Betfair Official Blog

F1 Grand Prix - Japan betting and odds

The revamped 67-lap Fuji Speedway circuit, Japan, should throw up plenty of betting excitement as the Formula One season draws to a climax.

There are a couple of challenging corners and a mile-long straight to aid overtaking and on clear days there are fabulous views to the dormant volcano of Mount Fuji.

The newly-designed circuit and the alternative venue of Suzuka have seen plenty of championships decided down the years.

Anyone interested in a F1 bet will note that in the 20 Japanese Grand Prix, 11 have seen the title decided with five of those being the last-race Championship deciders.

In 2004 the Brazil Grand Prix replaced Japan as the last venue of the season but that has not stopped the drama.

The most famous incident came in 1989 when the legendary feud between Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna threatened to boil over. Senna has tried to overtake Prost to keep his title hopes alive - only for the Frenchman to slam the door shut and for the race to descend into chaos.

Fernando Alonso will this year be a popular be as he looks for a repeat of his 2006 victory with Renault and his rivalry with new McLaren team-mate and drivers' leader, Lewis Hamilton, should make for gripping viewing as should their respective odds in the betting.

The pair are not on speaking terms after Alonso was given a five-place grid penalty for impeding Hamilton - who inherited his team-mate's pole position as a result - during a qualifying pit stop in Hungary.

Hamilton has played down the rivalry with reigning champion Alonso, insisting "we are not drivers at war", but the intense competition has added extra spice for those looking to have a bet on the Japan Grand Prix.

Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa will also be popular in the betting and will push the leading pair hard with just two races to go in the season after Fuji, while the BMW Sauber pair of Nick Heidfeld and Robert Kubica will be looking to end the year on a high and could be decent odds for anyone looking for an outside bet.

McLaren and Ferrari have dominated the betting for the constructors title with McLaren dds on and the big two and will again lock horns, in what should be a great race and betting event in Japan.