F1 Title Bout...Beginning Of The End Or End to The Beginning?

Welcome back to another edition of the Slipstream. Before I get into this weeks's content I would like to address a comment that was made by a user who will remain nameless. Commenting on my last article about Lewis Hamilton, I was labelled as a racist. Never have I been so taken aback by the sheer idiocy and blatant flame throwing as this comment.  

So, in order to clear up any misconceptions of my positions, either refer back to my critique of Hamilton in my previous articles or pay close attention to the next few lines.  I respect the integrity of this forum and enjoy writing for it when I have the time, and I wish I had more to devote to the Slipstream. But accusations that I am a racist makes not just me look bad as a writer, but makes all of us as writers look bad.  We are here because we like to share our views on Formula 1 and to enjoy the sport, not to rip each other down and to throw out foolish and disgusting accusations such as racism. So the next time anybody wishes to accuse myself or any of the other writers on this forum of such charges without proof, please, take that kind of flame BS and smear it over the SpeedTV boards, because this forum has too much credibility to tolerate such defamation as that.

So here we are yet again, Interlagos circuit with the Driver's and Constructor's title up for grabs.

Hamilton has nothing to lose by playing a conservative game this time around.  Like last year, he controls his own fate in becoming world champion. I will not try and rip his season apart and claim that he, if he wins, does not deserve to be world champion.  His drive in England and his domination of China two weeks ago proved that he has a more justified case now, more so than last year, of becoming the world champion. But will he do it? Will the stars align in such a way that McLaren, after coming so close last year with both Alonso and Hamilton in the fight finally take back what they feel is their rightful claim to the WDC? All signs point to yes, but there are two scarlet road blocks that will do all in their power and maybe then some to prevent that from happening.

It seems that despite the bad run of luck the team had in Singapore, and the spotty race pace of his team mate, Felipe Massa is poised to become the first Brazilian F1 world champion since Ayrton Senna. Just like a year ago a Ferrari driver needs Lady Luck to smile upon him. Even though I believed that Kimi would take the title hands down this year, I am surprised at the pace that Felipe has shown in some of his races.  The combination of the longer wheelbase Ferrari has shown that it can dominate on some tracks, and stutter at others. I will stand by my title predictions that I made during the first edition of the Slipstream,but I will say that Felipe is going to be subject to the same amount of scrutiny if he becomes world champion, as will the scrutiny be on Lewis Hamilton if he in fact wins the title. Both of them have a good case to be world champion, but they share similar driving traits.

Both drivers are excellent when they are on the front row of the grid. There have been exceptions (Fuji), but they run into trouble when they have a poor starting spot on the grid.  One of Massa's best passing moves of the entire season was the first lap collision with title rival Hamilton, that says alot when looking back on the season as a whole.  Where as Hamilton has shown that he can play the McLaren game of methodical chess like racing, Felipe has made Ferrari adapt it's tactics, some of which might be a bit dusty since the end of the Schumacher era.  Will this be a new heated rivalry? I doubt it.  With the amount of change brewing in Formula 1 these next few years are going to be one giant roll of the dice. Which leads me to a few questions I would like to ask you, the reader. Will F1 be F1 if Ferrari does make good on it's threat to pull out? 

We are seeing the potential for yet another stare down between Ferrari, the FIA and the other teams just like at the start of this decade with the much talked about break off GPWC.  FOCA and the GPMA is now the FOTA, and yet again, the winter will be filled with minced words and rampant charges made on both sides. So my last question to the reader is this, is once the drivers take the chequered in Brazil, is this the Beginning of the End to the season?  Or is it the end to a troubled beginning for seasons to come in the back rooms of Paris, Woking, Cologne, and London?

Have a great Halloween and enjoy this F1 title bout!