Rosberg vs Hamilton: The race for the championship v1.5

This pretty much nullifies my point! Thanks for pointing it out!

 

2/7 - must try harder


Hamilton vs Rosberg: Did unreliability decide the title?


Mercedes’ drivers significant reliability problems in 2014

[TABLE="class: thin"]
[TR]
[TH]Race[/TH]
[TH]Session[/TH]
[TH="colspan: 2"]Lewis Hamilton[/TH]
[TH="colspan: 2"]Nico Rosberg[/TH]
[TH][/TH]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Problem[/TD]
[TD]Consequence[/TD]
[TD]Problem[/TD]
[TD]Consequence[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: nonf1"]
[TD]Australia[/TD]
[TD]FP1[/TD]
[TD]Engine failure[/TD]
[TD]Unable to complete any laps[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Australia[/TD]
[TD]Race[/TD]
[TD]Engine failure[/TD]
[TD]Retired shortly after starting from pole position[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: nonf1"]
[TD]Bahrain[/TD]
[TD]FP1[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Flat battery[/TD]
[TD]No significant loss of running[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: nonf1"]
[TD]China[/TD]
[TD]FP2[/TD]
[TD]Suspension[/TD]
[TD]Curtailed race simulation shortly before end of practice[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]China[/TD]
[TD]Race[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Telemetry[/TD]
[TD]Lost three places at the start[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: nonf1"]
[TD]Spain[/TD]
[TD]FP1[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]ERS failure[/TD]
[TD]Only covered 9 laps (Hamilton did 17)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Canada[/TD]
[TD]Race[/TD]
[TD]ERS failure[/TD]
[TD]Retired shortly after passing Rosberg for the lead[/TD]
[TD]ERS failure[/TD]
[TD]Still able to finish second[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: nonf1"]
[TD]Austria[/TD]
[TD]FP1[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Loss of power[/TD]
[TD]Only covered 19 laps (Hamilton did 32)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: nonf1"]
[TD]Britain[/TD]
[TD]FP2[/TD]
[TD]Engine failure[/TD]
[TD]Lost half an hour of running[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Britain[/TD]
[TD]Race[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Gearbox failure[/TD]
[TD]Retired while leading[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: nonf1"]
[TD]Germany[/TD]
[TD]FP1[/TD]
[TD]Loss of power[/TD]
[TD]Lost a small number of laps[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Germany[/TD]
[TD]Qualifying[/TD]
[TD]Brake failure[/TD]
[TD]Started last[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Hungary[/TD]
[TD]Qualifying[/TD]
[TD]Turbo failure[/TD]
[TD]Started last[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: nonf1"]
[TD]Italy[/TD]
[TD]FP2[/TD]
[TD]Electrics[/TD]
[TD]Missed first hour of practice[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: nonf1"]
[TD]Italy[/TD]
[TD]FP3[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Gearbox fault[/TD]
[TD]Unable to set a time[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Italy[/TD]
[TD]Race[/TD]
[TD]Start mode[/TD]
[TD]Fell from first to fourth at start[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Singapore[/TD]
[TD]Race[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Wiring loom fault[/TD]
[TD]Retired having qualified second[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: nonf1"]
[TD]USA[/TD]
[TD]FP2[/TD]
[TD]Gearbox fault[/TD]
[TD]Only covered 18 laps (Rosberg did 34)[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Abu Dhabi[/TD]
[TD]Race[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]ERS failure[/TD]
[TD]Fell from second to fourtheenth[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

 

50%. So not much better than guessing, really

 

In short, no it didn't.

Actual race (reliability only) retirements (inc Abu Dhabi for Rosberg) still would have given Hamilton more points if you had added back the positions they were in when they retired, even before you take into account Hamilton's GER & HUN quali failures.

Rosberg losing 4 times to Hamilton from a winning position in BAR, ITA, JAP & USA also needs to be factored in to Rosberg not winning the title. Rosberg did not overtake Hamilton for the lead and stay there at any race.

Both had 3 non-point scoring races in the season, so overall it went down to who won the most races, as it should do.