Anti-clockwise tracks championship

[dr-baker]

Another alternative championship, that does not alter any race results, but selectively chooses which races count towards the championship. There are many more anti-clockwise tracks per season in the twenty-first century than in the second-half of the twentieth century, so it was possible to work out the overall championships fairly quickly, so I am already up-to-date with these. I will post the results decade-by-decade, as it seems to make sense to do so.

There are not as many anti-clockwise tracks as there are clockwise tracks, and this puts different stresses on the drivers and cars, requiring a different car set-up and different neck muscles getting used more. Therefore, will this favour different cars and/or drivers? I want to find out! (Maintaining original race results in eligible races means I will re-rejectify some drivers, but will not unrejectify any rejects.) And generally, in my comments below, I am considering this as a mini-championship within the overall championship (as per the oval championship and the street/road championship in IndyCar a few years ago).

The early years only sees the Indianapolis 500 count as all the European tracks are clockwise (even Monza’s oval is clockwise, which was used in conjunction with the clockwise permanent road course several times in the 1950s). For the sake of this championship, Suzuka will count for half-points, as half is run clockwise, and the other half is anti-clockwise. There will be no dropped scores or anything like that, as in the days when those rules applied, there just are not the number of races here to justify that. And I will probably keep the double points for the 2015 Abu Dhabi GP to preserve the points system of that season. But it becomes clear that come the twenty-first century, there is more variation in direction that races are raced, albeit not within Europe.

And where there are limited races in a season, drivers with the same points total will be listed in order of who reached that points total first, or who scored the higher race finishing position, or some combination thereof.

So, first of all,:

The calendars

1950 to 1953 inclusive

Indianapolis 500 only

1954

Argentine Grand Prix
Indianapolis 500

1955 to 1957 inclusive

Indianapolis 500 only

1958

Indianapolis 500
Portuguese Grand Prix, Boavista

1959

Indianapolis 500
German Grand Prix, AVUS

1960

Indianapolis 500
Portuguese Grand Prix, Boavista

1961 to 1968 inclusive

All clockwise races

1969

Spanish Grand Prix, Montjuic

1970

All clockwise races

1971

Spanish Grand Prix, Montjuic

1972

All clockwise races

1973

Brazilian Grand Prix, Interlagos
Spanish Grand Prix, Montjuic

1974

Brazilian Grand Prix, Interlagos

1975

Brazilian Grand Prix, Interlagos
Spanish Grand Prix, Montjuic

1976

Brazilian Grand Prix, Interlagos

1977

Brazilian Grand Prix, Interlagos

1978

Brazilian Grand Prix, Jacarepagua

1979

Brazilian Grand Prix, Interlagos

1980

Brazilian Grand Prix, Interlagos
Italian Grand Prix, Imola

1981

Brazilian Grand Prix, Jacarepagua
San Marino Grand Prix, Imola
Caesars Palace Grand Prix

1982

Brazilian Grand Prix, Jacarepagua
San Marino Grand Prix, Imola
Caesars Palace Grand Prix

1983

Brazilian Grand Prix, Jacarepagua
San Marino Grand Prix, Imola
Detroit Grand Prix

1984

Brazilian Grand Prix, Jacarepagua
San Marino Grand Prix, Imola
Detroit Grand Prix
Dallas Grand Prix

1985

Brazilian Grand Prix, Jacarepagua
San Marino Grand Prix, Imola
Detroit Grand Prix

1986

Brazilian Grand Prix, Jacarepagua
San Marino Grand Prix, Imola
Detroit Grand Prix

1987

Brazilian Grand Prix, Jacarepagua
San Marino Grand Prix, Imola
Detroit Grand Prix
Japanese Grand Prix, Suzuka (half points)

1988

Brazilian Grand Prix, Jacarepagua
San Marino Grand Prix, Imola
Detroit Grand Prix
Japanese Grand Prix, Suzuka (half points)

1989

Brazilian Grand Prix, Jacarepagua
San Marino Grand Prix, Imola
United States Grand Prix, Phoenix
Japanese Grand Prix, Suzuka (half points)

1990

United States Grand Prix, Phoenix
Brazilian Grand Prix, Interlagos
San Marino Grand Prix, Imola
Japanese Grand Prix, Suzuka (half points)

1991

United States Grand Prix, Phoenix
Brazilian Grand Prix, Interlagos
San Marino Grand Prix, Imola
Japanese Grand Prix, Suzuka (half points)

1992

South African Grand Prix, Kyalami
Brazilian Grand Prix, Interlagos
San Marino Grand Prix, Imola
Japanese Grand Prix, Suzuka (half points)

1993

South African Grand Prix, Kyalami
Brazilian Grand Prix, Interlagos
San Marino Grand Prix, Imola
Japanese Grand Prix, Suzuka (half points)

1994

Brazilian Grand Prix, Interlagos
San Marino Grand Prix, Imola
Japanese Grand Prix, Suzuka (half points)

1995

Brazilian Grand Prix, Interlagos
San Marino Grand Prix, Imola
Japanese Grand Prix, Suzuka (half points)

1996

Brazilian Grand Prix, Interlagos
San Marino Grand Prix, Imola
Japanese Grand Prix, Suzuka (half points)

1997

Brazilian Grand Prix, Interlagos
San Marino Grand Prix, Imola
Japanese Grand Prix, Suzuka (half points)

1998

Brazilian Grand Prix, Interlagos
San Marino Grand Prix, Imola
Japanese Grand Prix, Suzuka (half points)

1999

Brazilian Grand Prix, Interlagos
San Marino Grand Prix, Imola
Japanese Grand Prix, Suzuka (half points)

2000

Brazilian Grand Prix, Interlagos
San Marino Grand Prix, Imola
Japanese Grand Prix, Suzuka (half points)

2001

Brazilian Grand Prix, Interlagos
San Marino Grand Prix, Imola
Japanese Grand Prix, Suzuka (half points)

2002

Brazilian Grand Prix, Interlagos
San Marino Grand Prix, Imola
Japanese Grand Prix, Suzuka (half points)

2003

Brazilian Grand Prix, Interlagos
San Marino Grand Prix, Imola
Japanese Grand Prix, Suzuka (half points)

2004

San Marino Grand Prix, Imola
Japanese Grand Prix, Suzuka (half points)
Brazilian Grand Prix, Interlagos

2005

San Marino Grand Prix, Imola
Turkish Grand Prix, Istanbul
Brazilian Grand Prix, Interlagos
Japanese Grand Prix, Suzuka (half points)

2006

San Marino Grand Prix, Imola
Turkish Grand Prix, Istanbul
Japanese Grand Prix, Suzuka (half points)
Brazilian Grand Prix, Interlagos

2007

Turkish Grand Prix, Istanbul
Brazilian Grand Prix, Interlagos

2008

Turkish Grand Prix, Istanbul
Singapore Grand Prix
Brazilian Grand Prix, Interlagos

2009

Turkish Grand Prix, Istanbul
Singapore Grand Prix
Japanese Grand Prix, Suzuka (half points)
Brazilian Grand Prix, Interlagos
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

2010

Turkish Grand Prix, Istanbul
Singapore Grand Prix
Japanese Grand Prix, Suzuka (half points)
Korean Grand Prix, Yeongnam
Brazilian Grand Prix, Interlagos
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

2011

Turkish Grand Prix, Istanbul
Singapore Grand Prix
Japanese Grand Prix, Suzuka (half points)
Korean Grand Prix, Yeongnam
Brazilian Grand Prix, Interlagos
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

2012

Singapore Grand Prix
Japanese Grand Prix, Suzuka (half points)
Korean Grand Prix, Yeongnam
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
United States Grand Prix, Austin/COTA
Brazilian Grand Prix, Interlagos

2013

Singapore Grand Prix
Korean Grand Prix, Yeongnam
Japanese Grand Prix, Suzuka (half points)
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
United States Grand Prix, Austin/COTA
Brazilian Grand Prix, Interlagos

2014

Singapore Grand Prix
Japanese Grand Prix, Suzuka (half points)
United States Grand Prix, Austin/COTA
Brazilian Grand Prix, Interlagos
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

2015

Singapore Grand Prix
Japanese Grand Prix, Suzuka (half points)
United States Grand Prix, Austin/COTA
Brazilian Grand Prix, Interlagos
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

2016

Grand Prix of Europe, Baku, Azerbaijan
Singapore Grand Prix
Japanese Grand Prix, Suzuka (half-points)
United States Grand Prix, Austin/COTA
Brazilian Grand Prix
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

2017

Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Singapore Grand Prix
Japanese Grand Prix (half points)
American Grand Prix
Brazilian Grand Prix
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

2018

Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Singapore Grand Prix
Japanese Grand Prix (half points)
American Grand Prix
Brazilian Grand Prix
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

2019

Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Singapore Grand Prix
Japanese Grand Prix (half points)
United States Grand Prix
Brazilian Grand Prix
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

2020

Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola
Turkish Grand Prix at Instanbul
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina

Cancelled rounds due to pandemic

Vietnamese Grand Prix in Hanoi
Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku
Singapore Grand Prix at Marina Bay
Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka (half-points round)
US GP at CotA
Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos

Championship Winners to date

1950 – Johnnie Parsons – 9
1951 – Lee Wallard – 9
1952 – Troy Ruttman – 8
1953 – Bill Vukovich – 9
1954 = Juan-Manuel Fangio, Bill Vukovich – 8
1955 – Bob Sweikert – 8
1956 – Pat Flaherty – 8
1957 – Sam Hanks – 8
1958 = Jimmy Bryan, Stirling Moss – 8
1959 – Tony Brooks – 9
1960 = Jim Rathmann, Jack Brabham – 8
1961 – N/A
1962 – N/A
1963 – N/A
1964 – N/A
1965 – N/A
1966 – N/A
1967 – N/A
1968 – N/A
1969 – Jackie Stewart – 9
1970 – N/A
1971 – Jackie Stewart – 9
1972 – N/A
1973 – Emerson Fittipaldi – 18
1974 – Emerson Fittipaldi – 9
1975 – Carlos Pace – 9
1976 – Niki Lauda – 9
1977 – Carlos Reutemann – 9
1978 – Carlos Reutemann – 9
1979 – Jacques Laffite – 9
1980 – Alan Jones – 10
1981 – Alan Jones – 15
1982 – Michele Alboreto – 16
1983 – Nelson Piquet – 12
1984 – Alain Prost – 21
1985 – Elio de Angelis – 15
1986 = Nelson Piquet, Ayrton Senna – 15
1987 – Ayrton Senna – 18 (Jonathan Palmer – Jim Clark Trophy – 22½)
1988 – Alain Prost – 24
1989 – Alain Prost – 21
1990 – Ayrton Senna – 13
1991 – Ayrton Senna – 33
1992 – Nigel Mansell – 30
1993 – Alain Prost – 23
1994 – Michael Schumacher – 23
1995 – Michael Schumacher – 15
1996 – Damon Hill – 25
1997 = Heinz-Harald Frentzen, Michael Schumacher – 13
1998 – David Coulthard – 18
1999 – Michael Schumacher – 19
2000 – Michael Schumacher – 25
2001 – David Coulthard – 18
2002 – Michael Schumacher – 25
2003 – Kimi Raikkonen – 20
2004 = Michael Schumacher, Juan-Pablo Montoya – 17
2005 – Fernando Alonso – 27
2006 = Felipe Massa, Fernando Alonso – 29
2007 = Felipe Massa, Kimi Raikkonen – 18
2008 – Fernando Alonso – 21
2009 – Sebastian Vettel – 31
2010 – Fernando Alonso – 82½
2011 – Sebastian Vettel – 100½
2012 – Sebastian Vettel – 103½
2013 – Sebastian Vettel – 137½
2014 – Lewis Hamilton – 130½
2015 – Nico Rosberg – 89
2016 - Nico Rosberg - 116½
2017 - Lewis Hamilton - 102½
2018 - Lewis Hamilton - 127½
2019 - Lewis Hamilton - 86½
2020 - Lewis Hamilton - 66

[Bobby Doorknobs]

Great idea for an alternate championship! Just one thing: In 1954 Buenos Aires was run in the opposite direction to the previous year (and subsequent years), so for 1954 there would be an anti-clockwise round to join the Indy 500

[dr-baker]

Great idea for an alternate championship! Just one thing: In 1954 Buenos Aires was run in the opposite direction to the previous year (and subsequent years), so for 1954 there would be an anti-clockwise round to join the Indy 500

Thank you! That's a bit of obscure trivia that I obviously missed out on. That's why I posted the calendars before posting any results - fact-checking! I have now amended my championship results for the 1950s to include that round.

The 1950s

This decade is all about the Indianapolis 500. Barring a Portuguese GP and a German GP in 1958 and 1959 respectively, the Indy 500 is the only anti-clockwise race on the calendar (Plus an Argentine Grand Prix in 1954, which was held on a track which was usually run in a clockwise direction, but which for one year alone was held in an anti-clockwise direction!). And as this race usually had a separate entry list to the rest of the calendar, this will lead to some fairly unique (and unrepresentative) championship results. And as there will be no overlap between the Indy 500 and the European anti-clockwise race results, they will remain as an awkward early quirk of the calendar, and therefore with joint champions. The bonus point for fastest lap helped to separate some of the ties, yet shared drives clumped other drivers together on the same points total. I had considered for 1954, 1958, 1959 and 1960 to have the Indy championship and the Argentine/European championship separated, but thought that combining them would be nicer for comparison purposes.

1950

1. Johnnie Parsons – 9
2. Bill Holland – 6
3. Mauri Rose – 4
4. Cecil Green – 3
5= Joie Chitwood – 1
5= Tony Bettenhausen (shared drive with Joie Chitwood) – 1

Johnnie Parsons scores 8 points for the win and an extra point for fastest lead lap.

1951

1. Lee Wallard – 9
2. Mike Nazaruk – 6
3. Andy Linden – 3
4= Jack McGrath/Manny Ayulo (shared drive, finished 3rd, points split between drivers) – 2
4= Bobby Ball – 2

So Andy Linden had finished 4th in the 1951 Indy 500, but because points for shared drives were split equally between the pilots, this promoted him in the championship! Lee Wallard scored an extra point for fastest lead lap.

1952

1. Troy Ruttman – 8
2. Jim Rathmann – 6
3. Sam Hanks – 4
4. Duane Carter – 3
5. Art Cross – 2
6. Bill Vukovich – 1

Bill Vukovich was classified 17th but gained a point for fastest lead lap.

1953

1. Bill Vukovich – 9
2. Art Cross – 6
3= Sam Hanks – 2
3= Duane Carter – 2
3= Jack McGrath - 2
6= Fred Agabashian – 1.5
6= Paul Russo – 1.5

Bill Vukovich scores an extra point for fastest lead lap. Sam Hanks and Duane Carter shared a car and split the 4 points for 3rd between them. Fred Agabashian and Paul Russo shared a car and split the 3 points for fourth between them. Therefore Jack McGrath obviously finished the race in 5th.

1954

1= Juan-Manuel Fangio – 8
1= Bill Vukovich – 8
3= Giuseppe “Nino” Farina – 6
3= Jimmy Bryan – 6
5= Jose Frolian Gonzalez – 5
5= Jack McGrath – 5
7. Maurice Trintignant – 3
8= Elia Bayol – 2
8= Mike Mazaruk – 2
10= Troy Ruttman – 1.5
10= Duane Carter – 1.5

This is the first time that a race other than the Indianapolis 500 was held in an anti-clockwise direction on the Formula One calendar. The drivers of the Argentine Grand Prix are listed higher in this season as that race occurred earlier in the calendar. Jose Frolian Gonzalez scores an extra point for fastest lap at the Argentine Grand Prix, held in January. Jack McGrath scores an extra point for fastest lead lap at the Indianapolis 500. Troy Ruttman and Duane Carter shared a drive at the Indianapolis 500 and shared the 3 points for 4th place between them. Bill Vukovich becomes the first double champion, and jointly becomes the first to share a title with Juan-Manuel Fangio.

1955

1. Bob Sweikert – 8
2. Jimmy Davies – 4
3= Tony Bettenhausen – 3
3= Paul Russo – 3
3= Johnny Thomson – 3
6= Walt Faulkner – 1
6= Bill Homeier – 1
6= Bill Vukovich – 1

Tony Bettenhausen and Paul Russo shared a drive and split the 6 points for 2nd place between them. Walt Faulkner and Bill Homeier shared a drive and split the 2 points for 5th place between them. Bill Vukovich scored an extra point for fastest lead lap (he was classified 25th, but did not finish the race following a fatal accident). Thus the first double anti-clockwise champion was the first to suffer a fatal accident in an anti-clockwise championship race.

1956

1. Pat Flaherty – 8
2. Sam Hanks – 6
3. Don Freeland – 4
4. Johnnie Parson – 3
5. Dick Rathmann – 2
6. Paul Russo – 1

Paul Russo scored an extra point for fastest lead lap, despite being classified 33rd and last.

1957

1. Sam Hanks – 8
2. Jim Rathmann – 7
3. Jimmy Bryan – 4
4. Paul Russo – 3
5. Andy Linden – 2

Jim Rathmann scores an extra point for fastest lead lap.

1958

1= Jimmy Bryan – 8
1= Stirling Moss – 8
3. Mike Hawthorn – 7
4. George Amick – 6
5= Johnny Boyd – 4
5= Stuart Lewis-Evans – 4
5= Tony Bettenhausen – 4
8. Jean Behra – 3
9= Jim Rathmann – 2
9= Wolfgang von Trips – 2

Tony Bettenhausen scores an extra point for fastest lead lap at the Indianapolis 500. Mike Hawthorn scores an extra point for fastest lap at the Portuguese Gran Prix. Where there are drivers with equal points, the driver with the higher finish (without the extra point for fastest lap) is listed higher, and he who scores those points earlier in the year is listed earlier. And thus the first season with two eligible races in this championship sees ties throughout most of the championship thanks to very separate entry lists.

1959

1. Tony Brooks - 9
2. Rodger Ward – 8
3.= Jim Rathmann – 6
3.= Dan Gurney – 6
5. Johnny Thomson – 5
6. Phil Hill – 4
7.= Tony Bettenhausen – 3
7.= Maurice Trintignant – 3
9.= Paul Goldsmith – 2
9.= Jo Bonnier – 2

Johnny Thomson scores an extra point for fastest lead lap at the Indianapolis 500. Tony Brooks scores an extra point for fastest lap at AVUS’s German Grand Prix. Not only was this German Grand Prix special for being one of the few anti-clockwise F1 championship Grands Prix of the 1950s, but the only race deliberately run as two separate heats. Tony Brooks becomes the first outright champion in a season with more than one race, winning it for Europe, thanks to his fastest race lap point.

Championship Winners to date

1950 – Johnnie Parsons – 9
1951 – Lee Wallard – 9
1952 – Troy Ruttman – 8
1953 – Bill Vukovich – 9
1954 = Juan-Manuel Fangio, Bill Vukovich – 8
1955 – Bob Sweikert – 8
1956 – Pat Flaherty – 8
1957 – Sam Hanks – 8
1958 = Jimmy Bryan, Stirling Moss – 8
1959 – Tony Brooks – 9

[dr-baker]

The 1960s

A very short decade indeed! Only three races in the whole decade were held on anti-clockwise tracks, and two were in the first season of the decade! And the other was in the final year of the decade… 1960 sees the end of Indianapolis on the calendar because, although there will be Grands Prix again there, they will be on a clockwise in-field configuration and therefore not eligible in this alternative championship. Also, the removal of the point for fastest lap (alongside entirely separate entry lists for the last championship Indy 500) will see ties for every position in 1960… (And no shared drives either).

1960

1= Jim Rathmann – 8
1= Jack Brabham – 8
3= Rodger Ward – 6
3= Bruce McLaren – 6
5= Paul Goldsmith – 4
5= Jim Clark – 4
7= Don Branson – 3
7= Wolfgang von Trips – 3
9 = Johnny Thomson – 2
9= Tony Brooks – 2
11= Eddie Johnson – 1
11= Innes Ireland – 1

In each tie, the Indianapolis entrant is listed first as this round was earlier in the championship.

1961 to 1968 inclusive

No anti-clockwise races…

1969

1. Jackie Stewart – 9
2. Bruce McLaren – 6
3. Jean-Pierre Beltoise – 4
4. Denny Hulme – 3
5. John Surtees – 2
6. Jacky Ickx – 1

This race saw the record for the largest winning margin of 2 laps and will remain so to date in this championship. Stewart had a three-lap advantage over Beltoise and Hulme, 6 laps over Surtees and 7 laps over the final finisher, Ickx!

Championship Winners to date

1950 – Johnnie Parsons – 9
1951 – Lee Wallard – 9
1952 – Troy Ruttman – 8
1953 – Bill Vukovich – 9
1954 = Juan-Manuel Fangio, Bill Vukovich – 8
1955 – Bob Sweikert – 8
1956 – Pat Flaherty – 8
1957 – Sam Hanks – 8
1958 = Jimmy Bryan, Stirling Moss – 8
1959 – Tony Brooks – 9
1960 = Jim Rathmann, Jack Brabham – 8
1961 – N/A
1962 – N/A
1963 – N/A
1964 – N/A
1965 – N/A
1966 – N/A
1967 – N/A
1968 – N/A
1969 – Jackie Stewart – 9

[dr-baker]

The 1970s

Most years see just one anti-clockwise race (in Brazil), with the occasional interloping race from Europe, and the occasional lack of any race. This decade actually is the last decade to see seasons with either zero or one race counting towards the championship, as there will always be multiple anti-clockwise races in subsequent seasons to date. 1973 sees the first season with two anti-clockwise races where neither is the Indianapolis 500, therefore there are more entrants in common to both races!

1970

No anti-clockwise race

1971

1. Jackie Stewart – 9
2. Jacky Ickx – 6
3. Chris Amon – 4
4. Pedro Rodriguez – 3
5. Denny Hulme – 2
6. Jean-Pierre Beltoise – 1

Introduction at this race of slick tyres! Jackie Stewart wins his second title. Is it consecutive titles? He’s won the last title so yes, although that was two years ago…

1972

Last season with no anti-clockwise races.

1973

1. Emerson Fittipaldi – 18
2= Jackie Stewart – 6
2= François Cevert – 6
4. Denny Hulme – 5
5. George Fullmer – 4
6= Arturo Merzaro – 3
6= Peter Revson – 3
8= Jacky Ickx – 2
8= Jean-Pierre Beltoise – 2
10. Clay Regazzoni – 1

A clear winner, with Fittipaldi winning both races (finally – a champion scoring double figures!), but with only Denny Hulme joining him in scoring in both races (a third and a sixth).

1974

1. Emerson Fittipaldi – 9
2. Clay Regazzoni – 6
3. Jacky Ickx – 4
4. Carlos Pace – 3
5. Mike Hailwood – 2
6. Ronnie Peterson – 1

Emerson Fittipaldi wins a second title in consecutive calendar years, the second to do so after Bill Vukovich in the mid-1950s.

1975

1. Carlos Pace – 9
2. Jochen Mass – 8½
3. Emerson Fittipaldi – 6
4= Jacky Ickx – 3
4= Clay Regazzoni – 3
6= Carlos Reutemann – 2
6= Niki Lauda – 2
8. Jean-Pierre Jarier - 1½
9=Vittorio Brambilla – 1
9= James Hunt – 1
11. Lella Lombardi - ½

Lella Lombardi retains her points score in this alternative championship! With half-points in the Spanish Grand Prix, this helps to differentiate some of the ties. With ties, although the Spanish Grand Prix was later in the season, these drivers are listed higher in ties as they would have scored a higher race finish to score the same points total.

1976

1. Niki Lauda – 9
2. Patrick Depailler – 6
3. Tom Pryce – 4
4. Hans-Joachim Stuck – 3
5. Jody Scheckter – 2
6. Jochen Mass – 1

James Hunt began well by scoring pole, but a DNF prevented the title challenge…

1977

1. Carlos Reutemann – 9
2. James Hunt – 6
3. Niki Lauda – 4
4. Emerson Fittipaldi – 3
5. Gunnar Nilsson – 2
6. Renzo Zorzi – 1

1978

1. Carlos Reutemann – 9
2. Emerson Fittipaldi – 6
3. Niki Lauda – 4
4. Mario Andretti – 3
5. Clay Regazzoni – 2
6. Didier Pironi – 1

Carlos Reutemann wins a second championship in a row, the fourth double champion.

1979

1. Jacques Laffite – 9
2. Patrick Depailler – 6
3. Carlos Reutemann – 4
4. Didier Pironi – 3
5. Gilles Villeneuve – 2
6. Jody Scheckter – 1

It’s a Ligier 1-2!!! What were the chances?!?!?!?!


Championship Winners to date

1950 – Johnnie Parsons – 9
1951 – Lee Wallard – 9
1952 – Troy Ruttman – 8
1953 – Bill Vukovich – 9
1954 = Juan-Manuel Fangio, Bill Vukovich – 8
1955 – Bob Sweikert – 8
1956 – Pat Flaherty – 8
1957 – Sam Hanks – 8
1958 = Jimmy Bryan, Stirling Moss – 8
1959 – Tony Brooks – 9
1960 = Jim Rathmann, Jack Brabham – 8
1961 – N/A
1962 – N/A
1963 – N/A
1964 – N/A
1965 – N/A
1966 – N/A
1967 – N/A
1968 – N/A
1969 – Jackie Stewart – 9
1970 – N/A
1971 – Jackie Stewart – 9
1972 – N/A
1973 – Emerson Fittipaldi – 18
1974 – Emerson Fittipaldi – 9
1975 – Carlos Pace – 9
1976 – Niki Lauda – 9
1977 – Carlos Reutemann – 9
1978 – Carlos Reutemann – 9
1979 – Jacques Laffite – 9

[dr-baker]

The 1980s

The decade begins with 2 eligible races for this championship in 1980 and ends with 3 anti-clockwise tracks and a figure-of-8 track, which will be a half-points round as Suzuka defies definition as either clockwise or anti-clockwise. There should be more points-scorers and therefore more chance for analysis. Throughout the decade, Brazil and San Marino are towards the start of the season, while the US rounds are typically (but not always) mid-season (just as Canada is nowadays), so key to this championship in the 1980s is to have a strong, reliable early season (this will alter as time goes by). Naturally, the half-points Suzuka round was usually at the tail-end of the season.

1980

1. Alan Jones – 10
2= René Arnoux – 9
2= Nelson Piquet – 9
2= Elio de Angelis – 9
5= Carlos Reutemann – 4
5= Didier Pironi – 4
7= Alain Prost – 2
7= Keke Rosberg – 2
9. Riccardo Patrese – 1

Alan Jones wins without a GP win but with two podiums. Equal second are firstly the two GP winners plus another podium scorer. Didier Pironi is listed after Carlos Reutemann because of Reutemann’s better race finish at Imola. This is currently the penultimate season to only have two eligible rounds, (see 2007). This is also only the second championship where the title winner scores double figures.

1981

1. Alan Jones – 15
2. Nelson Piquet – 11
3. Riccardo Patrese – 10
4. Carlos Reutemann – 9
5. Alain Prost – 6
6. Bruno Giacomelli – 4
7= Marc Surer – 3
7= Hector Rebaque – 3
7= Nigel Mansell – 3
10= Elio de Angelis – 2
10= Didier Pironi – 2
10= Jacques Laffite – 2
13. Andrea de Cesaris – 1

Nobody scores in all three races. All three drivers on 3 points all had a single 4th place finish to their name, so are listed in order of earliest finish first. This time, Alan Jones wins the title with a GP victory in the States.

1982

1. Michele Alboreto – 16
2= Alain Prost – 12
2= John Watson – 12
4. Didier Pironi – 10
5. Gilles Villeneuve – 6
6= Nigel Mansell – 4
6= Eddie Cheever – 4
8. Jean-Pierre Jarier – 3
9= Manfred Winkelhock – 2
9= Eliseo Salazar – 2
9= Keke Rosberg – 2
12. Derek Daly – 1

Michele Alboreto becomes the first driver to score points three times within one season, and that is enough to win him the 1982 title. Only 4 drivers score more than once, and they form the championship top-4, so consistency is key to the title, particularly as the seasons are so short. The “in reality” champion, Keke Rosberg, really loses out badly here, scoring a solitary 5th in the US. Only 5 drivers score points in Imola after a number of DNFs and boycotts, plus a disqualification.

1983

1. Nelson Piquet – 12
2. Patrick Tambay – 11
3= Michele Alboreto – 9
3= Keke Rosberg – 9
5= Alain Prost – 6
5= John Watson – 6
7. Jacques Laffite – 5
8= Niki Lauda – 4
8= René Arnoux – 4
10. Marc Surer – 2
11. Nigel Mansell – 1

If Keke Rosberg had not been DSQed from 2nd place from the Brazilian Grand Prix, he would have won the 1983 anti-clockwise title… But the points for what was Rosberg’s second place were not re-distributed, but had they done so, Tambay would have gained an extra point and would have tied with Piquet for the title! But as Piquet would have won the first race of the season, he would still have been listed above Tambay above… Lauda would also have scored two more points, which would have raised him higher in the championship.

1984

1. Alain Prost – 21
2. Elio de Angelis – 18
3. Keke Rosberg – 15
4. René Arnoux – 12
5. Nelson Piquet – 9
6. Jacques Laffite – 5
7. Teo Fabi – 4
8= Eddie Cheever – 3
8= Derek Warwick – 3
8= Thierry Boutsen – 3
11= Patrick Tambay – 2
11= Piercarlo Ghinzani – 2
13= Andrea de Cesaris – 1
13= Nigel Mansell – 1

Elio de Angelis is the first to score in four races in a season, but it is not enough to win the title (3 thirds and a 2nd). Only 5 drivers finish in Detroit. Alain Prost becomes the second Frenchman to win the anti-clockwise title after Jacques Laffite in 1979. Niki Lauda badly loses out here, as 4 of his 6 real-life DNFs were on the four anti-clockwise circuits!

1985

1. Elio de Angelis – 15
2. Michele Alboreto – 10
3= Alain Prost – 9
3= Keke Rosberg – 9
5. Stefan Johansson – 7
6= Thierry Boutsen – 6
6= Patrick Tambay – 6
8= René Arnoux – 3
8= Niki Lauda – 3
8= Stefan Bellof – 3
11. Nigel Mansell – 2
12. Jacques Laffite – 1
13. Nelson Piquet – 1

Two Italians lead the 1985 anti-clockwise championship! This would have been Prost’s title had he not been DSQed from the San Marino Grand Prix for being 2 kg underweight.

1986

1= Nelson Piquet – 15
1= Ayrton Senna – 15
3. Alain Prost – 13
4. Jacques Laffite – 10
5. Gerhard Berger – 5
6= René Arnoux – 3
6= Stefan Johansson – 3
6= Michele Alboreto – 3
9= Martin Brundle – 2
9= Keke Rosberg – 2
9= Nigel Mansell – 2
9= Riccardo Patrese – 2

It’s a Brazilian dead-heat! Both have a win and a second, but Piquet is listed ahead as he scored his win first… Three different drivers score 4th places and score no other points, and three different drivers score 5th places and score no other points, therefore are listed in order of who scored the points first.

1987

Main (Turbo) Championship

1. Ayrton Senna – 18
2. Alain Prost – 13
3= Nelson Piquet – 12
3= Nigel Mansell – 12
5. Gerhard Berger - 10½
6. Stefan Johansson – 9
7. Michele Alboreto - 5½
8. Thierry Boutsen – 3
9. Martin Brundle – 2
10. Satoru Nakajima - 1½
11. Eddie Cheever – 1

Jim Clark Trophy

1. Jonathan Palmer – 22½
2. Philippe Streiff – 18
3. Pascal Fabre – 14
4. Philippe Alliott – 6
5. Yannick Dalmas – 2

There were only ever 2 or 3 finishers at each race for the Jim Clark Trophy, and Dr Palmer was a strong, consistent finisher.

1988

1. Alain Prost – 24
2. Ayrton Senna - 22½
3. Gerhard Berger- 10 ½
4. Thierry Boutsen – 9
5. Nelson Piquet – 8
6= Derek Warwick – 3
6= Andrea de Cesaris – 3
8= Michele Alboreto – 2
8= Jonathan Palmer – 2
8= Alessandro Nannini – 2
11= Satoru Nakajima – 1
11= Pierluigi Martini – 1
13. Riccardo Patrese - ½

In the three races that both Prost and Senna finish, Senna beats Prost each time. Senna’s one DNF in Brazil is enough for Prost to take the title. Although, had Japan not been half points (if it had been full points), Senna would have tied with Prost for the title!

1989

1. Alain Prost – 21
2. Alessandro Nannini - 9½
3= Nigel Mansell – 9
3= Ayrton Senna – 9
3= Riccardo Patrese – 9
6. Thierry Boutsen – 6
7. Johnny Herbert – 5
8. Derek Warwick - 4½
9= Mauricio Gugelmin – 4
9= Eddie Cheever – 4
11. Christian Danner – 3
12. Nelson Piquet - 1½
13= Jonathan Palmer - 1
13= Martin Brundle – 1

A dominant season for Alain Prost, aided by being the only consistent podium finisher.In so doing, Prost becomes the first triple anti-clockwise champion, adding to his success in 1984


Championship Winners to date

1950 – Johnnie Parsons – 9
1951 – Lee Wallard – 9
1952 – Troy Ruttman – 8
1953 – Bill Vukovich – 9
1954 = Juan-Manuel Fangio, Bill Vukovich – 8
1955 – Bob Sweikert – 8
1956 – Pat Flaherty – 8
1957 – Sam Hanks – 8
1958 = Jimmy Bryan, Stirling Moss – 8
1959 – Tony Brooks – 9
1960 = Jim Rathmann, Jack Brabham – 8
1961 – N/A
1962 – N/A
1963 – N/A
1964 – N/A
1965 – N/A
1966 – N/A
1967 – N/A
1968 – N/A
1969 – Jackie Stewart – 9
1970 – N/A
1971 – Jackie Stewart – 9
1972 – N/A
1973 – Emerson Fittipaldi – 18
1974 – Emerson Fittipaldi – 9
1975 – Carlos Pace – 9
1976 – Niki Lauda – 9
1977 – Carlos Reutemann – 9
1978 – Carlos Reutemann – 9
1979 – Jacques Laffite – 9
1980 – Alan Jones – 10
1981 – Alan Jones – 15
1982 – Michele Alboreto – 16
1983 – Nelson Piquet – 12
1984 – Alain Prost – 21
1985 – Elio de Angelis – 15
1986 = Nelson Piquet, Ayrton Senna – 15
1987 – Ayrton Senna – 18 (Jonathan Palmer – Jim Clark Trophy – 22½)
1988 – Alain Prost – 24
1989 – Alain Prost – 21

[dr-baker]

The 1990s

There are now consistently multiple anti-clockwise races each season from here onwards, with two to three full-points rounds per season, all clustered towards the start of each season, with a bonus half-points round at Suzuka to finish off the year. Interesting fact: from 1994 to 2004 inclusive, the calendar remained identical: Brazil, then San Marino, then Suzuka…

1990

1. Ayrton Senna – 13
2= Alain Prost – 12
2= Gerhard Berger – 12
4= Riccardo Patrese - 10½
4= Nelson Piquet - 10½
6= Jean Alesi – 7
6= Thierry Boutsen – 7
8. Alessandro Nannini – 4
9= Roberto Moreno – 3
9= Nigel Mansell – 3
11= Stefano Modena – 2
11= Aguri Suzuki – 2
13. Satoru Nakajima - 1½

Ayrton Senna wins his third title to add to his 1987 title and shared 1986 title. And many ties throughout the championship for other places, thanks to the variable reliability.

1991

1. Ayrton Senna – 33
2. Gerhard Berger – 15
3. Alain Prost - 10½
4. Riccardo Patrese – 8
5. Nelson Piquet – 6
6. JJ Lehto – 4
7. Stefano Modena - 3½
8. Pierluigi Martini – 3
9= Satoru Nakajima – 2
9= Mika Hakkinen – 2
10= Aguri Suzuki – 1
10= Jean Alesi – 1
10= Julian Bailey – 1
10= Martin Brundle – 1

Three wins, followed by a second in the half-points race, is bound to guarantee you the title, is it not? Particularly when only two other drivers score thrice and three score twice… Senna now has three outright title and a shared title.

1992

1. Nigel Mansell – 30
2. Riccardo Patrese – 23
3. Ayrton Senna – 8
4. Michael Schumacher – 7
5= Gerhard Berger – 5
5= Martin Brundle – 5
7. Jean Alesi – 4
8. Michele Alboreto – 3
9. Ivan Capelli – 2
10. Andrea de Cesaris - 1½
11= Johnny Herbert – 1
11= Pierluigi Martini – 1
12. Christian Fittipaldi - ½

Mansell had an equally great start to the season as Senna did in 1991, but fails to score in Japan at the end of the season. And Minardi scores again!

1993

1. Alain Prost – 23
2. Ayrton Senna – 21
3. Michael Schumacher – 10
4. Damon Hill - 7½
5. Mark Blundell – 6
6. JJ Lehto – 5
7. Martin Brundle – 4
8= Christian Fittipaldi – 3
8= Johnny Herbert – 3
10= Mika Hakkinen – 2
10= Philippe Alliot – 2
12= Gerhard Berger – 1
12= Alessandro Zanardi – 1
12= Fabrizio Barbazza – 1
15. Eddie Irvine - ½

Once again, as in 1988, had Suzuka been a full-points race, rather than half-points, Senna and Prost would have equalised on points. As it is, Prost now has four utright titles, with Senna having three outright and one shared title.

1994

1. Michael Schumacher – 23
2. Damon Hill – 12
3= Nicola Larini – 6
3= Jean Alesi – 6
5= Mika Hakkinen – 4
5= Karl Wendlinger – 4
5= Ukyo Katayama – 4
8. Rubens Barrichello – 3
9. Nigel Mansell - 1½
10. Eddie Irvine – 1
11. Heinz-Harald Frentzen - ½

Another white-wash, without a change in champion. These seasons where the anti-clockwise circuits are clustered near the start? Well, those who go on to be champions on circuits in both directions always seem to get a good start to the championship and tend to hold onto it. Oh, and Eddie Irvine seems to be good at picking up points at Suzuka. A pity for him that only half the track is anti-clockwise… And this is the start of 11 years of a very consistent calendar.

1995

1. Michael Schumacher - 15
2. Damon Hill – 10
3. David Coulthard – 9
4= Gerhard Berger – 8
4= Mika Hakkinen – 8
4= Jean Alesi – 8
7. Eddie Irvine - 1½
8= Olivier Panis – 1
8= Mark Blundell – 1
8= Heinz-Harald Frentzen – 1
11. Mika Salo - ½

Once again, Eddie Irvine scores his only points of the year in Suzuka (I’m sure it would have been because of his Japanese F3000 experience). And it now sadly seems that this championship is settling down and the overall champions of both clockwise and anti-clockwise tracks have mastered tracks of both directions equally. Either that, or Senna, Prost, Mansell and Schumacher are just rather good at anti-clockwise tracks. My suspicion, though, is that any championship challenge is built upon a strong early season, and these more recent anti-clockwise championships have seen the anti-clockwise tracks clustered towards the start of the season…

1996

1. Damon Hill – 25
2. Michael Schumacher – 13
3. Jean Alesi – 7
4. Mika Hakkinen – 5
5. Gerhard Berger – 4
6. Eddie Irvine – 3
7= Mika Salo – 2
7= Rubens Barrichello – 2
9= Martin Brundle – 1
9= Olivier Panis – 1
11. Heinz-Harald Frentzen - ½

Significantly, Jacques Villeneuve scores zero in the dominant Williams-Renault. He also recently came from two seasons in IndyCar, so has had experience of racing on tracks in both clockwise and anti-clockwise directions. For the first time, Eddie Irvine scores points at somewhere other than Suzuka. He also fails to score at Suzuka for the first time.

1997

1= Heinz-Harald Frentzen – 13
1= Michael Schumacher – 13
3. Jacques Villeneuve – 10
4= Gerhard Berger – 6
4= Eddie Irvine – 6
6. Mika Hakkinen - 5½
7= Olivier Panis – 4
7= Jean Alesi – 4
9. Giancarlo Fisichella – 3
10. Johnny Herbert - ½

HHF won a race (San Marino), while Schumacher was a consistent points-scorer. Therefore, we have a different driver topping the list! A different driver to the overall championship! (Had Suzuka been full points, Schumacher would have won. HHF had finished 2nd to him in that race. But had it been for the championship, might HHF’s strategy in that race have changed?) And because Jerez was a clockwise track, I do not DSQ Schumacher from this championship. Eddie Irvine has also now scored at both San Marino AND Suzuka!

1998

1. David Coulthard – 18
2. Mika Hakkinen – 15
3. Michael Schumacher – 10
4. Eddie Irvine – 7
5. Heinz-Harald Frentzen – 5
6. Jacques Villeneuve - 3½
7. Alex Wurz – 3
8. Damon Hill - 1½
9= Giancarlo Fisichella – 1
9= Jean Alesi – 1

DC wins by a small-ish margin over his McLaren teammate.

1999

1. Michael Schumacher – 19
2. Mika Hakkinen – 15
3. David Coulthard – 6
4. Heinz-Harald Frentzen - 5½
5= Rubens Barrichello – 4
5= Ralf Schumacher – 4
5= Eddie Irvine – 4
8. Damon Hill – 3
9. Giancarlo Fisichella – 2
10. Jean Alesi - 1½
11. Olivier Panis – 1

Schumacher takes this title from Mika Hakkinen, who loses out on both his titles. HHF does not have quite a good a season as he did in 1997. Damon Hill bows out, having had a fourth-placed finish in San Marino.


Championship Winners to date

1950 – Johnnie Parsons – 9
1951 – Lee Wallard – 9
1952 – Troy Ruttman – 8
1953 – Bill Vukovich – 9
1954 = Juan-Manuel Fangio, Bill Vukovich – 8
1955 – Bob Sweikert – 8
1956 – Pat Flaherty – 8
1957 – Sam Hanks – 8
1958 = Jimmy Bryan, Stirling Moss – 8
1959 – Tony Brooks – 9
1960 = Jim Rathmann, Jack Brabham – 8
1961 – N/A
1962 – N/A
1963 – N/A
1964 – N/A
1965 – N/A
1966 – N/A
1967 – N/A
1968 – N/A
1969 – Jackie Stewart – 9
1970 – N/A
1971 – Jackie Stewart – 9
1972 – N/A
1973 – Emerson Fittipaldi – 18
1974 – Emerson Fittipaldi – 9
1975 – Carlos Pace – 9
1976 – Niki Lauda – 9
1977 – Carlos Reutemann – 9
1978 – Carlos Reutemann – 9
1979 – Jacques Laffite – 9
1980 – Alan Jones – 10
1981 – Alan Jones – 15
1982 – Michele Alboreto – 16
1983 – Nelson Piquet – 12
1984 – Alain Prost – 21
1985 – Elio de Angelis – 15
1986 = Nelson Piquet, Ayrton Senna – 15
1987 – Ayrton Senna – 18 (Jonathan Palmer – Jim Clark Trophy – 22½)
1988 – Alain Prost – 24
1989 – Alain Prost – 21
1990 – Ayrton Senna – 13
1991 – Ayrton Senna – 33
1992 – Nigel Mansell – 30
1993 – Alain Prost – 23
1994 – Michael Schumacher – 23
1995 – Michael Schumacher – 15
1996 – Damon Hill – 25
1997 = Heinz-Harald Frentzen, Michael Schumacher – 13
1998 – David Coulthard – 18
1999 – Michael Schumacher – 19

So that is the twentieth century now complete. As an aside, do people agree with the decision to award half-points to the Grands Prix at Suzuka?

[Bobby Doorknobs]

So that is the twentieth century now complete. As an aside, do people agree with the decision to award half-points to the Grands Prix at Suzuka?

Given the low number of anti-clockwise tracks on the calendar, I think that, given Suzuka's unusual configuration, it is a good idea to have it as a half-points race. I just hope we don't get a Japanese Grand Prix red flagged early on next year or any year afterwards or we would have to endure the nightmare of quarter-points!

[UncreativeUsername37]

Yeah, I like Suzuka being half points. And quarter points sounds fun to me, it's a good wacky alternative championship thing.

[dr-baker]

I too like the idea of the potential for quarter points. On a sombre note, I'm just glad that it didn't happen at the 2014 Japanese GP, given the reason for the early race stoppage.

Anyway, now onto the twenty-first century...

The 2000s

The first half of this decade begins as the second half of the 1990s finish – with two anti-clockwise races in the early season, and the half-points Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka to end the year. But then we see San Marino/Imola disappear from the calendar long-term, Suzuka disappears for a few years, plus several new anti-clockwise races join to bulk out this championship, in Turkey, Singapore, and Abu Dhabi. With these changes in the calendar, the races move from a few being clustered towards the start of the year towards a larger number being clustered towards the end of the year.

2000

1. Michael Schumacher – 25
2. Mika Hakkinen – 9
3= Giancarlo Fisichella – 6
3= David Coulthard – 6
5. Rubens Barrichello - 4½
6. Heinz-Harald Frentzen – 4
7. Jarno Trulli – 3
8. Jacques Villeneuve - 2½
9= Ralf Schumacher – 2
9= Jenson Button – 2
11. Mika Salo – 1

After Brazil and San Marino, only Michael Schumacher had scored in both races, leaving it to the half-points Suzuka round to split many drivers apart. Schumacher ended up with a perfect score, scoring three wins out of three.

2001

1. David Coulthard – 18
2. Michael Schumacher – 11
3. Ralf Schumacher - 10½
4. Rubens Barrichello – 5
5. Mika Hakkinen - 4½
6= Nick Heidfeld – 4
6= Jarno Trulli – 4
8= Olivier Panis – 3
8= Juan-Pablo Montoya – 3
10= Giancarlo Fisichella – 1
10= Heinz-Harald Frentzen – 1

Michael Schumacher loses out here to David Coulthard. Mika Hakkinen takes a permanent sabbatical, and ends up with no championship victory on the anti-clockwise tracks. Jenson Button does not score in his second year in F1, and Eddie Irvine does not score for the second year in a row.

2002

1. Michael Schumacher – 25
2. Ralf Schumacher – 10
3. Rubens Barrichello – 9
4. Juan-Pablo Montoya - 6½
5. Jenson Button – 5½
6. David Coulthard – 5
7. Kimi Raikkonen – 2
8= Mika Salo – 1
8= Takuma Sato – 1

Another perfect score for Michael Schumacher. And only one tie for position, and that’s at the bottom of the table!

2003

1. Kimi Raikkonen – 20
2. David Coulthard – 12
3. Rubens Barrichello – 11
4. Michael Schumacher - 10½
5. Giancarlo Fisichella – 10
6. Fernando Alonso – 9
7. Ralf Schumacher – 7
8. Heinz-Harald Frentzen – 4
9. Jenson Button - 3½
10= Jacques Villeneuve – 3
10= Jarno Trulli – 3
12. Juan-Pablo Montoya – 2
13. Takuma Sato - 1½
14. Cristiano da Matta – 1

Points have been awarded to the top-six finishers since 1960. Now, the top-eight do, which naturally means more points-scorers, but here there are fewer ties for position. And only Kimi Raikkonen and David Coulthard score points in all three races. And this really was not a dominant performance by overall champion, Michael Schumacher.

2004

1= Michael Schumacher – 17
1= Juan-Pablo Montoya – 17
3. Fernando Alonso – 12
4. Jenson Button – 11
5. Kimi Raikkonen - 10½
6. Ralf Schumacher – 10
7. Rubens Barrichello – 9
8. Takuma Sato - 5½
9. Jarno Trulli – 4
10. Felipe Massa – 1
11. Giancarlo Fisichella - ½

Another tie at the top, and Schumacher had won the first anti-clockwise race of the year in San Marino, placing him above JPM. Interlagos moving to the end of the season this season marks the start of the move of the anti-clockwise tracks from the start to the end of the season. Schumacher is now up to 5 outright titles (’94, ’95, ’99, ’00, ’02) and 2 shared titles (’97, ’04) (the first driver to twice share a title).

2005

1. Fernando Alonso – 27
2. Kimi Raikkonen – 23
3. Juan-Pablo Montoya – 16
4. Michael Schumacher – 14
5. Giancarlo Fisichella – 13
6. Jenson Button – 8
7. Jarno Trulli – 7
8. Alex Wurz – 6
9. Jacques Villeneuve – 5
10. Mark Webber - 4½
11. David Coulthard - 3½
12= Nick Heidfeld – 3
12= Rubens Barrichello – 3
14. Ralf Schumacher - 1½
15= Vitantonio Liuzzi – 1
15= Christan Klien – 1

Again, the title is won by the only driver to score points in all four races. The only driver in the top-6 not to score points three times is JPM, who won in Brazil. This is Villeneuve’s second-highest points total (scoring 10 in 1997). San Marino is early in the calendar, while the other three races make up 3 of the final 6 rounds of the season.

2006

1= Felipe Massa – 29
1= Fernando Alonso – 29
3. Michael Schumacher – 21
4. Jenson Button - 15½
5. Kimi Raikkonen – 10
6. Giancarlo Fisichella – 10
7. Juan-Pablo Montoya – 6
8. Pedro de la Rosa – 5
9= Mark Webber – 3
9= Ralf Schumacher – 3
9= Rubens Barrichello – 3
12. Jarno Trulli - 1½
13. Nick Heidfeld - ½

For the first time in a four-round season, more than one driver scores in every round, with Alonso, Massa, Button and Fisichella all doing so. It’s a tie at the top, with Massa having won two full-points races, but with Alonso having three second places and a half-points win. Again, San Marino is at the start of the European season, while the other three anti-clockwise races make up 3 of the last 5 races.

2007

1= Felipe Massa – 18
1= Kimi Raikkonen – 18
3. Fernado Alonso – 12
4. Nick Heidfeld – 8
5. Nico Rosberg – 7
6. Lewis Hamilton – 6
7. Robert Kubica – 5
8. Heikki Kovalainen – 3
9. Jarno Trulli – 1

All drivers score in both races, except for Kovalainen and Trulli. Both Massa and Raikkonen have a win and a second place. Massa scored his win before Raikkonen. 2007 sees only two eligible races for the first time since 1980, with Suzuka temporarily falling off the calendar and San Marino doing so more long-term. With 2008 onwards seeing more anti-clockwise races joining the calendar, this is the last season to only have two rounds for the foreseeable future. Massa now has two consecutive shared titles, the first drive to do so, and only the second to have two shared titles.

2008

1. Fernando Alonso – 21
2. Felipe Massa – 20
3. Lewis Hamilton – 18
4. Kimi Raikkonen – 12
5= Nico Rosberg – 9
5= Sebastian Vettel – 9
7. Timo Glock – 8
8. Nick Heidfeld – 7
9. Robert Kubica – 5
10= Mark Webber – 2
10= David Coulthard – 2
10= Heikki Kovalainen – 2
13= Kazuki Nakajima – 1
13= Jarno Trulli – 1

Only two drivers score in all three races, Alonso and Hamilton. Alonso is very much aided here by his win in Singapore (which was in thanks to his teammate hitting the wall…). Hamilton may have been an impressive debutant in the overall championship (clockwise and anti-clockwise tracks combined), but these tracks don’t reflect that as well.

2009

1. Sebastian Vettel – 31
2. Mark Webber – 26
3. Jenson Button - 24½
4. Lewis Hamilton – 19
5= Jarno Trulli – 11
5= Robert Kubica – 11
7. Rubens Barrichello – 10
8. Timo Glock – 9
9= Nico Rosberg – 6
9= Fernando Alonso – 6
11= Kimi Raikkonen - 5½
11= Nick Heidfeld - 5½
13= Felipe Massa – 3
13= Kamui Kobayashi – 3
13= Sebastien Buemi – 3
16. Heikki Kovalainen – 2

The longest season so far, with 4 full-points races, and the return of Suzuka for a half-points round. Four of these rounds were the last four of the full season, and that likely has a significant outcome on this championship, where the Brawns start strong and fade as the season progresses – this can be seen reflected in Barrichello’s points score and championship position. And the win in Turkey in the seventh round of the year was actually Button’s last victory of the year full stop – that probably made a huge difference here (having a victory count in this championship). Plus Japan being half-points likely didn’t hurt either (Button only finished 8th there, hence the half-point).

Championship Winners to date

1950 – Johnnie Parsons – 9
1951 – Lee Wallard – 9
1952 – Troy Ruttman – 8
1953 – Bill Vukovich – 9
1954 = Juan-Manuel Fangio, Bill Vukovich – 8
1955 – Bob Sweikert – 8
1956 – Pat Flaherty – 8
1957 – Sam Hanks – 8
1958 = Jimmy Bryan, Stirling Moss – 8
1959 – Tony Brooks – 9
1960 = Jim Rathmann, Jack Brabham – 8
1961 – N/A
1962 – N/A
1963 – N/A
1964 – N/A
1965 – N/A
1966 – N/A
1967 – N/A
1968 – N/A
1969 – Jackie Stewart – 9
1970 – N/A
1971 – Jackie Stewart – 9
1972 – N/A
1973 – Emerson Fittipaldi – 18
1974 – Emerson Fittipaldi – 9
1975 – Carlos Pace – 9
1976 – Niki Lauda – 9
1977 – Carlos Reutemann – 9
1978 – Carlos Reutemann – 9
1979 – Jacques Laffite – 9
1980 – Alan Jones – 10
1981 – Alan Jones – 15
1982 – Michele Alboreto – 16
1983 – Nelson Piquet – 12
1984 – Alain Prost – 21
1985 – Elio de Angelis – 15
1986 = Nelson Piquet, Ayrton Senna – 15
1987 – Ayrton Senna – 18 (Jonathan Palmer – Jim Clark Trophy – 22½)
1988 – Alain Prost – 24
1989 – Alain Prost – 21
1990 – Ayrton Senna – 13
1991 – Ayrton Senna – 33
1992 – Nigel Mansell – 30
1993 – Alain Prost – 23
1994 – Michael Schumacher – 23
1995 – Michael Schumacher – 15
1996 – Damon Hill – 25
1997 = Heinz-Harald Frentzen, Michael Schumacher – 13
1998 – David Coulthard – 18
1999 – Michael Schumacher – 19
2000 – Michael Schumacher – 25
2001 – David Coulthard – 18
2002 – Michael Schumacher – 25
2003 – Kimi Raikkonen – 20
2004 = Michael Schumacher, Juan-Pablo Montoya – 17
2005 – Fernando Alonso – 27
2006 = Felipe Massa, Fernando Alonso – 29
2007 = Felipe Massa, Kimi Raikkonen – 18
2008 – Fernando Alonso – 21
2009 – Sebastian Vettel – 31

[dr-baker]

And now to bring this championship right up-to-date!

The 2010s

2007 to 2009 saw the calendar swell from 2 anti-clockwise races to 4.5 rounds, from the shortest round since 1980 to the longest to that point. The second decade of the 21st century sees no decrease in the size of the anti-clockwise calendar, with every season from 2010 to 2016 inclusive consisting of either 4.5 or 5.5 rounds (with Suzuka being the obvious half-round in each season). The change in the points system plus the increase in the number of eligible rounds will (likely as not) see much higher points totals for individual drivers as well as more drivers overall scoring. This will, hopefully, see a decrease in drivers tying for position. There is also a continuation of these races being clustered towards the end of the season rather than the start (with only Turkey feauring near the start in 2010 and 2011) – does this make a difference (how much do drivers and teams approach the end of season races differently compared to the early-season ones? Is this more different than the fact that these are anti-clockwise races? I don’t think that this thread by itself answers this.).

(I hope I did all the calculations on a piece of paper correctly…)

2010

1. Fernando Alonso – 82½
2. Sebastian Vettel – 80½
3. Lewis Hamilton – 78
4= Jenson Button – 61
4= Mark Webber – 61
6. Nico Rosberg – 40
7. Robert Kubica – 36
8. Michael Schumacher – 34
9. Felipe Massa – 26
10. Rubens Barrichello – 15
11. Kamui Kobayashi – 9
12= Vitantonio Liuzzi – 8
12= Vitaly Petrov – 8
14. Nico Hulkenberg – 6
15= Nick Heidfeld – 4
15= Adrian Sutil – 4
17. Jaime Alguersuari – 2
18. Sebastien Buemi – ½

Fernando Alonso is the only driver to score 6 times, with only Hamilton, Button and Webber scoring 5 times. Vettel is aided by winning in Brazil, Abu Dhabi and the half-points Japanese GP, with a second place in Singapore helping him to second place in the championship. Nick Heidfeld is placed higher than Adrian Sutil as he had a higher finish in Japan (both scored 2 points twice). I was hoping Jenson would appear higher here, as he scored 5 times, and had podiums in Turkey and Abu Dhabi, but dipped in the middle of this anti-clockwise championship.

2011

1. Sebastian Vettel – 100½
2. Mark Webber – 91
3. Jenson Button – 80½
4. Fernando Alonso – 76
5. Lewis Hamilton – 70
6. Nico Rosberg – 34½
7. Felipe Massa – 33
8. Adrian Sutil – 16
9. Paul di Resta – 15
10. Michael Schumacher – 10
11= Nick Heidfeld – 6
11= Jaime Alguersuari – 6
11= Vitaly Petrov – 6
14= Sebastien Buemi – 4
14= Kamui Kobayashi – 4
16. Sergio Perez – 3

Jenson Button won the half-points Japanese Grand Prix, but even if it had been a conventional fully anti-clockwise track, it would not have been enough to have overhauled Mark Webber for 2nd. And the top-5 are a long way ahead of Rosberg in 6th. Heidfeld had a single finish for 6th, as did Alguersuari, but Petrov had several lower finishes to equal 6 points. Interestingly, Vettel (and Hamilton) only had 5 points finishes whereas Webber, Alonso, Rosberg and Button all scored points in all 6 races.

2012

1. Sebastian Vettel – 103½
2. Fernando Alonso – 81
3. Jenson Button – 71
4. Felipe Massa – 58
5. Kimi Raikkonen – 56
6= Lewis Hamilton – 31
6= Mark Webber – 31
8. Nico Hulkenberg – 25
9. Romain Grosjean – 18
10. Kamui Kobayashi – 17½
11= Paul di Resta – 14
11= Pastor Maldonado – 14
13. Nico Rosberg – 10
14. Jean-Eric Vergne – 8
15. Michael Schumacher – 6
16. Daniel Ricciardo – 5½
17. Bruno Senna – 5
18. Sergio Perez – 1

Each of the Mercedes drivers only scored once each. An inconsistent season for scoring points, as Massa, Raikkonen and Vettel score 6 times, while only future teammates Button and Alonso score 5 times.

2013

1. Sebastian Vettel – 137½
2. Fernando Alonso – 67
3. Mark Webber – 60
4. Romain Grosjean – 52½
5. Nico Rosberg – 47
6. Lewis Hamilton – 40
7. Kimi Raikkonen – 38
8. Nico Hulkenberg – 30
9. Jenson Button – 24
10. Sergio Perez – 21
11. Felipe Massa – 20½
12. Paul di Resta – 8
13. Valterri Bottas – 4
14. Esteban Gutierrez – 3
15. Adrian Sutil – 2
16. Daniel Ricciardo – 1

Vettel wins every round, thereby having a maximum score, and Alonso and Rosberg also score in every round. 4 out of 5 of Team Williams’ points for 2013 came thanks to Bottas at the anti-clockwise Circuit of the Americas. Surprisingly, Grosjean and Webber only put points on the board 4 times, whereas many around them in the table score 5 or 6 times. Also, this is the first time that there have not been any ties for any position anywhere in the championship table since the single-race championships of the 1970s (barring the Jim Clark Trophy of 1987).

2014

1. Lewis Hamilton – 130½
2. Felipe Massa – 76
3. Daniel Ricciardo – 60
4. Nico Rosberg – 52
5. Valterri Bottas – 45
6. Sebastian Vettel – 39½
7. Jenson Button – 37
8. Fernando Alonso – 32
9. Nico Hulkenberg – 24
10. Sergio Perez – 18½
11. Kimi Raikkonen - 12
12. Jean-Eric Vergne – 10
13. Kevin Magnussen – 7
14. Pastor Maldonado – 2

The loss of Korea from the calendar reduces the calendar back down to 4.5 races, but double-points in Abu Dhabi preserves the number of available points that have been available each season of this decade (from 2010 to date). This means that in this alternative championship, in 5 rounds, 3 are “normal” points rounds, Japan is half-points, and Abu Dhabi is double-points – i.e. 3 different levels of points for different races, all pre-ordained (unlike half-points shortened races like the 1975 Spanish Grand Prix). Was Abu Dhabi really worth 4 times the points of Japan? But that’s beside the point… Lewis Hamilton misses out on repeating Vettel’s 2013 total by 7 points by dint of a second-placed finish in Brazil. And there’s significant points gaps between the McLaren and Williams teammates. And the gap between the Mercedes teammates this year is (slightly) greater than between the Red Bull teammates of 2013. Sadly, Bianchi’s points from Monaco do not count towards this championship.

2015

1. Nico Rosberg – 89
2. Sebastian Vettel – 74½
3. Lewis Hamilton – 73½
4. Kimi Raikkonen – 48
5. Daniel Ricciardo – 27
6. Sergio Perez – 26
7. Valterri Bottas – 25
8. Max Verstappen – 19
9. Nico Hulkenberg – 18
10. Daniil Kvyat – 15
11. Romain Grosjean – 9
12. Carlos Sainz Jr. – 8½
13. Jenson Button – 8
14. Pastor Maldonado – 7
15. Felipe Massa – 4
16. Felipe Nasr – 3

So Hamilton had a weaker final few races at the end of 2015 than Rosberg, but did Rosberg do enough to overhaul Lewis’s points total? Yes, quite easily, but with thanks to Hamilton’s Singapore DNF, which meant that Rosberg actually had the advantage here from the start. Rosberg does not become the second, or even the first, son of a champion to become champion of the anti-clockwise tracks, because neither Graham Hill nor Keke Rosberg won this alternative title. For the third year in a row, there are no ties for position in the drivers’ championship, despite the best efforts of Ricciardo, Perez and Bottas, or Grosjean, Sainz, Button and Maldonado.

2016

So the calendar is known (see the first post). It will equal the record for most eligible rounds (5.5), the first time we have had this number of rounds since 2013. Then, Korea fell off the calendar, but we now have the GP of Europe in Baku, Azerbaijan join the championship. This new round will be in June, then we'll have to wait until September for the second anti-clockwise round of this year's series... Who will win? Will having a new round in mid-season slightly skew the results? Who knows? But I feel some more three-pointed star success coming...


Championship Winners to date

1950 – Johnnie Parsons – 9
1951 – Lee Wallard – 9
1952 – Troy Ruttman – 8
1953 – Bill Vukovich – 9
1954 = Juan-Manuel Fangio, Bill Vukovich – 8
1955 – Bob Sweikert – 8
1956 – Pat Flaherty – 8
1957 – Sam Hanks – 8
1958 = Jimmy Bryan, Stirling Moss – 8
1959 – Tony Brooks – 9
1960 = Jim Rathmann, Jack Brabham – 8
1961 – N/A
1962 – N/A
1963 – N/A
1964 – N/A
1965 – N/A
1966 – N/A
1967 – N/A
1968 – N/A
1969 – Jackie Stewart – 9
1970 – N/A
1971 – Jackie Stewart – 9
1972 – N/A
1973 – Emerson Fittipaldi – 18
1974 – Emerson Fittipaldi – 9
1975 – Carlos Pace – 9
1976 – Niki Lauda – 9
1977 – Carlos Reutemann – 9
1978 – Carlos Reutemann – 9
1979 – Jacques Laffite – 9
1980 – Alan Jones – 10
1981 – Alan Jones – 15
1982 – Michele Alboreto – 16
1983 – Nelson Piquet – 12
1984 – Alain Prost – 21
1985 – Elio de Angelis – 15
1986 = Nelson Piquet, Ayrton Senna – 15
1987 – Ayrton Senna – 18 (Jonathan Palmer – Jim Clark Trophy – 22½)
1988 – Alain Prost – 24
1989 – Alain Prost – 21
1990 – Ayrton Senna – 13
1991 – Ayrton Senna – 33
1992 – Nigel Mansell – 30
1993 – Alain Prost – 23
1994 – Michael Schumacher – 23
1995 – Michael Schumacher – 15
1996 – Damon Hill – 25
1997 = Heinz-Harald Frentzen, Michael Schumacher – 13
1998 – David Coulthard – 18
1999 – Michael Schumacher – 19
2000 – Michael Schumacher – 25
2001 – David Coulthard – 18
2002 – Michael Schumacher – 25
2003 – Kimi Raikkonen – 20
2004 = Michael Schumacher, Juan-Pablo Montoya – 17
2005 – Fernando Alonso – 27
2006 = Felipe Massa, Fernando Alonso – 29
2007 = Felipe Massa, Kimi Raikkonen – 18
2008 – Fernando Alonso – 21
2009 – Sebastian Vettel – 31
2010 – Fernando Alonso – 82½
2011 – Sebastian Vettel – 100½
2012 – Sebastian Vettel – 103½
2013 – Sebastian Vettel – 137½
2014 – Lewis Hamilton – 130½
2015 – Nico Rosberg – 89

[dr-baker]

2016
Grand Prix of Europe, Baku, Azerbaijan
Singapore Grand Prix
Japanese Grand Prix, Suzuka (half-points)
United States Grand Prix, Austin/COTA
Brazilian Grand Prix
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Mid-June sees the first anti-clockwise race of 2016, and so the race positions form the initial driver championship positions.

2016 European Grand Prix at Baku, Azerbaijan

Code: Select all

 1 Nico Rosberg      25
 2 Sebastian Vettel  18
 3 Sergio Perez      15
 4 Kimi Raikkonen    12
 5 Lewis Hamilton    10
 6 Valtteri Bottas    8
 7 Daniel Ricciardo   6
 8 Max Verstappen     4
 9 Nico Hulkenberg    2
10 Felipe Massa       1

Just 5 teams fill the top-10 race positions, even if some drivers are several places ahead of their teammates. It's a great start to the season for Sergio Perez.

WDC

As per race results, as this is the first anti-clockwise race of the year.

WCC

Code: Select all

Mercedes    25 + 10 = 35
Ferrari     18 + 12 = 30
Force India 15 +  2 = 17
Red Bull     6 +  4 = 10
Williams     8 +  1 =  9

McLaren    = best finish 11th
Sauber     = best finish 12th
Haas       = best finish 13th
Renault    = best finish 14th
Manor      = best finish 18th
Toro Rosso = best finish DNF

[dr-baker]

Just like the current FE series, you have the first race of the series, then you have to wait months until the second round of the series. We have now had about 3 months since the first anti-clockwise championship race of this season, but now we're going to have two in October and two in November to round out this year's championship (including the half-points Suzuka round).

2016 Singapore Grand Prix

Code: Select all

 1 Nico Rosberg     25 
 2 Daniel Ricciardo 18 
 3 Lewis Hamilton   15
 4 Kimi Raikkonen   12
 5 Sebastian Vettel 10
 6 Max Verstappen    8
 7 Fernando Alonso   6
 8 Sergio Perez      4
 9 Daniil Kvyat      2
10 Kevin Magnussen   1

New Championship Positions

Code: Select all

 1 Nico Rosberg      25 + 25 = 50
 2 Sebastian Vettel  18 + 10 = 28
 3 Lewis Hamilton    10 + 15 = 25
 4 Daniel Ricciardo   6 + 18 = 24
 5 Kimi Raikkonen    12 + 12 = 24
 6 Sergio Perez      15 +  4 = 19
 7 Max Verstappen     4 +  8 = 12

Code: Select all

 9 Valtteri Bottas    8 +  0 =  8
10 Fernando Alonso    0 +  6 =  6
11 Nico Hulkenberg    2 +  0 =  2
12 Daniil Kyvat       0 +  2 =  2
13 Felipe Massa       1 +  0 =  1
14 Kevin Magnussen    0 +  1 =  1 

Constructors' Championship

Code: Select all

Mercedes     50 + 25 = 75
Ferrari      28 + 24 = 52
Red Bull     24 + 12 = 36
Force India  19 +  2 = 21
Williams      8 +  1 =  9
McLaren       6 +  0 =  6
Toro Rosso    2 +  0 =  2
Renault       1 +  0 =  1
Manor                   0
Haas                    0
Sauber                  0

[Bleu]

Just thinking that half-points race in Suzuka (real-life) would be quarter-points here.

[dr-baker]

Just thinking that half-points race in Suzuka (real-life) would be quarter-points here.

That would be correct. At the moment, purely theoretical, but possible. Although it would not be as crazy as some of the points issued in the 1954 season, thanks to that year's British GP, where a single point was distributed 7 ways for fastest laps, plus some half-points awarded for shared drives. So the fractions 1/7, 1/2, and 9/14 all featured in the final championship table, in real life!

[dr-baker]

Now for the annual half-points race on the figure-of-8 (half-clockwise, half-anti-clockwise) Suzuka racetrack for the Japanese Grand Prix!

Japanese Grand Prix

Code: Select all

 1 Nico Rosberg     12.5
 2 Max Verstappen    9
 3 Lewis Hamilton    7.5
 4 Sebastian Vettel  6
 5 Kimi Raikkonen    5
 6 Daniel Ricciardo  4
 7 Sergio Perez      3
 8 Nico Hulkenberg   2
 9 Felipe Massa      1 
10 Valtteri Bottas   0.5

WDC

Code: Select all

 1 Nico Rosberg      50 + 12.5 = 62.5
 2 Sebastian Vettel  28 +  6   = 34
 3 Lewis Hamilton    25 +  7.5 = 32.5
 4 Kimi Raikkonen    24 +  5   = 29
 5 Daniel Ricciardo  24 +  4   = 28
 6 Sergio Perez      19 +  3   = 22
 7 Max Verstappen    12 +  9   = 21
 9 Valtteri Bottas    8 +  0.5 =  8.5
10 Fernando Alonso    6 +  0   =  6

Code: Select all

11 Nico Hulkenberg    2 +  2   =  4
12 Daniil Kyvat       2 +  0   =  2
13 Felipe Massa       1 +  1   =  2
14 Kevin Magnussen    1 +  0   =  1

Notice the 'deliberate' missing 8th place here. Whoops.
WCC

Code: Select all

Mercedes    62.5 + 32.5 = 95
Ferrari     34   + 29   = 63
Red Bull    28   + 21   = 49
Force India 22   +  4   = 26
Williams     8.5 +  2   = 10.5
McLaren      6   +  0   =  6
Toro Rosso   2   +  0   =  2
Renault      1   +  0   =  1
Haas
Sauber
Manor

[dr-baker]

From two full-points races separated by several months with a half-points race following, we now have a number of races eligible for this championship coming up in quick succession!

2016 US Grand Prix

Code: Select all

  1 Lewis Hamilton    25
 2 Nico Rosberg      18
 3 Daniel Ricciardo  15
 4 Sebastian Vettel  12
 5 Fernando Alonso   10 
 6 Carlos Sainz       8
 7 Felipe Massa       6
 8 Sergio Perez       4 
 9 Jenson Button      2
10 Romain Grosjean    1

WDC

Code: Select all

 1 Nico Rosberg      62.5 + 18 = 80.5
 2 Lewis Hamilton    32.5 + 25 = 57.5
 3 Sebastian Vettel  34   + 12 = 46
 4 Daniel Ricciardo  28   + 15 = 43
 5 Kimi Raikkonen    29   +  0 = 29
 6 Sergio Perez      22   +  4 = 26
 7 Max Verstappen    21   +  0 = 21
 8 Fernando Alonso    6   + 10 = 16
 9 Valtteri Bottas    8.5 +  0 =  8.5
10 Felipe Massa       2   +  6 =  8

Code: Select all

11 Carlos Sainz       0   +  8 =  8
12 Nico Hulkenberg    4   +  0 =  4
13 Daniil Kyvat       2   +  0 =  2
14 Jenson Button      0   +  2 =  2
15 Kevin Magnussen    1   +  0 =  1
16 Romain Grosjean    0   +  1 =  1

I THINK I've made an error somewhere here. After Japan, we had 14 points scorers. In the USA, I think we had three drivers score for the first time, meaning we now ought to have 17 drivers listed above, not 16. Can somebody help please? (I really ought to use Excel to help compile this table...)

WCC

Based on the above...

Code: Select all

Mercedes    80.5 + 57.5 = 138
Ferrari     46   + 29   =  75
Red Bull    43   + 21   =  64
Force India 26   +  4   =  30
McLaren     16   +  2   =  18
Williams     8.5 +  8   =  16.5
Toro Rosso   8   +  2   =  10
Renault      1   +  0   =   1
Haas         1   +  0   =   1
Sauber
Manor

[Aislabie]

I THINK I've made an error somewhere here. After Japan, we had 14 points scorers. In the USA, I think we had three drivers score for the first time, meaning we now ought to have 17 drivers listed above, not 16. Can somebody help please? (I really ought to use Excel to help compile this table...)

Your maths is fine, but there's no eighth place in the table from the previous round, meaning that there were only 13, not 14 points scorers. None of your actual calculations need to change though, far as I can see

[dr-baker]

I THINK I've made an error somewhere here. After Japan, we had 14 points scorers. In the USA, I think we had three drivers score for the first time, meaning we now ought to have 17 drivers listed above, not 16. Can somebody help please? (I really ought to use Excel to help compile this table...)

Your maths is fine, but there's no eighth place in the table from the previous round, meaning that there were only 13, not 14 points scorers. None of your actual calculations need to change though, far as I can see

Yes, I think that is it, thank you!

[dr-baker]

2016 Brazilian Grand Prix

Code: Select all

 1 Lewis Hamilton   25
 2 Nico Rosberg     18
 3 Max Verstappen   15
 4 Sergio Perez     12
 5 Sebastian Vettel 10
 6 Carlos Sainz      8
 7 Nico Hulkenberg   6
 8 Daniel Ricciardo  4
 9 Felipe Nasr       2
10 Fernando Alonso   1

WDC

Code: Select all

 1 Nico Rosberg      80.5 + 18 = 98.5 
 2 Lewis Hamilton    57.5 + 25 = 82.5
 3 Sebastian Vettel  46   + 10 = 56 
 4 Daniel Ricciardo  43   +  4 = 47
 5 Sergio Perez      26   + 12 = 38
 6 Max Verstappen    21   + 15 = 36
 7 Kimi Raikkonen    29   +  0 = 29
 8 Fernando Alonso   16   +  1 = 17
 9 Carlos Sainz       8   +  8 = 16
10 Nico Hulkenberg    4   +  6 = 10

Code: Select all

11 Valtteri Bottas    8.5 +  0 =  8.5
12 Felipe Massa       8   +  0 =  8
13 Daniil Kyvat       2   +  0 =  2
14 Jenson Button      2   +  0 =  2
15 Felipe Nasr        0   +  2 =  2
16 Kevin Magnussen    1   +  0 =  1
17 Romain Grosjean    1   +  0 =  1

The two Williams drivers and Kimi Raikkonen all lose two places, to the benefit of those immediately ahead of them in the table. Obviously. And to win this championship in Abu Dhabi, Rosberg just needs to finish in the top-5, as opposed to the top-3 in the full clockwise and anti-clockwise championship.

[dr-baker]

The last round of 2016

2016 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Code: Select all

 1 Lewis Hamilton    25 
 2 Nico Rosberg      18 
 3 Sebastian Vettel  15 
 4 Max Verstappen    12 
 5 Daniel Ricciardo  10 
 6 Kimi Raikkonen     8 
 7 Nico Hulkenberg    6 
 8 Sergio Perez       4 
 9 Felipe Massa       2 
10 Fernando Alonso    1

No new points scorers this time.

WDC

Code: Select all

 1 Nico Rosberg      98.5 + 18 = 116.5
 2 Lewis Hamilton    82.5 + 25 = 107.5
 3 Sebastian Vettel  56   + 15 =  71
 4 Daniel Ricciardo  47   + 10 =  57
 5 Max Verstappen    36   + 12 =  48 
 6 Sergio Perez      38   +  4 =  42
 7 Kimi Raikkonen    29   +  8 =  37
 8 Fernando Alonso   17   +  1 =  18
 9 Carlos Sainz      16   +  0 =  16
10 Nico Hulkenberg   10   +  6 =  16

Code: Select all

11 Felipe Massa       8   +  2 =  10
12 Valtteri Bottas    8.5 +  0 =   8.5
13 Daniil Kyvat       2   +  0 =   2
14 Jenson Button      2   +  0 =   2
15 Felipe Nasr        2   +  0 =   2
16 Kevin Magnussen    1   +  0 =   1
17 Romain Grosjean    1   +  0 =   1

Even if both Vettel and Verstappen had overtaken Rosberg today, Rosberg would still have been champion of the anti-clockwise tracks this year.

WCC

Code: Select all

Mercedes    116.5 + 107.5 = 214
Ferrari      71   +  37   = 108
Red Bull     57   +  48   = 105
Force India  42   +  16   =  58
McLaren      18   +   2   =  20
Williams     10   +   8.5 =  18.5
Toro Rosso   16   +   2   =  18
Sauber        2   +   0   =   2
Renault       1   +   0   =   1
Haas          1   +   0   =   1
Manor         0   +   0   =   0 

Manor clearly had their strongest result this year on a clockwise track, whilst Sauber's was in the opposite direction. Haas was stronger earlier in the year, where there was a higher proportion of clockwise tracks.

Championship Winners to date

1950 – Johnnie Parsons – 9
1951 – Lee Wallard – 9
1952 – Troy Ruttman – 8
1953 – Bill Vukovich – 9
1954 = Juan-Manuel Fangio, Bill Vukovich – 8
1955 – Bob Sweikert – 8
1956 – Pat Flaherty – 8
1957 – Sam Hanks – 8
1958 = Jimmy Bryan, Stirling Moss – 8
1959 – Tony Brooks – 9
1960 = Jim Rathmann, Jack Brabham – 8
1961 – N/A
1962 – N/A
1963 – N/A
1964 – N/A
1965 – N/A
1966 – N/A
1967 – N/A
1968 – N/A
1969 – Jackie Stewart – 9
1970 – N/A
1971 – Jackie Stewart – 9
1972 – N/A
1973 – Emerson Fittipaldi – 18
1974 – Emerson Fittipaldi – 9
1975 – Carlos Pace – 9
1976 – Niki Lauda – 9
1977 – Carlos Reutemann – 9
1978 – Carlos Reutemann – 9
1979 – Jacques Laffite – 9
1980 – Alan Jones – 10
1981 – Alan Jones – 15
1982 – Michele Alboreto – 16
1983 – Nelson Piquet – 12
1984 – Alain Prost – 21
1985 – Elio de Angelis – 15
1986 = Nelson Piquet, Ayrton Senna – 15
1987 – Ayrton Senna – 18 (Jonathan Palmer – Jim Clark Trophy – 22½)
1988 – Alain Prost – 24
1989 – Alain Prost – 21
1990 – Ayrton Senna – 13
1991 – Ayrton Senna – 33
1992 – Nigel Mansell – 30
1993 – Alain Prost – 23
1994 – Michael Schumacher – 23
1995 – Michael Schumacher – 15
1996 – Damon Hill – 25
1997 = Heinz-Harald Frentzen, Michael Schumacher – 13
1998 – David Coulthard – 18
1999 – Michael Schumacher – 19
2000 – Michael Schumacher – 25
2001 – David Coulthard – 18
2002 – Michael Schumacher – 25
2003 – Kimi Raikkonen – 20
2004 = Michael Schumacher, Juan-Pablo Montoya – 17
2005 – Fernando Alonso – 27
2006 = Felipe Massa, Fernando Alonso – 29
2007 = Felipe Massa, Kimi Raikkonen – 18
2008 – Fernando Alonso – 21
2009 – Sebastian Vettel – 31
2010 – Fernando Alonso – 82½
2011 – Sebastian Vettel – 100½
2012 – Sebastian Vettel – 103½
2013 – Sebastian Vettel – 137½
2014 – Lewis Hamilton – 130½
2015 – Nico Rosberg – 89
2016 - Nico Rosberg - 116.5

[dr-baker]

Anti-clockwise F1 calendar for 2017

25th June Azerbaijan Grand Prix
17th September Singapore Grand Prix
8th October Japanese Grand Prix (half points)
22nd October American Grand Prix
12th November Brazilian Grand Prix
26th November Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Very, very similar to last year, but with the European Grand Prix changing its name to the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Will Bottas spring a surprise? Might there be a contender from Ferrari or Red Bull? Or will Hamilton gain just his second title in this alternative championship? Let's wait until the Northern Hemisphere's late autumn to find out!

[dr-baker]

So, assuming no post-race penalties, we have the first anti-clockwise championship results of the season!

2017 Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Code: Select all

 1 Ricciardo  25
 2 Bottas     18
 3 Stroll     15
 4 Vettel     12
 5 Hamilton   10 
 6 Ocon        8
 7 Magnussen   6
 8 Sainz       4
 9 Alonso      2
10 Wehrlein    1

WCC

Code: Select all

Mercedes    18 + 10 = 28
Red Bull    25
Williams    15
Ferrari     12
Force India  8
Haas         6
Toro Rosso   4
McLaren      2
Sauber       1
Renault      0

And already, after one race, we have nine teams score points! What is going to happen in the rest of the season? Find out in about three months for the next round!!!

[dr-baker]

2017 Singapore Grand Prix

After a gap between races that would make even Formula E proud, we have the second round of the 2017 anti-clockwise championship, and it's the second slightly unusual race result of the year...

Race results

Code: Select all

 1 Lewis Hamilton    25 
 2 Daniel Ricciardo  18
 3 Valtteri Bottas   15
 4 Carlos Sainz      12
 5 Sergio Perez      10
 6 Jolyon Palmer      8
 7 Stoffel Vandoorne  6
 8 Lance Stroll       4
 9 Romain Grosjean    2
10 Esteban Ocon       1 

A Toro Rosso in fourth? Palmer in 6th? A McLaren in 7th? And this still is not the oddest race result in this alternative championship of this year!

WDC (total of first two rounds)

Code: Select all

 Ricciardo  25 + 18 = 43
 Hamilton   10 + 25 = 35
 Bottas     18 + 15 = 33
 Stroll     15 +  4 = 19
 Sainz       4 + 12 = 16
 Vettel     12 +  0 = 12
 Perez       0 + 10 = 10
 Ocon        8 +  1 =  9
 Palmer      0 +  8 =  8
 Magnussen   6 +  0 =  6
 Vandoorne   0 +  6 =  6
 Grosjean    0 +  2 =  2 
 Alonso      2 +  0 =  2
 Wehrlein    1 +  0 =  1

It's neither a Ferrari nor a Mercedes driver in the lead of this! Palmer has scored multiple points while Hulkenberg has none! Stroll is still fourth! Both McLaren drivers have scored, with Vandoorne ahead of Alonso!

WCC (total of both drivers' totals)

Code: Select all

Mercedes    35 + 33 = 68
Red Bull    43 +  0 = 43
Williams    19 +  0 = 19
Force India 10 +  9 = 19
Toro Rosso  16 +  0 = 16
Ferrari     12 +  0 = 12
Renault      8 +  0 =  8
Haas         6 +  2 =  8
McLaren      6 +  2 =  8
Sauber       1 +  0 =  1

Biggest surprises here are the positions of Williams and, in particular, Ferrari.


This is so much quicker and easier to calculate the car numbers alternative championship. I WILL catch up with that this week. Fingers crossed...

[dr-baker]

2017 Japanese Grand Prix

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 1 Lewis Hamilton    12.5
 2 Max Verstappen     9
 3 Daniel Ricciardo   7.5
 4 Valtteri Bottas    6
 5 Kimi Raikkonen     5
 6 Esteban Ocon       4
 7 Sergio Perez       3
 8 Kevin Magnussen    2
 9 Romain Grosjean    1
10 Felipe Massa       0.5

WDC

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 Ricciardo  43 +  7.5 = 50.5
 Hamilton   35 + 12.5 = 47.5
 Bottas     33 +  6   = 39
 Stroll     19 +  0   = 19
 Sainz      16 +  0   = 16
 Perez      10 +  3   = 13
 Ocon        9 +  4   = 13
 Vettel     12 +  0   = 12

Code: Select all

 Verstappen  0 +  9   =  9
 Palmer      8 +  0   =  8
 Magnussen   6 +  2   =  8
 Vandoorne   6 +  0   =  6
 Raikkonen   0 +  5   =  5
 Grosjean    2 +  1   =  3
 Alonso      2 +  0   =  2
 Wehrlein    1 +  0   =  1
 Massa       0 +  0.5 =  0.5

Ricciardo stills leads, without a win! Stroll is still fourth! Hulkenberg has not scored yet, while Palmer has?!?!?

WCC

Code: Select all

Mercedes    47.5 + 39   = 86.5
Red Bull    50.5 +  9   = 59.5
Force India 13   + 13   = 26
Williams    19   +  0.5 = 19.5
Ferrari     12   +  5   = 17
Toro Rosso  16          = 16
Haas         8   +  3   = 11
Renault      8          =  8
McLaren      6   +  2   =  8
Sauber       1          =  1

2017 USA Grand Prix

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 1 Lewis Hamilton   25
 2 Sebastian Vettel 18
 3 Kimi Raikkonen   15
 4 Max Verstappen   12
 5 Valtteri Bottas  10
 6 Esteban Ocon      8
 7 Carlos Sainz      6
 8 Sergio Perez      4 
 9 Felipe Massa      2
10 Daniil Kvyat      1

Sainz has now scored 16 for Toro Rosso and 6 for Renault.

WDC

Code: Select all

 Hamilton    47.5 + 25 = 72.5
 Ricciardo   50.5 +  0 = 50.5
 Bottas      39   + 10 = 49
 Vettel      12   + 18 = 30
 Sainz       16   +  6 = 22
             of which    16 for Toro Rosso
                          6 for Renault

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 Ocon        13   +  8 = 21
 Verstappen   9   + 12 = 21
 Raikkonen    5   + 15 = 20
 Stroll      19   +  0 = 19
 Perez       13   +  4 = 17
 Palmer       8   +  0 =  8
 Magnussen    8   +  0 =  8
 Vandoorne    6   +  0 =  6
 Grosjean     3   +  0 =  3
 Massa        0.5 +  2 =  2.5
 Alonso       2   +  0 =  2
 Wehrlein     1   +  0 =  1
 Kyvat        0   +  1 =  1

WCC

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Mercedes     72.5 + 49   = 121.5
Red Bull     50.5 + 21   =  71.5
Ferrari      30   + 20   =  50
Force India  21   + 17   =  38
Williams     19   +  2.5 =  21.5
Toro Rosso   16   +  1   =  17
Renault       6   +  8   =  14
Haas          8   +  3   =  11
McLaren       6   +  2   =   8
Sauber        1          =   1

[dr-baker]

2017 Brazilian Grand Prix

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 1 Sebastian Vettel 25 
 2 Valtteri Bottas  18
 3 Kimi Raikkonen   15
 4 Lewis Hamilton   12
 5 Max Verstappen   10
 6 Daniel Ricciardo  8 
 7 Felipe Massa      6
 8 Fernando Alonso   4 
 9 Sergio Perez      2
10 Nico Hulkenberg   1

WDC

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 Hamilton    72.5 + 12 = 84.5
 Bottas      49   + 18 = 67
 Ricciardo   50.5 +  8 = 58.5
 Vettel      30   + 25 = 55
 Raikkonen   20   + 15 = 35
 Verstappen  21   + 10 = 31
 Sainz       22   +  0 = 22
             of which    16 for Toro Rosso
                          6 for Renault

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 Ocon        21   +  0 = 21
 Stroll      19   +  0 = 19
 Perez       17   +  2 = 19
 Massa        2.5 +  6 =  8.5
 Palmer       8   +  0 =  8
 Magnussen    8   +  0 =  8
 Vandoorne    6   +  0 =  6
 Alonso       2   +  4 =  6
 Grosjean     3   +  0 =  3
 Wehrlein     1   +  0 =  1
 Kyvat        1   +  0 =  1
 Hulkenberg   0   +  1 =  1

Raikkonen and Verstappen gain places while one-time leader of this championship, Ricciardo, loses another place.


Unlike the Car Numbers Alternative Championship, I will continue to update this after each applicable race next year because 1. it's quicker and easier, 2. there are fewer rounds, 3. I need to draw upon individual race results to form this alternative championship.

[dr-baker]

2017 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

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 1 Valtteri Bottas   25 
 2 Lewis Hamilton    18
 3 Sebastian Vettel  15
 4 Kimi Raikkonen    12
 5 Max Verstappen    10
 6 Nico Hulkenberg    8
 7 Sergio Perez       6
 8 Esteban Ocon       4
 9 Fernando Alonso    2
10 Felipe Massa       1

WDC

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 Hamilton    84.5 + 18 = 102.5
 Bottas      67   + 25 =  92
 Vettel      55   + 15 =  70
 Ricciardo   58.5 +  0 =  58.5
 Raikkonen   35   + 12 =  47 
 Verstappen  31   + 10 =  41
 Ocon        21   +  4 =  25
 Perez       19   +  6 =  25
 Sainz       22   +  0 =  22
             of which     16 for Toro Rosso
                           6 for Renault

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 Stroll      19   +  0 =  19
 Massa        8.5 +  1 =   9.5
 Hulkenberg   1   +  8 =   9
 Palmer       8   +  0 =   8
 Magnussen    8   +  0 =   8 
 Alonso       6   +  2 =   8
 Vandoorne    6   +  0 =   6
 Grosjean     3   +  0 =   3
 Wehrlein     1   +  0 =   1
 Kyvat        1   +  0 =   1

Magnussen significantly outscores Grosjean on the anti-clockwise tracks! Stroll scores twice as many points as Massa, his much more experienced teammate! (Thanks in no small part to his Baku podium.)
WCC

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Mercedes    102.5 + 92     = 194.5
Ferrari      70   + 47     = 117
Red Bull     58.5 + 41     =  99.5
Force India  25   + 25     =  50
Williams      9.5 + 19     =  28.5
Renault       6   +  9 + 8 =  23
Toro Rosso   16   +  1     =  17
McLaren       8   +  6     =  14
Haas          8   +  3     =  11
Sauber        1            =   1

[UncreativeUsername37]

19 is exactly twice of 9.5....

[dr-baker]

19 is exactly twice of 9.5....

So it is. That was just a test to see if anyone was reading this...

[dr-baker]

The calendar for the 2018 season

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Azerbaijan Grand Prix     29 April  
Singapore Grand Prix     16 September  
Japanese Grand Prix       7 October  (half-points round)
United States Grand Prix 21 October  
Brazilian Grand Prix     11 November  
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix     25 November 

Azerbaijan Grand Prix race results

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 1 Lewis Hamilton    25 
 2 Kimi Raikkonen    18 
 3 Sergio Perez      15 
 4 Sebastian Vettel  12 
 5 Carlos Sainz      10 
 6 Charles Leclerc    8 
 7 Fernando Alonso    6 
 8 Lance Stroll       4 
 9 Stoffel Vandoorne  2 
10 Brendon Hartley    1

Most teams get 1 car into the points, with only Ferrari and McLaren getting both cars into the points, at the expense of Red Bull (!) and Haas failing to score.

Code: Select all

 1 Ferrari     30
 2 Mercedes    25
 3 Force India 15
 4 Renault     10
=5 Sauber       8
=5 McLaren      8
 7 Williams     4
 8 Toro Rosso   1
=9 Red Bull     0
=9 Haas         0

Singapore Grand Prix results

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 1 Lewis Hamilton   25  
2 Max Verstappen   18
3 Sebastian Vettel 15
4 Valtteri Bottas  12
5 Kimi Raikkonen   10
6 Daniel Ricciardo  8
7 Fernando Alonso   6
8 Carlos Sainz      4
9 Charles Leclerc   2
10 Nico Hulkenberg  1

WDC

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 1 Lewis Hamilton     25 + 25 = 50
 2 Kimi Raikkonen     18 + 10 = 28
 3 Sebastian Vettel   12 + 15 = 27
 4 Max Verstappen      0 + 18 = 18
 5 Sergio Perez       15 +  0 = 15
 6 Carlos Sainz       10 +  4 = 14
=7 Fernando Alonso     6 +  6 = 12
=7 Vatteri Bottas      0 + 12 = 12
 9 Charles Leclerc     8 +  2 = 10
10 Daniel Ricciardo    0 +  8 =  8
11 Lance Stroll        4 +  0 =  4
12 Stoffel Vandoorne   2 +  0 =  2
=13 Brendon Hartley    1 +  0 =  1
=13 Nico Hulkenberg    0 +  1 =  1

WCC

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 1 Mercedes    62
 2 Ferrari     55
 3 Red Bull    26
=4 Force India 15
=4 Renault     15
 6 McLaren     14
 7 Sauber      10
 8 Williams     4
 9 Toro Rosso   1
10 Haas         0 
11 Racing Point 

Haas remain the only team not to score on anti-clockwise tracks in F1 this year, which may be surprising given their success on anti-clockwise tracks in NASCAR. Maybe it's the right-hand bends? Williams are doing better here than in the combined championship, while Red Bull recover lost ground. Racing Point shall be considered a seperate entity to Force India here, but I won't delete Force India's points here. The drivers (Perez and Ocon) get to keep their points, why shouldn't the team that supplied them with their cars, engineers, etc.?



As an aside, does anybody know the precise ratio of lap length of Suzuka that is clockwise and anticlockwise (from flyover to underpass, then from underpass back to flyover)? Both lap time and physical distances would be of interest. I won't be changing the half-points status of the race, but it would just be of passing interest to know how close it is.

[Aislabie]

As an aside, does anybody know the precise ratio of lap length of Suzuka that is clockwise and anticlockwise (from flyover to underpass, then from underpass back to flyover)? Both lap time and physical distances would be of interest. I won't be changing the half-points status of the race, but it would just be of passing interest to know how close it is.

Approximately 1.47 miles of anti-clockwise to 2.14 miles of clockwise.

So it is 40% anti-clockwise

[dr-baker]

As an aside, does anybody know the precise ratio of lap length of Suzuka that is clockwise and anticlockwise (from flyover to underpass, then from underpass back to flyover)? Both lap time and physical distances would be of interest. I won't be changing the half-points status of the race, but it would just be of passing interest to know how close it is.

Approximately 1.47 miles of anti-clockwise to 2.14 miles of clockwise.

So it is 40% anti-clockwise

Thanks. It's less 50:50 than I thought, but it's still close enough for me to be happy to be awarding half-points.

[dr-baker]

2018 Japanese Grand Prix

Half-way through the anti-clockwise championship, and we have our half-points round!!!

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 1 Lewis Hamilton    12.5 
 2 Valtteri Bottas    9
 3 Max Verstappen     7.5
 4 Daniel Ricciardo   6
 5 Kimi Raikkonen     5
 6 Sebastian Vettel   4
 7 Sergio Perez       3
 8 Romain Grosjean    2
 9 Esteban Ocon       1
10 Carlos Sainz       0.5

WDC

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 1 Lewis Hamilton     25 + 25 + 12.5 = 62.5
 2 Kimi Raikkonen     18 + 10 +  5   = 33
 3 Sebastian Vettel   12 + 15 +  4   = 31
 4 Max Verstappen      0 + 18 +  7.5 = 25.5
 5 Vatteri Bottas      0 + 12 +  9   = 21
 6 Sergio Perez       15 +  0 +  3   = 18
 7 Carlos Sainz       10 +  4 +  0.5 = 14.5
 8 Daniel Ricciardo    0 +  8 +  6   = 14
 9 Fernando Alonso     6 +  6 +  0   = 12
10 Charles Leclerc     8 +  2 +  0   = 10
11 Lance Stroll        4 +  0 +  0   =  4

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12 Stoffel Vandoorne   2 +  0 +  0   =  2
12 Romain Grosjean     0 +  0 +  2   =  2
14 Brendon Hartley     1 +  0 +  0   =  1
14 Nico Hulkenberg     0 +  1 +  0   =  1
14 Esteban Ocon        0 +  0 +  1   =  1

WCC

Code: Select all

Mercedes     62.5 + 21 = 83.5
Ferrari      33   + 31 = 64
Red Bull     25.5 + 14 = 39.5
Renault      14.5 +  1 = 15.5
Force India              15   (total after first anti-clockwise race)
McLaren      12   +  2 = 14
Sauber       10   +  0 = 10
Williams      4   +  0 =  4
Racing Point              4   (total from 2nd round onwards)
Haas          2   +  0 =  2
Toro Rosso    1   +  0 =  1

[dr-baker]

2018 American Grand Prix

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 1 Kimi Raikkonen    25  
 2 Max Verstappen    18
 3 Lewis Hamilton    15
 4 Sebastian Vettel  12
 5 Valtteri Bottas   10
 6 Nico Hulkenberg    8
 7 Carlos Sainz       6
 8 Sergio Perez       4
 9 Brendon Hartley    2
10 Marcus Ericsson    1

WDC

Code: Select all

 1 Lewis Hamilton     25 + 25 + 12.5 + 15 = 77.5
 2 Kimi Raikkonen     18 + 10 +  5   + 25 = 58
 3 Max Verstappen      0 + 18 +  7.5 + 18 = 43.5
 4 Sebastian Vettel   12 + 15 +  4   + 12 = 43
 5 Vatteri Bottas      0 + 12 +  9   + 10 = 31
 6 Sergio Perez       15 +  0 +  3   +  4 = 22
 7 Carlos Sainz       10 +  4 +  0.5 +  6 = 20.5
 8 Daniel Ricciardo    0 +  8 +  6   +  0 = 14
 9 Fernando Alonso     6 +  6 +  0   +  0 = 12
10 Charles Leclerc     8 +  2 +  0   +  0 = 10
11 Nico Hulkenberg     0 +  1 +  0   +  8 =  9

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12 Lance Stroll        4 +  0 +  0   +  0 =  4
13 Brendon Hartley     1 +  0 +  0   +  2 =  3
14 Stoffel Vandoorne   2 +  0 +  0   +  0 =  2
14 Romain Grosjean     0 +  0 +  2   +  0 =  2
16 Esteban Ocon        0 +  0 +  1   +  0 =  1
16 Marcus Ericsson     0 +  0 +  0   +  1 =  1

WCC

Code: Select all

Mercedes     77.5 + 31 = 108.5
Ferrari      58   + 43 = 101
Red Bull     43.5 + 14 = 57.5
Renault      20.5 +  9 = 29.5
Force India              15   (total after first anti-clockwise race)
McLaren      12   +  2 = 14
Sauber       10   +  1 = 11
Racing Point              8   (total from 2nd round onwards)
Williams      4   +  0 =  4
Toro Rosso    3   +  0 =  3
Haas          2   +  0 =  2

Loving the fact that Raikkonen is beating Vettel on the anti-clockwise tracks!

[Rob Dylan]

Imagine what a comeback it would be if Raikkonen were to win this year. What a twist!

[dr-baker]

Imagine what a comeback it would be if Raikkonen were to win this year. What a twist!

It is indeed possible! I just hope he at least beats Vettel. That would be quite a story by itself!

[dr-baker]

Imagine what a comeback it would be if Raikkonen were to win this year. What a twist!

(Well, at least he beats Vettel...)

Brazilian Grand Prix

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 1 Lewis Hamilton   25 
 2 Max Verstappen   18
 3 Kimi Raikkonen   15
 4 Daniel Ricciardo 12 
 5 Valtteri Bottas  10
 6 Sebastian Vettel  8
 7 Charles Leclerc   6
 8 Romain Grosjean   4
 9 Kevin Magnussen   2
10 Sergio Perez      1

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

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 1 Lewis Hamilton    25
 2 Sebastian Vettel  18
 3 Max Verstappen    15
 4 Daniel Ricciardo  12
 5 Valtteri Bottas   10
 6 Carlos Sainz       8
 7 Charles Leclerc    6
 8 Sergio Perez       4
 9 Romain Grosjean    2
10 Kevin Magnussen    1

WDC

Code: Select all

 1 Lewis Hamilton     25 + 25 + 12.5 + 15 + 25 + 25 = 127.5 
 2 Max Verstappen      0 + 18 +  7.5 + 18 + 18 + 15 =  76.5
 3 Kimi Raikkonen     18 + 10 +  5   + 25 + 15 +  0 =  73
 4 Sebastian Vettel   12 + 15 +  4   + 12 +  8 + 18 =  69
 5 Vatteri Bottas      0 + 12 +  9   + 10 + 10 + 10 =  51
 6 Daniel Ricciardo    0 +  8 +  6   +  0 + 12 + 12 =  38
 7 Carlos Sainz       10 +  4 +  0.5 +  6 +  0 +  8 =  28.5
 8 Sergio Perez       15 +  0 +  3   +  4 +  1 +  4 =  27
 9 Charles Leclerc     8 +  2 +  0   +  0 +  6 +  6 =  22
10 Fernando Alonso     6 +  6 +  0   +  0 +  0 +  0 =  12
11 Nico Hulkenberg     0 +  1 +  0   +  8 +  0 +  0 =   9
12 Romain Grosjean     0 +  0 +  2   +  0 +  4 +  2 =   8

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13 Lance Stroll        4 +  0 +  0   +  0 +  0 +  0 =   4
14 Brendon Hartley     1 +  0 +  0   +  2 +  0 +  0 =   3
14 Kevin Magnussen     0 +  0 +  0   +  0 +  2 +  1 =   3
16 Stoffel Vandoorne   2 +  0 +  0   +  0 +  0 +  0 =   2
17 Esteban Ocon        0 +  0 +  1   +  0 +  0 +  0 =   1
17 Marcus Ericsson     0 +  0 +  0   +  1 +  0 +  0 =   1

Late surges by Ricciardo and both Haas drivers! Facinating how Gasly scored all his points on clockwise tracks, while Hartley scored 75% of his points on anti-clockwise tracks. Similar situation with Williams, although that is more likely to be down to chance than one driver being better at anti-clockwise tracks than the other... Equally, Bottas wins the car number championship, yet is a distant 5th here.

WCC

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Mercedes  127.5 + 51 = 178.5
Ferrari    73   + 69 = 142
Red Bull   76.5 + 38 = 114.5
Renault    28.5 +  9 = 37.5
Sauber     22   +  1 = 23
McLaren    12   +  2 = 14
Haas        8   +  3 = 11
Williams    4   +  0 =  4
Toro Rosso  3   +  0 =  3

Force India              15   (total after first anti-clockwise race)
Racing Point Force India 13   (total from 2nd round onwards)  

[dr-baker]

I have a bit of time now to update this for this season, conveniently at the half-way point of the season, so here goes.

Anti-clockwise calendar 2019

Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Singapore Grand Prix
Japanese Grand Prix (half points)
United States Grand Prix
Brazilian Grand Prix
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

This reflects the calendar for the past few years, and continues the trend of a larger calendar that has been particularly apparent since 2009. This season also sees the introduction of a point for fastest lap, providing the driver scoring fastest lap also finishes in a top-10 points-scoring position.

And here are the results so far for 2019.

Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2019

Code: Select all

 1 Valtteri Bottas   25
 2 Lewis Hamilton    18
 3 Sebastian Vettel  15 
 4 Max Verstappen    12
 5 Charles Leclerc   10 + 1
 6 Sergio Perez       8
 7 Carlos Sainz Jr.   6
 8 Lando Norris       4
 9 Lance Stroll       2
10 Kimi Raikkonen     1

WDC

as per race results

WCC

Code: Select all

Mercedes     25 + 18     = 43
Ferrari      15 + 10 + 1 = 26
Red Bull     12          = 12
Racing Point  8 +  2     = 10
McLaren       6 +  4     = 10
Sauber        1          =  1

Singapore Grand Prix 2019

Code: Select all

 1 Sebastian Vettel    25 
 2 Charles Leclerc     18
 3 Max Verstappen      15
 4 Lewis Hamilton      12
 5 Valtteri Bottas     10
 6 Alexander Albon      8
 7 Lando Norris         6
 8 Pierre Gasly         4
 9 Nico Hulkenberg      2
10 Antonio Giovinazzi   1

No fastest lap point - Kevin Magnussen gets fastest lap but finishes outside top-ten, in 17th position.

Gasly, having been at Red Bull for the first round of this championship, swaps places with Albon, previously of Toro Rosso. This does not complicate this championship as neither scored in Baku, and therefore all their points are for their new team.

WDC

Code: Select all

 1 Sebastian Vettel  15 + 25 = 40
 2 Valtteri Bottas   25 + 10 = 35
 3 Lewis Hamilton    18 + 12 = 30
 4 Charles Leclerc   11 + 18 = 29
 5 Max Verstappen    12 + 15 = 27
 6 Lando Norris       4 +  6 = 10
 7 Sergio Perez       8 +  0 =  8
 8 Alexander Albon    0 +  8 =  8
 9 Carlos Sainz Jr.   6 +  0 =  6
10 Pierre Gasly       0 +  4 =  4
11 Lance Stroll       2 +  0 =  2
12 Nico Hulkenberg    0 +  2 =  2
13 Kimi Raikkonen     1 +  0 =  1
14 Antonio Giovinazzi 0 +  1 =  1

WCC

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Ferrari       40 + 29 = 69
Mercedes      35 + 30 = 65
Red Bull      27 +  8 = 35
McLaren       10 +  6 = 16
Racing Point   8 +  2 = 10
Toro Rosso     4      =  4
Renault        2      =  2
Sauber         1 +  1 =  2

Japanese Grand Prix 2019

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 1 Valtteri Bottas   12.5 
 2 Sebastian Vettel   9
 3 Lewis Hamilton     7.5 + 0.5
 4 Alexander Albon    6
 5 Carlos Sainz Jr.   5
 6 Daniel Ricciardo   4
 7 Charles Leclerc    3
 8 Pierre Gasly       2
 9 Sergio Perez       1
10 Nico Hulkenberg    0.5

I was wondering, with the fastest lap point allocation, whether to award half-a-point to whoever scores the overall fastest lap, or award a third of a point to whoever is fastest in sector two. As it is easier to just award half-a-point to the overall fastest driver rather than try and find sector times, this is the route I have taken. (This also makes it easier to award in future years). This does have the unfortunate effect this year of reducing the number of drivers in the overall championship with half-points from three to two (at least for this year. Of course it may have the opposite effect in future years.).

WDC

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 1 Sebastian Vettel  40 +  9   = 49
 2 Valtteri Bottas   35 + 12.5 = 47.5
 3 Lewis Hamilton    30 +  8   = 38
 4 Charles Leclerc   29 +  3   = 32
 5 Max Verstappen    27 +  0   = 27
 6 Alexander Albon    8 +  6   = 14
 7 Carlos Sainz Jr.   6 +  5   = 11
 8 Lando Norris      10 +  0   = 10
 9 Sergio Perez       8 +  1   =  9
10 Pierre Gasly       4 +  2   =  6
11 Daniel Ricciardo   0 +  4   =  4
12 Nico Hulkenberg    2 +  0.5 =  2.5
13 Lance Stroll       2 +  0   =  2
14 Kimi Raikkonen     1 +  0   =  1
15 Antonio Giovinazzi 1 +  0   =  1

WCC

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Mercedes      47.5 + 38   = 85.5
Ferrari       49   + 32   = 81
Red Bull      27   + 14   = 41
McLaren       11   + 10   = 21
Racing Point   9   +  2   = 11
Renault        4   +  2.5 =  6.5
Toro Rosso     6          =  6
Sauber         1   +  1   =  2

[dr-baker]

When updating this with revised Japanese Grand Prix results and US GP results, I realised I got Racing Point's name right, but got Alfa Romeo's name wrong. Whoops. Maybe I got confused, thinking back to when the team was BMW Sauber and just Sauber, or maybe I just got it wrong. After all, BMW was a full take-over, and Alfa Romeo is just sponsorship, right? So it's still Alfa Romeo Sauber in my mind... Whatever, I have now corrected it below, but I am not correcting my last post.

Revised 2019 Japanese Grand Prix results

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 1 Valtteri Bottas   12.5
 2 Sebastian Vettel   9
 3 Lewis Hamilton     7.5 + 0.5
 4 Alexander Albon    6
 5 Carlos Sainz Jr.   5
 6 Charles Leclerc    4
 7 Pierre Gasly       3
 8 Sergio Perez       2
 9 Lance Stroll       1
10 Daniil Kvyat       0.5

WDC

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 1 Sebastian Vettel  40 +  9   = 49
 2 Valtteri Bottas   35 + 12.5 = 47.5
 3 Lewis Hamilton    30 +  8   = 38
 4 Charles Leclerc   29 +  4   = 33
 5 Max Verstappen    27 +  0   = 27
 6 Alexander Albon    8 +  6   = 14 
 7 Carlos Sainz Jr.   6 +  5   = 11
 8 Lando Norris      10 +  0   = 10
 9 Sergio Perez       8 +  2   = 10
10 Pierre Gasly       4 +  3   =  7
11 Lance Stroll       2 +  1   =  3
12 Nico Hulkenberg    2 +  0   =  2
13 Kimi Raikkonen     1 +  0   =  1
14 Antonio Giovinazzi 1 +  0   =  1
15 Daniil Kyvat       0 + 0.5  =  0.5

WCC

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Mercedes      47.5 + 38   = 85.5
Ferrari       49   + 33   = 82
Red Bull      27   + 14   = 41
McLaren       11   + 10   = 21
Racing Point  10   +  3   = 13
Toro Rosso     7   +  0.5 =  7.5
Renault        2   +  0   =  2  
Alfa Romeo     1   +  1   =  2
Haas
Williams

2019 American Grand Prix Results (post-penalties)

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 1 Valtteri Bottas   25
 2 Lewis Hamilton    18
 3 Max Verstappen    15
 4 Charles Leclerc   12 + 1
 5 Alexander Albon   10
 6 Daniel Ricciardo   8
 7 Lando Norris       6
 8 Carlos Sainz Jr.   4
 9 Nico Hulkenberg    2
10 Sergio Perez       1

WDC

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 1 Valtteri Bottas    47.5 + 25 = 72.5
 2 Lewis Hamilton     38   + 18 = 56
 3 Sebastian Vettel   49   +  0 = 49
 4 Charles Leclerc    33   + 13 = 46
 5 Max Verstappen     27   + 15 = 42
 6 Alexander Albon    14   + 10 = 24
 7 Lando Norris       10   +  6 = 16
 8 Carlos Sainz Jr.   11   +  4 = 15
 9 Sergio Perez       10   +  1 = 11
10 Daniel Ricciardo    0   +  8 =  8
11 Pierre Gasly        7   +  0 =  7
12 Lance Stroll        3   +  3 =  6
13 Nico Hulkenberg     2   +  2 =  4
14 Kimi Raikkonen      1   +  0 =  1
15 Antonio Giovinazzi  1   +  0 =  1
16 Daniil Kyvat        0.5 +  0 =  0.5

WCC

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Mercedes      72.5 + 56   = 128.5
Ferrari       49   + 46   =  95
Red Bull      42   + 24   =  66
McLaren       16   + 15   =  31
Racing Point  11   +  6   =  17
Renault        8   +  4   =  12
Toro Rosso     7   +  0.5 =   7.5
Alfa Romeo     1   +  1   =   2
Haas
Williams

[dr-baker]

I calculated this all from scratch as a number of these races had investigations after each race, so it was easier just to start again and see where we ended up.

Anti-clockwise calendar 2019

Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Singapore Grand Prix
Japanese Grand Prix (half points)
United States Grand Prix
Brazilian Grand Prix
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

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Hamilton   18 + 12 +  7.5 + 18 +  6 + 25 = 86.5
Verstappen 12 + 15 +  0   + 15 + 25 + 18 = 85
Bottas     25 + 10 + 12.5 + 25 +  0 + 12 = 84.5
Vettel     15 + 25 +  9   +  0 +  0 + 10 = 59
Leclerc    10 + 18 +  4   + 12 +  0 + 15 = 59

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Albon       0 +  8 +  6   + 10 +  0 +  8 = 32
Sainz       6 +  0 +  5   +  4 + 15 +  1 = 31
Gasly       0 +  4 +  3   +  0 + 18 +  0 = 25
Norris      4 +  6 +  0   +  6 +  4 +  4 = 24
Perez       8 +  0 +  2   +  1 +  2 +  6 = 19
Ricciardo   0 +  0 +  0   +  8 +  8 +  0 = 16
Raikkonen   1 +  0 +  0   +  0 + 12 +  0 = 13
Giovanazzi  0 +  1 +  0   +  0 + 10 +  0 = 11
Hulkenberg  0 +  2 +  0   +  2 +  0 +  0 =  4
Kyvat       0 +  0 +  0.5 +  0 +  1 +  2 =  3.5
Stroll      2 +  0 +  1   +  0 +  0 +  0 =  3

This was even tighter than the results above looked. Crossing the line in Brazil, Bottas was within a second of Leclerc. If Bottas had got passed, Bottas would have scored an extra three points, thereby giving him the title. But even as they crossed the line, Ferrari were being investigated for a fuel breach in Leclerc's car, which would have swung the title in Bottas's favour. But alas, poor Bottas! Ferrari were instead fined, Leclerc kept his podium, and Bottas remained third in the title hunt. And the two Ferrari drivers remained as tight as the two McLaren drivers were in the full 2007 drivers championship...

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Mercedes     86.5 + 84.5 = 171
Ferrari      59   + 59   = 118
Red Bull     85   + 32   = 117
McLaren      31   + 24   =  55
Toro Rosso   25   +  3.5 =  28.5
Alfa Romeo   13   + 11   =  24
Racing Point 19   +  3   =  22
Renault      16   +  4   =  20
Haas                         0
Williams                     0

Every team had either both drivers score, or neither. And in the case of Gasly and Albon, they both only scored for one team, and not both (with neither having scored in Azerbaijan in the early part of the season).