Vettel set to score in Suzuka after finding form at crucial stage

Sebastian Vettel is a 4/1 shot to win his second successive Grand Prix as the circuit heads to Japan.

After taking the chequered flag in Singapore, the German has moved ahead of current World Championship leader Fernando Alonso in the betting stakes. His strong record on this track will also have contributed to his shortening in price.

Since the race’s return to Suzuka in 2009, Vettel has picked up two wins and a podium in the Red Bull and, should he make it three wins from four, his 11/4 to win the World title should shorten with haste.

He currently sits 31 points back from Spaniard Alonso, an overwhelming 4/9 favourite to clinch his third Drivers Championship with just six meetings left this season, but a Vettel win here would see his gap cut by seven points, at least.

Alike Vettel, Alonso has a good record in Japan, winning the race twice himself. He’s never claimed a victory since it reverted back to the Suzuka circuit, but has scored two podiums here in the past two seasons. He can expect to put another big score on the board after two successive third-places in his last two outings this term.

The Ferrari man can be backed at 5/1 to pick up his third win on Japanese soil, something that would all but ensure him the World title.

He’s at 1/1 to finish in the top three places, which is well worth getting involved with given his recent hot-streak coupled with his great record in this leg of the F1 season, whereas the 9/2 his team is the winning one here is a good outside bet.

Pole position has played a massive part in recent renewals here and each of the last three have been taken by Vettel.

He’s 5/1 to record the fastest lap in Q3 and make it four successive races heading the grid, whereas his electrifying form in Suzuka makes the German’s price of 18/1 to collect a hat-trick (fastest in practice, qualifying and the Grand Prix) should not be disregarded.

All odds and markets accurate as publication’s time and date