Who will win the Championships?

[ralf fan]

Easy question. Difficult to answer.

1. Webber - 187
2. Hamilton - 182
3. Alonso - 166
4. Button - 165
5. Vettel - 163

Red Bull - 350
Mclaren - 347
Ferrari - 290

Its all very close there. The last few tracks should suit Red Bull. Webber has the fastest car and driving well. Hamilton is probably the best driver with a slightly inferior car. Alonso however is the form man since Germany (SPA aside) and has a now in form Massa helping him. Button is a wily character and able to pick up the results and capitalize on strategy and well and incredibly likable fellow too. Vettel is a driving like a plank but he's still there. If the last few races favor Red Bull we know Vettel is good at driving away in the distance on his day.

Uhmm...I have no clue who'll do it. Even though I can't make up my mind I am asking all of you to. I'll post my prediction soon. I'm sure you will await in anticipation.

[chillibowl]

no disrespect to Webber, but its between Hamilton and Alonso for me. both know what its like to be in the middle of a title hunt and their teams know how to develop the car up until the last race.

add support from a team mate that will not be as forthcoming in Mclaren, i will predict Alonso for the title.

[Ralf's Girl]

I think at this stage it's still ultimately between Webber and Hamilton, but it wouldn't take much for that to change. Webber has been on great form this season, and Hamilton has for the most part been fantastic - very few mistakes, yesterday excepted. Webber is also starting to push RBR towards making a decision on whether or not to back him, and whatever McLaren claim, if the gap between Hamilton and Button opens up again I don't believe they'll let them race each other if the situation arises. They don't want 2007 to happen again.

IMO we need to see more from Vettel, Button and Alonso before they look like they're really back in the running.

Oh wait, I just realised I haven't actually given an answer. I'm going to go for Hamilton for WDC, but RBR may just edge the WCC. They should have walked it already, and there are more tracks coming up that should suit their car.

[phoenix]

The biggest worry for Alonso must be that he has no unused engines, whilst his rivals Hamilton/Button/Vettel have one each and Webber has two.

The last two engines used by Alonso have seen only one race each, but they were Spa and Monza - the two circuits which place the most demand on engines. Alonso has one engine which has only seen 2 races but one of those was Hungary - also hard on engines. He has one used in Bahrain but changed before the race and that might be used in Abu Dhabi.

I guess the critical choice for him is which engine to use in Singapore to keep his championship hopes alive. Then, whether the Spa and Monza engines should be used at all and if so, at which of the two or three races (depending on Korea) before Abu Dhabi.

I think the engine situation must lengthen the odds for Alonso a little, so I think the two favourites have to be Hamilton/Webber. With Webber likley to have a car advantage at the next couple of tracks I think that puts him just in front. I think that Vettel and Button could also be involved in the four driver battle for 2nd and 3rd but not the WDC itself.

Some wet weather and particularly one or more part wet, part dry races between now and the end of the season could make the championship battle look a whole lot different.

Suffice to say, I'm not putting my money on any of the above!

[Bononi]

Webber, though I think both Hamilton and Button deserves it, but Webber is just great this season.

[Marbot]

Could be anyones WDC. Each have their own strengths and weaknesses, and all have been on display this season.

Button's not the fastest, but he's consistent and clever. Webber's not the most consistent, but he can annihalate all. Hamilton and Vettel can be impetuous, but also imperious. Alonso just does my brain in. Massa could actually be the 'real' dark horse.


Constructors championship (not that it matters much) will be between RedBull and McLaren.

Can't see Ferrari winning constructors championship, but that doesn't seem to be important to them right now.

[Bononi]

Hopefully Ferrari won't win any of them.

[Marbot]

Originally Posted by Bononi

Hopefully Ferrari won't win any of them.

And you thought that I was anti-Ferrari!

Personally I'd like to see Ferrari win both by just a handfull of points.

[GTRMagic]

I find it amazing that in the F1 world of conspicuous excess, that the world drivers' championship may be decided by how many engines a driver has left

I would suggest that Mr Webber is a very very good shot at the WDC, with 2 unused engines in tow, and a couple of other used ones that seem to have a lot of mileage as race winners, and other long stints in free practice and they havent blown up

Renault also seem to like Mr Webber, (Webber to Renault? ) for he doesnt seem to complain about the lack of legs on the froggy firepower... you would think that perhaps, just perhaps, the yellow and black beasties will join forces with the Red blueberries to help their customer secure both championships

Mr Webber has the drive, energy, knowledge and technology. Fighting problems he's forseen. He's the Potsie team, he's the Potsie team

And hopefully

[Bononi]

Originally Posted by Marbot

And you thought that I was anti-Ferrari!

Personally I'd like to see Ferrari win both by just a handfull of points.

Never been a Ferrari fan, and you know that, but yes, you're anti-Ferrari, no need to be ashamed of that we just can't push our opinions on others... Ferrari lovers everywhere.

So my opinion stands... hopefully they won't win !

[Marbot]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

I find it amazing that in the F1 world of conspicuous excess, that the world drivers' championship may be decided by how many engines a driver has left

The "conspicuous excess" became too conspicuously excessive.

Personally, I would be far more impressed if they could keep just one engine going for the whole season with just the occasional overhaul allowed.

[Spritle]

Anybody but Hamilton and MacLaren.

How's that?

[E.B]

I can feel a Webber doing the same as last year and lacking consistency / running out of puff.

Hamilton is the likely winner I guess but maybe he is feeling the pressure a bit after his Monza misjudgement.

Would like to see Button or Vettel win it.....

[rocketracer]

it's a very enticing question, and the monza result was about the best thing for the WDC, as alonso and button now have a sniff.

i think the WCC will go to RBR. i can see them being quite strong over the next few races, and short of a teammate collision double DNF (i hope the Vettel vs Webber thread has been given some extra bandwidth just in case of such a scenario!) i think they will take it out.

of the drivers contenders:

163 Vettel - i feel he is still quite dangerous despite the deficit. He prob has to win the next 2 rounds to have a realistic shot at it, but he is well capable of doing so. Needs a webber DNF but still very much an outside chance.

165 Button - despite stringing good races together, he also has races where he is off the pace (as much to do with the mclaren as anything else). I expect there will be at least 1 more of those "off the pace" weekends before the season's end, of which he cant afford - being mclaren no.2 and carrying such a points deficit. So i think he's cooked for this season.

166 Alonso - whether ferrari have timed their run to the finish line is arguable. I see Monza and hockenheim as being the anomaly rather than the rule, and think we will see at least one more "nowhere" weekend before season's end. As a driver i think alonso will maximise what the car can achieve, but i think it will fall some way short of the top 2.

182 Hamilton - he's seasoned, hungry and in some sort of form this season. the real question is whether the mclaren will be capable enough to take on the RBRs around tracks like suzuka and abu dhabi. The thing which i think will work in his favour, is that when he races through the mid field, his overtaking ability and race craft means he can muscle his way to take 4th and 3rds, whereas his main rival webber tends to get stuck and end up with 6ths in similar sort of situations. my gut feeling is that he will take 2 wins and end up with the title.

187 Webber - obviously being top of the pile is the best place to be, and with the RBR likely to be strong at the remaining tracks, he is well placed to take out the title.
However, i just get the feeling that monza was a missed chance to gap hamilton, and he failed to put many points on him. In close sporting contests, it's often the contender who "makes hay whilst the sun shines" that ends up with the spoils. If he finishes all the remaining races then i think he will win it, but if he has a stroke of bad luck or whatever either at singapore or suzuka, then he could easily be back to a caustic battle with vettel and team, which would be perfect for mclaren.

[fasteric]

Mclaren will out perform the Ferrari and Red Bull teams..heres why...Mclaren tried two different technical approaches on their cars..one f-duct..one not..u didnt seeing crying from the drivers about which driver is being favored and such. both drivers know which ever one works then theyll use it..but teamwork and confidence in the outcome brings results.theyll work towards making the car faster knowing the other teams cars are better..but the rest of season is traveling away..and Mclaren with a tested lineup knows how to deliver results.

[Jamesy-18]

Originally Posted by Spritle

Anybody but Hamilton and MacLaren.

How's that?

I agree, and I'm British. I'm hoping for either Vettel or Alonso.

[Knowlesy]

You being British added so much impact to that post.

I think Webber should take it really. Car is far better than any other, all the tracks remaining will suit them and he will soon be given preferential treatment IMO due to his points advantage.

[Super Hans]

I think Hamilton will win the WDC, thereby becoming one of those rare Champions that won with an inferior car. RBR have made so many errors this year whilst under little pressure that it's hard to imagine them holding it together when the heat is on.

[Wims]

I'm hoping for Webber or possibly Alonso, but I think it's between Vettel and Hamilton

[Knowlesy]

I would say the 2008 Mac was inferior to the Ferrari Hans.

Massa and Kimi wasted that year.

[Ralf's Girl]

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

I think Webber should take it really. Car is far better than any other, all the tracks remaining will suit them and he will soon be given preferential treatment IMO due to his points advantage.

I would love to be a fly on the wall when the Red Bull top brass call Vettel in to tell him that he's got to support Webber for the rest of the year...

[F.O.F.]

Well I hope Webber wins it, I feel he deserves it most in a karma sort of way... But... If Hamilton's car has a sniff of a chance of being nearly the quickest at any of the remaining races, then my gut tells me Lewis will find the rest of the speed he needs to win.

[Super Hans]

Originally Posted by F.O.F.

Well I hope Webber wins it, I feel he deserves it most in a karma sort of way...

It'd be funny if he did. I wish I'd gone to the bookies two years ago and stuck a tenner on Button and Webber winning the next two World Championships. If Webber pulls it off I could've won enough to buy the 2nd HRT seat.

[garcon]

Just to remind folk, the question is who will win the Championships, not who do you want to (although that can be an equally interesting).

Having spent the season predicting Button will be the highest placed McLaren, right now I think Hamilton is favourite. He's had a wake-up call with his mistake at Monza which I think will concentrate his mind. Aside from that, it's a view based purely on his (all be it slim) points advantage over Button, and Red Bull's seemingly undiminishing ability to shoot themselves in the foot.

As a Ferrari fan, I'd love Alonso to come through, but again although the points gap is small I think he has too much to make up with too many remaining tracks potentially favouring the other cars.

The Manufacturer's is a close two-way battle which I think driver consistency and experience will see edge in McLaren's favour.

[Marbot]

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

and he will soon be given preferential treatment IMO due to his points advantage.

Webber's lead in the championship is less than 10 points in 'old money' from himself to 5th place. Even Massa isn't out of it yet.