register to 888sport
888sport time:

Featured Sport News

Webber tipped to break duck

Author: Brandon Barker
Date: 11/07/2009

The German Grand Prix looms this weekend with much of the build-up clouded by the return to the news of the dispute between the Formula 1 Teams Association (FOTA) and F1's governing body, the FIA.

Despite agreeing to a deal at the end of June that would see the FIA lift their demands for a tight budget cap for all racing teams, FOTA reportedly walked out of a meeting earlier this week in frustration at a lack of voting rights.

Returning friction between the two groups is unlikely to spill over into the race at Nurburgring - the chances of a strike or boycott for instance are slim - but it will dominate the news before one of the most demanding of F1 races.

'The Ring' was formerly the home of the European Grand Prix and the Luxembourg Grand Prix but now shares German GP duties with Hockenheimring, as the circuits take it in turns to host the event.

Can Mark Webber finally end his drought by winning at the Nurburgring this weekend? - Latest German Grand Prix Betting

That means last year's German GP is close to irrelevant when it comes to looking for clues as to this weekend's outcome, as the tracks offer hugely different challenges.

For what it's worth Lewis Hamilton will be defending the GP after winning from pole in 2008, a victory that pushed him ahead of Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa in the standings and went a long way to securing his first drivers' championship.

Yet he will be the first to admit that his chances are slim this time around, although McLaren are likely to throw all they have behind Hamilton as the Brit attempts to stay in some sort of contention with the leading pack in the drivers' standings.

In reality it is a GP that online betting favourites to win the constructors' championship Brawn will be looking to take maximum points from.

The track is tough with tight bends, most notably the Bergwerk and Caracciola Karussell, and braking zones in which the constructers' championship leaders tend to shine.

Sebastian Vettel, racing in his home GP, and Mark Webber will also be expectant in their Red Bull drive. The German, off the back of victory at Silverstone, will be oozing confidence in front of his own fans and must, if anything, be wary of pushing too hard and ending up pointless.

Webber might be a safer bet for the win, especially as he is in need of more points than his team-mate. With 35.5 points the Aussie is almost 30 short of Button and, with nine rounds left, he must know that podium finishes are a requirement.

online betting