Nico Rosberg Still has a Shot at the Formula 1 Title

As Formula 1 season approaches a conclusion, two drivers from the same team will be battling it out for the 2014 championship title.



Since Lewis Hamilton made the switch from McLaren to Mercedes at the start of 2013 season, Nico Rosberg has found it somewhat hard to compete against his British teammate. After their first season as team members, Hamilton finished the year in 4th place with 189 points, while Rosberg had to settle with a 6th spot with a total of 171 points, according to gambling news.



Now in 2014, the cars have performed splendidly with almost no bigger errors or mechanical issues which has enabled both Mercedes drivers to mount a serious title challenge. The 2008 winner, Hamilton, has been outstanding throughout the entire season and currently enjoys first place with 291 points, while Rosberg is in second with 274 points. Despite being 17 points behind, many believe that the German can usurp his teammate this upcoming weekend.

Rosberg still has a fighting chance to win the title

• Hamilton is 1^st (291 pts) while Rosberg is 2^nd (274 pts)

• British driver secured 9 wins as opposed to the German’s 4

• Hamilton favorite 1.60 (3/5) to win in Austin, US

The next Grand Prix will take place in the United States, where Rosberg will be looking to take advantage of every opportunity that is presented to him. It is true that Hamilton has been dominating all year long and many would argue that he deserves the number 1 spot on the leaderboard. However, it is somewhat strange that his results do not mirror the difference in points with his teammate who is in firm second place, mobile betting sites report.

The British driver has won 9 races out of 16 so far with the most recent one coming in the Russian Grand Prix on October 12. Rosberg on the other hand has only managed to finish first on four occasions, however he put on brave fight in all the other races which rewarded with such a high standing on the chart. The German driver is known to be a persistent fighter and he has shown that by collecting all the points that were available to him after Hamilton.

Motor sports experts will note that history has shown its fair share of teammates exchanging places on the chart in the last few races. In the 1987 season, Nelson Piquet managed to secure only 3 wins, while his Williams F1 teammate Nigel Mansell won a total of 6. However this did not help the latter as Piquet came in second place on 7 occasions, which granted him with enough points to overturn his fortunes and seal the title in the end.

Rosberg’s title odds are currently against him

The leadership of Formula 1 decided to make a highly controversial change to the amount of points awarded on the final race of the season (Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Yas Marina). According to the new rules which upset millions of fans worldwide, the final race will reward drivers with double the points which could actually come in handy for Rosberg, despite the fact that many online sportsbooks in Germany don’t see him as realistic title contender.

Unibet Sportsbook gives Rosberg odds of 4.00 (3/1) to win the drivers championship, however should he be successful in the next three races, and most importantly the last one, he may actually claim the title. His teammate Hamilton on the other hand is strong favorite to seal his second title since winning it in 2008 with odds currently standing at 1.22 (2/9).

If the German were to take for instance only one second place in the upcoming two races (US and Brazil), then he would still be able to clinch the title should Hamilton encounter any mechanical errors to his car, as a victory in Dubai would double his points tally. Taking into consideration the nature of motor sport, this event may actually pan out.

When it comes to this weekend’s race in Austin, US, Rosberg has been given odds of 2.85 (37/20) to win, while his British teammate is still the favorite with odds being 1.60 (3/5). Regardless of what happens in the upcoming last three races, one thing is for certain; we are set to witness a thrilling showdown between the best drivers at the moment.