Vettel’s world title push has Alonso running scared

Sebastian Vettel’s dominance in the Japanese Grand Prix has seen his odds to win the Driver’s Championship slashed.

The German has been cut to 4/7 favourite to retain his world crown despite remaining four points behind Fernando Alonso, whose retirement in Sukuza was his second in four races.

Vettel capitalised to the fullest extent by taking the chequered flag for the third time in four visits to Japan and Ladbrokes now expect him to go on to steal the title from under the nose of long-time front runner Alonso.

He’s 13/8 favourite to rack up a hat-trick of wins as the F1 circuit heads to South Korea and, with great current form to support his victory there last term, the Red Bull man will be gagging to get behind the wheel again.

Alonso is now in dire need of a win after his Japanese slip up, but has a victory on Korean soil to his name in the Ferrari so he knows he can get the job done.

He’s slipped into odds-against territory for the first time in an age as a result of Vettel’s surge and can now be backed at 13/8 to fend off the rampant German, whereas the Korean win he craves is huge at 8/1.

Much was made of the McLaren drivers’ chances in Japan, after Lewis Hamilton and, particularly, Jenson Button starred in the Suzuka practice sessions.

Neither got to taste the champagne following the race, however, with Hamilton coming in one place after Button in fifth.

The latter’s world title hopes had been all but extinguished going into the race anyway, but Hamilton’s failure to podium means he faces a mammoth task in the final weeks of the season.

The Brit is now a 16/1 shot to win the title after looking like he could be the one to run Alonso closest in weeks gone by.

More good would come from setting fire to your money than backing him to pull off an unlikely victory – he’s 42 points back and his end-of-season switch to Mercedes will see his mind focussed elsewhere.

All odds and markets accurate as of publication’s time and date