Hamilton and Alonso are no longer thinking about the title

With a 77-point lead over Jenson Button and Mark Webber, Sebastian Vettel could already go on vacation, return only at the end of August for the Belgian Grand Prix, and still remain at the top of the World Drivers’ Championship.

Relegated to nearly 90 points behind, Lewis Hamilton was no longer under any illusions after the race: « It’s really over. As far as the championship is concerned, it’s almost finished. […] I really don’t think about it anymore. »

Same sentiment for Fernando Alonso who still believed in his chances after his retirement in Canada, upon arriving in Valencia: « I am happy with our performance and the fact that the team is making progress after a difficult start to the season. But the gap is 99 points, which is a lot, and obviously the championship is not in our calculations at the moment, it’s no longer in our hands. […] We are still 8 tenths behind, so anyone who thinks we can still win the championship doesn’t know anything about Formula One. »

The look on the faces of the two former teammates during the weigh-in after qualifying on Saturday spoke volumes, as Sebastian Vettel’s pole position, his 7th in eight races, hit like a sledgehammer. His opponents had undoubtedly hoped that the Austrian team would struggle slightly following the ban on modifying engine mappings between qualifying and the race.

From now on, for Alonso, all he can do is hope for a misstep from his opponents: « We just have to take it race by race, try to win races, and simply wait for Red Bull to make mistakes. But, for now, I don’t think we can think about the championship. We just need to see what happens by the end of the season. »

Lewis Hamilton, for his part, is already turning his attention toward Silverstone for his home Grand Prix, but he isn’t under any illusions: “When we arrive at Silverstone, the desire for victory is even greater because it’s our home race and the fans are spectacular, but we are not fast enough, and with the regulation changes, I personally think we will take another step back.”

It is nonetheless surprising to hear these two drivers, known for their relentless determination, give up on the title so prematurely. Should we see this as a hint of self-suggestion or an attempt to destabilize Sebastian Vettel by already declaring him world champion, with all the pressure that entails? In any case, the German himself is not yet thinking about the title: « I wasn’t good at math. I liked math, but that’s how it is. It’s obviously good to know we’re in the lead, but the number of points doesn’t matter much. People tell me often enough, so I don’t need to check. […] »

While there are still eleven Grand Prix races left, the German driver actually has a sufficient lead to secure second places until the end of the season: « Of course, we don’t have to take too many risks to win, but the goal is still to win races. We always try to reach our maximum and if we have a chance to win, then we must take it. But if the car is only good enough for a 3rd place, then we must finish 3rd, not 7th. »

For the German, there is no other solution than not to relax: « Each department has become much more professional […]. We just need to continue doing what we’re doing, be thirsty for victories, and become even better each time. »

There is more than a second title at stake for the German driver, who would, in fact, become the youngest double world champion in history, as this season could see him enter the Formula One legend by joining, at just 24 years old, the Top 10 of the greatest winners, where he could rub shoulders with the likes of Piquet, Fangio, Lauda, and Clark. Sebastian Vettel could also aim for Michael Schumacher’s record of 13 victories in a single season or more likely the record of 14 pole positions in a season, held by Nigel Mansell, a statistic where he already ranks 9th after securing 10 poles in 2010. Moreover, it is in the exercise of the fastest lap that the Red Bull driver is currently the most dominant and could, with a flawless performance by the end of the season, join the great Jim Clark himself in the statistical table.

Find our article on Sebastian Vettel’s season start and possible comparisons in F1 history by clicking here.