This year’s Formula 1 title battle is fast developing into all-time classic duel between Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel.
Mercedes took the upper hand in Belgium at the weekend as Hamilton overcame Ferrari and Vettel to claim a fifth win of the season.
The triumph has seen the three-time world champion close to within seven points of championship leader Vettel with eight races remaining.
While it is not mathematically impossible for Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes), Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull) and Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari) to mount a challenge, realistically the title will be fought between Hamilton and Vettel.
Such a tussle provides a fascinating scrap between iconic teams Mercedes and Ferrari and two of the sport’s most prodigious talents with seven world titles between them.
So far the season has developed into a see-saw battle between the Brit and German, with the former edging the wins tally 5-4 after the Belgian Grand Prix.
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Both drivers have proved a model of consistency finishing no lower than seventh this year, while avoiding retirements that can be detrimental to championship bids.
There has also been little to choose between Mercedes and Ferrari with each team showing fluctuations in form when compared against each other from track-to-track.
Meanwhile, the driver rivalry is well and truly alive having already come to blows once this season when Vettel bumped Hamilton behind the Safety Car at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Visits to Italy, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, America, Mexico, Brazil and Abu Dhabi ensures the fight has plenty of time left in it yet, with many predicting the championship will come down to the wire.
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