Vettel fourth consecutive different winner as Championship hots up
Published:The Bahrain Grand Prix threw up a fourth different winner in four races for the first time since 2003 as Sebastian Vettel hit back with a fine drive that sees him at 2/1 to retain his Driver’s Championship.
It was a dismal day for McLaren as Lewis Hamilton experienced pit-stop issues not once but twice, leaving him eighth, and 9/4 for the title.
It was an even worse day for Jenson Button as the 7/2 Championship shot finished outside the points, having been forced to retire thanks ot a puncture on the penultimate lap.
Mark Webber scored his fourth consecutive fourth placed finish and finds himself at 12/1 to win a first Championship.
The Australian is displaying an astute consistency that finds him third in the standings and only five points behind his Red Bull team mate, at this stage last year Webber was 38 points adrift.
A great deal was expected from Mercedes, but issues for Michael Schumacher in qualifying and a five place penalty saw him start in 22nd, but he drove admirably to take tenth making him 40/1 to win another world title.
Nico Rosberg is now priced at 14/1 to be champion after he was unable to make it consecutive wins, crossing the line in fifth despite an investigation into his defensive driving, that left the 16/1 Fernando Alonso incensed as he was forced into the sand.
It was great day for French driver Romain Grosjean, who became the first Frenchman to claim a podium finish since Jean Alesi was third in the 1998 Belgian Grand Prix, this saw the 26-year old cut to 66/1 to be top of the pile at the end of the year.
Overall it was a wonderful race for Lotus as Kimi Raikkonen bettered Grosjean’s finish by coming in second at the Sakhir Circuit.
The Finn moved from eleventh on the grid to challenge for the lead and record his highest position since returning to F1, leaving him 16/1 for the title.
