Where is the betting value to be found in Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka? Bet Republic's Anthony Jordan reports...

Formula One returns to the Suzuka circuit for the Japanese Grand Prix for the first time since 2006 this weekend. The Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka always provides an exciting spectacle and is loved by both fans and drivers alike. With the massive rule changes implemented by the Formula One hierarchy in the last year, how will the drivers and the cars fare at one of the most majestic race tracks on the Formula One calendar?

Drivers Title

Historically, Suzuka has played a pivotal role in deciding the outcome of the Formula One Drivers World Championship, with the title being won at the circuit eleven times from the twenty occasions that the race has been staged there. This weekend Jenson Button carries a fifteen point lead over his team-mate, Rubens Barrichello, and can be crowned champion by finishing five points better off than Rubens. Stan James are offering odds of 10.0 for Button to become the champion this weekend.

Race Win

After his stunning victory in Singapore last week, Lewis Hamilton (4.5) is the bookies favourite to take victory in Japan, despite never having raced a Formula One car on this track. With the advantage of KERS, Hamilton stands a very good chance of taking his third victory of the season. His closest challengers according to the bookmakers will be the Red Bull cars of Sebastian Vettel (5.0) and Mark Webber (8.5), with Vettel needing to win the race to stand any chance of becoming the World Champion. The two Brawn GP drivers are at slightly longer odds to take victory than the Red Bull drivers, with both Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello at odds of 10.0. However all of these five drivers are close enough in the betting markets to conclude that the race will incredibly close and any of the five could take victory.

Points Finish

Who else is in line for a points finish? Kimi Raikkonen (21.0) in his KERS powered Ferrari is the best of the rest of the field, and may be able to push for a podium position if one or two of the top five run into problems. Pushing him hard will be Fernando Alonso (21.0) in the Renault, Force India’s Adrian Sutil (34.0), the Williams of Nico Rosberg (34.0), Hamilton’s team-mate Heikki Kovalainen (34.0) and the two BMW Saubers of Robert Kubica (34.0) and Nick Heidfeld (34.0). Despite being on home soil, the Toyotas of Timo Glock (41.0) and Jarno Trulli (51.0) are outsiders to grab a point, but, barring problems for the any of the drivers previously mentioned, I cannot see either of the drivers finishing better than midfield.

Betting Recommendations

After his peerless performance in Singapore, I cannot see anyone but Lewis Hamilton taking the victory in Japan. The best value for Hamilton to win is 4/1 with Bet365.

Also, despite having a poor weekend in Singapore, I feel that Kimi Raikkonen will return to form this weekend and finish on the podium. Bet365 is offering 4/1 for a pdium finish, while Extrabet is offering 6.0 for a top three finish for the Ferrari man.

Visit BetUK.com for great value odds on many Japanese Grand Prix markets!