Hulkenberg and Gutierrez will continue to impress in Japan
Published:
The Japanese Grand Prix is set to offer little respite for the drivers crumbling in the wake of the utterly dominant Sebastian Vettel.
The German has won around the Suzuka Circuit in three of the previous four years and has crossed the line first in the last four races of this ever-predictable Formula One season.
It is beyond doubt that he will lift a fourth Drivers’ Championship trophy, an occurrence still available at 1/500, while another victory here is hard to oppose at 1/2.
Instead it would be wise for backers to look to alternative markets for the Asian showpiece
Nico Hulkenberg was the surprise package in Korea as he registered his highest finish of the season, crossing the line fourth.
That was the German’s third successive top-10 finish and he is a rather generous 4/7 to be in amongst the points once again on a track where he finished sixth in 2012.
The 26-year-old was heavily linked with Ferrari prior to the announcement of Kimi Raikkonen as the Prancing Horse’s second driver for next year.
Hulkenberg is now being touted for a move to Lotus to replace the outward-bound Finn and his name has also been muttered in connection to any possible openings at McLaren.
His upturn in form has gone a long way to attracting that attention and after just missing out on the podium last week, there will be plenty of focus around a top-three finish for the Sauber driver, at a whopping 40/1.
Esteban Gutierrez has been on the up of late. The 22-year-old registered a 14th place finish in Belgium and has since ascended the placings in each race, finishing 11th in Japan.
The Mexican has made Q3 in the previous two races, a feat he is 7/4 to achieve again, while his ever-improving displays on race day imply that a points finish is not far away, meaning the 9/4 available on him doing so in Suzuka represents great value.
All odds and markets accurate as of publication’s time and date
