Vettel stays on top of Castrol Driver Rankings

Sebastian Vettel cemented his position at the top of the Castrol Driver Rankings with a superb series of performances throughout October that helped increase his advantage over his Red Bull Formula 1 team-mate Mark Webber. With just one Grand Prix remaining, only Webber, Fernando Alonso, and World Rally Champion Sebastien Loeb can now prevent him finishing the year as the world?s number one ranked driver.

Who was the star performer in the Castrol Driver Rankings during October ? what was behind their performance?
F1 ace Sebastian Vettel picked up the Castrol EDGE Performer of the Month award for October by virtue of his performances at the Japanese and Korean Grands Prix. The German achieved pole position for both events and won at Suzuka in dominant fashion to consolidate the Castrol Driver Rankings number one spot that he has now held for 33 consecutive weeks. Sebastien Loeb, Fernando Alonso, Denny Hamlin and Jimmie Johnson are the top five scorers for October.

The F1 championship is tight but Vettlel is currently trailing Mark Webber and Fernando Alonso. Why is he still out at the front of the Castrol Driver Rankings?
The Castrol Driver Rankings measures performances over the past 52 weeks, meaning that all of the F1 races held in 2010 so far plus last year?s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix contribute to the respective scores of both Vettel and Alonso?s. In that time both have won five Grands Prix while Vettel has edged his rival by nine pole positions to two. The German has also led 255 laps more than Alonso (approximately four whole race distances), contributing to his higher position in the Castrol Driver Rankings.

What results are required for Sebastian Vettel not to win the Castrol Driver Rankings?
As Vettel won last year?s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, anything less than a repeat result will ensure that his current score decreases next week. If his Red Bull team-mate Mark Webber wins at the Yas Marina circuit with Vettel outside the top five, it is the Australian who will take over at the top of the Castrol Driver Rankings. If both fail to finish however, the door will be left open for either Fernando Alonso or Sebastien Loeb to go top if either of them can win their respective events.

Sebastien Loeb is widely considered one of the best drivers of the last decade. So why is he still behind the top F1 drivers?
Loeb has won seven of the 12 World Championship rallies he has contested over the past 52 weeks, but doesn?t usually dominate them in a manner that would gain him maximum Castrol Driver Rankings points.
For example, he has often backed off towards the end of the opening day of gravel rallies in order to avoid running first on the road the following day and sweeping the loose gravel away for his rivals. This has lost him potential fastest stage times on numerous occasions.



Jimmie Johnson?s seventh place at Talladega dropped him to an all-time low eighth spot in the Castrol Driver Rankings. Is his place as top ranked NASCAR driver still assured?
With two rounds of the NASCAR Sprint Cup remaining, Johnson?s status as the top NASCAR racer is under serious threat and his score will drop unless he can match or better his win and fifth place finish from the corresponding races last year.
Both Kevin Harvick and Denny Hamlin, who leads the championship, are in close contention to beat Johnson. Neither driver performed as well as Johnson at Phoenix and Homestead last year and with these results about to drop out of the 52 week period both drivers have a great opportunity to improve their overall position if they can produce better performances in this year?s races. Harvick and Hamlin will further boost their chances of beating Johnson if they opt to enter the supporting Nationwide and Truck Series races, as both also count for Castrol Driver Rankings points.
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