Bookmakers: Bets are Off on WC Challenge

Mika Hakkinen's odds have narrowed since the last British Grand Prix but Michael Schumacher's form has made the Formula One world title race a closed book.

Bookmakers Ladbrokes have said that they are no longer taking bets on the outcome of the Championship, since Ferrari's Schumacher was so far ahead. A spokesman said it might be possible to get 100-1 ON but it would hardly be worth handing over 100 pounds to gain just one pound profit.

Schumacher has a 37-point lead over McLaren's David Coulthard in the Championship with six races, worth a total of 60 points, remaining. The German triple World Champion is also the clear favourite to take a record-equalling 51st victory in Sunday's German Grand Prix.

William Hill's quoted him at 6-5 to win at Hockenheim while Ladbrokes' price was 11-10. Coulthard and Michael's brother Ralf, in the Williams, were Hill's second favourites at 7-2 while Ladbrokes disagreed and offered Coulthard and teammate Hakkinen at 4-1.

Ladbrokes priced Ralf at 9-2 with his Colombian teammate Juan Pablo Montoya at 10-1. Both bookmakers agreed the battle would be between the Ferrari, McLaren and Williams drivers with the Jordan pairing of Italian Jarno Trulli and Heinz Harald Frentzen next in the running.

Hakkinen, who is out of Championship contention, was the driver to have risen highest in the bookmakers' estimation after being quoted at around 7-1 for the British Grand Prix which he won. Before that race, the two times World Champion had scored just nine points in 10 outings this year.