How is a title won?

[CigarGuy]

As a newby, I think the title should be won when won, like Mercedes two races ago.
Don't think it's fair to make one race(the last one) more valuable then the first 18.
Although, I understand why they do(did?) it.

[racechick]

I've voted the 'want it to go down to the wire without artificial double points' . But it's a little bit if a lie, because with Lewis in the mix my heart would prefer it settle a race or so earlier. Lewis out the mix, definitely to the wire without double points.

[Jabberwocky]

Championships are won over the season.


Example did Massa loose the 2008 championship in the last corner of the last lap of the last race of the season? Or when he drove off with the refilling pipe still attached? What if the events happened the other way around?

[racechick]

Championships are won over the season.


Example did Massa loose the 2008 championship in the last corner of the last lap of the last race of the season? Or when he drove off with the refilling pipe still attached? What if the events happened the other way around?

Agree completely with this. It's what I said earlier, but less eloquently that you Jab

It's just at the time, mid season, you don't realise the mistake you've just made is championship deciding, because theres races left to rectify it. At the end of the season, make the mistake / have the misfortune, and that's it. The errors are still just as costly though whenever they occur; Just as ' championship deciding'.

[What's Burning?]

Then there's another whole side to this poll. Titles are won by teams with good driver pairings and strong cars.

[CookinFlat6]

I agree, titles are not win by a driver in a race but by ""teamwork"" over the whole season by every member of the ""team""

[Roth]

Last race deciders do weird things to drivers, and aren't necessarily indicative of what's happened over the season. They're their own little micro-climate. That's what I find interesting about them. It tests a different part of a driver from the rest of the year. We've seen some funny, often extreme, reactions in the past, which definitely make me think a championship can be won or lost in these uber races outside of normal conditions. We see what a driver is willing to do.

It happens across all sport. The World Cup has thrown up some weird actions in superstars, Ronaldo being too ill to take the field, Zidane getting all friday night. I can only imagine what Gazza would have done in 1990.

[CookinFlat6]

Gazza - the only sportsman I ever physically cried over when he got injured

[What's Burning?]

Last race deciders do weird things to drivers, and aren't necessarily indicative of what's happened over the season. They're their own little micro-climate. That's what I find interesting about them. It tests a different part of a driver from the rest of the year. We've seen some funny, often extreme, reactions in the past, which definitely make me think a championship can be won or lost in these uber races outside of normal conditions. We see what a driver is willing to do.

It happens across all sport. The World Cup has thrown up some weird actions in superstars, Ronaldo being too ill to take the field, Zidane getting all friday night. I can only imagine what Gazza would have done in 1990.

That's not a bad way to look at it but it does underscore the fact that we'd not even have the possibility of a Rosberg win were it not for the double points. So this year is not a normal condition. The more reason to encourage Hamilton to prove his point on Rosberg in turn one.

[Roth]

Hamilton taking out Rosberg in turn one is sooo 1990.

[CookinFlat6]

MS was still at it in the mid 90s, in fact he was still trying to put Barrichello into the wall as recently as his Merc comeback. And Seb took it to a more refined level, trying to paste his rivals on the first lap after the lights went out - he wasnt very good at it cos he didnt actually get it right at all. Even Button was enjoying its benefits as recently as 2012 when he successfully pasted Lewis and Alonso in the same race
And lets not forget Maldonado who loved it so much he even did it in practice sessions

[Roth]

Look, when and what they do in the privacy of their motorhomes is not for us to criticise.

[CookinFlat6]

Well apart from Massa, who decided it hurt too much and he had to make a fuss

[sagi58]

What I was wondering is more along the lines of the worthiness of a title won in that last race versus one that is won long before that.

No, not a machination. Have you ever wondered about the worthiness of a loss or a horrible season?

You do remember I'm a Ferrari fan, right?
You do remember that Massa was driving a Ferrari,
all those years ago at Interlagos... you know, the
year when he became the shortest-lived WDC??

And, again, your use of that word is insulting.

[sagi58]

Its a difficult one to answer...

...If its a year when none of my fave drivers are in contention, then I want it to go down to the last corner of the last race....

Completely agree with you!!