It’s very simple and it hasn’t changed at all since Suzuka (Spa really). Rosberg, with 9 victories, is on track to win the Driver’s Championship because of the reliability problems experienced by Hamilton at the beginning of the season. After Hamilton/Rosberg 1/2 at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, Rosberg is leading the Championship by 19 points with 2 races, including today’s, left. Given the differential of 7 points between 1st and 2nd, all Rosberg needs is a 2nd and a 3rd to Win.
Unless he parks it in a wall or blows up.
Which is possible. Hamilton did that big powerplant swap so his equipment is newer than Rosberg’s, and it might rain because it frequently does at Interlagos and if so the track becomes a greasy mess and Hamilton has shown himself better at handling those. Should Rosberg end up with a DNF then advantage Hamilton who would lead by 6.
On the other hand if Rosberg wins he wins and what happens at Yas Marina doesn’t matter.
As we are ticking down to the end of the season, teams are finalizing their Driver Line Ups for 2017-
- Magnussen to Haas from Renault replacing Gutierrez
- 18 year old Lance Stroll to Williams replacing Massa
- Stoffel Vandoome replaces Button at McLaren
- Nico Hulkenberg to Renault from Force India replacing Magnussen
- Esteban Ocon to Force India from Manor replacing Hulkenberg
- Manor only seat left open, Sauber yet to confirm Nasr and Ericsson
Bernie is being insane again, proposing an 18 inch (40 cm) curb/wall at the edge of every track to prevent Drivers from gaining advantage by going off course as has happened several times this season. Fortunately the new owners have shown no sign they even noticed this raving though the Drivers are pissed because it’s simply a recipe for launching cars into the spectator stands. Exciting racing? You betcha.
But you can’t get away from politics. Lew Hamilton has expressed the rather mild sentiment that he hopes The Donald turns out better than he expects, to much controversy. Sergio Perez has dropped Hawkers Sunglasses as a personal sponsor after the following tweet- “Mexicans, put on these glasses so they can’t see your crying eyes tomorrow when building the wall.”
Nor can you get away from the money. McLaren may be taken over by a Chinese group and there’s a shareholder revolt against 25% owner and Chairman Ron Dennis that could result in his ouster.
Tires are Hard, Medium, and Soft. Everyone will start the Softs.
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Author
Vent Hole
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Your Half Hour of Hype
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Raining now. Could be wet from start to finish.
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Recon laps
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Grosjean has parked it during recon
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Safety Car Start
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Start delay 10 minutes
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Formation Lap
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Lap 1 Complete
Hamilton
Rosberg
Raikkonen
Verstappen
Vettel
Ricciardo
Hulkenberg
Perez
Alonso
Bottas
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Lap 5 of 71
Hamilton
Rosberg
Raikkonen
Verstappen
Vettel
Ricciardo
Hulkenberg
Perez
Alonso
Bottas
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Lap 6 Safety Car In
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Magnussen onto Inters. Everyone else Full Wets.
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Button onto Inters
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Alonso, Bottas, Kvyat, Massa, Palmer, Ericsson onto Inters
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Lap 10 of 71
Hamilton
Rosberg
Verstappen
Raikkonen
Ricciardo
Hulkenberg
Perez
Sainz
Nasr
Ocon
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Vettel spins, pits and out on Inters
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Gutierrez pits
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Ericsson spins. Safety Car out
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Verstappen, Ricciardo pit for Inters
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Ericsson stops
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Lap 15 of 71
Hamilton
Rosberg
Raikkonen
Verstappen
Hulkenberg
Perez
Sainz
Nasr
Ricciardo
Ocon
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Safety Car In. Raikkonen parks it. Safety Car Out.
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Red Flag
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Lap 20 of 71 (and maybe the last)
Hamilton
Rosberg
Verstappen
Hulkenberg
Perez
Sainz
Nasr
Ricciardo
Ocon
Wehrlein
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Back out again behind the Safety Car
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Hulkenberg pitted with a puncture
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Palmer stopped and didn’t rejoin
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Oops, no. Hit Kvyat
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Lap 25 of 71
Hamilton
Rosberg
Verstappen
Perez
Sainz
Nasr
Ricciardo
Ocon
Werhlein
Alonso
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Lap 27 Red Flag again
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Out behind Safety Car
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Safety Car In
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Verstappen passes for 2nd
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Massa pits for Inters
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Lap 32 of 71
Hamilton
Verstappen
Rosberg
Perez
Ricciardo
Sainz
Nasr
Ocon
Alonso
Vettel
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Lap 53 is a full points race, else it is half points
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Button pits
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Lap 35 of 71
Hamilton
Verstappen
Rosberg
Perez
Ricciardo
Sainz
Nasr
Alonso
Ocon
Vettel
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Verstappen has a big spin
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Lap 40 of 71
Hamilton
Verstappen
Rosberg
Perez
Sainz
Nasr
Alonso
Vettel
Ocon
Hulkenberg
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Ricciardo, Massa, Botas, and Button on Inters
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Magnussen pits
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Verstappen pits for Inters
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Lap 45 of 71
Hamilton
Rosberg
Perez
Sainz
Verstappen
Vettel
Nasr
Alonso
Hulkenberg
Ricciardo
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Button back onto Wets
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Massa parks. Safety Car Out.
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Lap 50 of 71
Hamilton
Rosberg
Perez
Sainz
Verstappen
Vettel
Nasr
Alonso
Hulkenberg
Ricciardo
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Ricciardo, Werhlein pit
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53 Laps. Full Race.
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Verstappen pits
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