TwentySix

Wow, what a race! This season has been great with all the ups and downs. Feel sorry for MW but that was the kind of race where you couldn't put a foot wrong if you wanted to finish, let alone win the WDC... shouldn't he have been on the brakes after he hit the wall? Rosberg looked strong and might have been on the podium, what a shame for him. FA drove a heads up race with a lot of patience. Hammy hung in there by the skin of his teeth and scored crucial points, but I think the McLaren boys are done for. Vettel looked like he was going to go the distance, then my DVR stopped recording the race and I never saw beyond lap 38. I must say I was pleased with the results

Fernando is Fantastico!! Forza Ferrari!!

TwentySix

You know, in real life MS seems like a good family guy. All fame and glory to him for breaking records. The problem I have with Schumacher is he has no scruples on the track and I despise that part of him. When he is out there, he will take the lives of his fellow drivers in his hands to manipulate the outcome of a car race. That's just wrong. He could have killed Ruebens this year in a not so subtle reminder of the kind of guy he is with the visor down. He texted to say sorry? That doesn't cut it in my book. I guess it wasn't enough for him as he was just reprimanded by the FIA for blocking Ruebens in Q2 qualifying on Saturday. All your back room drama and innuendo about FA pales in comparison, and I frankly don't give a damn about that stuff. Michael Schumacher is person who will risk someone else's life for sport

theporscheguy

The pit in looks brutal. The pit exit did not have a blend line as with many other tracks, or at least not one that the drivers paid attention to. Massa almost made the same mistake Webber did and was just able to catch the car. Button had a terrible race. Alonso drove a clean race and a little luck, both of which paid off.

Lets see what Brazil has to offer.

Tedster

Sorry but there are many folks (like Jackie Stewart) who trace this disregard for the safety of other drivers back to Ayrton Senna. The fault is not entirely with the drivers who are paid to push the envelope. It is with the FIA and Grand Prix Drivers Association that allow this sort of behavior time and again. And with the "fans" (not on this forum) that watch to see the "bloodsport" that racing has always been. I think that the more safety innovations that are introduced the more aggressive the driving will become. The consequences are now far less than they have ever been.

TwentySix

Here's how it lays out now, can't wait for the next race


Two to go: The championship situation
25 October 2010
After a quite remarkable turn of events on Sunday, Fernando Alonso could now win his third Formula 1 drivers’ title in Brazil. As for the other four contenders, Abu Dhabi is the only place in which they can only spoil the Spaniard’s party. GPUpdate.net takes a look at the 2010 championship permutations with just two races to go.

Red Bull could have won their first Constructors’ Championship at the weekend; instead, thanks to fluctuations typical of this amazing season, both cars retired from first and second places. Although taking team honours is still a more than realistic aim, though, the Drivers’ Championship situation has now become distinctly tricky.

Yeongam was also highly significant in that Jenson Button’s disastrous race means that, as he has admitted himself, the reigning Champion is highly likely to lose his crown for the fourth consecutive year. That said, anything can happen at Interlagos, as the details below confirm:

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Fernando Alonso (championship leader, 231 points)
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Alonso is the only man who could win the title with one race to spare. To do that, he must finish on the podium in Brazil, with the following situations taking place:

- Winning the race with Webber 5th or lower
- Finishing 2nd with Webber 8th or lower
- Finishing 3rd with Webber 10th or lower

This confirms that Webber is the only man who can stop Alonso in Brazil. If the Spaniard does finish on the rostrum, no result from any other contender would prevent the Ferrari driver from winning the title.
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Mark Webber (2nd overall, 220 points)
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Webber will remain in the fight providing Alonso finishes off the podium in Brazil, although the Australian will be out of the championship if one of the following situations become a reality:

- Alonso wins and Webber finishes 5th or lower
- Alonso finishes 2nd and Webber finishes 8th or lower
- Alonso finishes 3rd and Webber finishes 10th or lower

So, if Alonso is 4th then we know Webber is safe, no matter where he is. However, if Alonso is in the top three, Webber knows where he needs to be.
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Lewis Hamilton (3rd overall, 210 points)
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Like Webber, Hamilton could remain in the running without even scoring in Brazil, although the 2008 Champion will be unable to clinch a second crown in 2010 under the following circumstances:

- Alonso wins the race
- Alonso finishes 2nd and Hamilton finishes 4th or lower
- Alonso finishes 3rd and Hamilton finishes 5th or lower
- Webber wins the race and Hamilton finishes 5th or lower
- Webber finishes 2nd and Hamilton finishes 9th or lower

For Hamilton, he knows he is powerless if Alonso wins. Under any other circumstances, Lewis can prevent Alonso and Webber from becoming untouchable.
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Sebastian Vettel (4th overall, 206 points)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Vettel currently lies 25 points in arrears of Alonso, meaning he must finish at least 10th and therefore score one point at Interlagos to stay in the game. However, it will all be over if this happens in Brazil:

- Alonso wins the race
- Alonso finishes 2nd-10th and Vettel does not finish ahead
- Webber wins the race and Vettel finishes 4th or lower
- Webber finishes 2nd and Vettel finishes 7th or lower
- Webber finishes 3rd and Vettel finishes 8th or lower
- Webber finishes 4th and Vettel finishes 10th or lower

Basically, Vettel must finish ahead of Alonso (providing Fernando scores) but if the Ferrari driver wins then Sebastian can’t do anything to stop him. Even if the Spaniard fails to score, Sebastian knows that a top ten result is vital to stay in touch. Webber is also a threat but Vettel can just about keep up, even if Mark wins in Brazil.
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Jenson Button (5th overall, 189 points)
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The reigning Champion has the hardest job of any of the five title contenders, as he must finish at least at least 2nd no matter what happens in Brazil. However, if the following things do happen, Button becomes mathematically helpless:

- Alonso finishes 6th or higher
- Alonso finishes 7th-10th and Button does not win
- Webber wins
- Webber finishes 2nd-4th and Button does not win

Not only does Jenson need to finish at least second, but he needs other things to happen to Fernando Alonso. Even if the Spaniard fails to score and Jenson wins, the Frome driver still needs Mark Webber to finish fifth or lower. The best the McLaren man can do now is to aim for the win and pray for carnage behind…or, more realistically, help Hamilton.

RajDatta

So, based on your post TwentySix, Alonso could be a marked man in Brazil. It's in everyone's interest that he doesn't win the race.
Wow, instead of yrs in the past, when it was between 2 drivers, he has 4 other drivers aiming at him.
Alonso has to shoot for the pole and hope Massa can cover his back.
This is going to be epic.

TwentySix

I agree about lack of consequences bringing out more aggressive driving, but the choice to knowingly endanger someones life is squarely with the driver. I'm not saying Michael Schumacher is the original sinner, but he's taken it to a new level, imo...

A.Wayne

The outcome is inevitable .......as predicted by the one .......

multi21

I think it was well documented that Senna was the one to start this trend as he took out Prost more than once and sometimes just because he didn't like him -- not for points or championship implications.

I also agree with Tedster that with better safety equipment, a driver takes more liberties and plays fast and loose with crashes. When looking at the Kubica accident in Montreal a few years ago, I thought for sure he was a dead man. Yet he only walks away with a sprang ankle. You take a look at the Miko Salo accident at Suzuka and he's fine. These add to the confidence a driver has in his car and the potential outcome.

I'm not saying it's right, but it is what it is.... in the heat of battle, their will to win is paramount to the consequences, especially if those consequences are lessed by superior equipment in safety.

My feeling is that MS was not intentially trying to put Rubens in the wall. If you look at the on board shot, you don't see that. It's only from the outside looking at both cars coming down to T1 that you see how close Rubens actually is to that wall.

What several find amazing is that the Alonso apologists have absolutely no problem or even question the tactic of ordering a teammate to crash into a wall! It's like it didn't exist or the denial that it was even known. Some like the buffon A. Wayne make light of the fact that Pinquet crashes every race anyway, so what is another crash to him. The fact that it was premeditated and planned so far in advance raises the severity of the offense!

Let's not forget that it was not too long ago that criminal charges were brought upon teams and team managers when a death occured in the sport. What Alonso, Briatore and Pat Symonds ordered Pinquet to do should have resulted in criminal attemped murder charges. And that's all I have to say about that.

RajDatta

Correction.
This was something that took place between Favio, Symonds and Nelson. Nelson agreed to do this to save his job. He did it knowing that it was potentially dangerous. Alonso had no knowledge of this and it has never been proven otherwise. Nelson blew the wistle on everyone, why would he not point at Alonso? Not once has he ever said Alonso was aware of this, why? Also, you mean suicide charges on Nelson, correct?
Also, you must **** on others parade to feel better? Well it doesn't matter. You guys can cry all you want. This is a desperate attempt to spoil the party and it won't work.
Good luck.

smlporsche

Good banter and I can say I agree (and disagree) with all of it...

The one thing that I cannot understand is what a poor track design Korea is..
The golden boy designs a track for multi million euros that :
1. Is too narrow
2. Can't drain worth a dam because it's in part built on a freekin swamp...
3. Has one section with just straights and 2 sections with virtually no place to pass
4. Has what has to be the worst pit entrance in all of F1
5. Has the worst apex design I've ever seen...

Let's hope that TX is better that this POS.

multi21

Raj, I think that's either denial or naivete on your part. The #1 didn't know what the plan was before the race? When they didn't fuel him up starting from the back? Come on. How long you been watching?

Convincing you otherwise is going to be harder than convincing ltc that Sato is..... oh, never mind.... Likie my avatar Raj?

wanna911

He doesn't actually believe that. No matter how many times he repeats it to himself.

KurtC

It used to amaze me, now it's just funny. I don't think the Alonso apologists realise everyone is laughing at them, not with them.

Well done to FA, though. I took no joy in his victory but I'm glad that the two Red Bull retirements gave Lewis a chance to catch back up a little. It'll make for a more exciting finale.

Also, can anyone find a single thing special about this track?

MissBehavin'

I think it was a very entertaining race. I had to click my five minute button to get thru the three stooges commentary, but once it began (lap what???), it was great. Andrian Sutil took the Koy-bash-i award. Bad joke. MW took his lumps. Poor Nico. I said out loud, right then, Ferrari wins the championship. I was not surprised when Vettel blew up, because FA caught up with before it happened.
I have to say with all the terrible things that could have happened in the race solely because of the track, none did. No pavement or curbs gave way. No pit in, pit out exploits. No blend line worse danger next year in dry race. That terrible pit in on the apex... we all got used to Spa remodel? I liked the dip, 10 and 16. Pick another line if it intimidates you. Equal race for all 'cept Vettel dry visor!
Isn't there some stat out there that one of you guys can provide, about Ferrari having highest probability of new driver who win's first race of year, and then the championship same year???? Just saying