This has genuinely been one of the most unpredictable world championships in recent memory and the surprises keep on coming. Despite Ferrari and McLaren being the dominant teams as usual, a number of drivers and teams have been able to spring shocks. Sebastian Vettel became the 13th driver this season to earn a podium as he claimed a maiden win for himself and Toro Rosso at the Italian Grand Prix.
It was astonishing effort by the German, who looked every inch a future world champion as he dominated in the wet conditions. Yes he benefitted from having Lewis Hamilton, Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa stuck back in the pack, but he drove superbly to out-pace the McLaren of Heikki Kovalainen. When you consider that Toro Rosso is essentially the old Minardi team rebranded, and with some financial support from Red Bull, it is a sensational result and is going to be one of the highlights of this season no matter what the rest of the year has to offer.
In clear air in the wet conditions Vettel set a strong pace and the only other driver to match his speed was the world championship leader Lewis Hamilton. But the daft decision in qualifying on Saturday to gamble on intermediate tyres when the track was soaked came back to haunt Hamilton and McLaren. Without that blunder, which had left him 15th on the grid, Hamilton would have been probably been leading or at least pushing Vettel mighty hard.
Instead while he drove superbly, he had gambled on the conditions staying the same. They didn't and he lost out and ended up seventh and behind championship rivals Robert Kubica (third) and Felipe Massa (sixth). This was an opportunity wasted by McLaren to help Hamilton gain some points on Massa ahead of the final four races of the season. He was quicker than the Brazilian and should have picked up at least three or four points on the Ferrari driver.
Instead he lost one and now only has a lead of one point. While Massa won't be chuffed with sixth it was a big escape for his title prospects. Unless Hamilton gets the time penalty revoked that saw his Belgian Grand Prix win annulled and handed to Massa, he has three races in Singapore, Japan and China in which to build an advantage. Because as has been said in this column before he will not want to have to beat Massa at the Brazilian's home track of Interlagos in the final race of the season.
Massa and Ferrari have been superb there for the last two years and it would be hard to back against him if he has the lead when the Formula One fraternity goes to South America. It now looks like it is going to be a three-horse race for the title, with Robert Kubica's BMW Sauber being the outsider. He is 14 points adrift of Hamilton and while he doesn't have the outright speed to win the title, if the lead pair continue to drop points then he could have a chance.
Massa will now be expecting help from his teammate Kimi Raikkonen after the Finn's hopes of retaining the title realistically ended at Monza. The third successive race without a points finish has left the Finn 21 points adrift with only a maximum of 40 left to be won. To be fair to Massa he is owed some help from Raikkonen. For the Brazilian moved out of the way at Interlagos last October to give his teammate the lead and the win, ensuring the world championship was won by Ferrari.
Massa will expect Raikkonen to reverse the roles this time. @Email:gcaygill@thenational.ae
