Button takes momentum to Monza after Belgian glory

Jenson Button played himself into Drivers’ Championship contention after taking the chequered flag in Belgium.

He’s 25/1 to top the standings at the end of the season but has an awful lot of work to do in order to overturn the 63-point gap between himself and Fernando Alonso.

Following up his Spa success with a victory in Monza will add plausibility to the possibility of Button claiming his second career championship and, after three years of being the nearly-man here, the Englishman has every reason for optimism.

Having completed a hat-trick of Italian Grand Prix second-place finishes, in addition to a third place in 2004, Button knows how to get results on this track and the perennial podium-finisher can be backed at 5/1 to seal the deal this time around.

However, he and teammate, Lewis Hamilton – installed as race favourite with Ladbrokes – are battling McLaren’s poor record in Italy. The eight-time Constructor’s Championship winners have won the Italian GP just three times in the past 15 years.

After being on the receiving end of Romain Grosjean’s exploits last time out which prevented him from crossing the finish line, Fernando Alonso will be desperate to put some points on the board here to strengthen his foothold at the top of the pile.

Fortunately for him, none of his nearest rivals could fully capitalise and the Spaniard still sits 24 points clear at the top and, given that he has won two of the past five meetings here, a price of 5/1 for him to return to winning ways in Monza represents good value for money.

Reigning F1 champ, Sebastian Vettel, has also helped himself to two victories in the past five renewals of the Italian GP, including the most recent race.

His price of 9/2, however, is depreciated through the fact that no driver has won consecutively in Italy since Damon Hill achieved the feat in ’92 and ’93.

Historically though, the winner of this leg of the tour doesn’t fare too well in the race for the Drivers’ title. Only three times has the victor in Italy gone on to lift the championship crown at the end of the season in the past 14 years, two of those were Michael Schumacher.

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