WHITMARSH: Writing off drivers "unwise"

With only three races remaining, Hamilton is 28 points behind championship leader Mark Webber, with Button three points adrift of his team-mate.

The gaps mean that the McLaren duo will need the drivers in front to endure a series of poor races in order to have a shot at the title.

Despite that, Whitmarsh says his team will not give up until the end, and insisted it would not be clever to rule his drivers out of the fight.

"With three races remaining, and 75 points on the table for the drivers, it would be unwise to write off Jenson, Lewis or McLaren," said Whitmarsh.

"Both drivers have won world championships before - they understand the difficulties of such a unique situation, and both have learned how to deliver their best under high pressure. They will be ready for this battle.

"And it's a battle that will doubtless be won by consistency. While we will continue with our aggressive development strategy, bringing further new components to this race, we're mindful of the need to bag points at every race.

"Nonetheless, we are committed to winning, and won't give up without a fight."

Hamilton has scored just 10 points in the last three races, thanks to his fifth-place finish at the Japanese Grand Prix, where the Briton was hit by a gearbox failure.

The 2008 world champion had already being hit with a penalty for changing the gearbox ahead of the race.

Whitmarsh clarified, however, that thanks to the rules, Hamilton will not have another penalty next week in Korea.

"Following his gearbox issue in Suzuka, Lewis will not face a second successive five-place grid penalty this weekend," he said.

"The gearbox regulations were framed to ensure teams weren't penalised twice for the same gearbox issue, so Lewis will go into the weekend without risk of further penalty."

SOURCE: Autosport

Korea and Brazil are Red Bull territory with Ferrari in the hunt at Abu Dhabi IMO.KimisApprentice

Korea and Brazil are high low downforce tracks, and McLaren specialise in this area.

Hungary is also high downforce. What happened there?

Why do you think McLaren keep complaining about the flexi-wing?

Usually McLaren are strong on high downforce, but not this year. Red Bull have been better.

Hungary is also high downforce. What happened there?

Why do you think McLaren keep complaining about the flexi-wing?

Usually McLaren are strong on high downforce, but not this year. Red Bull have been better.

Redders1989

Ah crap!
I meant low downforce.
In my head it was:

High top speed track = High downforce.

Sorry my mistake, just edited the above post now.

There are long straights in Korea, but should Red Bull take pole - Likely given their advantage through all the high speed turns in sectors 2 - 3 - they well probably be peerless once they've got past the first couple of laps as the pull the gap through the second two sectors. Ferrari should be pretty strong too - both for low speed traction and they're pretty good through high speed turns too.

Brazil is mostly high downforce - although some teams may make a comprimise of ultimate pace and run a slightly lower downforce level to have a chance at passing on the one straight.

Abu Dhabi is a typical Herman Tilke Fast sector, twisty sector, slow sector circuit like Korea - again Red Bull will probably have the advantage.

There are long straights in Korea, but should Red Bull take pole - Likely given their advantage through all the high speed turns in sectors 2 - 3 - they well probably be peerless once they've got past the first couple of laps as the pull the gap through the second two sectors. Ferrari should be pretty strong too - both for low speed traction and they're pretty good through high speed turns too.

Brazil is mostly high downforce - although some teams may make a comprimise of ultimate pace and run a slightly lower downforce level to have a chance at passing on the one straight.

Abu Dhabi is a typical Herman Tilke Fast sector, twisty sector, slow sector circuit like Korea - again Red Bull will probably have the advantage.

KimisApprentice

Monaco plays into the hands of cars with good mechanical grip and supple suspension like the Red Bull, Ferrari and Renault. Monza is a one off circuit requiring low drag/low downforce which plays into McLaren's hands with the powerful Merc engine and the most well researched F-Duct on the grid. Even so, McLaren got clobbered at Monza.KimisApprentice

So basically, McLaren have no chance...
I hope you're wrong.

It would be a tough task if McLaren were even on points with Red Bull and Alonso but it's going to be much tougher with the big points disadvantage. Definitely going to need a lot of luck.SchumiF1

All well, if Lewis can't do it, I support Webber and Kobayashi.

Jenson has done remarkably well this year with handling a car that clearly isn't too his set-up, But this title fight I feel is over for both drivers if things go to order

Fernando will fight it down to the wire, but I feel this is Webber's and Red Bull's to lose, its in their hands and the momentum no matter how you look at it is with Him and the car.

Thats my very brief title run-in for the time being :P

Webbo really needs just one more race where he can beat both Vettel and Alonso. He's safe after that, but otherwise I'd still be wary of Alonso, but not so much Vettel really.Redders1989

My prediction is that Webber is going to win the title at Brazil by coming up the field from the bottom half.
Then Webber retires in three years :P

I must say Button has impressed me more this year than last but I don't see him becoming a double world champion - not this year.

Hamilton has been his usual self, do or die and completely unable to play the long game which has cost him two titles now.

Vettel has lost a little respect from me if I'm honest, he's still fast as ever but this year more than any other he's made many more childish errors - Turkey and his Schumi chops at the start of the Hungarian gp and others which lost him positions.

Webber has been mostly consistent, he made a bit of a balls up in Australia and Valencia but besides that he's been there or thereabouts and that's impressed me.

Alonso has been kind of like the dark horse, Ferrari have NEVER been the best car this season. It's been close, but on raw pace it's never beaten the Red Bull and sometimes lost out to the likes of McLaren, Renault and Mercedes. So for Alonso to be in the top 3 is very impressive, solidly outclassed Massa (bar Germany :() and equal most wins with Webber!

Alonso or Webber deserve it most in my eyes, whereas had Vettel and Hamilton kept cooler heads and, atleast in Vettel's case, a little better luck in the first few races to make up for the reliability woes, they would be the ones in the hunt.

I must say Button has impressed me more this year than last but I don't see him becoming a double world champion - not this year.

Hamilton has been his usual self, do or die and completely unable to play the long game which has cost him two titles now.

Vettel has lost a little respect from me if I'm honest, he's still fast as ever but this year more than any other he's made many more childish errors - Turkey and his Schumi chops at the start of the Hungarian gp and others which lost him positions.

Webber has been mostly consistent, he made a bit of a balls up in Australia and Valencia but besides that he's been there or thereabouts and that's impressed me.

Alonso has been kind of like the dark horse, Ferrari have NEVER been the best car this season. It's been close, but on raw pace it's never beaten the Red Bull and sometimes lost out to the likes of McLaren, Renault and Mercedes. So for Alonso to be in the top 3 is very impressive, solidly outclassed Massa (bar Germany :() and equal most wins with Webber!

Alonso or Webber deserve it most in my eyes, whereas had Vettel and Hamilton kept cooler heads and, atleast in Vettel's case, a little better luck in the first few races to make up for the reliability woes, they would be the ones in the hunt.

KimisApprentice

The coolest head will win it, and it looks like Webber will. All that experience will finally pay off.