Fernando Alonso in command after Korea Grand Prix win
Fernando Alonso is now in the driving seat to clinch this year’s Formula One world championship after an extraordinary race win at Korea.
The Ferrari driver found himself collecting his fifth win of the season in the fading light after the two Red Bulls of Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel failed to finish the grand prix.
The severe wet conditions forced the race to start behind the safety car, and after the conditions worsened, the race was briefly red-flagged. When it did resume, Vettel stormed clear, leaving Webber in second to fight it out with Alonso. However, on lap 19 Webber retired from the race as he applied the throttle when on the slippery kerb and smashed into the wall, taking out an unfortunate Nico Rosberg of Mercedes along the way.
Knowing that his teammate was out of the race, there would have been a grin on the face of Vettel out in front of the chasing pack. Lewis Hamilton jumped Alonso in the pit stops, but that didn’t affect Alonso as he managed to retake the place immediately. Vettel was on course to lead the championship for the first time this season, but his luck was out as nine laps from the finish, his engine had enough and blew up.
Alonso managed to bring the car home in one piece, and Hamilton finished in second, with the other Ferrari driver of Felipe Massa taking the final podium spot.
There were three different leaders of the drivers’ standings in one afternoon, and Alonso is the one who has emerged unscathed. The Spaniard is 11 points clear of Webber, 21 of Hamilton and 25 of Vettel.
Korea witnessed a thrilling race, and when there were five contenders for the title, it now looks as though there will only be four, as reigning world champion Jenson Button had an awful race.
The McLaren driver took a gamble by making an early stop, but it didn’t pay off as he was fighting for positions outside of the points. He also went off the track and spun. He finished the race in 12th, and being 42 points adrift with a possible 50 remaining make it very difficult for the Briton.
Alonso’s fourth win in the last seven races has made him the favourite to win his third world crown, but he insists there is still a lot to play for in the final two races. “Nothing has changed really,” he said. “We know with the new points system anything can happen in one race. If you don't score you lose 25 points with one of your main opponents so nothing has changed really.”
After the British Grand Prix in Sliverstone, Alonso was 47 points off the lead, and after it looked like he was going to be behind Vettel and Webber, he is now the hunted rather than the hunter.
“One result for one race does not change the picture of the championship. There are still four contenders, five, so we knew before coming here that every race is important to finish. This morning [race morning] was wet and we knew that it was a tricky race to finish and of course winning the race, I think my first wet race, means I'm even more happy,” added Alonso.
Red Bull have been in a situation where it was their championship to lose after having the quickest car on the grid, but with two races remaining, Webber has a better chance than Vettel to take the title away from Alonso. The points difference suggests Vettel will have to support Webber but team principal Christian Horner will continue to let them race one another.
“Our strategy is unchanged. We'll be pushing flat out until the end. This championship will not be over until the last lap in Abu Dhabi [last race] has been completed,” he said.
Certainly a contender for driver of the day, Vettel will not change his approach for the next race in Brazil. “There is no reason to change anything. I am sure, had I finished the race, I would have left Korea with 25 points,” he said. “The race for the title is not over yet so let’s wait what the chequered flag in Abu Dhabi brings.”
Alonso’s win has similarities to when he won the Japanese Grand Prix in 2006. There, he overtook Michael Schumacher after he had an engine failure, won the race, went 10 points clear with one race to go and went on to clinch his second world championship.
He’s on course for a similar scenario again.
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