Fight to the finish for Formula One glory
LEWIS Hamilton will either be crowned world champion for a fourth time, or Nico Rosberg will earn the accolade for the first time when the final race of the 2016 Formula One season, in Abu Dhabi, is contested today.
The permutations are simple: Hamilton has to finish in the first three to have any chance of making it a hat-trick of championships.
If Hamilton wins, Rosberg must finish in the first three, if the Brit is second, Rosberg can finish sixth and if Hamilton is third, then his rival has to be in the top eight. Given the performance and reliability of the Mercedes, the German is a short odds-on favourite to take the crown.
History has thrown up many examples of teammates who couldn’t stand the sight of one another, and Hamilton and Rosberg fit into that category. Rosberg maintains there is a “respect” that stems from their carting days together, but the body language the pair show when in public together paint a different picture of a relationship that borders on mutual disdain. The political equivalent would be Barack Obama and Vladimir Putin.
Hamilton has “previous” in this regard. In 2007, at McLaren, he and Fernando Alonso had some spectacular fallouts. But that’s what you get when you put a pair of elite drivers – ask yourself how many people in the world would be able to drive a F1 car, let alone with the speed and precision of these guys – together. It’s a world where egos collide.
Hamilton, though, seems determined to be the modern equivalent to another Brit, James Hunt, whose nickname used to be “The Shunt”, and not only because of his propensity to be involved in accidents on the track.
A year ago, after wrapping up his third world championship, Hamilton faced the media in Texas, a matter of hours after the title-winning race.
“I don’t think I could be enjoying life any more than I am now,” Hamilton said. “I’ve been enjoying this year like it was my last. It has been unbelievable. I was in Miami last weekend and had so much fun. It’s just work hard, play hard. I’ve struck a really nice balance. At some points I think, ‘This is on the limit’, and then I get in the car and drive the way I do. I don’t know if it’s James Hunt – it’s a different thing.”
How different, one of the media thought, and asked the question.
There was no subtlety. “Lewis, are you shagged out?”
The three-time world champion smiled. He smiled, and rolled his eyes to the ceiling. “I’m a bit tired sometimes. I get energy from the fans, I get energy from the team. I get in the car and I feel great. I don’t see any reason to change. Up until last year I didn’t drink a lot. That’s changed a lot this year. I’ll be having a drink tonight. I’ve got my mum’s 60th coming up, I’ve got friends’ events coming up, we’ve got the team end-of-year party.”
That partying might well have cost Hamilton the chance to retain his drivers’ title.
Brilliant racer
Rosberg won the first four races of the season and all he could see was Hamilton in the distance in his rearview mirror.
The Brit, being the competitive spirit and brilliant racer that he is, was always going to come through strongly, given that the Mercedes is by a long way the most dominant car on every track.
He has gone on to win nine races this season, while Rosberg starts today also with nine wins. The difference, according to Hamilton, is that his car has been less reliable, and recently he had a dig at Mercedes for making his season difficult.
Later today there will be elation for one driver, dejection for another. But, Mercedes will take another driver 1-2 in the standings and add to their constructors’ title, which they wrapped up ages ago, a sign of their overwhelming dominance. Yet, amid the celebrations there will be thoughts and prayers, for it’s coming up to three years since Michael Schumacher lapsed into a coma – from which he has since emerged – following a skiing accident. Spare a thought for one of the greats of motorsport.
I’d like to end with congratulations to Lungani Zama, who was this week named the SAB Sports Media Feature Writer and Columnist of the Year. It’s a great honour and he is a worthy winner.