The Chasing Three

[teabagyokel]

With Hamilton and Webber now more than a win ahead of the 3rd placed man, there is a distinct chasing group now formed in the Championship.

The poll I am setting asks if any of these 3 will not be 2010 F1 World Champion and can be written off.

I feel that Vettel and Alonso can win the title if their car is good enough, but Button will not overhaul Hamilton in any situation.

I open the floor!

 

[F1Yorkshire]

Its becoming a two horse race. Ferrari don't have the pace, Vettel doesn't have the composure and Hamilton has got the measure of Button, Webber can get the title if McLaren's car doesn't improve in the final races.

 

[Brogan]

Alonso I feel now has too big a job to finish far enough ahead of the other 4 in the remaining races to be able to take the championship.
He's currently 41 points off the lead so he would need to score 7 points more than Lewis at each of the 6 remaining races to take the title.
That means for example 6 wins to Lewis' 6 second places.
Six second places for Alonso would mean Lewis would need to finish 5th or worse at every race.

Button I agree also won't do it as current form would suggest Lewis will either beat Button or be very close to him at the final 6 races, thereby not giving him the opportunity to accumulate more points.

Vettel will have the best chance of the 3 as he has his team behind him.
He will though have to beat his teammate first and I can't see Mark doing a Massa any time soon.
Of the 3 though, Vettel has the best chance in my opinion.

Of course, a few DNFs and that could all change...

 

[Chad Stewarthill]

Of course, they can all still mathematically win as things stand. But I think it quite unlikely that Button will overhaul Hamilton from here on in. And if Lewis does enough to beat Button, I think he will also beat Alonso.

Vettel is a bit more difficult to predict; his recent 'Loose Cannon' tendencies are obvious, but one would think he will only improve from now on. He is certainly close enough to Hamilton and Webber in the points that he could still beat them both to the title. He needs to start showing some consistent good race form though, and pretty damn soon.

 

[ATL11]

Just Alonso @ the moment, reckon with something as simple as engine usage, he's 1 ahead (7) of the 4 in front of him (6).

Though believe the vote could all change by 2:45pm Sunday afternoon (UK time of course).

 

[Andrea_Moda_Rules]

I've noted none.

A certain old commentator used to say anything can happen in Formula 1 and it usually does.

I agree,

So many times things have been turned on there head through out a weekend. at this point it would be daft to rule out anyone. 40 points covers the top 4 and there is still 300 to play for.

All it takes is one DNF webber and Hamilton to collide and the chasing 3 could find themselves right back in the thick of it.

Yes its crunch time now but my feeling is with 6 races to go any of top 5 could take the title.

I cannot wait its going to be a titanic battle.

 

[Speshal]

I'm going to vote after Sunday

 

[rufus_mcdufus]

A certain old commentator used to say anything can happen in Formula 1 and it usually does.

And 'F1' is 'IF' backwards, don't forget!

 

[gribbli]

I've chosen all three for the sake of being controversial. I think the Ferrari is not flexible enough in the races to come to carry on competing, Vettel will make some more mistakes before season's end and IMO luck more than judgement kept Button in the hunt for quite a while this season, i expect him to be in last place of the 5 title chasers by the end of the season.

 

[ATL11]

After that Qualifying, I reserve judgement to change my vote after the race, of course for Technical reasons.

 

[Brogan]

I take it all back.

It looks like Lewis is determined to throw the WDC again this year by being too impetuous and not making the most of the advantages of his car.

I reckon Mark will get it this year as he's driving more intelligently.

 

[teabagyokel]

You can now change votes. As I will. To none.

 

[Speshal]

I take it all back.

It looks like Lewis is determined to throw the WDC again this year by being too impetuous and not making the most of the advantages of his car.

I still think you are being a little unfair, 3DNF's this year and 2 of them mechanical, at some point Mark may run out of talent/team orders, Ferrari will have to change an engine, I think it's all still wide open and I love it for it.

 

[teabagyokel]

I'm starting to suspect that Mark Webber is just going to have to keep his head for the remainder of the season and he will take the title.

 

[The Pits]

The remaining races pose different challenges for each driver.

This weekend has shown, if nothing else, that things are still very much wide open, and it does not take much for things to change.

How Lewis deals with things going forwards will be key. He needs to refocus, and put this weekend out of his mind, and carry on as he has been all season.

Mark needs to keep his head. He was also frustrated this weekend for different reasons, but he needs to bear in mind that he is coming away from a track which was not supposed to suit his car in the lead of the WDC.

of the other 3, Vettel can win races, but has been erratic, he is I think the least likely to challenge, however, he can never be ruled out.

Alonso may run into engine troubles, and again, has been erratic, however he should never be ruled out, as this weekend shows, and the fact that he is still in the hunt despite all the errors and issues this year means I think he is the most likely outside the top 2 to win.

Jenson I think has the toughest task of the 3, however, this weekend clearly showed a renewed vigour and resolve. I do think that his challenge depends as much on how he can challenge Lewis as anything else, so I think he has a very real chance.

 

[Boyle]

Vettel keeps showing us that he has the talent and pace to be a champion; he also keeps showing us that he doesn't quite have the mentality to lift the title yet.

I can't, though, see Button catching Hamilton throughout the remainder of the season but as Monza showed, rule the reigning champ out at your peril, particularly one who can excel in the changing conditions of Japan and Brazil. If Korea and Singapore also throw up unpredictable weather then we can see Jenson's opportunistic abilities taking the title.

Of the three, I think Alonso stands the best chance of winning the title. He has a team mate who is out of the hunt whereas the other two have team mates who are leading the title. His car looks like being the closest to Red Bull on the 'Red Bull' tracks and seems to be improving more than the others'. As Spesh has said, those engines could, however, prove to be his undoing this year...

 

[Brogan]

With Hamilton and Webber now more than a win ahead of the 3rd placed man, there is a distinct chasing group now formed in the Championship.

What a difference 2 weeks makes, eh?