LONDON (Reuters) - British bookmakers are backing Lewis Hamilton to come good in this season's Formula One title chase, despite Mercedes team mate Nico Rosberg having the upper hand with six races remaining.
Rosberg has won eight races to Hamilton's six, including the last three, and heads into Sunday's Malaysian Grand Prix with an eight-point advantage.
No driver has won eight times in a season and failed to take the world championship but Rosberg remained behind triple champion Hamilton in the betting odds.
BoyleSports had Hamilton at 8/13 for the title with Rosberg on 5/4. The nearest rival was Red Bull's Australian Daniel Ricciardo at 500/1.
Ladbrokes (LON:LAD) and paddypower.com offered Hamilton at 4/6 and Rosberg at 6/5.
"It is incredibly tight at the top of the drivers’ championship and while Rosberg has the advantage on paper, we think Lewis Hamilton is still favorite but only just," William Hill spokesman Joe Crilly said after Rosberg won in Singapore.