Four in a row for Vettel as Alonso keeps up the fight

Fernando Alonso took a brilliant second place in India today with a superb display of damage limitation in the face of a fourth consecutive dominant performance by Sebastian Vettel in the class of the field Red Bull. It’s really going to take something special from Alonso to stop Vettel steam rolling his way to a third title in a row.

It was one of Vettel’s traditional wins, get pole position, lead in to the first corner then reel off the laps. He blitzed the opposition in the first few laps then steadily increased the gap and maintained it to the end. Not even a broken skid block could slow him down in the final few laps.

He’s now increased his lead in the championship to 13 points over Alonso and let’s face it, he looks a pretty safe bet to go on to claim the main prize, possibly with another three wins to add to his collection as well, that’s how unstoppable the Red Bulls look at the moment. Only a KERs failure on Mark Webber’s sister car prevented another 1-2 finish.

From the unpredictability of the first two thirds of the season this seems like it’s all becoming rather routine now. Still, with three races still to run and only 13 points in it all is not yet lost, and Alonso won’t give up without putting up a considerable fight.

Alonso won't give up

Fernando proved today the Ferrari still has strong race pace and can compete if only he can qualify it that bit higher to get involved with the leaders right from the start. He gave it a good go from 5^th on the grid. On the opening lap exiting turn 3 onto the 1.2km main straight he got a massive slip stream behind the 2^nd row starting McLaren’s.

He shot ahead of them, but Jenson Button managed to hold him off into turn 4 and it was a few laps later than the Ferrari got ahead with the aid of the DRS. He maintained the gap to Webber in 2^nd, but slowly he began to erode the distance between them bringing his Ferrari into contention for one more step up on the podium.

After the mid race stops Alonso got right onto the back of Webber as the Australian’s KERs system started malfunctioning. With 10 laps to go the Spaniard breezed past him in the DRS zone and set about trying to catch Vettel, but to no avail. Webber managed to keep hold of third.

It was a good fight back though, and Ferrari can at least have some hope that with a few more developments for the next race in Abu Dhabi they might have a chance to challenge for the win, but Red Bull likely to have more updates too, it won’t be easy to catch them but it won’t be for lack of trying; Alonso is still in this title fight.

McLaren show pace too late

Behind the top 3 McLaren will be disappointed not to get a car onto the podium despite starting 3^rd and 4^th. Button got the better start from 4^th, but couldn’t maintain the leaders pace and was soon overtaken by Alonso and then his team mate Lewis Hamilton.

The McLaren seemed to be a lot better suited to the harder compound tyre and they began to show some good pace. After the stops Hamilton particularly started hunting towards the podium, and with Webber having difficulties, he was right on the back of the Red Bull come the end of the race.

Unfortunately for Lewis he ran out of laps, Button was a distant 5^th but did manage to set the fastest lap. Overall though not a good race for McLaren, after the mid-season break they were the car to beat, but something has gone wrong for them, and I’m not sure they even understand what it is as surely a team of their quality would have rectified it by now.

They are now certainly out of the championship hunt, when just a few races ago Lewis looked like he’d take the win in Singapore to become the main challenger to Alonso. He didn’t win, his car failed and Vettel stepped up and has been unstoppable since. Too much unreliability has been to blame for a disjointed season, even in this race we witnessed the quickest steering wheel change on Lewis’ car, due to radio problems.

Then again if you look at Lewis’ new team for next year things could be worse. Mercedes got Nico Rosberg in the top 10 but he could only manage to fall to 11^th, while Michael Schumacher started 14^th only to suffer a puncture at the first corner and later retire; great days for the Stuttgart marque.

Rest of the top 10

Felipe Massa boosted Ferrari’s points haul with 6^th, it looked like he could challenge Button at one point, but with 

Kimi filling his mirrors, he eventually dropped back but he at least kept the Finn behind.

Kimi got his Lotus to 7^th, but reckons he could have been scrapping for a podium if they hadn’t gone the wrong way on set up before qualifying. He had no straight line speed to get ahead of the Ferrari, as when he actually did get past by diving round the outside of turn 2 before finishing it off into turn 3 just after the pit stops, Massa DRS’d straight back ahead.

Nico Hulkenberg in the Force India had a good start to blast straight into the top 10 from 12^th on the grid. Another decent result with 8^th, he’s really outshined his team mate Paul di Resta in the 2^nd half of the season.

Behind him came Romain Grosjean who had a good battle with the Williams cars and made his strategy of starting on hards when most others were on softs work well for him to come home 9^th, with not a hint of contact.

Bruno Senna had looked quick all weekend and disappointed not to get into the top 10 unlike his Williams team mate Pastor Maldonado. But whereas Maldonado suffered more contact which resulted in a puncture after Kamui Kobayashi clipped him, Senna made some good moves and eventually DRS’d by Rosberg to take the final point.

Sauber lost Sergio Perez after a puncture, while Kobayashi failed to shine today. Toro Rosso cars seemed to just like causing punctures as both Jean-Eric Vergne and Daniel Ricciardo had their front wings clipped by Schumacher and Perez respectively destroying their races.

India failed to provide us with a great race but it was an interesting one for the title, as despite Vettel winning, Alonso proves he'll not go away without a fight. So off to Abu Dhabi next for the next installment, if Vettel wins there though it’ll practically be game over.

all photo's taken from autosport.com

Vettel cruises to the top of the standings

Three consecutive wins for Sebastian Vettel, two consecutive front row lock outs for Red Bull; it’s all a bit ominous now isn’t it?

Vettel may only just have taken the championship lead by a mere six points from long time leader Fernando Alonso, but in the last two races particularly, he’s been cruising it.

When he gets into the lead at the first corner it is often a sign that he’ll win the race, and so it proved in South Korea. Vettel overtook his pole sitting team mate Mark Webber, held him off on the drag down to turn 3 and from then on was never headed and didn’t look in any danger at all.

He calmly controlled the gap to the flag in what wasn’t one of the most spectacular races we’ll ever witness. The only worry he seemed to have was his engineer constantly telling him to look after his right front tyre, but even that didn’t seem to phase him, in fact he set his personal best lap time on the final lap.

Webber backed him up well to take second place, but any hopes of him sustaining a title challenge were all over by turn 3, and he did just enough to keep the Ferrari’s behind him.

This season has been one of the most unpredictable yet, but on this form can anyone really put odds against Vettel becoming the third person to claim three consecutive world titles?

Massa shines again as Ferrari stay just in touch

Let’s not do this season down though, there are still four races to go and Alonso managed to grab another podium to keep himself well within touching distance.

Fernando isn’t one to give up without a fight, and the Ferrari race pace wasn’t too far off the Red Bull, but they desperately need a speed injection for India in two weeks.

He got a good start from fourth on the grid and was up to third passing Lewis Hamilton, from then on he kept close to Webber generally but couldn’t mount a challenge. Interestingly his team mate Felipe Massa possibly could have.

Massa produced another fine drive today, he fought hard with Kimi Raikkonen in the opening corners to grab fifth from him and later on DRS’d passed Hamilton to take fourth. He then tore after Alonso but a quiet word from his engineer Rob Smedley let Felipe know to just back off a bit and allow Fernando some space.

I always thought Massa was capable of challenging Alonso, and hopefully this is a sign of what’s to come next year. With confidence he comes alive, and perhaps now he is likely to be confirmed next year at Ferrari, that reassurance and the fact the car has improved towards him as the year has gone on has finally allowed us some glimpses of the Felipe of 2008/9.

If Alonso wasn’t so strong in the championship perhaps he’d have allowed Massa through, I think he could have had a go at Webber. Anyway, Alonso will be happy to have a rear gunner now, and will take some comfort from that and that Ferrari aren’t too far away, it’s not all over yet.

Dark times at McLaren

McLaren were disastrous today and can all but count themselves out of the title reckoning. With Massa’s improved form Ferrari have even overtaken McLaren in the constructors championship.

Jenson Button lost out in qualifying due to a yellow flag and started only 11^th. He shot through the Mercedes pair, but come turn 3, Kamui Kobayashi missed his braking point and whacked Button’s right front leaving his day done. Both Sauber’s had a day to forget too.

After losing out to Alonso then Massa, Lewis Hamilton tried to keep it all together but after the first pit stop there was no hope as a rear anti-roll bar broke leaving the car eating his rear tyres. 

He still managed to hold off Kimi for a time, superbly passing him back into turn 4, but he eventually floundered to 10^th and the final point and also picked up an astro turf friend with a few laps to go. Not a good day and one which leaves him 62 points behind Vettel; as he said, his title hopes are over.

No gains at Lotus but Grosjean gets back in the points

Kimi picked up fifth for Lotus, but the significant speed increase from the upgrades with the new Coanda exhausts failed to materialise. With a 48 point gap to Vettel and no extra pace forthcoming the title dark horse just looks a bit lame right now.

It would be a shame if Kimi weren’t to manage a win this year, he’s deserved one, but there are three faster teams and if these major upgrades can’t get them to the front, then what will?

At least Romain Grosjean just about kept out of trouble at the start. He started 7^th and finished there, but not before having a long dual with Nico Hulkenberg’s Force India who eventually finished a place ahead.

Grosjean seemed a bit cautious in his battling today, but perhaps that was the wisest choice which resulted in a very sensible drive. He’s now been confirmed at Lotus for next year.

Rest of the top 10

Toro Rosso had a great day at the races. Daniel Ricciardo started 21^st and finished 9^th, Jean-Eric Vergne was 16^th and ended up 8^th. They raced in tandem for much of the day, when one picked off another victim, the other invariably did the same a short while later.

Ricciardo had the more impressive drive and was 8^th before brake problems dropped him behind his team mate. It’s good for Toro Rosso though, as these two drivers are finally making a more lasting impression, it reminds me of last year when Jaime Alguersuari and Sebastian Buemi would often battle through the field. It’s nice to see their showing their potential.

Nico Hulkenberg had a great qualifying to start 8^th in the Force India. He made a brilliant move to get passed Grosjean and Hamilton at the same time and ended up 6^th. Strange that after being linked with a move to Ferrari it has been confirmed he’ll go to Sauber.

I know they have performed strongly this year, but really it’s just a move from one midfield team to another.

Mercedes got both cars into the top 10 on Saturday but it was another woeful race day. Nico Rosberg got taken out on the first lap again while Michael Schumacher just went backwards, most cars seemed to be quicker than them. I’m sure Lewis Hamilton is still looking forward to this challenge though.

Williams were fairly subdued too, and Paul di Resta in the other Force India spent a long time getting ahead of Schumacher but could make no further progress.

So two weeks off now before India. Alonso has lost the initiative and now he needs to start winning again. Vettel is getting into 2011 form though, but after the season we’ve had surely it’s not going to get too predictable as we head into the final four races.

all photos from autosport.com

Vettel cuts title lead as Alonso spins

The Japanese Grand Prix may well be looked at as the pivotal moment in this seasons championship chase. Sebastian Vettel secured his third victory of the year as Fernando Alonso spun off at the first corner to reduce the deficit to a mere four points.

Vettel streaked away from a dominant pole position to be well clear of anyone into the first corner, championship leader Alonso was not so lucky. Having started from 6^th after being delayed by yellow flags in qualifying after Kimi Raikkonen spun his Lotus, it was Kimi again who proved to be the undoing of the Ferrari driver in the race.

Away from the grid, Kimi was on the outside heading into turn 1, Alonso perhaps unaware of where exactly the Lotus was squeezed him towards the grass, a couple of wheels on the turf then a slight touch of the front wing end plate on the Ferrari was all it took for a puncture to spin Alonso round and into retirement. 

Perhaps the Spaniard could have given Kimi slightly more room as he wasn’t exactly being crowded himself, but it was just one of those things. The retirement that Alonso said he had in hand has now disappeared; he can’t afford to get involved in anymore incidents if he’s to take a third world title.

The easiest way of improving those odds is if Ferrari can get some decent updates on their car in the final five races because Red Bull and McLaren are way off in the distance right now. His retirement means he needs to win again, at the moment that doesn’t look likely without a bit of luck.

Vettel’s Red Bull was utterly dominant today, he was untouchable and was setting fastest laps for fun by the end of it as he managed a 20 second lead. No one was really able to live with him as he reeled off the laps.

I think Vettel will be feeling confident about retaining his title now. Judging from today he has the fastest car although it’s probably more like equal fastest with McLaren and this track just suited the Red Bull.

But of the four drivers in those cars, he’s in the best position to take advantage of the slowing Ferrari’s. It didn’t look likely a few races ago, but Vettel can actually do this.

Another Grosjean start accident

Behind Vettel there was chaos at the start. Kamui Kobayashi in the Sauber had started third but nipped ahead of Mark Webber to slot in second, Webber was calmly filing into third place when another attack of the crazies from Romain Grosjean sent him spinning around and dislodging the Lotus’ front wing.

After his one race ban, you’d think Grosjean might be tempted to play it safe for a few races and at least give people a chance to forget his past indiscretions, but apparently not.

He had Sergio Perez alongside him into the first corner and just seemed to be fully concentrating on him while forgetting there were another 22 cars around him. Webber later branded him a ‘nutcase’, ‘embarrassing’ and thinks he might ‘need another holiday’.

This incident earned him a 10 second stop go penalty, and also resulted in Nico Rosberg and Bruno Senna coming together while taking avoiding action, although Senna got a drive through for his troubles. Webber managed a great drive to effectively switch to a one stop strategy and climb his way back up to 9^th.

I think Grosjean is a good fast driver, when he gets round the first lap he often has produced solid performances, but he has to curb his impetuousness if he wants to maintain a future in Formula 1.

Deserved podiums for Massa and Kobayashi

Felipe Massa at least gave Ferrari something to cheer about with second place, his first podium for nearly two years. It was a strong drive. He took advantage of the first corner mayhem to move up from tenth to fourth. He stayed near to Kobayashi and Jenson Button and when they pitted on laps 15 

and 14 respectively he was able to stay out until lap 18.

While they got held up in traffic Massa set some very competitive lap times and emerged well ahead. After that he held on to Vettel for a while but didn’t have the outright pace but was far enough ahead not to be troubled from behind.

It was a timely result for Massa, the rumours had been growing louder about possible replacements, so if he can maintain this form, they’ll be no reason why he can’t secure another year at Ferrari.

The loudest cheer of the day went to Kamui Kobayashi who grabbed his chance and took his first podium with a great third place. The atmosphere at the track sounded amazing as the Japanese fans chanted his name.

While his McLaren bound team mate Sergio Perez was falling off the track into retirement, perhaps trying a bit too hard to impress, Kobayashi remained calm and kept it all together and really earned this result.

He might have lost out to Massa in the stops but he did a great job to hold off a charging Jenson Button at the end. As the McLaren inched ever closer, Kamui did just enough with an extra tenth here and there to secure a great podium.

He is another one who has rumours swirling around him that he’s going to lose his drive, so this will do him a lot of good.

McLaren off day

McLaren had an off day after recent performances. They never looked like really challenging the Red Bulls. Perhaps if Button hadn’t suffered a five place grid demotion from 3^rd for a gearbox change Vettel might have been given a tougher challenge, but it’s unlikely.

Button did a good avoiding job to end up in 3^rd at the start but dropped down after the first round of pit stops and couldn’t quite get on terms with Kobayashi.

Lewis Hamilton had a quiet day on the track apart from when exiting the pits he emerged just ahead of Kimi, and just managed to hold the inside line to keep the Lotus behind. At the very least he took 10 points out of Alonso and now is just 42 behind with five races to go. But fifths will not do again, Lewis has got to win.

Rest of the top 10

Kimi Raikkonen took 6^th place, he didn’t really seem to have the speed today, the Lotus team haven’t managed to make their passive F-duct device work properly and this seems to have held them back somewhat in other areas of development. He still lies third in the championship though just 37 behind so he’s still in it. But if he wins it’ll be the stealthiest title win ever.

Nico Hulkenberg has been touted as a replacement for Massa at Ferrari. This drive will have done him some good, as he rose from 15^th to 7^th at the flag and for a large part of the race was hounding Hamilton. His team mate did less well falling a place from 12^th to 13^th.

Finally! Pastor Maldonado got some more points today, the first time he’s had any since his win in Spain. It was a mature drive, avoiding the first lap chaos to run in the top 10 pretty much the whole race, so well done Pastor for his 8^th place.

Daniel Ricciardo picked up the final point, another who ran in the top 10 most of the day after starting 14^th. He did well to stay ahead of a charging Michael Schumacher though, who on fresher softer tyres was all over him but didn’t quite have the straight line speed to get passed.

Apparently he’s retiring again, but Schumacher had a fine drive to 11^th after his 23^rd grid slot with a number of solid moves, especially one on Paul di Resta into turn 1. Whatever anyone says, he can still race with the best of them.

The circus moves onto South Korea next week, and although today was the most exciting race in the world, it did make everything extra close. It’s all to play for now.

all photo's taken from autosport.com