Hamilton’s glory bid could come good in Hungary
Published:
Lewis Hamilton’s wait for a win at Mercedes continues after the Brit endured a torrid start to the German Grand Prix.
The Silver Arrows man started on pole after yet another solid qualifying display at the Nurburgring but a distinct lack of grip from the off and the superior pace of Red Bull soon saw the 2008 champion fall down the order.
However, Hamilton showed his mettle by eking enough out of his car to earn a well-deserved fifth place and if Mercedes can find a way to get improved results from the troublesome tyres, Hungary could well represent the Brit with his best chance of a first win.
The Hungaroring has been kind to British drivers in recent years, with five of the last seven winners hailing from the UK.
Jenson Button has won twice in that time, but Hamilton is a three-time winner in Hungary and took the chequered flag last time out.
Should Hamilton record a first Mercedes win in Hungary, his title chances will be given a significant boost.
Runaway leader Sebastian Vettel sits at the top of the standings on 157 points and is rightly the 1/6 favourite to gain a fourth consecutive F1 crown.
The German is 34 points clear of second-placed Fernando Alonso, with the Ferrari man priced at 7/1 to regain the title he last won in 2006.
Lotus ace Kimi Raikkonen is next in the table with 116 points, while Hamilton is a further 17 points back in fourth.
However, despite the 17-point gap on the Finn, both drivers are priced at 14/1 to win the title, showing that despite his troubles, many have faith in the Brit’s ability to have a strong second half of the season.
Hamilton’s chances of scaling the heights he climbed in 2008 may seem pretty slim, but if he is to turn things around, then Hungary looks to be as good a place as any to start.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
