Betting tips / James Frankland / 28 May 2012 / Leave a comment Bet Now View Market

Tackling the trickiest of GP circuits, Mark Webber does Australia proud and triumphs to take out the Monaco GP. James Frankland wonder where this leaves the championship betting?

Mark Webber became 2012's sixth different winner by delivering victory in Monte Carlo on Sunday. Red Bull became the first team to win two Grands Prix this season, following Sebastian Vettel's Bahrain triumph.

Webber led from the start and held off a five-car train including fellow front row starter Nico Rosberg, Ferrari's Fernando Alonso, Red Bull teammate Vettel - who vaulted up the order after running for 47 laps before pitting - then the favourite heading into the weekend, Lewis Hamilton and finally Felipe Massa, showing improved form for Ferrari. These six cars were covered by a little over six seconds at the flag and it was a measured victory for Webber, who managed his tyres superbly in order to deliver a win on this most tricky of circuits.

By contrast, it was a disappointing weekend for Michael Schumacher, who set the fastest time in qualifying only to start sixth after his penalty for ramming Bruno Senna off track in Barcelona was applied. The German had escaped a first-corner tangle with Romain Grosjean - who retired on the spot with broken rear suspension - but found his Mercedes ailing later in the race and the 43-year old was forced to retire from a points position on lap 64.

The victory moves Webber up into joint second place, level with his teammate on 73 points, while Alonso moves out into the lead on 76. Hamilton is pushed down to fourth place on 63 points, and Rosberg now occupies fifth on 59.

Red Bull's success with Webber and an excellent strategic call for Vettel, who finished fourth after starting eighth, means they move well clear of McLaren at the top of the Constructor's Championship, with 146 points to McLaren's 108 - a 38-point lead in this tightest of seasons. Ferrari have moved into third place, level with Lotus on 86 but, by dint of Alonso's superbly-judged victory in Malaysia, are classified ahead of the British team. Mercedes, despite challenging for victory in Monaco, are 25 points adrift in fifth place and will need Schumacher to start bringing in points if their pre-season aim of finishing at least third is to be realised.

Vettel is still the favourite for the title, with a good-looking 4.23 available for Sebastian to repeat his 2010 and 2011 title triumphs. Alonso is the current points leader though and, following strong performances in Barcelona and Monaco, two very different circuits on the calendar, it would appear Ferrari have got on top of their pace issues. Thus going with 4.63for Alonso to take victory is looking good also. Webber's win shortens his odds to 13.01

In the Constructor's Championship, Red Bull have shortened to 1.95 with McLaren, previously the favourites, moving out to 2.62 off the back of the 38-point deficit they now hold to Red Bull. Having become the first team to win two races you would have to say the current champions hold the best hand at present, though plenty can change on a race-by-race basis.

Next up is Canada, a race where McLaren and Mercedes ought to be able to demonstrate real pace on the fast, flowing Gilles Villeneuve circuit.

We may even get our seventh different winner...