With the Drivers and Constructors Championships tied up neatly by Jenson Button and Brawn GP in the penultimate race of the season, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the season closer will be an out-and-out race.
WRONG.
I was idly wondering (while I should have been working) what is still left to play for in the last, unknown race of the season. Stupidly, I was under the impression that 1st in the WCC was a big deal, but the rest was ‘chump change’ if you will.
However, it would seem that that is not the case. The difference between 3rd and 4th in the WCC (bearing in mind that Red Bull have 2nd tied up) is worth near on £10 million. The WCC rankings also dictate the garage allowances – the first 1-4 placed teams get three garages each, whilst the rest are limited to two – and, don’t quote me on this, but it also seems that the WCC standings also determine pecking order in terms of facilities and travel.
It was probably just me that didn’t know that, but I thought it was interesting.
However, all the money and spacious garages in the world can’t make up for the hurt pride for Ferrari should McLaren take 3rd and vice-versa. And it will be that thought that spurs their four drivers on in the race on Sunday, much more so than the thought of three garages and £10 million.
It will be a race of endings – Kimi says goodbye to Ferrari, the team with which he won his long-overdue WDC, Alonso says a (hopefully) final goodbye to Renault – his “home” and the team with which he famously won those two back-to-back World Championships.
BMW say goodbye to Robert Kubica who is off to take Alonso’s seat at Renault, and Romain Grosjean could be waving goodbye to his race seat after a fairly rubbish latter half of the season. It could also be Kovalainens last race for McLaren, although hopefully he will be moving over to Renault (again), where Kubica has apparently been lobbying for the Finn to be his team-mate in 2010.
The thought that makes me squirm is that this won’t just be Raikkonen’s race for Ferrari, but his final race in F1. Half the F1 journalists and fans seem to think that Kimi has already signed a deal with McLaren and the other half seem to be implying that he hasn’t put his signature on any contract yet. If the latter is true, I can’t imagine he will be in F1 next year, and that thought makes me a little sad. So my fingers are firmly crossed!
Barichello and Vettel will fight it out for second (I’m not sure I care…is that bad?) and Jenson will want to show everyone that he is worthy of his sparkling new title. Alonso will want to go out with a bang (metaphorically of course) and Hamilton, Heikki, Kimi and Fisic..OK, the first three, will be battling for the highest position on the grid to help secure their team the 3rd spot in the WCC.
All of this, plus an unknown track and the season finale, could make for a brilliantly fun race on Sunday. I hope it’s a fitting end to such a tumultuous season.
