It's the Pits for Alonso...

...but good news for Sebastien Vettel! Good news for Sébastien Loeb as well but that's another story. It looks to me like Alonso was effectively scuppered by a mistake by Vettel's Red Bull team-mate Mark Webber.The story is covered by BBC News here so I'll not go into too much detail. Suffice it to say that Mark Webber clipping the barrier with his offside-right-rear wheel and causing a significant spark was not planned but it probably led to him being concerned enough about his tyres and wheel to pit earlier than planned.

This then spooked Ferrari into bringing in their drivers for fresh rubber.

This brought Webber (and the Ferraris) back into the race among traffic they would have been well clear of if they'd waited. Webber got stuck for a lap behind Jaime Alguesari who would have been in a bit of a dilemma due to the incestuous nature of F1 with his Red Bull sponsorship and Ferrari engine and no obligation to let Webber past since they were fighting for track position.

This left Vettel and the Mclarens of Hamilton and Button to take the podium positions and Vettel to take the Championship.

My prediction last November that Jenson Button will not be World Champion in 2010 came true last week when his mathematical chances were destroyed although he did finish up a creditable fifth including a couple of good race wins.

To my question last December, "Could 2010 be the best Formula 1 Season Ever?" I would say, "Despite a poor season for Schumacher, it's certainly been the best in a very long time."

2011 could be even better though.

I feel pleased for Mark Webber

I should feel a bit sorry for Christian Horner since I actually have some sympathies for what the team did this weekend - but then again I don't because of what happened in Turkey and also the abysmal way the team handled the situation.

Mark Webber a fortnight ago

Anyway, last week, Red Bull decided to try out a new front wing design that seemed to gain them 0.1seconds a lap which is a huge amount in Formula One these days. Unfortunately for everyone, the one fitted to Vettel's car failed and this is where Horner and Co. made the decision to take the one off Webber's car and give it to Vettel - this looked remarkably like favouritism - something the team were accused of after Turkey. All commentators saw it this way, especially when the team announced that this had been done for "Championship reasons". And, importantly, Webber saw it this way as well and was seriously angry.

In qualifying, the wing helped Vettel get to pole position with Webber in second place. However, when the race started, Vettel had a very poor start allowing Webber to get ahead with Lewis Hamilton right on his tail. Vettel cut across the track to try and stop them and quickly backed off when he realised they were on for another collision but did manage to touch Hamilton's car slightly. Only slightly but enough to cause a puncture which took Vettel out of the battle and eventually put him back to last place after he pitted.

A few times this Season, commentators have reported that people were saying that "Vettel can't overtake" - I don't know who these people are, but they were well and truly proved wrong as Vettel, admittedly with the help of a safety car, fought his way right back up to seventh. Meanwhile, Webber ran the perfect race, leading to the end with Hamilton chasing hard but not having the legs to keep up.

As he crossed the line, the BBC viewers were treated to the radio feed with Webber saying to his boss, "Not bad for a number 2 driver!" with Horner responding something along the lines of "You're allowed to smile now!"

The result was poetic justice - karma - call it what you will but Horner was then treated to an embarassing interview with Humphrey, Coulthard and the brilliantly acerbic Eddie Jordan - very entertaining. Horner made the point that should have been made clear to his drivers at the start of the season and should have been emphasised when the decision to take the wing was made - that if they only have one component that both drivers want, it should go to the one with the most championship points at that time. It is a sensible rule, employed by F1 teams since F1 was invented and Horner did point out that at the next race, since Webber now has more points, he would get any disputed component.

Vettel was interviewed after the race and I believe that he had seen the error of his ways in Turkey and was a bit embarassed himself at the furore at Silverstone which was not, after all, his fault - although the crappy start was. He said, "Obviously I focus on myself and so does he I guess. Especially after what happened in the past people have different opinions, I have opinion, I have my experiences and sometimes, good and bad, you get to know people a little better and see their true faces. So I think I have learned my lesson and focus on myself."

I feel sorry for Mark Webber

At lap 41, the Turkish Grand Prix yesterday turned into one of best in a very long time. It had been quite processional up until then - a little mild overtaking at the very start then it took pit stops for anyone else to gain advantage on the track. However, I do think the Istanbul circuit is one of the better ones for no other reason than there are good overtaking opportunities available providing you are close enough to the car in front. Any road up, on the 41st lap, the man on the right here, Sebastian Vettel, was running second behind his Red Bull team-mate Mark Webber with the McLarens of Hamilton and Button in third and fourth.

Webber had slowed slightly to conserve fuel and Vettel decided to nip up the inside. He then decided to turn in early, while still alongside Webber - this caused a collision taking Vettel straight out and causing Webber to have to pit conceding the lead and falling back to third. The BBC reported the post-race fallout here.

I wouldn't normally have bothered commenting except for the reaction of team-boss Christian Horner who seems to be siding with Vettel and blaming Webber. This goes against not only my view, but also that of Martin Brundle, David Coulthard, Martin Whitmarsh and common sense. Even Eddie Jordan, while defending Vettel's desire to win and need to get ahead, did reluctantly admit that it was probably a mistake. After all, rule number one in Motor Racing is "Don't crash into your team-mate!"

This indicates that although Webber was (and still is) leading the Drivers Championship, he is viewed by Horner as a second driver. I am a very big fan of Vettel's but he clearly made a big error of judgement yesterday and should take the rap accordingly. Webber has been around for ages and would be viewed by many in the same way Button was up until last year - an OK driver who is generally outpaced by his team-mate. But this season, given the right car, he has proved that he can mix it up with the best of them and should, therefore, be treated as at least an equal.

Not too long after this incident, with Button chasing Hamilton for the lead, he launched an audacious move on his team-mate and successfully got past. Hamilton being Hamilton wasn't going to settle for that and soon fought his way back. During both of these moves, the cars came so close to "doing a Red Bull" but the McLaren drivers obviously had a little more sense and gave way when necessary. It must have been heart-stopping for the team but it was very entertaining and showed what could be done and what should have been done.

Incidentally, it was nice to see Schuey come in fourth. Albeit well off the pace, he will be particularly pleased at beating his own team-mate into fifth.

Who knows, maybe Formula 1 could become exciting again - just needs more good overtaking circuits and more evenly matched cars to get into positions to overtake.

Bit like BTCC.