Back Lewis Hamilton now before the wins arrive

Lewis Hamilton is 16/1 to win the Formula One world championship this season, which certainly makes him the outside bet considering he’ll need to see off Sebastian Vettel, Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen amongst others.

But there’s plenty to suggest that Hamilton could prove highly rewarding to those who back him right now.

Hamilton finished third in Malaysia and China, and was fifth in both Australia and Bahrain, whilst picking up a pole position in that Chinese race.

Team-mate Nico Rosberg followed that up by claiming top spot on the grid in Bahrain, emphasising the increasing Mercedes threat at the front of the field.

The team’s achilles heel has been overheating tyres, but with the hot events at Sepang and Sakhir out of the way, Mercedes should be confident of further success.

Spain, Monaco and Canada are the next three events, with high temperatures not usually a factor at any of the circuits.

Hamilton will be eyeing up a big haul of points in these next few races, and quite possibly a couple of wins too.

Tyre wear is usually a big issue for everybody in Barcelona, which may level the playing field for the 2008 world champion.

Mercedes were arguably the fastest around the streets of Monte Carlo last season, with Michael Schumacher setting the fastest time in qualifying and Nico Rosberg finishing second in the race, hustling victor Mark Webber along the way.

The long straights of Canada meanwhile should play into the hands of the prodigious speed of the Mercedes engine, and Hamilton should again be a contender for victory.

By the time the F1 circus heads to Silverstone at the end of July, Hamilton could well have won a couple of races and become the big threat to unseat Vettel from his throne, and he won’t be 16/1 for that second drivers title.

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