Alonso, Hamilton Lead Formula 1 Betting

Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton lead the odds for the 2010 Formula One Season, which begins in just over a week, but up to six other competitors are in the running for the title in what is shaping up as one of the closest contests in years.

Spaniard Alonso, an 11/4 Ladbrokes favorite, will be looking to return to the form that won him the championship in successive years in 2005 and 2006. He is representing Ferrari this year.

Brit Hamilton, currently racing for the McLaren Mercedes team, became the youngest ever Formula One World Champion in 2008, and is hot on Alonso's heels at 7/2 to repeat the performance.

Not far behind the front-runners at 4/1 are two Germans - Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel, and of course the legendary Michael Shumacher, the seven-time world champion who recently turned 41 and will race in 2010 for the newly branded Mercedes GP.

Felipe Massa (Brazil, Ferrari) is 7/1, ahead of reigning champion Jenson Button (Britain, McLaren Mercedes) at 10/1, Mark Webber (Australia, Red Bull) at 14/1, and Nico Rosberg (Germany, Mercedes GP) at 16/1.

The season begins with the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix on March 14, followed by the Qantas Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on March 28, heading through another 16 locations and ending back in the Middle East on November 14 - at Abu Dhabi's Yas Marina Circuit.

Find odds and free bets for upcoming Formula 1 events.