Five stats from the opening weekend in Melbourne

1. In fifteen of the last nineteen seasons - including each of the last three - the winner of the opening race of the season has gone on to win the Drivers Championship. Jenson Button is now the favourite and the best price available on him is 3/1 with Boylesports.

2. The winning team at the first Grand Prix of the season have won the Constructors Championship in seven of the last nine years. Brawn GP are still available at 11/5 with Boylesports but Ferrari, who broke this trend last season to triumph, are still favourites. The best price available on the Scuderia is 11/8 with Ladbrokes.

McLaren ace is tantalisingly close to season victory

With three races to go Lewis Hamilton has a seven point lead over Felipe Massa and while the Brit threw away a seventeen point lead over Kimi Raikkonen last year, yet he faces a different challenger this time. Here’s how many points we can expect Massa to get in the final three races, courtesy of our amigos at chickendinner:

Japanese Grand Prix
Massa never finished in the points in Japan in his three races there for Sauber but came second in his first year at Ferrari. However, last year the race swapped from Suzuka to Fuji Speedway and he only managed to finish sixth. Considering the race is being held there again this year, it doesn’t bode well for Massa.
Points there last season: 3
Average points there for Ferrari: 3

Chinese Grand Prix
The Brazilian produced his best performance in China last year by finishing third. He also impressed there in 2005 by finishing sixth in a Sauber but retired two years ago in a Ferrari.
Points there last season: 6
Average points there for Ferrari: 3

Brazilian Grand Prix
Behind Turkey and Bahrain, Massa’s

Winning Belgium is dangerous for Championship contenders

Lewis Hamilton’s cruelly-revoked victory in Belgium may represent the demise of Formula 1 as we know and love it, but it’s quite possible decision has worked in the young Swiss driver’s favour. In fact,  the handsome devils over at chickendinner suggests that the next time Hamilton sees the three stewards who felt the need to reward Ferrari’s misfortune, he should give them all a hug.

Here’s why:

1. Only four of the last 14 Belgian Grand Prix winners have gone on to win the Drivers Championship.

2. The last two British winners there - Damon Hill in 1998 and David Coulthard in 1999 - have failed to finish on the podium in the remaining races that season.

3. Felipe Massa has never won three consecutive races, which