So then who's going to win the championship.

[ralf fan]

Seven races to go then.

Hamilton - 70
Alonso - 68
Massa - 59
Raikkonen - 52

Ferrari have the faster car it seems and we are heading to tracks where Ferrari should be strong Hungary, SPA and Turkey. Will Ferrari now put all their eggs in Massa's basket which will certainly help him because the Mclaren drivers will be taking points from each other. Kimi seems like the fastest guy out there now with the fastest car but surely today's result will hurt him and i feel ultimately has put him out of the running. I personally think it will be Alonso now, Hamilton is under some serious pressure and i think Alonso's experience will tell in the end. All this is ofcourse assuming Macca are still in the championship after Thursday.

[Knowlesy]

I think Alonso will get it. But it's so hard to say isn't it?

Ferrari have a decent pace advantage for the second half, as they did last year. But the reliability isn't 100% it seems.

Alonso will be relentless, it's good to see him back on song.

Hamilton, who knows? But the past two races have been more trying and he is no longer breezing through weekends.

[Mr V]

Alonso has finally found his form and think he will shade Lewis.

I believe that Ferrari will now think about asking Kimi to support Felipe.

So, i'd say it's between Fernando and Felipe. And to be perfectly honest, as i like both of them i wouldn't mind which one.

Would love to see Fernando win his 3rd WDC (and put paid to the Lewisteria that we have seen from the media and ITV )

Would love to see Felipe win his 1st WDC when everyone (well, virtually everyone) was saying that Kimi was going to smoke him

[Knowlesy]

Well the "Lewisteria" won't be put paid to for a long time V, so I'd forget that idea. "Jensesteria" hardly abated before this season did it?

I just want a McLaren to win it plain and simple. I would not be happy to see either Ferrari win it, although if I had to choose one it would be Felipe. Imagine the emotion if he pulled it off in the final race at Brazil!

[Kidzer]

I'm still hoping Kimi can win it, I think it'll be between him and massa if the performance stakes don't shift too much over the rest of the season.

[djinvicta]

Hey!! Not Lewis fault, the quali. The man works under pressure, its his

[BootsOntheSide]

Lewis made mistake after mistake today. Went off in turn 1, was lucky to be allowed to get back onto the lead lap, then a stupid tyre choice, then getting too far out of Massa's way too quickly while being lapped. There were some good overtakes, but a lot of questions remain unanswered. Perhaps he was not 100% (mentally, if not physically) after yesterday.

It's all very close. Kimi needs results quickly, and he probably needs McLaren to drop a lot of points, otherwise the team will have to support Massa. It's a shame, because he's been on brilliant form recently, and was harrying Alonso when the problem started.

I don't see Massa beating either McLaren driver in a straight fight, unless he has a big car advantage. He's lucky to get out of this weekend with a big gain on Lewis, and perhaps even luckier to gain those points on Kimi.

[cobra77]

I hope Kimi can do it, or I know he can as long as the car won't break. If he doesn't win I hope Alonso takes his third WDC because he deserves it more than Massa does. I don't think Lewis can win the championship.

[f1manoz]

Alonso finally seems happy with the team, the car, the tyres, and most importantly, himself.

I think he'll win it.

[Pro Racer]

Alonso will be happy until Lewis is back up front which probably will be next GP, i think it will come down to all 4 all the way through unless Ferrari or McLaren have a form slump, although Ferrari have the quicker car it Breakenem showed it's a little fragile.

[cds_uk]

I cant see why Massa was lucky to gain this weekend, its swings and roundabouts, he was unlucky in Oz, he was unlucky on the grid last time out, it evens itself out over a season doesn`t it, to close to call really, excellent to watch though,

[mjstallard]

I too just want it to be a McLaren. Or a Super Aguri of course...oh, and the notion of a Brazlian winning it in Brazil is a bit nice too.

But I also agree that Alonso finally seems to be almost finding his top game again, and right at the ideal time. As long as McLaren can outdevelop Ferrari and there is nothing crappy coming out of Thursday's hearing, then I think he can do it. And I'd be overjoyed if he did, quite frankly!

Of course, I'd be more overjoyed if Mr. Hamilton did it, but...

We're really set in for an amazing second half of the season though. Can't wait for the next race. I wonder if Martin will miss it this time...

[cds_uk]

Originally Posted by BootsOntheSide

He's lucky to get out of this weekend with a big gain on Lewis, and perhaps even luckier to gain those points on Kimi.

Sorry Boots but you have got to me a bit here mate, Massa did a stirling job today on what i think we would all agree is probably his weakest track, i just cant see how he was lucky, Kimi dropped it whilst going into the pits, thats his fault and he was helped out no end by the race being red flagged, Lewis dropped it left right and centre all race long, thats his fault and nobody elses, Massa was the first to come across the river at turn one, he held it as did Alonso, Button, Sutil and the rest didn`t, no luck there. When the race did get going he had the legs on all of them in the dry, even if Kimi had not broken down he would have finished behind him, no luck there mate, just one mistake by Kimi, several by Lewis and none by Massa.

[Knowlesy]

Massa did a largely great job today, I have to agree. He was outclassed in the final rainy stage, but the rest of the race he was faultless as Alonso.

[luke]

I had a feeling Hamilton was going to win today. He did get up to 4th today after the 2nd turn. But he had a lot of bad luck this weekend.

If the car is as good as the Ferrari he can win. He had his bad luck for the year.

I think overall Lewis has that slight edge over Alonso. Alonso like Massa are prone at times to be erratic.

My money is still on Lewis but it's too close to tell.

[Knowlesy]

Alonso has shown to be erratic early this season for sure, but once he's on song he is peerless.

We saw him the past two seasons, in cars that he got along with, just faultless race in, race out. Over 2005 and 2006 he probably only made one significant race mistake, in Canada '05. When you consider that he was being chased by Raikkonen in 2005 and, even more intense, Schumacher in a massively superior Ferrari in 2006 amidst a backdrop of awful politics then you realise just how bullet proof Fernando can be.

If Alonso is back on song, and I think he is, he will be very difficult for Lewis to beat. Very difficult indeed.

[djinvicta]

No No. Lewis jiggered by gremlins, not his fault. If Lewis had been there................

[luke]

I can't see how Lewis can't do what he has done previously and out pace him or out position him which he has done many times.

He just had bad luck this weekend many times. It will be back to normal if it's a dry race and back to what we used to have.

But if the Ferraris are faster that those 2 will win the championship. I think Lewis and Alonso are the 2 best drivers overall but Ferrari has the better car. Massa has never been good in the wet. Today showed that.

But when Massa is in the lead, he has those weekends when he sets fastest lap, pole and clear victory. When he's out in front he's mega, like Kimi but Kimi isn't as good imo when his car isn't so supreme and Massa can feel pressure and still over driver like he used to occasionally which also Fernando can do.

The Mclaren has to be the best car at least a few times. They have a gap over the Ferraris so they can afford to finish either 2nd or 3rd and still win the title if they are at least fastest 1 or 2 times.

If not there is nothing the Mclaren drivers can do other than best of the rest.

[Fish_Flake]

I actually think Felipe Massa has a fighting chance to steal the crown. Kimi Raikkonen's DNF today has left him with a gap that he could claw back from if this was a two-man fight, but with both the defending world champion and his teammate in between himself and Lewis Hamilton, there just aren't enough points to go around to have a realistic chance of emerging from this deficit. With that in mind, Felipe is now able to leverage for the full support of his team during the title chase. With first and second place in the standings being teammates, neither of them can lobby for preferential treatment within McLaren. Eventually, these two are going to start fighting with each other. Once they do, it's Felipe's job to chip away at Lewis' and Fernando's lead. With seven races to go, it's very possible.

[Marbot]

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

But the reliability isn't 100% it seems.

No,they need to have a look at McLaren's car.

It's too close to call yet.It's still a four horse race.

[Dutton]

Regrettably, I feel it will be one of the Mclaren guys. I wouldn't like to call which one.

Ferrari, like in 2006, are simply not achieving all the results they should with the package they have.

It simply is not enough to beat a Mclaren team in a situation such as it is this year.

[Pro Racer]

IMO Massa seems to be just good when behind the first couple of cars but when he is infront leading the pack he is great and leavs them for dead, and Alonso is showing the same this year apart from some of his passing.

[NAC]

I want Massa to take it out but feel in realty it will be Hamilton

[Patrick Fletche]

The hearing in Paris on thursday could have some bearing on the championship. Let's hope not, I would rather it was fought out on the tracks.

As a contrarian I am just fed up to the back teeth with the Hamilton fanboys, especially the ones at the ITV who ruin race weekends with their incessant and excessive Hamilton coverage. Also the many who never watched a single race last year who have suddenly become F1 armchair experts, but they don't even know the difference between understeer and oversteer. All they know is that their union jack regalia means they are supporting a Brit.

Any of the four could win the championship. Massa was 20 to 1 at the bookies a couple of weeks ago, which was a good bet. It looks like Alonso and Kimi had long settling in periods at their new teams, getting the cars to work the way they want and getting used to the Bridgestones. They both seem to have come through this phase and now they are looking pretty imperious. Class is permanent.

Massa has improved enormously at Ferrari, it is as if he is a different driver now. Obviously he has had a lot of coaching and mentoring from MS. To the point where Massa looks like a mini Michael in the car. He is now very good indeed, the most under rated of the four. He was robbed of a win on Sunday by Ferrari having a rubbish wet setup for the last stint.

Hamilton is a fine driver, he has probably had the best training and preparation in history of any driver before their first F1 drive. He also jumped into one of the best cars in one of the best teams. These elements have flattered to deceive. He is still a rookie and it showed this weekend with his multiple mistakes. Coming off at turn one in the mass carnage when Massa, Kimi and Alonso got round was the true measure of the man. I don't see him winning the world championship with the form the other three now have their packages in.

Looking at the manufacturers there is a huge difference between the two cars. Ferrari had a slump in north America, probably caused by their wind tunnel problems. Their car (and probably their drivers) is far kinder on tyres which is giving them a comparitive race pace advantage over their qualifying performance. The Ferrari seems faster in a straight line than the McLaren whilst the McLaren seems better round the bends, easpecially slow to medium bends and especially on the exits. Nurburgring was supposed to favour the McLarens, but it didn't. Hungary should also be their circuit, grid order will be critical at this mickey mouse circuit. Turkey, Monza and Spa should favour Ferrari.

So my predictions. Hamilton will struggle against Alonso for the rest of the season and will end up with less points.

In the Ferrari camp Kimi dropped a lot of points in Spain, Monaco and now Germany. Despite being so incredibly fast he will have difficulty clawing them back against someone as good as Massa, especially if team orders come into play.

So it comes down to Ferrari v McLaren, Alonso v Massa. This is one that I am not prepared to predict, there are just so many factors that can come into play.

[Gt_R]

Alonso bullet-proof?

I don't know about that, he had shown himself to get stressed and emotional when things get too tight for comfort, and there are races where he just don't perform and expect his teammate to cover for him.

But that said, i think it's most likely to go Alonso's way, because he managed to close right up on Lewis this weekend, and experience and the reliability of the Mclaren will help seal it. I dare say Lewis, Kimi and Massa are all as quick, but Ferrari just doesn't have the reliability and Lewis will bound to trip on a couple of circuits due to inexperience.

But who i hope to see win? Massa.