Can anyone stop Lewis Hamilton in 2016?

In 2015, Lewis Hamilton was simply sublime as he won the Drivers’ Championship for a second successive year. His team-mate Nico Rosberg finished second once again while Sebastian Vettel finished a close third as Ferrari improved significantly from the previous season. Can anybody stop Hamilton from winning a third straight world title in 2016 or will the Briton have to give up his crown? We discuss.

At the time of writing, Hamilton is the odds-on favourite to defend his crown – and rightly so. Betway are currently offering 8/13 on Hamilton winning the title in their Formula 1 online betting markets and many are expecting the Briton to win with relative ease. Without a doubt, Hamilton is the most naturally gifted driver in the sport and his sheer aggression and driving style won him numerous races and pole positions last season – both of which contributed to his title success.

However, the end-of-season signs suggest that Hamilton will not have it all his own way in 2016. Nico Rosberg secured pole in the final six races of the season and claimed victory in the last three of those to leave a timely reminder that he isn’t simply at Mercedes to play second-fiddle to Hamilton. He’s in it to win it. Rosberg’s tenacity and doggedness stand him in good stead to drive Hamilton close but he will need more than that if he is to topple the Briton from his place at the forefront of the sport.

The dark horse? Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel. While it is likely that the title battle will once again be a straight up fight between the two Mercedes drivers, it would be harsh to rule Vettel out after a ‘miracle’ maiden season for the Italian team. During his time with Red Bull, the German was crowned world champion four years in a row and Vettel will be keen to add another championship to his collection. Hamilton looks decent value at 8/13 with Betway but Vettel offers more at 7/2, which do you think will be the biggest online betting market of 2016?

It will be a big ask but both Rosberg and Vettel are capable of toppling Hamilton in 2016. Ferrari showed enough improvement last year to suggest that they are once again ready to compete for the title while Rosberg was unfortunate with engine issues at key points throughout the season. Hamilton will be quietly confident of success in 2016 but will be well aware that his team-mate could take advantage if he slips up at any stage.

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