Lewis Hamilton’s first grand prix win of the season saw him return to the top of the Driver’s Championship and fulfilled my tip at 11/10 for the British racer to finish on the podium.

His victory – extending this season’s seven grand prix old record of a different winner every race – has also kept the 27-year-old as the bookies’ favourite to repeat in the European Grand Prix on June 24 at a best price of 3/1 with Betfred.

While Hamilton has been basking in his success, his McLaren teammate, Jenson Button, has been trying to figure out just what has happened to his season.

Since his last podium finish in April’s Chinese grand prix the former world champion has only scored in the points once in a run which includes two 16^th placed finishes and an 18^th.

Unsurprisingly Button’s odds have drifted considerably and he is now as big as 7/2 just to finish on the podium.

Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso, another of the seven 2012 race winners, is second favourite to win in Valencia at 9/2, also with Betfred who have best prices for the top three.

Alonso looked set to win in Montreal until Hamilton, who was on fresher tyres, passed him in the dying stages.

Hamilton also passed Sebestian Vettel in similar style in Canada, with both the Red Bull driver and Alonso opting to take just one pit-stop in the race – a tactic which proved costly with Vettel slipping from second to fourth and Alonso only managing to cross the line in fifth.

Vettel has won the Valencia grand prix for the past two years and he had the fastest lap time on this circuit last season. His best price of 9/2 seems steep and is surely the best value in the market.

Sergio Perez, the Sauber driver, whom I speculatively tipped at 50s to win in Montreal, came up just short in third and has seen his price for Valencia cut to 33s.

Joining Perez on the podium was Lotus-Renault’s Romain Grosjean. That was Grosjean’s third podium finish, only Hamilton has more, and his 7/2 price with BWIN seems generous.

 

Tipsters Top Bet Sebestian Vettel to win 9/2 @ Betfred

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