QWC14

[teabagyokel]

Lewis...

Rosberg takes the lead in the championship, with another Hamilton struggle. Ricciardo gets totally lost in the middle. Vettel gets the jump on Alonso for 4th place, while Magnussen gets past Raikkonen! Button and Hulkenburg have a great weekend with Vergne left in the dust, while Perez leaps Kvyat. So a week of big changes everywhere, got to love the rain!

Mercedes considerable lead is extended yet again. Williams' fall from grace is rendered rather irrelevant by Ferrari's equivalent trevails, but a bad week for Toro Rosso, leapt by Force India and falling even further behind the week's big winners, McLaren.

Amazing what a short Sector 3 can do for you, eh?

 

[teabagyokel]

Hamilton's QWC woes continue into the German Grand Prix, with Rosberg now for the first time establishing a gap. Bottas passes Alonso and bears down on Vettel, with Massa threatening the Spaniard too. Great result for Magnussen who now pulls a gap on Raikkonen.

Williams continue to pull away from Ferrari and into a rate of climb that might threaten Red Bull's grip in second. McLaren show a clean pair of heels to the Force Indias and Toro Rossos.

 

[teabagyokel]

Not a lot of change in the standings save for Button edging Hulkenburg. Most notably, Hamilton's latest explosion has lead to him falling a long way behind Rosberg and in danger of being caught by Ricciardo. Vettel re-establishes his superiority over Bottas in a fight that could well become interesting, with Alonso just back.

Constructors are equally unchanged, although Toro Rosso have approached Force India's position in the narrowest fight of the lot. Mercedes will enjoy that lead despite running with one car for the last two weeks.

 

[teabagyokel]

Really, the status quo is rather maintained by this qualifying session, although Ricciardo's esteemed team-mate starts to loom on the horizon. Alonso gets a little bit closer to Bottas, while Massa does little to join that battle, but better in the wet than Williams' previous efforts.

Again, the top 5 continue to establish themselves with a superb session, with Williams vs Ferrari really the only battle brewing...

 

[teabagyokel]

Hamilton starts his probably futile attempt to drag back the difference to his team-mate by the end of the season, Bottas is emboldened in his fight against Vettel, visible in the near grounds. Button passes Raikkonen, too, while Perez is able to edge ahead of Kvyat.

The very idea of a Williams/Ferrari battle is somewhat undermined by today's result, and Red Bull make no further ground on the Grove boys. Mercedes are 204 points ahead, so that's nice.

 

[Brogan]

The top chart shows just how easy a ride Rosberg has had.

Reminds me of this, specifically the dark purple line: http://cliptheapex.com/threads/qwc-13.6078/page-2#post-224340

 

[teabagyokel]

Hamilton challenged Vettel more last year than he's challenged Rosberg this. And that's not a talent decline, either!

 

[teabagyokel]

0.007

Rosberg's narrow defeat was enough for Hamilton to narrow the gap. Ricciardo bites back at Vettel and Alonso closes on Bottas. Raikkonen missed a big chance, but still edges past Jenson Button in the only movement of a table looking increasingly settled.

Ferrari slightly close the gap on Williams but this race has shown a resounding success for the status quo.

 

[teabagyokel]

A visualisation here of how many points drivers get in qualifying compared to in the race. Note that, as usual, Button moves forward (though not as much as Hulkenburg) and Magnussen is the huge Sunday retreater.

 

[Brogan]

Nicely done teabagyokel, that's a great chart format.

 

[ZakspeedYakspeed]

hmmm ... I feel like donuts now ...

 

[teabagyokel]

A very neat gap for Nico Rosberg who pulls out a lead, and would require disaster to strike to rob him of this title. Most interesting battles are those involving the Finns; Bottas has pulled right up to Red Bull deserter Vettel as Button has to Raikkonen.

Williams continue to chip away at the Red Bull lead for 2nd, but nothing much has changed.

 

[The Pits]

Will there be double points for Abu Dhabi in the QWC?

 

[teabagyokel]

It follows the races, so I'm afraid so.

 

[The Pits]

Aw shucks.

I thought this would be the last bastion of sensibility.

 

[teabagyokel]

If I had an actual trophy to award, I assure you it wouldn't.

 

[teabagyokel]

Today in teabagyokel corrects his errors: I somehow listed Hamilton as pole sitter in Japan. This did, of course, not happen. Apologies to all.

Bottas powers past Vettel for 4th position, while lower down it is Button who has taken a huge advantage against Raikkonen. Kvyat bolts past Perez and team-mate Vergne in a fantastic result for the Russian.

Great day for Toro Rosso who go past Force India. McLaren start to put the pressure on Ferrari, although Mercedes' ridiculous dominance shows little sign of abating. Second placed Red Bull are yet to beat the Mercedes score from the Austrian Grand Prix, while McLaren have yet to match up to their score from China!

 

[teabagyokel]

Magnificent day for Rosberg...

It is getting very close to Nico Rosberg's coronation as he only needs 14 points or more at Interlagos. Another non-score for Vettel brings Alonso and probably Massa within distance, while very little beneath the Big Five. Sutil, however, finally gets Sauber on the board.

There is an outside chance that Williams will catch Red Bull, but by far the more interesting battle is Force India's attempt to get out of Q2 and into the six points they'll need to beat Toro Rosso. Sauber also join the party.

 

[teabagyokel]

We have a Champion...

Nico Rosberg is the 2014 Qualifying World Champion, and confirms it in the best style by defeating Hamilton in Brazil. Bottas will surely pass Ricciardo with the Double points upcoming, Massa is also extremely likely to pass Alonso.

I do apologise for not confirming Mercedes' championship, when they won it. Probably about three weeks before the season, all told, but still. The Williams/Red Bull battles goes to the wire, and double points could get McLaren past Ferrari for 4th too...

 

[Mephistopheles]

Did you have an Arkright moment with th,th,th, thhe double points...