Rivals concede title defeat

If the Formula One World championship was run like an election, Sebastian Vettel would have already been crowned F1 champ for 2011.

It's been known for many months that it would be just a matter of time before the Red Bull driver claimed back-to-back titles and while he mathematically hasn't clinched the championship yet, his rivals have conceded defeat.

Ferrari's Fernando Alonso who is currently second in the drivers championship a mere 112-points behind the German told the BBC after the race on Sunday: 'Six races to go so obviously the championship is impossible, Not mathematically but we are no longer in contention.

'We are fighting for second place in the championship. It's always better to finish second than fifth.

McLaren's Jenson Button is third in the standings, 5-points behind Alonso and the 2009 F1 champion has also come out and officially conceded defeat: 'You still want to win every race. That doesn't suddenly change because there's no championship to win.'

While the opposition may have conceded defeat and the spectators have known for many months that the championship was over we still have to wait for it to become official.

Interestingly, Bernie's plan to introduce Gold, Silver and Bronze medals to F1, which was an idea that was thought to extend the championship race until later in the season, would have seen Vettel crowned champion last weekend, as the 24-year-old has won eight times, come second four times and came fourth in the only other race this season!