Title Fight: Is Lewis Hamilton's Quest for Title Number Four adauntless or mission impossible?
Lewis Hamilton finds himself in a formidable task, trailing by 33 points to teammate and title rival Nico Rosberg with just 4 races left in the 2016 F1 season. After a catastrophic weekend at the Japanese Grand Prix, Hamilton finds himself playing catch-up in a title fight that could now be described as a mission impossible.
But, let's rewind to the beginning of the weekend, when things seemed to be looking up for Hamiltons title aspirations.
Rabbitgate: The beginning of the end?
Hamilton's problems started way before the lights went out on Saturday night. The three-time champion, proud of his social media following of over 7 million Twitter and Instagram followers, had already given a hint of what was to come at the FIA media conference on Thursday.
Despite being obligated to attend a media question and answer session broadcast live worldwide, Hamilton chose to focus on his phone, posting comical Snapchat stories with Toro Rosso driver Carlos Sainz Jr. The bizarre behavior raised eyebrows and led to accusations of disrespect, while others argued that Hamilton was simply more interested in engaging with his fans on social media than attending the lackluster media conference.
Hamilton, one of the six drivers present, was asked only four questions, two of which focused on his social media habits. Despite the controversial nature of his behavior, he later defended himself on Twitter, arguing that the day was meant to be fun and that he had no intention of being curt or rude.
A disastrous weekend at the Japanese Grand Prix
Although Hamilton's problems started earlier in the weekend, his woes culminated on the track. The weekend started auspiciously enough, with Hamilton qualifying just 0.013 seconds behind Rosberg. However, a series of missteps would prove fatal to his title hopes.
Losing the lead
At the start of the race in a wet and slippery conditions, Hamilton's car failed to launch, giving Rosberg the perfect opportunity to take the lead. Despite his efforts, Hamilton struggled to regain position and fell back to seventh in the opening turns.
A series of setbacks
Making matters worse, Hamilton was also hit with a drive-through penalty for an unsafe release from the pits, forcing him to make yet another pass on the track. With his title hopes hanging by a thread, Hamilton fought valiantly, ultimately finishing fourth.
The race that should have been won
With 4 races left and an insurmountable 33 point deficit, it would appear that Hamiltons title aspirations have turned into a mission impossible. However, sparingly, we have some historical context that may put things into perspective.
In 2008, Hamilton clinched his first world title with McLaren in the final corner of the final race in Brazil, edging out Sebastian Vettel by a mere point. Fast forward to 2014, and Hamilton repeated the feat, defending his title by a comfortable margin of 15 points.
So, while the odds may seem insurmountable, history has shown us that anything is possible in the world of F1. Can Hamilton pull off a miracle and write yet another gripping chapter in his storied career? Only time will tell.
What the stats say
With 4 races left in the 2016 F1 season, let's take a look at the current standings.
| Driver | Points | |------------------------|----------| | Nico Rosberg | 258 | | Lewis Hamilton | 225 | | Daniel Ricciardo | 225 | | Sebastian Vettel | 191 |
As it stands, Nico Rosberg holds a comfortable 33 point lead over Hamilton, with Daniel Ricciardo just a single point behind the reigning champion. With only 100 points up for grabs in the remaining races, it appears that only Mercs silver arrow drivers have a realistic chance of lifting the 2016 title.
So, as we head into the final stretch of the 2016 F1 season, the stage is set for a thrilling battle between Hamilton and Rosberg. The question now is, can Hamiltons magic touch help him turn this mission impossible into an adauntless quest for title number four?
References
- 2016 F1 Driver Standings (AS OF JAPAN GP) Retrieved from
- 2016 F1 Constructors Standings Retrieved from
- Zorzi, A. (2016, October 09). Lewis Hamilton outperformed by Nico Rosberg in 2016 F1 title fight. Retrieved from
