of 6/1 to win in Utter Pradesh.
Vettel drives the fastest car on the grid however, and with his soft tyres is at evens to wrap up another GP victory in 2012.
Whilst Alonso should not be written off just yet, Lewis Hamilton has all but given up on his world title challenge after coming 10th in South Korea.
What feint hopes the Red Bull driver appeared to have going into the weekend were all but extinguished when he fell back after a real suspension failure.
Hamilton is now priced at 100/1 to record a near-impossible triumph, the same odds as Kimi Räikkönen who is currently third in the standings.
The 2008 champion said: “”In terms of winning, I think that’s it for us. We were still in the fight up until now but it’s too far away.”
“”It’s a day to forget. A year to forget as well. I’m looking forward to a fresh start next year,” continued Hamilton, referencing his decision to switch from McLaren to Mercedes for next season.
In truth it was a miserable weekend for McLaren, who saw Hamilton struggle after team-mate Jenson Button retired following a crash during the opening lap.
McLaren can still be backed in the constructors’ championship at 18/1, but with Red Bull’s drivers in such fine form a recovery looks unlikely.
Vettel’s number one finish with Mark Webber taking second put Red Bull in the driving seat at 1/33, now 77 points ahead of second-place Ferrari who are back at 33/1.
But with Alonso faltering as the season ends, and Vettel stepping up his performances, it is hard to look beyond double success for Red Bull and their premier driver.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
