Formula One: Hamilton good as home after breaking Suzuka spell

There could hardly be a better omen for Lewis Hamilton’s 2014 Formula One Drivers’ championship hopes than the Stevenage flyer’s latest win at the Japanese Grand Prix.

Hamilton broke a six-season winless streak in the Land of the Rising Sun when coming home in front of Mercedes’ teammate and closest title rival Nico Rosberg, extending his championship lead to 10 points over the German.

The 29-year-old is now just 4/11 to be top of the pile following Abu Dhabi’s campaign-closing double-pointer at the end of November, and after a testing term Hamilton’s luck finally seems to be in.

Having landed the laurels only once in seven mid-season races, at his home Grand Prix, the Brit has now strung together three victories in a row, adding to the four-timer he racked up during the early stages of the campaign.

With just four rounds left this year Hamilton should be confident his form holds up to 9/4 title shot Rosberg, who rates the only other real contender for the big prize at this juncture, with Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo third in the betting all the way back at 66/1.

Rosberg has never managed to place higher than fourth at either the USA or Brazil Grand Prix, where F1 moves after an inaugural race in Russia next time out.

Hamilton, on the other hand, bested all in Austin, Texas three years ago, during a final term at McLaren that saw him land just four other Grand Prix victories.

He has also made the Brazil podium in the past and boasts a much better record in the UAE than Rosberg, who must now improve on a career-best third-place finish last year at the Yas Marina Circuit if he is to stand a chance of robbing Hamilton at the death.

With the 2011 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix winner suddenly finding form and riding his luck, that seems an increasingly unlikely outcome.

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

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