Formula One Title Contender Countdown: Lewis Hamilton

In the four days leading up to the climax of the 2010 Formula One season, there will be a daily bulletin with bookmakers odds on the four drivers vying for the championship, with current leader Fernando Alonso being published on race morning as he attempts to win his third world title.

Lewis Hamilton

D.O.B.: 07.01.1985

Birthplace: Stevenage, UK

Team: Vodafone McLaren-Mercedes

Race victories: 14

It seems an age ago when a fresh-faced Hamilton burst onto the Formula One scene with a scintillating first lap pass around the outside of Fernando Alonso in Australia. Since then, the young Briton has clocked up four years, one world championship and 14 victories in an already stellar career.

Hamilton was first known as a small boy appearing on the children's flagship show Blue Peter. Years later, Hamilton went from racing remote control cars, to making another appearance on accompanying programme "Newsround." He had just been signed by McLaren F1 as a quasi-apprentice.

Scenes during the trailer for the aforementioned news programme showed the young Hamilton racing a McLaren branded go-kart around Buckmore Park, one of the UK's premier kart circuits.

Almost a decade later, the Englishman was handed his race début after clinching titles in feeder series such as GP2 and Formula 3. 

A keen sportsman, Hamilton played cricket and football at school, which further enhanced his ultra competitive spirit and drove him to become one of the most exciting and fearless drivers participating in Formula One.

Whilst his championship position deems it unlikely that he'll clinch his second World Championship, the preceding 18 races have shown that unpredictability is the only predictable part of Formula One.  

William Hill odds: 50/1

Hamilton will become champion if:

He wins the race, AND
have Vettel finish third or below, AND 
have Webber finish sixth or below, AND
have Alonso finish outside the points.