Vettel cruises to the top of the standings

Three consecutive wins for Sebastian Vettel, two consecutive front row lock outs for Red Bull; it’s all a bit ominous now isn’t it?

Vettel may only just have taken the championship lead by a mere six points from long time leader Fernando Alonso, but in the last two races particularly, he’s been cruising it.

When he gets into the lead at the first corner it is often a sign that he’ll win the race, and so it proved in South Korea. Vettel overtook his pole sitting team mate Mark Webber, held him off on the drag down to turn 3 and from then on was never headed and didn’t look in any danger at all.

He calmly controlled the gap to the flag in what wasn’t one of the most spectacular races we’ll ever witness. The only worry he seemed to have was his engineer constantly telling him to look after his right front tyre, but even that didn’t seem to phase him, in fact he set his personal best lap time on the final lap.

Webber backed him up well to take second place, but any hopes of him sustaining a title challenge were all over by turn 3, and he did just enough to keep the Ferrari’s behind him.

This season has been one of the most unpredictable yet, but on this form can anyone really put odds against Vettel becoming the third person to claim three consecutive world titles?

Massa shines again as Ferrari stay just in touch

Let’s not do this season down though, there are still four races to go and Alonso managed to grab another podium to keep himself well within touching distance.

Fernando isn’t one to give up without a fight, and the Ferrari race pace wasn’t too far off the Red Bull, but they desperately need a speed injection for India in two weeks.

He got a good start from fourth on the grid and was up to third passing Lewis Hamilton, from then on he kept close to Webber generally but couldn’t mount a challenge. Interestingly his team mate Felipe Massa possibly could have.

Massa produced another fine drive today, he fought hard with Kimi Raikkonen in the opening corners to grab fifth from him and later on DRS’d passed Hamilton to take fourth. He then tore after Alonso but a quiet word from his engineer Rob Smedley let Felipe know to just back off a bit and allow Fernando some space.

I always thought Massa was capable of challenging Alonso, and hopefully this is a sign of what’s to come next year. With confidence he comes alive, and perhaps now he is likely to be confirmed next year at Ferrari, that reassurance and the fact the car has improved towards him as the year has gone on has finally allowed us some glimpses of the Felipe of 2008/9.

If Alonso wasn’t so strong in the championship perhaps he’d have allowed Massa through, I think he could have had a go at Webber. Anyway, Alonso will be happy to have a rear gunner now, and will take some comfort from that and that Ferrari aren’t too far away, it’s not all over yet.

Dark times at McLaren

McLaren were disastrous today and can all but count themselves out of the title reckoning. With Massa’s improved form Ferrari have even overtaken McLaren in the constructors championship.

Jenson Button lost out in qualifying due to a yellow flag and started only 11^th. He shot through the Mercedes pair, but come turn 3, Kamui Kobayashi missed his braking point and whacked Button’s right front leaving his day done. Both Sauber’s had a day to forget too.

After losing out to Alonso then Massa, Lewis Hamilton tried to keep it all together but after the first pit stop there was no hope as a rear anti-roll bar broke leaving the car eating his rear tyres. 

He still managed to hold off Kimi for a time, superbly passing him back into turn 4, but he eventually floundered to 10^th and the final point and also picked up an astro turf friend with a few laps to go. Not a good day and one which leaves him 62 points behind Vettel; as he said, his title hopes are over.

No gains at Lotus but Grosjean gets back in the points

Kimi picked up fifth for Lotus, but the significant speed increase from the upgrades with the new Coanda exhausts failed to materialise. With a 48 point gap to Vettel and no extra pace forthcoming the title dark horse just looks a bit lame right now.

It would be a shame if Kimi weren’t to manage a win this year, he’s deserved one, but there are three faster teams and if these major upgrades can’t get them to the front, then what will?

At least Romain Grosjean just about kept out of trouble at the start. He started 7^th and finished there, but not before having a long dual with Nico Hulkenberg’s Force India who eventually finished a place ahead.

Grosjean seemed a bit cautious in his battling today, but perhaps that was the wisest choice which resulted in a very sensible drive. He’s now been confirmed at Lotus for next year.

Rest of the top 10

Toro Rosso had a great day at the races. Daniel Ricciardo started 21^st and finished 9^th, Jean-Eric Vergne was 16^th and ended up 8^th. They raced in tandem for much of the day, when one picked off another victim, the other invariably did the same a short while later.

Ricciardo had the more impressive drive and was 8^th before brake problems dropped him behind his team mate. It’s good for Toro Rosso though, as these two drivers are finally making a more lasting impression, it reminds me of last year when Jaime Alguersuari and Sebastian Buemi would often battle through the field. It’s nice to see their showing their potential.

Nico Hulkenberg had a great qualifying to start 8^th in the Force India. He made a brilliant move to get passed Grosjean and Hamilton at the same time and ended up 6^th. Strange that after being linked with a move to Ferrari it has been confirmed he’ll go to Sauber.

I know they have performed strongly this year, but really it’s just a move from one midfield team to another.

Mercedes got both cars into the top 10 on Saturday but it was another woeful race day. Nico Rosberg got taken out on the first lap again while Michael Schumacher just went backwards, most cars seemed to be quicker than them. I’m sure Lewis Hamilton is still looking forward to this challenge though.

Williams were fairly subdued too, and Paul di Resta in the other Force India spent a long time getting ahead of Schumacher but could make no further progress.

So two weeks off now before India. Alonso has lost the initiative and now he needs to start winning again. Vettel is getting into 2011 form though, but after the season we’ve had surely it’s not going to get too predictable as we head into the final four races.

all photos from autosport.com