SINGAPORE - SEPTEMBER 23: Mark Webber of Australia and Red Bull Racing is seent at the 7-11 store in the Marina Square Mall during previews to the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix on September 23, 2010 in Singapore
With just four races to go, the Formula 1 World Championship remains as open as ever in a thrilling finish to the 2010 season. Singapore shuffled the top five contenders in the pack, but with no driver convincingly holding Aces, Jokers in the pack will continue to upset the order over the next few races.
Mark Webber continues to ride his luck.
Singapore looked to be turning into a frustrating race for what was expected to be a strong Red Bull circuit. An early gamble by the Red Bull team of diving into the pits for his mandatory pit-stop long before the front-runners looked to pay-off as he overtook backmarkers Kamui Kobayashi and Michael Schumacher to sit behind Rubens Barrichello.
As the front-runners made their pit stops, Webber’s luck held out as he emerged from the stops in third place, chased by Lewis Hamilton in fourth.
On Lap 36, Lewis Hamilton played his cards. Having profited from a safety car, and with traffic holding up Webber on the restart, Hamilton managed to get a run on the Australian down the straight of Raffles Boulevard, one of the only genuine overtaking opportunities on the circuit.
It looked as if the Brit had managed to pass Webber as the pair approached Turn Seven, with Hamilton in front by a length. However, Webber dug in, and made a late dart into the corner on the grippier side of the circuit.
It was typical gutsy stuff from both drivers – Hamilton so often the aggressive racer and Webber so often the fighter.
Without enough room for both, a clash of wheels ensued – Hamilton’s rear right was damaged and his race was over. The Brit was disconsolate. Webber continued without any loss of speed, although after the race, Red Bull reported his tyre would not have lasted another “half mile”.
Webber couldn’t believe his luck.
Nationality plays a large role in deciding if Hamilton failed to leave Webber enough room, or if Webber dived in way too late. Happily for Webber, the stewards investigated but found no rules were breachers in the incident.
Thus, Hamilton was out, and suddenly Webber’s third place looked to be another saving effort.
Now, as the fortunes change, Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso appears to be Webber’s main threat. The Spaniard has won the last two races on widely differing tracks, high-speed and flat-out Monza and the high-downforce street circuit of Singapore.
Add the fact that Alonso’s teammate Felipe Massa is now considered unable to win the Championship, yet still very capable of taking a podium should Ferrari continue to lead.
Another consideration is that Red Bull will stick to giving both their drivers equal chances. Of course, as we controversially saw in Germany, Ferrari’s eggs are all in Alonso’s basket.
Red Bull are expected to do well in Suzuka, Japan next week, yet their hand does not look as strong as just a few short weeks ago.
If Alonso continues his impressive momentum, Webber will need to drastically improve from simply saving races and watching his foes crash around him.
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