Formula 1:Will Christian Horner be sick after the Brazilian GP?

“It’s a very sick feeling” – Christian Horner, Red Bull Team Principal, responding to a reporter’s question about Vettel’s retirement from the Korean GP while leading. He may need a medical team in Brazil! He will have a weekend of reasons to be sick. His 2 drivers are locked in 2 cold war type battles – the battle for the world championship and the battle for supremacy between teammates.

Horner’s malady enters the room now. Webber and Vettel are 2nd and 4th respectively in the driver championship. With team orders being a forbidden fruit and ambition being a wild animal, youthful, mistake-inducing exuberance may force Horner to watch his employees hand the World Championship to the prancing horse’s Fernando Alonso.

Red Bull Racing (RBR) had at the onset of the season (and still have) the chassis to beat. The other power houses on the grid Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro and McLaren Mercedes were always playing catch up. But, where there is a will there is a way. Vettel spent a few rounds mastering the act of self destruction, Webber had his dark moments and the team rivalry dived in for its share of the embarrassing review. RBR’s misfortune allowed the big guns to sneak in and all of a sudden RBR’s bullet train slowed to a creep with McLaren and Ferrari a step behind.

Ferrari

Ferrari found the winning blend in this the latter stage of the season and as others faltered, Alonso’s game plan took shape. Encouraged by the strength of the F10 as an all around package (which was evident in Korea) and its reliability, Alonso has risen to the occasion with stellar performances. He leads the championship at the moment and he is on the verge of capsizing RBR’s championship boat.

Round 18, the penultimate race of the 2010 F1 season, the Grande Premio Petrobras Do Brasil, on Sunday, may hold the key to Alonso’s championship door. A suggestion – Christian Horner should have his personal doctor on the pit wall in Brazil!

Cecil Munroe Gleaner On-Line Writer