Pressure builds up for Rosberg in Brazilian GP
F1 News – Nico Rosberg has a second, much bigger opportunity to clinch the 2016 Formula 1 title at this weekend’s Brazilian Grand Prix, with an array of championship permutations facing the Mercedes driver.
Rosberg currently leads team-mate Lewis Hamilton by 19 points and requires either a 25 or 26-point advantage departing Interlagos, depending on a potential sequence of results.
The simplest explanation is that Rosberg will win a maiden Formula 1 crown if he claims victory in Brazil for a third successive season, irrespective of Hamilton’s result.
A win in Brazil would leave Rosberg with 374 points, with Hamilton on a maximum of 348 if he takes second, leaving Rosberg 26 clear with only 25 up for grabs in Abu Dhabi.
Should Rosberg take second position then he would need a 25-point advantage, meaning Hamilton needs to finish third to keep his title hopes alive.
This is because if Rosberg took second, it would leave him on 367 points, while fourth for Hamilton would leave him on 342, meaning a gap of 25 points.
In this instance, a gap of 25 points would crown Rosberg as champion, for he would have nine wins and four second places to the eight wins and three second places earned by Hamilton.
Even if Hamilton won in Abu Dhabi, with Rosberg not scoring, this would leave the pair level on nine wins and 367 points and Hamilton would still lose on countback of second places, four to three.
Therefore, a result of Rosberg in second and Hamilton in fourth would give Rosberg the required margin of 25 points to secure the title with one round remaining.
However, for the remaining positions, Rosberg would need an advantage of 26 points in order to be assured of the title, as the title could theoretically be decided on countback of third places.
For example, in the unlikely event that Rosberg finishes fourth and Hamilton takes seventh, they would be on 361 and 336 points respectively, but a 25-point advantage for Rosberg would be insufficient.
This would be because if Hamilton went on to win in Abu Dhabi, with Rosberg not scoring, as in 2014, Hamilton would take the title on countback of third places (four to two), as both drivers would end the season on nine wins (for if Hamilton were to win he would draw level with Rosberg’s tally) and three second places.
Confused? Do not worry. Here is our handy guide with which you can keep track of the title permutations during this weekend’s 71-lap race.
Nico Rosberg will be crowned World Champion this weekend if…
He wins the race
He finishes second, and Hamilton finishes fourth or lower
He finishes third, and Hamilton finishes sixth or lower
He finishes fourth, and Hamilton finishes eighth or lower
He finishes fifth, and Hamilton finishes ninth or lower
He finished sixth, and Hamilton finishes 10th or lower
Category: Formula One
