Friday 29 April 2016 11:40, UK
Sky Sports F1 pundit Johnny Herbert expects Lewis Hamilton to return to the top of the podium at odds-against for the first time in this weekend's Russian Grand Prix.
While Hamilton has struggled, team-mate Nico Rosberg has made a flying start to this season's Drivers' Championship with a hat-trick of victories in Australia, Bahrain and Shanghai.
The German driver has already established a 36-point lead over his Mercedes team-mate and is now the bookies' odds-on favourite to win a first world title.
But Herbert believes Hamilton's excellent previous form at the Sochi Autodrom circuit will help kick-start his bid for a third straight world crown.
Herbert said: "Nico has been driving well but has had all the luck go his way so far.
"Surely this weekend the man who has led 100 of the 106 Russian Grand Prix laps so far will step back on to the top step of the podium. And it's the best price at 5/4 with Sky Bet for a Lewis win in a long time too."
The former F1 driver is also backing Williams' Valtteri Bottas to secure a top-six finish this weekend.
The Finn was denied a podium finish and failed to finish when he collided with Kimi Raikkonen in the final lap of last year's race, but Herbert likes the 6/4 price available on the 26-year-old securing eight points or more.
He said: "Let's face it, Valtteri would have been on the podium last year were it not for Kimi Raikkonen's last-lap lunge that cost them both dear.
"In what hasn't been the best of starts for Williams to this season, I expect a few smiles in the team garage when Valtteri comes home in the top six."
Herbert is also expecting better things from Force India this weekend and feels the Sochi circuit is perfectly suited to the car, tipping Sergio Perez to score his first points of the season.
He added: "Something's not quite right at Force India at the moment, or as the team state, they've just been plain unlucky.
"The long straights of Sochi should suit their car and on a track where Sergio brilliantly managed his tyres to claim a podium last season, a points finish is the least of their expectations."
Johnny Herbert's Charity tips this season are supporting Sporting Memories.
