Still all to play for

Phil: This most incredible of seasons still has its finale to give us, as for the fourth time in six seasons the title will be decided at the final race of the year. And what better way to mark the occasion than with a 'comeback' (hopefully more succesful than Schumi's) blog.

Let's crunch some numbers. Vettel is 13 points ahead of Alonso, with a maximum of 25 points still up for grabs. All Vettel need do is finish in the top four and he will be world champion. Alonso must be on the podium to have any hope of his third title this season. If Alonso wins, Vettel need only finish fourth to retain his title. If Alonso is second, seventh place will do, and if he is third, ninth. On the other hand, were Vettel's alternator to fail, as it has twice this year and as Webber's did last time out in Austin, a podium would guarantee Alonso the title. There are permutations in which both of them would score the same number of points, after 20 races, in which case Vettel would win the championship by five wins to Alonso's three (or four) - perhaps a fitting way to end one of the closest seasons ever, with the closest title margin ever.

One way or another, one or other of them will join an elite band of triple world champions. Vettel, if he can defend his lead, will join Schumacher (2000-2004) and Fangio (1954-57), the only men ever to have won the world championship three times in a row.

In some ways, the pressure is on Vettel - it is his to lose. Alonso simply needs to go balls out for the win, and hope for rain, a safety car incident, mechanical failure at Red Bull, or all three.

My co-blogger and I will be there, sort of, at the final I Was Having a Blog Live! event of the year. One of us may even blog afterwards.