Sebastian Vettel is fancied to again cut down Button’s lead

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chickendinner loves a British success story as much as anyone but we weren’t looking forward to the prospect of Jenson Button winning nearly every race with Schumacher style dominance. Sadly for the Brit, his worst result of the season was saved for Silverstone (sixth) and while he is still 25 points ahead of winner Sebastian Vettel, the German is a strong favourite to win on home soil this weekend. Here are five stats about the first German Grand Prix to be held at the Nurburgring (the European and, slightly more dubiously, the Luxembourg Grands Prix have been held there since though) since 1985:

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1. Four of the last seven German Grands Prix have been one by German drivers, as have five of the last eight races at the Nurburgring.

2. On the last three occasions that a British or German driver has triumphed at Silverstone - Michael Schumacher in 2002 and 2004 and Lewis Hamilton in 2008 - they have gone on to win the German Grand Prix.

3. However, over the last six years just seven drivers have recorded victories

Posted: July 9th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Silverstone struggle doesn’t bode well for Jenson Button

Failure to win the British Grand Prix presents three bad omens

Jenson Button saved his worst result of the season for his home race and there are three major trends which suggest that his sixth-placed finish could come back to haunt him:

1) The winner at Silverstone has gone on to win the Drivers’ Championship in each of the last three seasons.

2) In ten of the last twelve seasons, the eventual world champion has finished the British Grand Prix on the podium.

Posted: June 23rd, 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.

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» 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

Rebecca Adlington extends her lead over Lewis Hamilton

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Betfair odds: Adlington is in red, Hamilton in blue

The past week has seen Rebecca Adlington overtake and pull clear of Lewis Hamilton in the BBC Sports Personality of the Year betting, having previously been a distant second favourite.

The swimmer rather unsportingly claimed last month that she deserves the award more than Hamilton because he competes for the Formula One Drivers Championship every year whereas she only goes for Olympic gold once every four and judging by the odds shift, it appears the punters agree with her.

It could of course prove a good omen for Hamilton that he is no longer favourite because he was the clear frontrunner twelve months ago only to get pipped at the post by Joe Calzaghe.

Posted: December 10th, 2008 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Why Hamilton won’t win in Brazil but will be crowned champion

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The big question in Brazil is what will Lewis Hamilton do if he finds himself behind Felipe Massa in Brazil: sit back and accept being second-best for a day or make a major error chasing victory and throw away the Drivers Championship once again? Here’s why the Brit won’t win at Interlagos but will still win the Championship:

Why Hamilton won’t win the race…

» Hamilton has followed just one of his last seven race wins with victory in the following Grand Prix.

» More worryingly, only one of the last six have been followed by a podium finish.

» There have only ever been three British victories at Interlagos – the last of which came in 2001. In comparison there have been six occasions where a Brazilian has taken the chequered flag.

Posted: October 31st, 2008 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment