Writing on the wall in the F1 title race after another Vettel pole

Sebastian Vettel is within touching distance of his third successive world title and a fifth Grand Prix win in six races as the German secured pole ahead of the USA meeting.

He’s as short as 4/9 to win the maiden Formula One date in Texas after ensuring he will start at the head of the grid, with Lewis Hamilton in second and teammate Mark Webber in third, following Romain Grosjean’s demotion to fourth after yet more disciplinary problems.

Pole position renders Vettel a 1/7 shot to claim the Driver’s Championship; odds that are massively influenced by Fernando Alonso’s qualifying toils.

An eighth place start on the grid by no means rules him out of contention for this race – one which, incidentally, Ferrari have claimed the checkered flag in five of the past six renewals before it’s hiatus from the F1 calendar – but his poor performance on the track does not bode well for his chances.

The Spaniard can be backed at 16/1 to claim the win, but this has to be overlooked with Vettel currently a class above his competitors.

Expect his eight-race win drought to continue here but, with five successive podiums in the races he’s completed, he could be worth a bet to finish in the top three at 5/2.

Webber has been in strong form to support that of his fellow Red Bull driver Vettel and this has hugely contributed to his team’s sitting on the cusp of a third straight constructor’s crown.

With the pair flying, it’s well worth a bet at 1/1 for both Red Bull representatives to claim a podium in the USA, but the 11/1 for the Aussie to be the first over the line can be discredited.

Hamilton could yet spoil the party for Vettel and co after running him desperately close for pole in qualifying. He’s a 10/3 shot to win the race, as he did in the last US Grand Prix.

Not heading the front row at the off will be a blow to his confidence, however, as his two previous wins this campaign came from leading the drivers off and he has failed to even podium in any of his last five races since his Italian success.

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