Vettel ties with Alonso – championship points after Japan

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Drivers’ championship

PositionDriverPoints
1Mark Webber220
2Fernando Alonso206
3Sebastian Vettel206
4Lewis Hamilton192
5Jenson Button189
6Felipe Massa128
7Nico Rosberg122
8Robert Kubica114
9Michael Schumacher54
10Adrian Sutil47
11Rubens Barrichello41
12Kamui Kobayashi27
13Vitaly Petrov19
14Nico Hulkenberg17
15Vitantonio Liuzzi13
16Sebastien Buemi8
17Pedro de la Rosa6
18Nick Heidfeld4
19Jaime Alguersuari3
20Heikki Kovalainen0
21Jarno Trulli0
22Karun Chandhok0
23Lucas di Grassi0
24Timo Glock0
25Bruno Senna0
26Sakon Yamamoto0
27Christian Klien0

Constructors’ championship

PositionTeamPoints
1Red Bull426
2McLaren381
3Ferrari334
4Mercedes176
5Renault133
6Force India60
7Williams58
8Sauber37
9Toro Rosso11
10Lotus0
11HRT0
12Virgin0

2010 Japanese Grand Prix

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    Author information

    Keith Collantine
    Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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    70 comments on “Vettel ties with Alonso – championship points after Japan”

    1. What a pair of dreary national anthems. Can they just play the Italian anthem as well to perk everyone up?

      1. Surely seeing lee mckenzie must have perked you up a bit? :)

        What made me chuckle was the way you could still see the old Fuji TV logos under the DHL logos on the podium, that must have been a rush quick slap it on job!

        1. I’m pretty sure those logos were supposed to be there, they were meant to look like that. Surely the organiser couldn’t have failed to notice something like that

    2. That’s if for McLaren’s WDC hopes, but they need to keep their drivers motivated to retain second in the constructors championship.

      1. I don’t think McLaren’s second in the constructors championship is in any danger. They have 50 points of difference with Ferrari, and Massa is barely scoring any point…

        1. I’m having a real problem seeing Massa at Ferrari next year and it’s not because he’s a bad driver… He can be very quick but he has only a few times in his career impressed me as a racer.

          Put Kobasenna in that Ferrari and see what happens

          1. I’m thinking the same thing. Massa does have the occassional flash of brilliance but they’re entirely too few and far between. There’s so much driving talent out there and (as far as any of the top teams are concerned) – it’s either perform or get out!

      2. eh, your probably right but keep the faith. Two DNFs is all it takes remember 2007. It’s close enough.

        Hamilton still has a chance of beating Alonso if not Webber.

        1. 2007 is irrelevant, its 2010 and there are 5 in it not 2.

          1. There were 3 in it in 2007 (4 until a couple of rounds to go).

          2. Well, if you discount Button and consider Alonso and Vettel are tied on points, from Hamilton’s point of view it’s only 3 contenders – providing he goes on to beat both Vettel and Alonso at the next race!

    3. Alonso just looks so comfortable with where he is. Webber looks good as well. Not sure about Vettel, but RBR is now probably going let the two of them go for it till the end or one of them drops out.

      1. IF (and that’s a big if) Alonso can take the championship it looks at this point like it’ll be by less than 7 points, and if that does happen it will be very bad for F1. I think it may be down to Webber and Vettel at this point, and Vettel goes well at Brazil and Abu Dhabi. Korea is the big unknown, but sector 2 sure looks like it’s suited to the RB6. Alonso does seem fairly content with his position at the moment though, and he certainly won’t give up without a fight.

        1. i think webber will be good in brazil as vettel in abu dhabi…. last year webber won brazilgp

        2. US_Peter… Again with the Team Orders? Boring.

          Did you see yesterday Heifield pulling over to Kobayashi just because he was slower? Did you see yesterday Hamilton pulling over to Button just because he was slower?

          Is it another scandall? ore better we forget to speak about “2010 thing”?

          1. Hamilton had lost third gear and was two seconds per lap slower than Button. If he hadn’t moved out of the way Button would have simply accelerated away from him at the exit of the corner.

            That’s hardly the same as one driver who had successfully defend his position from another for over 40 laps being told to pull over because the team don’t want him to win.

            And what proof are you offering that Hamilton was ordered to pull over?

            1. Well, I know all the data you give us, and I gave you more data. Now, everybody can think what they want and try to be fair with all the data. I don’t want to follow it up. US_Peter begun it.

              And… don’t speak about proofs because listening to Smeedley the only thing you had was just… a feeling. The FIA did something just with a feeling in their hands.

            2. You would have to be incredibly naive or utterly ignorant of that sport not to see Ferrari used team orders at Hockenheim. And I don’t believe you are either of those.

            3. Thank you Keith for thinking I’m not those things. Yes, I saw team orders then, I Know what I like and what I don’t like. I have also memory, and I know the history of facts to have my own opinion. About TO, we’ve said our opinions million times.

              I’m not going on. I’ll be so sarcastic every time I saw hypocrisy, but I’ll never discuss technical details about TO with you again. You win.

              Now, let’s speak about F1.

      2. I think mclaren just busted their championship hopes.
        However I think Webber had a few better races than vettel, thus having more points.
        Vettel is a better driver than webber, and its kind of obvious!:D
        But webber has the ability to become world champion, i think he will win this championship. If not, it will be Alonso.
        Vettel is far too aggressive and he doesn’t know his limits.
        Alonso knows the limits, to his car and his engine.

    4. I think today was the maximum from Fernando. He said himself that this track was one that Ferrari feared the most of the tracks left. It so easily could have been 5th not 3rd if things had went differently and better for Mclaren maybe even 6th with Robert in the mix. As happy as I can bealthough P1 was the dream I don’t think anything more was ever likely.

      1. I agree, I think he got more out of the car than it would appear… He kept at it all race and he was rewarded for it.
        He impresses me more often than not.

    5. Despite McLaren falling back, things could still get very spicy between the two Red Bull drivers as season closes…

      1. With the McLarens as points grabbers. Vettel will be hoping to win races with Button and Hamilton (or even better for him would be Kubica and Massa) behind him on the podium grabbing points off of Alonso and Webber. They’ll be hoping for the same for themselves of course.

    6. Webber has scored 13,75 points a race (average off course).

      Alonso and Vettel need to close the gap to Webber by 4,7 points a race to win the championship, Hamilton 9,4, and Button 10,3.

    7. Alonso can win the WDC, problem is what went on with Massa. Maybe LDM should have kept quiet as his comments don’t seemed to have helped. I guess the point is Massa needs to take points as he could have finished 5th today ahead of Lewis.

      Come on Felipe get it together?

      1. Did Massa qualify at 1 on purpose so that he doesnt play any helping role whatsoever for Alonso ?
        His shunt with Liuzzi points to the above allegation too. I think he doesnt want to help Alonso in his title bid andwe all know the reason why.
        It looks like a end of the road for Felipe at Ferrari.

        1. I’ve nevr known a driver take himself out of the race just because he was a bit annoyed that he’s had a bad season. Liuzzi ewas in the wrong place at the wrong time after Massa made an ambitious move suggesting he really wanted to get ahead not out of the race. In fact, Massa was too desperate.
          In quali he simply timed his run wrong and then his tyres had gone. Bad call again but that’s how it is.

          1. Well, have u heard driver being asked to take himself out to help his team mate ?

            This situation is not that different and is possible given Massa’s mental condition at the moment after being urged by Ferrari president to play second fiddle to Alonso.

          2. I don’t think Massa is doing things on purpose but he’s really not right in the head at the moment, no thanks to the subtext of his own boss’ comments. Ferrari’s “team first” attitude might win them the championship but they’re deluded if they think that with what’s happened Massa is going to be at the top his game.

            1. I think Massa is employed by Ferrari to bring home the WDC and the WCC. This year it didn’t look like he was going to bring home the WDC, and logically, Ferrari pinned their hopes on Fernando. Massa’s dismal performances have thrown the WCC away as well. Now the only job left for him to do is support Fernando in his WDC challenge. I feel if he isn’t motivated to do it, he should be sacked by the end of this season.

              If you take Hockenheim out of the situation, Massa has been an absolutely useless teammate.

            2. I am an Alonso fan but even then, I dont approve of what Ferrari did in Germany.
              BUt given that, a driver who has 10 years of experience should be mentally strong enough to take things in his stride. This could happen to anybody in any field of life , not necessarily racing.
              If he isnt able to cope with this situation, he shuld leave ferrari at the end of 2010 season.
              I know he is upset but the world doesnt stop for his grief.

              And as far as his Suzuka performance is concerned, he had problems with the tyres prior to Germany too.

              The bottom line is, Massa needs a absolute fast car to perform and F10 isnt best. Its a good car but nt good enough for Massa.

            3. Everyone *completely* fails to factor in the amount of stick Massa has received in Brazil for ceding to Alonso. As with Barrichello, that’s never going to go away – unless he can prove next year that he’s no number two within the Ferrari team. If he thinks – or is beginning to think – he *is* a de facto number two, I can fully understand his mental state: he can’t prove to his own country what he needs to prove for his own self-dignity, because his team aren’t going to let him. He should never have let Alonso past. But that’s done. Now I think he as to leave.

            4. “Massa’s dismal performances have thrown the WCC away as well.” As have Fernando’s mistakes. Felipe may not have been as quick as Alonso for much of this year but when Alonso’s been crashing Massa’s been picking up the points. He even got 8th at Singapore after starting last. He’s had his worst season yet probably but it’s still not a disaster.

            5. Now Monty has said Massa will be the surprise of the last 3 races. Which sounds to me like a very thinly veiled “shape up or ship out.” If Massa’s not the surprise that Monty claims he’ll be, we may not see him in red again next year.

            6. I thought Luca sounded quite positive about Massa. He’ll be in red next year; he’s just signed a contract, the tyres change next year and Massa should have a better season than this year just because he’ll be more prepared.

    8. Kobayashi is pretty comfortably in the lead now among the rookies, even including Alguersuari who raced a half season last year.

      1. Kobayashi hasn’t mentioned the tyre and seems very happy. I think the green stripe just scrubbed off. I find it unusual but don’t think there was much more to it

    9. Great Job…I Can see Vettel taking it away….

    10. Vettel’s right back in there, but he’ll have to beat Webber in each of the last 3 races. Mclaren are out of it almost certainly. The pace isn’t there, and apparently the reliability isn’t there at the moment either. Hamilton has had 3 gearbox problems and 3 crashes in the last 5 race weekends, Button just isn’t fast enough to get in there consistently.

      Hopefully Webber can win it instead then.

    11. Better luck next year Lewis…

    12. If Webber wins one more race it’s his, unless he has a failure somewhere. He’s in charge of his own destiny, having at least one track ahead where the Red Bull can go for the win – and that’s Interlagos where he won last year.

      I think Alonso is optimistic about “podiums only”, they’d have to be pretty specific podiums for that to work. I agree with Brundle, he needs a win – Abu Dhabi is his best bet.

      Vettel has a good chance now, he just needs to keep beating Webber – if that’s combined with a win he’s got a very good chance.

      Even for Hamilton, a win in the last three races combined with a DNF/low score for Webber would put him right back in.

      As for Button, he’s pretty much out of it. Too many people ahead and too many points behind. Still, anything can happen.

      After all that’s happened, it’s still far from over. What a season!

      1. If u remember, Alonso never says he is gonna win a race. I have never heard him saying ” I am on pole and Iam gonna win “. He always says that the priority is to be on podium. This is a separte thing that he goes on to win the races.
        Yes, his “podium only ” chant is a bit optimistic but insie he knows, he needs to win races in order to win WDC. He is a clever and intelligent guy.

        1. I agree. He always keeps the expectations low, and then performs to the best of his potential. I do think he will win one more race this season, either Korea or Brazil is my guess.

          1. i agree! (: He can do alot with a car, he brings out the excellence in the Ferrari.

        2. I think he’s playing mind games, with himself and the rest. If he says all he needs is podiums, it smacks of confidence. And if he tells himself all he has to do is finish in certain places on certain podiums he takes the pressure off of himself.

    13. I can’t condone the Germany move either, but you have to say, looking back now, it’s made a world of difference to a Ferrari driver picking up the WDC. Is it fair to say that the WDC is the more glamourous price? The WCC is important but it’s normally an after thought, you always look to the WDC.

      1. well.. as an Alonso fan, it wasn’t ideal to see him win in Germany like that. But it just seemed for the logical thing for Ferrari to do, as there is no way in hell that Massa would be fighting for the WDC. The chances of winning the constructors title looked slim even before Germany, so might as well put all your eggs in the WDC basket.

        1. Massa proved today that Ferrari was right in Germany.

          1. It proves it was better for them.

    14. Button is out of it in my opinon, even if he could score a win and two seconds, Webber would need x3 5ths or better and would be level on points but win on count back it would also need neither Alonso or Vettel to be on the podium. A similar but not quite so bad story for Lewis. DNFs from all the top three is there only realistic chance.

      It will now take something even more unbelievable than 2007 to happen to all the top three in the championship which of course isn’t impossible but extremely unlikely.

    15. Sorry I meant Alonso and Vettel not to be on the podium

    16. Just a bit of fun was seeing how close it could get in the top 4 finished in the top 4 position.

      VET — 2 — 2 — 2 — 260 pts
      WEB — 4 — 4 — 3 — 259 pts
      ALO — 3 — 1 — 4 — 258 pts
      HAM — 1 — 3 — 1 — 257 pts

      1. That would be INSANE if they finished that close!

      2. You mean, if the Top 4 finished in reverse championship order at the next three races?

      3. I think thats more realistic than hoping for Button

    17. If Webber loses the championship he can thank red bull. they are allowing and assisting vettel to get close enough whilst minimising possible points for webber when alonso is sneaking up with a late charge. i.e. allowing vettel twice to be exactly in front of webber the last 2 races & race before that in italy allowing vettel to jump webber and rosberg on last lap when webber was being held up by hulkenberg cutting about 3-4 chicanes. webber has been 21 and now 14 points in front of vettel and been in front most of the season and doesn’t look like getting much support from red bull but when vettel was only 3 points in front of webber which is just about the only time he has been all season they took webber’s nose cone off in britain and gave it to vettel claiming it wasn’t favouritism and just who was in front in the championship. (mind you webber still won and not to mention turkey off course). noticed webber’s pitstop slightly slower than vettel’s both today in japan and also back in malaysia when webber would not let vettel get ahead more than a second and dropped back a couple of seconds after average pitstops for webber’s car. i know what red bull are doing and it will work for them if vettel wins, however if he doesn’t and alonso wins then they have pretty much thrown away webber’s championship. enough said.

      1. Red Bull is allowing their drivers to drive, which is how it should be McLaren are doing the same. If you prefer team orders maybe you should back Alonso and Ferrari.

        1. US_Peter allways with his funny things… :)

    18. Of all the 5 title contenders, Vettel has never led the Drivers’ championship this year. In fact, in 2 seasons of fighting for the championship, he has never led the standings even once.

      My money is on Vettel or Alonso to win the title this year. Head wants Vettel, because he has had the most mechanical gremlins / car trouble among the top 5. Heart beats for a Ferrari driver.

      Webber seems to be under pressure for some reason, 3rd race in a row he has finished 1 place behind his team-mate. I think he is gonna blow it with a crash into someone.

      1. I think Hamilton’s actually had more mechanical gremlins.

        1. Yes, it seems that McLaren doesn’t let his drivers to fight. It looks like Ferrari. ;)

        2. Forgotten the first 2 races of this extra-long extra whacky season already?

          Bahrain = 13 points, Australia = 25 points, Spain = 3 points, I might as well add Silverstone since the puncture he got from Hamilton was not at all his fault. Total = 41

          Points lost by Hamilton

          Spain = 18 points, Hungary = 12 points. Total = 30

    19. Jenson has been a massive disappointment. I knew there was too much hype last year. He simply can not fight at the front consistently.

    20. I calculated standings if Hamilton has not made those two mistakes in previous 2 races:

      WEB 218
      HAM 216
      ALO 206
      VET 204
      BUT 187

      This is not too useful except for the fact that this makes obvious that HAM himself ruined his championship hopes. Yet still… Let WEB not finish and HAM first and everything turns around.

      1. Same could be said abt vettel and Alonso too.
        Had Alonso not made a jump start at China, not crashed in MOnaco and Spa, he wud be leading too.
        Its all part and parcel of the sport.
        If car isn fast,its team’s mistake and if the driver do some driving errors, its obviously driver’s mistake.
        There is always some reason behind every happening and we cant always hide behind “ifs” and “buts”

      2. Not really. All drivers have made costly mistakes and/or have had bad luck/reliability issues. Why aren’t we seeing people beat up Alonso for crashing in Monaco and his Silverstone antics, he would have had enough points to be in the lead by now. If the situation had been reversed we’d have forgotten about Hamilton’s mistakes and be talking about Alonso’s instead.

        1. Yes, totally agree. Just wanted to point out that at this stage of WDC he undertook some excessive risk. Unlike jump start, all technical failures, these two were clearly avoidable moves from HAM (just like several years ago when he missed pits in Malaysia and then lost championship).

          1. Well, Alonso’s mistakes in Monaco and Silverstone were avoidable too, as were Vettel’s in Turkey and Belgium.

            Plus, although Webber has made less mistakes than these three, Button hasn’t made any, and is 5th. I get what you’re saying but I think the Top 4 have lost just as much because of technical failures and bad luck as they have by themselves; that pointing to recent mistakes is a matter of perspective.

    21. Thats how the Championship will be defined….
      The One who will make least mistakes will win….and about the Luck….it always favours the Brave…. :)

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