Tag Archives: Chinese Grand Prix

Ecstatic Lewis Hamilton claims Shanghai pole

  April 13, 2013 - 13:34 |
Leave a comment

Lewis Hamilton secured his first pole position for Mercedes after setting the fastest time in qualifying for the Chinese Grand Prix, while team-mate Nico Rosberg was fourth quickest.

Ecstatic Lewis Hamilton claims Shanghai pole

Former McLaren driver Hamilton was nearly 0.3 seconds quicker than the second fastest qualifier, Kimi Raikkonen, while two-time world champion Fernando Alonso will start from third on the grid in his Ferrari.

Rosberg edged ahead of fifth-placed Felipe Massa but it was a bad day for Red Bull. Sebastian Vettel was only ninth fastest while team-mate Mark Webber failed to make the top-ten after apparently running out of fuel in second qualifying.

It’s an incredible feeling. I’m so happy to have our first pole for some time. I’m just ecstatic really.

Lewis Hamilton

The Australian will be sent to the back of the grid unless his car has enough fuel in it to provide a one-litre sample as well as being able to get back to the pits from where it stopped.

Lotus’ Romain Grosjean was sixth ahead of Daniel Ricciardo in his Toro Rosso and McLaren’s Jenson Button. Nico Hulkenberg failed to set a time in the final session.

Hamilton is 2/1 to win Sunday’s Chinese Grand Prix, while Vettel can be backed at 11/2 and Webber at 50/1. Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton is 8/1 to clinch this year’s drivers’ title.

Hamilton said of his pole position: “It’s an incredible feeling. I’m so happy to have our first pole for some time. I’m just ecstatic really.

“The lap was great. The team has performed well all weekend so far. I hope we can carry it into tomorrow. It’s really surprising, in P3 the Ferraris were very quick but we had really good pace in Q1 and Q2 but that last lap is really tough to get.

“We left it down to the last three minutes so you’ve got to get perfect out lap and the perfect lap. I really can’t complain about that lap.”

Don’t forget, all of the fantastic markets we have to offer, including In-Play betting, can be accessed on mobile or tablet with bet365 On The Move.

View all Formula 1 betting

Jenson Button forecasts McLaren upturn

  April 4, 2013 - 13:00 |
Leave a comment

Jenson Button still believes he can win his second drivers’ title this year even though he has struggled in the first two races of the 2013 season.

Jenson Button forecasts McLaren upturn

The 33-year-old McLaren driver, who won the world title with Brawn GP in 2009, came ninth at the Australian Grand Prix before finishing 17th in Malaysia.

The great thing is there are so many cars that are competitive and taking points off each other, which is exactly what we need.

Jenson Button

As a result Button has just two points from the first two rounds – 38 less than championship leader Sebastian Vettel – but the Englishman remains upbeat about the season ahead, starting with the Chinese Grand Prix later this month which he is 22/1 to win.

Button, 33/1 to win the 2013 drivers’ title, said: “The championship is still on as far as I’m concerned and I’m aiming for that. Definitely.

“Sebastian Vettel almost beat me to the title in 2009 and he didn’t score for the first four races. It’s a massive turnaround for us. Most of the race in Sepang we were quicker than the Lotus. Most of the race we were quicker than Ferrari. Who would have thought that five days before?

“We are still not where we want to be and we got a bit lucky with the circuit being so smooth which helped a bit, but a lot is understanding where the downforce is.

“The car is still not perfected, it was really thrown together for Sepang. The great thing is there are so many cars that are competitive and taking points off each other, which is exactly what we need.”

Don’t forget, all of the fantastic markets we have to offer, including In-Play betting, can be accessed on mobile or tablet with bet365 On The Move.

View all Formula 1 betting

Alonso coy on China chances

  April 14, 2012 - 09:00 |
Leave a comment

Alonso coy on China chances

Fernando Alonso remains downbeat about his chances of winning this weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix despite finishing first at last month’s race in Malaysia.

The two-time world champion does not expect Ferrari to be any more competitive this weekend than it was in the opening two races of the season.

Alonso’s victory in Malaysia was more to do with the wet conditions than the quality of the car which had qualified 1.3 seconds off the pace in eighth place.

Don’t forget all of the fantastic markets we have to offer, including In-Play betting, can be accessed on your mobile phone with the new and improved Mobile at bet365.

We will have a few small updates, but nothing particularly significant.

“I’m not expecting any surprises in this race, compared to what we saw in Australia and Malaysia,” said Alonso, who is 25/1 to be fastest in first practice and 7/1 to actually win the Chinese Grand Prix.

“It’s true almost three weeks have gone by, but that does not mean there was enough time to completely turn the car around in such a short time. We will have a few small updates, but nothing particularly significant and on top of that, we can expect that the other teams will also bring some new parts.

“I don’t want to come out with statements that our aim is to finish in this or that position, as these discussions are not worth the time spent on them. We will have to do the maximum and bring home as many points as possible: a bit like ants who start something one day, knowing it will produce something worthwhile in the future.”

View all Formula 1 betting