13.09.11

Luciano Burti's column

The final result of a race defines the number of points that will be added to each driver’s standings. 1st place receives 25 points, 2nd place 18, 3rd place 15, all the way up to 10^th place, which receives 1 point. But each point is important, regardless of the moment and situation of each driver.

Vettel won for the eighth time this season at the Italian Gran Prix. This victory has placed the German driver in the lead of the championship with a total of 284 points. With only 6 races left in the season, Vettel has a lead of 112 points over Alonso, who is second, and he may become this year’s champion at the next race, the Singapore Grand Prix. Besides having the best car and the young German’s talent, Vettel and RBR worked consistently, making very few mistakes. Obviously, 8 wins out of 13 races doesn’t give the competition much of a chance but the most important factor was that Vettel scored points in every race, even when victory was not possible. This goes to show how every point counts and makes the difference in the overall final result.

To make a comparison with an entirely different situation but which also has such an important outcome, another great result during the weekend was Bruno Senna scoring his first points in F1. His 9^th place gave him only 2 points but for a driver in his second race of the year and who is still considered a rookie, this result might change the fate of his career. The consequences of these first points are a boost to the driver’s self-confidence, less pressure overall and gaining the recognition from his team.

Therefore, we can see that every single point won by an F1 driver, regardless of when they win or at what point in their career, can build the foundations to victory. We can compare this “building of a victory”, within the respective proportions, with professionals from any sector, area and position. A reference that is valid for all of us.

- Luciano Burti