Can F1’s Nico Rosberg catch up to Lewis Hamilton?

Here we are at the halfway point in the F1 season, and it’s all still up for grabs. At this point in the 2015 season, Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton was in a very strong position…

Can F1’s Nico Rosberg catch up to Lewis Hamilton?

Here we are at the halfway point in the F1 season, and it’s all still up for grabs.

At this point in the 2015 season, Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton was in a very strong position to win the F1 title. He had clinched the Constructors’ Championship in Canada and was leading the Drivers’ Championship by a notable margin.

As of Sunday, Hamilton had a 3-point lead over teammate Nico Rosberg. With three wins through the first eight races and a great chassis and reliability, a nice run for this version of Mercedes F1 should continue.

However, the situation for Hamilton is looking far less comfortable than it did two months ago. That is, if you consider Hamilton the prohibitive favorite in 2016.

Rosberg is not, by any means, sitting on top of the F1 mountain. He has just two victories to Hamilton’s nine so far this season. Even so, he has a better points total and is the defending champion. His personal fortune is also better than Hamilton’s.

So, just to be sure this is the same guy we just referred to a bit ago, the question is: Can Rosberg make up the difference between these two and overtake Hamilton?

The proof of the pudding will be in the eating.

With six races left to play, none of which come in front of a home crowd, the two leads should be extremely close, and might be razor thin. Only one race stands between the two, and at the end of the checkered flag, Lewis Hamilton or Nico Rosberg is going to be crowned F1 champion.

Obviously, it does not help either driver’s case that their fellow drivers Nico Hulkenberg and Jenson Button both remain outside of the championship picture. It is very difficult for a talented driver like Button, who is still smarting from his performance in Abu Dhabi 2015, to make up a lot of ground and mount a serious bid for the title.

But take a look at where the Silver Arrows are standing — McLaren can get to only fourth and Sauber (4th) and Toro Rosso (6th) are not in great shape either.

So, it really is just about Sunday’s season finale in Abu Dhabi. With little to play for in two races of the season’s heartland, only Rosberg and Hamilton can prove who is the best driver in the world at this stage of the race.

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