F1 2015 Review: A Tale of Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton and the Rest
Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton continue to thrill in F1 2015 as race to the finish heats up. After nine races, Hamilton leads teammate and closest championship rival Nico Rosberg by 17 points.
Reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton continues to rule the F1 tracks in 2015 season as he sits pretty at the top with a 17-point lead over teammate and title challenger Nico Rosberg. The Mercedes duo has carried on with their on-track rivalry which saw close battles in 2014 with Hamilton warding off a stiff challenge from Rosberg to win his second title in Formula One. (Have Ex-F1 Champions Alonso, Button and Raikkonen Lost Their Drive?)
Mercedes once again look to dominate the Constructors' Championship with as many as six 1-2 finish in nine races so far this season. Together, Hamilton and Rosberg have put on 371 points, a difference of 160 points between them and second-placed Ferrari. (Lewis Hamilton revels in having to battle to win)
Ferrari are back and have looked challenging in every race. Ferrari have been in great shape this season especially after where they finished last year. The Prancing Horse suffered a lowest point since 1993 as they finished sixth and that led to a major overhaul in the team. Four-time champion Sebastian Vettel was welcomed aboard with great expectations and he has responded well in need of the hour with podiums in all nine races, including victory in Malaysia.
Williams too are having a decent run with drivers Valtteri Bottas and Felipa Massa at fourth and sixth spots, respectively. Both Bottas and Massa have finished at least once on podium and their consistency to earn points have taken Williams to third spot with a healthy lead of 88 points over four-time champions Red Bull. (Fernando Alonso's 'first point of many' at Silverstone)
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Red Bull Racing are not the same they were two years back. They won four consecutive championships from 2010-2013 but have struggled to find form in the last two seasons. Placed fourth in the constructors standings, Red Bull have had a frustrating season. Their drivers Daniel Ricciardo and Daniil Kvyat are no match to the Hamiltons, the Rosbergs or the Vettels. (Ecclestone Still a Force to be Reckoned With in F1's Engine Room)
Season 2015 has been Force India's best year. The team is placed fifth ahead of giants McLaren, who are lagging behind at 9th. They have had three double-points finish so far despite a troublesome start to the season. Nico Hulkenberg and Sergio Perez have grabbed the opportunity and made it count every time they took the wheels.
McLaren are undergoing a rough phase and probably their worst season. Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button have struggled to find their feet, with no podiums yet in the season.
There are still 10 races to go and a lot can change over a course of time. Fierce on-track rivalry between Hamilton and Rosberg is set to thrill fans. Ferrari need out-of-form Kimi Raikkonen to shift gears, McLaren will be keen to set things right and Red Bull would want to regain lost glory.