Wow, I didn’t expect to this really happen after last race in Japan! It was just theoretical chance that Hamilton won’t get any point in today’s race. Especially I didn’t expect that a three-way battle for the title will be in last race. That is something what we, Formula One fans wanted several years ago when Michael Schumacher dominated in F1 championship.
So, Hamilton got off to a start from pole position on a damp track, while Raikkonen and his Ferrari teammate, Felipe Massa, started from second and third, and Alonso from fourth. The four drivers held position after the first lap, and by Lap 3, the rain began to fall and conditions became precarious. Then, just as suddenly as it began, the rain stopped and the race became a tactical game of second-guessing the weather. The leaders held position through the first set of pit stops, which were all completed by Lap 19, and they kept their rain tires. The track began to dry a few laps later. Hamilton’s tyres started to wear out quicker than those of his rivals. Raikkonen quickly closed in on Hamilton, who held his title rival off for two laps before falling foul of his lack of grip. and he was the first to pass him, after a muscular battle on Lap 29. After the next lap, Raikkonen was already 8.0 seconds ahead of Hamilton, while Alonso had caught up to 6.1 seconds. Several of the drivers Hamilton had lapped earlier in the race passed the championship leader as he struggled to keep his car on the track. And coming into the pits, the rear of the car twitched away from the Briton as he tried to turn into the left-hand corner at the start of the pit lane. Hamilton corrected it, but the car slid straight on into the gravel trap, where it was beached. Hamilton tried to get the car out, but the rear wheels spun helplessly and, after imploring the marshals to help him, he finally admitted defeat and climbed out of the car.
Raikkonen controlled the race for the remaining laps and finished first, in front of Alonso an Massa.
Hamilton leads the series with 107 points, Alonso is second with 103 and Raikkonen is third with 100. Winner of the race gets 10 points, runner-up 8, and from 5th to 8th place 5 to 1, respectively. It will be the first time since 1986 that three drivers have remained in contention to the last. Drivers tied on points at the end of the season are separated by a win countback — at this moment, Raikkonen has 5 wins and Hamilton and Alonso 4.
I can’t wait October 20 and 21 for the last race in Brazil. Both training and race will be held at 18:00 by Central European Time.
[...] I already wrote, this weekend in Brazil will be held last race of this season. It was never more interesting (oh, [...]