The Tenner Bet

Deputy Sports Editor

Saturday 13 October 2012

Another week, another Tenner Bet, so that can only mean one thing: another grand prix.

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James Morgan

There was a sense of inexorability about Sebastian Vettel's win at Suzuka last week. He was the form driver, he had previous winning experience at the track and his Red Bull car displayed for the first time the benefits of its modifications over the summer sabbatical.

The team's use of double-DRS proved particularly telling as the German put daylight between himself and his rivals in a one-sided race that was rendered a procession when Fernando Alonso and others dropped out prematurely.The F1 circus remains in the Far East this weekend, as attention switches to Korea and the Yeongnam track which has drawn as many plaudits as the bleak surroundings have drawn criticism. Indeed, despite its relatively youthful status, there are noises that Yeongnam's stay on the F1 calendar might not last long.The first Korean Grand Prix was held in 2010 so historical analysis only serves a purpose up to a point. The lack of available data pertaining to precedent is something of a concern. With previous F1 bets, it has been easy to narrow down the field very quickly but with Alonso winning the first race to be held there, Vettel taking last year's race and Hamilton posting second-place finishes behind both, there is little to work with in the way of trends, a direct contrast with say, Japan, last weekend where the German has an excellent record.THE RACEVettel is clearly the form horse, has the fastest car and is on the kind of run that makes it very difficult to see past him winning the drivers' championship. Alonso's once apparently unassailable lead is now just four points and the Ferrari driver has had to watch in his rear-view mirror for the imperious Vettel to reach his tail.Now the German is within touching distance, only the hardiest tifosi would back against the two-time world champion claiming a third title, not least because Alonso's mindset has changed. He has been forced to alter his driving style from defensive to aggressive and not without consequence. His mistake at the start in Suzuka was a direct response to the pressure that has been brought to bear on the Spaniard.Does that necessarily mean it is a two-car race in Korea? Certainly not. But of all the big hitters involved this weekend, the Ferrari is the least favoured car and the McLaren and Red Bull are well suited to the layout.THE betVettel's outright price of 15/8 with Skybet is poor but reflective of the changed mood in F1 this last few weeks. It seems a long time ago the experts were pointing out that the 25-year-old had not won since the earliest weeks of the season. There is little value elsewhere, with Mark Webber, the other Red Bull driver, a mere 7/4 for a podium finish despite having failed to record one since the British Grand Prix back in July. That price is an indication of just how heavily fancied Red Bull are to score in Korea tomorrow.season's totalVettel's win at 9/2 last weekend provided the funds to take the column out of the red and into the black for only the third time this season at £36.31. It also meant a seventh successive F1 betting column to yield a correct outcome.

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