Has Rosberg's chance evaporated?

[Nitrodaze]

I thought Rosberg would have a great opportunity to regain the title lead when Hamilton takes his engine penalty. As it turned out, he is still 2 points behind and Hamilton has weathered the worst case scenario. I suppose the question is, has the opportunity eluded Rosberg?
There is obviously the one remaining reprimand on Hamilton and the potential future upgrade to engine that may play to Rosberg's favor, but that too may turn out to be elusive. With two points behind, can Rosberg pull an Houdini and snatch this years title from Hamilton?

I think his chance depends on Hamilton having some bad luck or making mistake which is rare. What are your thoughts?

[The Black Knight]

I thought Rosberg would have a great opportunity to regain the title lead when Hamilton takes his engine penalty. As it turns out, he is still 2 points behind and Hamilton has weathered the worst case scenario. I suppose the question is, has the opportunity eluded Rosberg?
There is obviously the one remaining reprimand on Hamilton that may play to Rosberg's favor, but that too may turn out to be elusive. With two points behind, can Rosberg pull an Houdini and snatch this years title from Hamilton?

I think his chance depends on Hamilton having some bad luck or making mistake which is rare. What are your thoughts?

It'll all come down to how reliable Hamilton's car is and whether he can make good starts to the GP. If he can get into the first corner first in 4 of the remaining races Hamilton will be champion, if not, it may swing the other way.

Rosberg is due a bit of bad luck this season. Everything has gone his way and he's still two points behind Hamilton. He is due a retirement of some sorts. Neither Mercedes driver has made it through the championship without having a reliability issue affect them in any season of F1. It may be that Rosberg bucks that trend and, if so, that is what might win him the title but it won't be because he has been the better driver.

[zako85]

I thought Rosberg would have a great opportunity to regain the title lead when Hamilton takes his engine penalty. As it turned out, he is still 2 points behind and Hamilton has weathered the worst case scenario. I suppose the question is, has the opportunity eluded Rosberg?


I am not exactly sure what you're complaining about. It's a common knowledge that the Mercedes car can start the race from the very last position, and still finish on the podium. Did you really believe Hamilton was going to finish barely outside of points in races like Spa? I recall the 2012 races where Vettel was effectively starting last, and then finished on the podium. The only difference is that now Mercedes is even more dominant than the Red Bull of 2012.

[Tazio]

I think his chance depends on Hamilton having some bad luck or making mistake which is rare. What are your thoughts? Space....I think Nico is basically tied with The Boss 2/3 the way through the season. From this point forward the chances for "bad luck" is the same as ever, and I would bet that Louis still has more "bad luck", that is; remaining the norm though out the season. However that is just a gut feeling. Singapore may be a real spanner for both/either. I guess we'll just have to wait and see!

[The Black Knight]

Space....I think Nico is basically tied with The Boss 2/3 the way through the season. From this point forward the chances for "bad luck" is the same as ever, and I would bet that Louis still has more "bad luck", that is; remaining the norm though out the season. However that is just a gut feeling. Singapore may be a real spanner for both/either. I guess we'll just have to wait and see!

How are they tied 2/3 exactly? I don't remember Nico having anywhere near as much issues as Hamilton or having to start from the back of the grid, having his car fail twice in qualifying - or actually at all?

[Tazio]

I'm talking points-wise mate, and nothing to indicate Boss' luck is changing! :idea:

[N4D13]

To the OP's question: obviously not. However, when Nico was 43 points in the lead, I still maintained that my money was on Lewis and I keep that standpoint.

At any rate, the facts are that Lewis is not immune to brain fade, nor is the Mercedes car bulletproof. Either driver can have a bad race, or an accident, or an engine failure, or be taken out by Verstappen. And even if this sounds like fantasy to pretty much in everyone in the forum, there might just be a very slim chance that Rosberg outperforms Hamilton for the rest of the season. So it's not like we're done yet with our prophecies. :p

[AL14]

I think Rosberg has no chances, Hamilton can't have problems with the car all year long (unless someone wants him to have them but that's just conspiracy theory with no basis) and in a straight fight we all know who is the winner...

[N. Jones]

I thought Rosberg would have a great opportunity to regain the title lead when Hamilton takes his engine penalty. As it turned out, he is still 2 points behind and Hamilton has weathered the worst case scenario. I suppose the question is, has the opportunity eluded Rosberg?
There is obviously the one remaining reprimand on Hamilton and the potential future upgrade to engine that may play to Rosberg's favor, but that too may turn out to be elusive. With two points behind, can Rosberg pull an Houdini and snatch this years title from Hamilton?

I think his chance depends on Hamilton having some bad luck or making mistake which is rare. What are your thoughts?

No. He will always have a chance so long as he is driving the best car.

[Nitrodaze]

No. He will always have a chance so long as he is driving the best car.

Quite true. He is alot closer than he was in 2014. It could be a great scrap to the end this one. I just hope both cars are problems free so that we may see a good battle to Abu Dhabi.

[Zico]

Lewis is obviously firm favourite but Nico still has a huge chance, a DNF could still end it for either driver.

May the best driver win..

[The Black Knight]

We can safely say now that Rosberg's chances have not evaporated. I wouldn't begrudge him this years title should he go onto win it. Hamilton hasn't been the best driver, in my book, this year. In fact, he was super sloppy in Singapore. There's only so much you can keep up what's new when you're out partying the entire duration between races. Rosberg keeps his head down and works his butt off. Hamilton doesn't. I think Hamilton's lifestyle is beginning to catch up with him more and more this year and have no sympathy for him really should he lose the title to Rosberg this year. He is the quicker driver but that doesn't automatically make him the best one if he can't string it together consistently over a weekend and he has looked inconsistent even on his best weekends this year.

[Nitrodaze]

We can safely say now that Rosberg's chances have not evaporated. I wouldn't begrudge him this years title should he go onto win it. Hamilton hasn't been the best driver, in my book, this year. In fact, he was super sloppy in Singapore. There's only so much you can keep up what's new when you're out partying the entire duration between races. Rosberg keeps his head down and works his butt off. Hamilton doesn't. I think Hamilton's lifestyle is beginning to catch up with him more and more this year and have no sympathy for him really should he lose the title to Rosberg this year. He is the quicker driver but that doesn't automatically make him the best one if he can't string it together consistently over a weekend and he has looked inconsistent even on his best weekends this year.


I have to agree. Rosberg has got a second bite at the cherry you might say. His chances are looking better but can he keep it together up till Abu Dhabi. With eight points ahead, having previously squandered a 43 points lead does not entirely fill me with confidence. But you have to say that Rosberg has a golden opportunity to learn from his previous mistakes and make smarter decisions to help him consolidate his lead.
I probably would not go as far as to call Hamilton's poor Singapore weekend his fault par se. There is not alot he could have done when his car is having the worst problem with the brakes relative to his teammate. That said, it may well be down to driving styles that manifested the difference. In the scheme of things, an eight points lead is not enough for Rosberg to feel comfortably ahead, considering Hamilton had his 19 points lead wiped out in just 3 races due to one problem or another.
The way the advantage has been swinging either way due to problems with the Mercedes car, you could say, this year it is very much a lottery of who is going to be the 2016 Driver World Champion due to lesser car problems. Not necessarily due to on-track wheel to wheel superiority. Hence, it is Rosberg's best chance ever, as the lion share of the problems with the Mercedes car this year for whatever reason seem noticeably to be on the Hamilton side of the garage. Obviously ignoring the token mention of Rosberg having similar problems but not noticeable to verify if that is the case. It could also mean that Rosberg drives around these problems better than Hamilton, but that is very arguable. What seemed like a bullet proof Mercedes in pre-season testing, now having one mechanical problems or another through the season leaves one to wonder.

What l am getting at, is 2016 has not been a clean straight fight for the Driver's championship. If Rosberg wins it, it would be a great story of Father and son F1 World champion in the footsteps of the Hill and Villenerve father and son fairytale stories. If Hamilton wins it, it would also be a great story of a 3 time world champion winning it despite the odds being largely against him from the outset.

As it is poised at the moment, who would you confidently put your money on?

[N4D13]

I honestly believe that you two give way too much importance to the last few races. It is normal that both drivers have their ups and downs and if this season has proven anything so far, it's that all streaks have been broken. So even if Nico has been stronger over the last few races, I would honestly expect Lewis to bounce back and get back to his winning ways.

As much as I'd like Rosberg to win the championship, my money is still on Hamilton, as it has been the case for the whole season. He's the better driver and whenver he's against the ropes, he comes back stronger. I don't think he'll be keeping his guard down come the end of the season.

[Tazio]

What an impressive poll lap from the Boss, thus Nico's chances just evaporated about 2%. If Nico however gets the lead by turn one it will go down to 1%. If Nico gets that jump, and someone from row 2 or three gets between him and 'da Boss it will swing to 4% of Boss evaporation. and so on, and so forth. :D

[Tazio]

I'm talking points-wise mate, and nothing to indicate Boss' luck is changing! :idea:
Sorrrry!

[steveaki13]

haha.... I think Nico must think this is his big chance now. Hamilton almost 25 points behind and low on engines

[Tazio]

Should be a great finish mate!

[Nitrodaze]

Rosberg has the edge now. Still not a comfortable lead but the strongest lead since the 4th race of the season. Rosberg just needs to keep it together and choose his battle wisely and he may pull it off.

Hamilton seem to be losing faith in Mercedes to provide him with the car he needs to fight for the championship. I would feel the same way in his position.

[BigWorm]

Bring back 2x points for Abu Dhabi eh

[Nitrodaze]

Bring back 2x points for Abu Dhabi eh
Now, that would really spice things up, because it will also bring Ricciado into the equation.

[jens]

I am impressed, how Rosberg has turned it around - or perhaps conversely Hamilton has blown it with his continuous bad starts?! Anyway, after the Austrian GP I was thinking - hey, Nico, this is your golden chance to win a WDC, and that's how you throw it away?! That's how topsy-turvy this season has been. Rosberg has been pretty good in the early and later parts of the season, but he was scrappy in mid-season, where Hamilton gained a lot of points on him.

I'd like Nico to win this title. Hamilton has already got 3, so why not one for Nico too. It could even be now or never for him. Sure enough it is a golden chance. He has also achieved 9 race wins this year, which is amazingly much - he only got 5 and 6 in the last two years.

[The Black Knight]

I am impressed, how Rosberg has turned it around - or perhaps conversely Hamilton has blown it with his continuous bad starts?! Anyway, after the Austrian GP I was thinking - hey, Nico, this is your golden chance to win a WDC, and that's how you throw it away?! That's how topsy-turvy this season has been. Rosberg has been pretty good in the early and later parts of the season, but he was scrappy in mid-season, where Hamilton gained a lot of points on him.

I'd like Nico to win this title. Hamilton has already got 3, so why not one for Nico too. It could even be now or never for him. Sure enough it is a golden chance. He has also achieved 9 race wins this year, which is amazingly much - he only got 5 and 6 in the last two years.

What will be interesting to see is if Hamilton can turn it around this year or next. The only chance he has of winning now is if something happens to Nico's engine over the coming weeks or Nico crashes out. Otherwise, the title is Nico's. I think he deserves it. He hasn't the ability of Hamilton but he works amazingly hard and, if you work that hard and mange to beat a more talented driver over the course of a year, then you deserve the title imo. And with 9 race wins to his name you couldn't begrudge him it.

[zako85]

The only chance he has of winning now is if something happens to Nico's engine over the coming weeks or Nico crashes out.

That's what always makes racing truly unpredictable. Even the best engine in the best team's car can fail every once in a while.

[Bagwan]

Even Ol' one-ear said it . Nico could have some trouble yet .

It almost sounded a touch ominous .