Formula 1

Five title contenders with five races to run

With five races still to run in 2010, there are still five drivers in the running to be world champion. "I wouldn't want to call it," said team boss Martin Whitmarsh, whose McLaren drivers Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button are both ...

GMM

Published: Sep 21, 2010, 4:58 AM

Copy link

Share on Facebook

Share on Twitter

Share on WhatsApp

Share on Linkedin

Share on Pinterest

Share on Viber

Add as a preferred source

With five races still to run in 2010, there are still five drivers in the running to be world champion.

"I wouldn't want to call it," said team boss Martin Whitmarsh, whose McLaren drivers Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button are both contenders.

Also among the gang of five within a margin of a single race victory of Mark Webber's lead are his Red Bull teammate Sebastian Vettel and the Ferrari of Fernando Alonso.

"I think that out of the five, it will eventually just be a duel between Vettel and Webber," pundit Niki Lauda told Bild newspaper.

"They have the edge because their package is the best overall," added the Austrian and former triple world champion.

Indeed, Ferrari came close to writing off Alonso's chances before the Italian team travelled from its Maranello base to Monza and won.

The Spaniard agrees that he is still in the running -- but only just.

"It will be almost compulsory now to be on the podium in each race," Alonso is quoted in the Spanish press.

"I don't know how many points I have but I know I'm 21 behind the leader," he added.

His F10 car was the fastest on the long lines of Monza, but team boss Stefano Domenicali is not expecting a repeat this weekend.

"Singapore is a track where Red Bull will return to its usual levels, McLaren will be strong and it will be a harder fight than what we saw at Monza," he is quoted by La Gazzetta dello Sport.

But the Italian acknowledged: "The truth is I think no one really understands what happens this year, in the sense that things happen differently at each race compared to what is said beforehand."

Brazilian commentator Lito Cavalcanti surmises: "The Red Bull is good everywhere, but the cars of the rivals are very strong only sometimes."

Vettel thinks the RB6 will be strong under the Singapore lights, telling Bild am Sonntag newspaper: "Advantage Red Bull, disadvantage McLaren."

But Whitmarsh does not quite see it that way.

"What I hear people say we'll be strong here or weak there, I don't know how they work that out," said the Briton.

We want your opinion!

What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?

Take our 5 minute survey.

- The Motorsport.com Team

Read and post comments

Read also :

Share Or Save This Story

Copy link

Share on Facebook

Share on Twitter

Share on WhatsApp

Share on Linkedin

Share on Pinterest

Share on Viber

Previous article Raikkonen's Renault interest 'flattering' - Boullier

Next article HRT to survive debut season insists boss Kolles (CORRECTION)

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

View More & Comment

More from

GMM



The season is still very long - Rosberg

Formula 1

Formula 1

The season is still very long - Rosberg



Jules Bianchi's father speaks of family's continued hopes

Formula 1

Formula 1

Jules Bianchi's father speaks of family's continued hopes



Sauber under no illusions about constructors' position

Formula 1

Formula 1

Chinese GP

Sauber under no illusions about constructors' position

More from

Lewis Hamilton



‘I’ll try to win, somehow’ – Can Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen fight back for F1 Brazilian GP victory?

Formula 1

Formula 1

Sao Paulo GP

‘I’ll try to win, somehow’ – Can Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen fight back for F1 Brazilian GP victory?



F1 Brazilian GP: Sunday schedule, weather forecast and how to watch

Formula 1

Formula 1

Sao Paulo GP

F1 Brazilian GP: Sunday schedule, weather forecast and how to watch



Lewis Hamilton needs “serious talks” with himself and his team-mate

Formula 1

Mexican GP

Lewis Hamilton needs “serious talks” with himself and his team-mate

More from

Ferrari



Ferrari explains tyre pressure mistake in Monza WEC

WEC

WEC

Monza

3 h

Ferrari explains tyre pressure mistake in Monza WEC



Robert Kubica announces exit from AF Corse’s privateer Hypercar in WEC

WEC

WEC

Monza

22 h

Robert Kubica announces exit from AF Corse’s privateer Hypercar in WEC



Why Ferrari must act now after its own 'Papaya Rules' moment

Formula 1

Mexican GP

Why Ferrari must act now after its own 'Papaya Rules' moment

Latest news



Alex Bowman hits out at critics in snarky post, shooting down early exit rumors

NASCAR Cup

NAS NASCAR Cup

Homestead-Miami

3 h

Alex Bowman hits out at critics in snarky post, shooting down early exit rumors



Ryan Blaney gets sweet redemption after 'nightmares' following 2024 Homestead loss

NASCAR Cup

NAS NASCAR Cup

Homestead-Miami

3 h

Ryan Blaney gets sweet redemption after 'nightmares' following 2024 Homestead loss



IndyCar 2026 season review: Dale Coyne Racing

IndyCar

Indy IndyCar 3 h

IndyCar 2026 season review: Dale Coyne Racing



Noah Gragson apologizes to Daniel Suarez for spinning him at Homestead

NASCAR Cup

NAS NASCAR Cup

Homestead-Miami

3 h

Noah Gragson apologizes to Daniel Suarez for spinning him at Homestead

Feature

Discover prime content



How Formula 1 proved the naysayers wrong – for once

Formula 1

Sao Paulo GP

By Stuart Codling

How Formula 1 proved the naysayers wrong – for once



How Lando Norris prevailed in a swift errors tour of Interlagos

Formula 1

Sao Paulo GP

By Stuart Codling

How Lando Norris prevailed in a swift errors tour of Interlagos



"He really wanted it" – why Russell was furious over aborted Brazil ‘pole’ lap

Formula 1

Sao Paulo GP

By Stuart Codling

"He really wanted it" – why Russell was furious over aborted Brazil ‘pole’ lap



What we learned from Friday practice at the 2026 Brazilian GP

Formula 1

Sao Paulo GP

By Jake Boxall-Legge

What we learned from Friday practice at the 2026 Brazilian GP

Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.

From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.

You have 2 options:

Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here

Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page

Manage Alerts

Subscribe