Time to make your predictions! Current standings are below:
1 F Alonso Ferrari 179
2 L Hamilton McLaren 142
3 K Raikkonen Lotus 141
4 Vettel Red Bull 140
5 M Webber Red Bull 132
1 Red Bull-Renault 272
2 McLaren 243
3 Ferrari 226
4 Lotus-Renault 217
Drivers WDC:
1st: Alonso - Proved he's the best all-rounder on the grid with some incredibly unlikely wins this year and has been super consistent. Only horrid luck in Belgium cost him a probable 12 points or more and it'll take plenty more of that to rid him of a 3rd WDC.
2nd: Hamilton - McLaren are finally starting to get their act together and whilst 37 points isn't an enormous margin to track down, it's hard to see where Alonso's not going to be in the top 3 at any race unless a DNF creeps up and bites him. I reckon it'll go to the wire and he'll finish about 15 points behind.
3rd: Vettel - RBR aren't the dominant force they have been this year and the previous 2 races at high speed tracks have been dire for them. With some fairly high speed tracks in Japan, India and Abu Dhabi left they're bound to drop points but never write the lad off. Should jump Raikkonen due to Lotus' inability to get their nose ahead when necessary.
4th: Button (although not listed, currently 6th on 101) - As with Hamilton, he's got the car to earn some mega points consistently. If McLaren had started off the season with the promise they'd showed in Australia and actually won in then they'd be out of sight by now. Should score plenty of podiums from here.
5th: Raikkonen - Lotus just don't seem to want to win when they've got the chance to. They're hounding the bigger players usually in the race but their qualfiying pace has dropped off recently and with tighter tracks to come then they might struggle. Due a win, but I don't think he'll get one this season.
Constructors WDC:
1st: McLaren - As I said, probably the best car at the moment and cutting out the errors that cost them dearly early doors. 2 very strong drivers with the package to win should haul them above RBR despite Button's bad luck costing them a further 18 points in Italy. Almost reminiscent of RBR in 2010 - sorted it out late on and charged through to snatch it at the death. Expect the same again but on the wrong end of it.
2nd: Ferrari - Massa's got a point to prove and a seat to race for now, coupled with Alonso being 8/15 favourite for the title makes for a potentially very strong pair. I think they do just about have the second best car currently but won't quite have enough to reel in McLaren.
3rd: Red Bull - Seem to be on the decline and have been terrible in qualifying lately. Very difficult to stop a slide like that but a win may well stop the rot. However with the 2 teams above looking flawless in their operations then it'll prove difficult, but not impossible.
4th: Lotus - Above 3 teams can win, they can't. That puts them at a big disadvantage but a very capable pairing who tend to score well between them, but only if Grosjean can actually make it past lap 1. A great season for them whatever happens.
Your predictions?
1 F Alonso Ferrari 179
2 L Hamilton McLaren 142
3 K Raikkonen Lotus 141
4 Vettel Red Bull 140
5 M Webber Red Bull 132
1 Red Bull-Renault 272
2 McLaren 243
3 Ferrari 226
4 Lotus-Renault 217
Drivers WDC:
1st: Alonso - Proved he's the best all-rounder on the grid with some incredibly unlikely wins this year and has been super consistent. Only horrid luck in Belgium cost him a probable 12 points or more and it'll take plenty more of that to rid him of a 3rd WDC.
2nd: Hamilton - McLaren are finally starting to get their act together and whilst 37 points isn't an enormous margin to track down, it's hard to see where Alonso's not going to be in the top 3 at any race unless a DNF creeps up and bites him. I reckon it'll go to the wire and he'll finish about 15 points behind.
3rd: Vettel - RBR aren't the dominant force they have been this year and the previous 2 races at high speed tracks have been dire for them. With some fairly high speed tracks in Japan, India and Abu Dhabi left they're bound to drop points but never write the lad off. Should jump Raikkonen due to Lotus' inability to get their nose ahead when necessary.
4th: Button (although not listed, currently 6th on 101) - As with Hamilton, he's got the car to earn some mega points consistently. If McLaren had started off the season with the promise they'd showed in Australia and actually won in then they'd be out of sight by now. Should score plenty of podiums from here.
5th: Raikkonen - Lotus just don't seem to want to win when they've got the chance to. They're hounding the bigger players usually in the race but their qualfiying pace has dropped off recently and with tighter tracks to come then they might struggle. Due a win, but I don't think he'll get one this season.
Constructors WDC:
1st: McLaren - As I said, probably the best car at the moment and cutting out the errors that cost them dearly early doors. 2 very strong drivers with the package to win should haul them above RBR despite Button's bad luck costing them a further 18 points in Italy. Almost reminiscent of RBR in 2010 - sorted it out late on and charged through to snatch it at the death. Expect the same again but on the wrong end of it.
2nd: Ferrari - Massa's got a point to prove and a seat to race for now, coupled with Alonso being 8/15 favourite for the title makes for a potentially very strong pair. I think they do just about have the second best car currently but won't quite have enough to reel in McLaren.
3rd: Red Bull - Seem to be on the decline and have been terrible in qualifying lately. Very difficult to stop a slide like that but a win may well stop the rot. However with the 2 teams above looking flawless in their operations then it'll prove difficult, but not impossible.
4th: Lotus - Above 3 teams can win, they can't. That puts them at a big disadvantage but a very capable pairing who tend to score well between them, but only if Grosjean can actually make it past lap 1. A great season for them whatever happens.
Your predictions?
