Ghost of Hockenheim haunts title-deciding season finale

Abu Dhabi: It looks like the ghost of Hockenheim will continue to haunt this year's F1 Drivers Championship.

Eight points separate Ferrari's Fernando Alonso from Red Bull-Renault's Mark Webber in the Drivers Championship — but seven points in the leader's bag have come about via controversial circumstances.

Felipe Massa, the second driver in the Ferrari team, allowed Alonso to pass him and win the German Grand Prix in Hockenheim, apparently in line with team instructions. Those extra seven points have given Alonso a cushion: he can finish second and still win the title in Abu Dhabi.

So now, the big question is if Red Bull will do the same and if Sebastien Vettel and Mark Webber are in the lead, will Vettel help his teammate? Red Bull could have resorted to a similar tactic in Brazil on Sunday that would have left Webber just one point behind Alonso and kept Vettel in the hunt.

Commenting on his position if Vettel the German had helped him in Sunday's race Webber said, "It helps but it's not in the team's philosophy. That's how it is. It was a good drive by Seb [Vettel] today for the win and that's how it is. I think the team's position has always been on the sporting side and that's how it is."

Team philosophy

"Obviously Fernando [Alonso] got some points in Hockenheim, which has happened in the past in Formula One and will happen again in the future. Everyone has different ideas, but that's how it is at the moment, so I will go there and do my best," the Australian said.

Next Sunday we will know if Red Bull will resort to a "Hockenheim act" or as Webber said, will have stuck to the team philosophy and gone fair and square for a double triumph.

Drivers

• 1. Fernando Alonso (Spain) Ferrari 246 points
• 2. Mark Webber (Australia) Red Bull 238
• 3. Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Red Bull 231
• 4. Lewis Hamilton (Britain) McLaren 222
• 5. Jenson Button (Britain) McLaren 199
• 6. Felipe Massa (Brazil) Ferrari 143
• 7. Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes GP 130
• 8. Robert Kubica (Poland) Renault 126
• 9. Michael Schumacher (Germany) Mercedes GP 72
• 10. Rubens Barrichello (Brazil) Williams 47
• 11. Adrian Sutil (Germany) Force India 47
• 12. Kamui Kobayashi (Japan) Sauber 32
• 13. Nico Hulkenberg (Germany) Williams 22
• 14. Vitantonio Liuzzi (Italy) Force India 21
• 15. Vitaly Petrov (Russia) Renault 19
• 16. Sebastien Buemi (Switzerland) Toro Rosso 8
• 17. Pedro de la Rosa (Spain) Sauber 6
• 18. Nick Heidfeld (Germany) Sauber 6
• 19. Jaime Alguersuari (Spain) Toro Rosso 3
• 20. Heikki Kovalainen (Finland) Lotus 0
• 21. Jarno Trulli (Italy) Lotus 0
• 22. Karun Chandhok (India) HRT 0
• 23. Bruno Senna (Brazil) HRT 0
• 24. Lucas Di Grassi (Brazil) Virgin 0
• 25. Timo Glock (Germany) Virgin 0
• 26. Sakon Yamamoto (Japan) HRT 0