Vettel proving popular in build-up to new F1 term

BACK-TO-BACK F1 world champion Sebastian Vettel is proving a popular even-money favourite with Hills punters formore glory in advance of the start of the season.

Hills report plenty of large wagers, including some up to four figures, on the German securing a hat-trick of drivers' championships with six weeks still to go before the opening race in Australia on March 18. Official testing hasn't even begun.

And spokesman Joe Crilly said: "The clamour for punters desperate to back Vettel, before he goes odds-on, is unrelenting and we have already taken more money than we did in the entire pre-season last year."

However, Betfred still offer 5-4 about a Vettel treble while previous kings of the circuit Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button are not without their supporters at 5-1, 11-2 and 7-1.

Vettel's Red Bull team - colleague Mark Webber is 12-1 to be top driver - head the constructors championship betting at evens with McLaren at 13-8 (Hills) and Ferrari at 7-1.

Williams have given the great Ayrton Senna's Bruno a seat for the season and Hills are betting on his highest finishing position.

Sixth at 4-1 is the favoured outcome with seventh at 5-1, eighth at 6-1, 11th or lower at 13-2, ninth at 7-1 and fifth and tenth at 8-1 alsohigh on the list. A debut campaign win is 33-1.

Hills also offer 16-1 that Bruno Senna ever wins a drivers championship.