Brawn will challenge Felipe Massa’s supremacy in Turkey

Click here for the latest odds on Sunday’s Turkish Grand Prix

Ross Brawn was still at Ferrari in 2006 when Felipe Massa first won the Turkish Grand Prix but now the latest challenge in his sensational first season as an owner is to end the Brazilian’s three-year winning streak. It’s hard to back against Jenson Button right now but the Scuderia have improved recently so if Massa’s run is to end, he should go down fighting:

Do you think Ferrari are ready to fight back? If so Massa is available at 8.0 on Betfair. Click here to claim a £25 no loss free bet when opening an account with them.

» The two Ferrari drivers are the only two men who have won in Istanbul. Kimi Raikkonen took the chequered flag while with McLaren in 2005 and Massa has won in all three of his seasons to date with the Scuderia.

Posted: June 5th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Hamilton’s Bahrain GP price is halved after first practise

Click here for the latest odds on race four of the 2009 season

Last season chickendinner enjoyed a lot of success by using past results to analyse whether it would be Lewis Hamilton, Felipe Massa or Kimi Raikkonen standing on the top step of the podium. However, this year has proven a lottery so far. Last weekend’s stats suggested that Ferrari would improve in China but it never materialised while the unpredictability surrounding this weekend’s race has seen Lewis Hamilton’s Betfair price crash from 22 to 11 after going fastest in first practise. Here are some Bahrain GP stats:

» Felipe Massa has won the last two Bahrain Grands Prix and Fernando Alonso the two before that but the only driver to have finished on the podium in each of the last four is Kimi Raikkonen.

» Sebastien Vettel, the winner in China last weekend, retired after one lap in Bahrain last year.

Posted: April 24th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Button is 2/1 to win in Sepang and replicate Schumacher

Click here for all the latest Malaysian Grand Prix odds

Over the last ten years only one man has won the first two races of a Formula One season and that was Michael Schumacher, who was so good that he did it three times (2000, 2001 and 2004). By pricing Jenson Button at 2/1 to win in Malaysia, Bet365 and Paddy Power obviously believe he can follow in the German’s footsteps:

» Ferrari have won five of the ten races previously held in Sepang and last year’s winner Kimi Raikkonen - 7/1 with Boylesports - was the fastest in Friday practise.

» Kimi Raikkonen has won twice in Malaysia, including his first ever Grand Prix win in 2003. However he has only once ever won the same race two years running (Belgium 2004 and 2005) and has gone 15 races without winning.

» Felipe Massa has raced six times in Sepang without ever finishing higher than fifth.

Posted: April 4th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Australian success bodes well for Button and Brawn GP

Five stats about this weekend’s motor racing

Photo Credit: PA Wire

1. In fifteen of the last nineteen seasons - including each of the last three - the winner of the opening race of the season has gone on to win the Drivers Championship. Jenson Button is now the favourite and the best price available on him is 3/1 with Boylesports.

2. The winning team at the first Grand Prix of the season have won the Constructors Championship in seven of the last nine years. Brawn GP are still available at 11/5 with Boylesports but Ferrari, who broke this trend last season to triumph, are still favourites. The best price available on the Scuderia is 11/8 with Ladbrokes.

Posted: March 30th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

The reigning F1 champion is 33/1 to win the opening race

Ten stats about the unpredictable opening race in Australia

Formula One still constantly has to defend itself from accusations of being boring despite the Drivers’ Championship being won by a point at the final race for the second season running. However, a series of rule changes designed to shake up the sport and level the playing field means that this has the potential to be the most unpredictable season ever, as reflected by the odds for the opening race. Reigning champion Lewis Hamilton, who won this race last year, is 33/1 to triumph with Ladbrokes while the 7/2 favourite is Jenson Button, who picked up just three points throughout last season and until last month was in danger of not even having a seat this year.

Click here for all the latest Australian Grand Prix odds

» The reigning world champion has won the opening race in just four of the last thirteen seasons (and on three of those occasions it was Michael Schumacher), so even if Hamilton was happy with his car he would struggle.

» If Button lives up to his billing as race favourite, he must be taken seriously as a title contender. In 15 of the last 19 seasons, including each of the last three, the winner of the opening race has gone on to win the Championship.

Posted: March 27th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment