Button vs Alonso vs Webber : The Battle for Second Place

The Brazilian Grand Prix is right around the corner and it will be the first time in seven years that the Formula One Driver’s Championship won’t be decided at the Interlagos circuit. It is a known fact that Sebastian Vettel became the 2011 Formula 1 Driver’s Champion at the Japanese Grand Prix, about a month ago. In F1, there is a lot of pride at stake and every driver aims to prove that he is better than the rest. And this is the reason why there is an intense battle for the second spot in the driver’s standings. The last race of the season would be held this weekend in Interlagos, Brazil and still there is no clarity on who will end up second. With just 20 points separating them, three men have the opportunity for being the runner-up to Vettel. Will it be Jenson Button, Fernando Alonso or Mark Webber? Here’s an analysis.

The Current Driver’s Championship Standings:

As you can see, Jenson Button(McLaren) is currently second with 255 points, Fernando Alonso (Ferrari) is third with 245 points and Mark Webber(Red Bull) is fourth with 233 points. Lewis Hamilton is out of the race for the second spot in the standings with 227 points.

There’s just one race remaining, which means that a maximum of 25 points are at stake. This means that there is a realistic possibility of Button, Alonso and Webber to end up second as they are within the 25 point threshold. Here’s a detailed analysis on the possible outcomes which would enable one among these three men to end up being second to the champion.

Jenson Button

Jenson Button (McLaren – Mercedes)

Jenson Button has the highest probability to finish second to Vettel in the standings. He is already 10 points ahead of Alonso who is currently third. Even a third place finish at the season ending Brazilian Grand Prix would be enough for Button to end up being second in the standings.

If Alonso wins in Brazil and Button finishes third, both men would be tied on 260 points. However Button will be ranked second in the driver’s standings owing to the higher number of race wins – Button has three while Alonso has just one victory this season. Button would be the sure-shot favorite for many to pip Alonso and maintain his second place in the standings.

Button seems to be eager to win the last race of this season. He was quoted saying,

“Winning the last race of the year is always a very special thing. And also in Brazil, the Sao Paulo circuit is very special, there is a lot of history there. I’ve struggled to qualify there in the past, but I’ve had some very good races. I also have great memories from Sao Paulo because that’s where I won the World Championship back in 2009.”

Fernando Alonso

Fernando Alonso (Scuderia Ferrari)

Fernando Alonso might have given up his pursuit for the second spot in Korea, but still he has a realistic chance of finishing runner up for the second consecutive year. He could achieve it if Button fails to finish the race or finishes lower than 7th. However, Alonso has to finish no less than 4th if he wants to overtake Button. The Spaniard, who lost his chance to win the title last year because of a faulty pit strategy at Abu Dhabi, has been struggling throughout this season with just one win(Silverstone) to his credit. He would surely like to put the demons of the past to rest by successfully overthrowing Button out of the second spot with a win at Interlagos.

Alonso’s chances are slim but it is possible for him to leap over Button if the Spaniard does well to win on this Sunday.

Mark Webber

Mark Webber (Red Bull Racing)

The Aussie has the slightest or the rarest possibility to finish behind Vettel in the standings this season. Mark Webber, who showed his class last year, has been under-performing throughout this year. Mark Webber has been a pale shadow of what he was in 2010. It should be said that his teammate Sebastian Vettel has stolen the spotlight from him after his famous win at Abu Dhabi, last year. However Webber has a chance to finish the year on a high.

If all goes well for Mark on Sunday, he could better last year’s disappointing third place finish in the final standings. But for that to happen, Jenson Button has to finish lower than 9th place and Fernando Alonso must not finish above 5th position. Note that these criteria are valid only if Mark Webber manages to win the race.

The surprising fact is that Mark Webber has an outside chance to end up being second in the drivers championship standings eventhough he hasn’t won a single race this season! This is a testimony to Mark Webber’s consistent podium finishes throughout this season. Not too bad for a No.2 driver huh!

“There are nice memories for me from Brazil. I’ve always done well there so I hope I can get a nice result, it would be a great way to end the season with a good last race.” – Mark Webber

If it was Abu Dhabi last year, it’s going to be Interlagos this year. This time, the battle may not be for the Championship but it has all the ingredients for a thrilling finale. Will Jenson Button finish this season on a high after failing miserably to do so last year? Will Fernando Alonso prove his mettle in a slower car by finishing second for the second consecutive year? Or will Mark Webber do a Vettel this year by sneaking between these two to become the surprise runner-up? The climax will be on Sunday, at Interlagos, Brazil which is known for producing exciting races in the past. It isn’t gonna be any different this year too. Don’t miss it.