Brazil.
And about
bloody time too. Does it seem like it’s been a long, long year to you ? It does
to me and I’m not too sure why really. We’ve had some great racing, but a lot
of well, dull races. You knew who was going to win after the first corner for
pretty much the whole season.
Most people
had realized that Vettel was going to walk this championship after Spain. Oh
there was Hamilton’s win in china, with a pass for the win least we forget. But
that is pretty much it in terms of dicing for the win. There was a sort of
omnipresent feeling that Vettel was going to be untouchable all year .... and
he has been.
But I don’t
want this to sound like I’m moaning about it all. On balance it’s been a good
year, the racing away from the top spot has been cracking. Once Vettel had
disappeared off into the distance, we could watch Hamilton and Massa clouting
each other whilst Alonso dragged a lame stallion to places it shouldn’t have
been. Button really settled into the McLaren suit like it had been made for
him, as Webber looked like his Redbull had been made for someone else smaller
and more German.
The midfield
saw Mercedes struggle to catch the big boys, Renault fail to deliver its
revolutionary exhaust to the front. Both of these big spenders found themselves
being swamped by the likes of Sauber and Force India. Who might not have been
up there challenging the top five, but they were both a constant feature of the
lower top ten.
With Torro
Rosso suddenly getting their act together for the latter half of the season we’ve
had an interesting fight for sixth place all season. If you were watching it of
course, it was easy to miss some weekends.
Lower down
and Williams has had its worst year ever, Lotus continued to look the most professional,
while HRT and Virgin continued to look inept and rubbish. Actually that’s a bit
unfair. HRT have tried hard, they weren’t helped by the thing being sold to a
bunch of money men, but they turned up to every race and they kept going in the
certain knowledge they’d be 3 or 4 laps behind the winner and they didn’t give
up. Virgin sold up to the Russians and fired the Wurth squad which was unfair
but probably the right thing to do.
I like a
plucky underdog and HRT have provided plenty of amusing quotes for me this
year.
The drivers
market has been a bit static this year. Kubica was the key but then he crashed
before he could take the Ferrari seat everyone expected him to claim in 2012.
Now with Kubica saying this week he’s not going to be in any F1 cars in 2012
(and I suspect ever, I’m afraid) 2012 could well see the major teams jockeying for
drivers for 2013. Massa, Webber,
Hamilton, Schumacher, Sutil and Di Resta are all expected to be moving, some to
other teams, other to a long overdue retirement. Driver like Barrichello are not expected back in
2012 anywhere and Schumacher needs to start justifying the paycheck soon.
Right then.
There is absolutely
nothing at all to race for here, except pride. So I expect Webber to be all gungho
and balls out to restore some credibility, Hamilton to keep the ball rolling
into next year and Massa to start the “getting his finger out to keep his seat
for 20 races next year” program. This week Ferrari has told Massa that no seat
is guaranteed despite what the contract might say. So he’s on a notice to start delivering with a
bit more consistency.
but really, Vettel is going to win this one and a McLaren will be behind, probably.
Our
championship is still up for grabs so please update your predictions and pray
they make a fist of it in Sao Paulo.
Good luck.
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