Today is the final race of the Formula One season and we still don’t know who will be crowned champion. And, from a spectator’s perspective, that is just the way you want it to be.

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton starts the last grand prix as favourite, by virtue of the fact that he is 17 points ahead of teammate Nico Rosberg in the race for the driver’s title.

However, thanks to the sports frankly ridiculous rule that the final race of the season counts for double points, the championship is still very much on a knife edge.

If Rosberg were to win in Abu Dhabi, then Hamilton will need to finish second to claim the title. If it were just regular points on offer, then a sixth place finish would be enough for the Englishman in that scenario.

This double points system was introduced to try and ensure excitement was maintained throughout the season right up to the final race.

However, today’s situation is clear evidence that this scoring system is not necessary: the title race would have gone to the final race of the season even under normal scoring.

More than that, it means we are in danger of ending up with a result that will feel unfair and illegitimate.

At this stage, only Rosberg can benefit from the system, but does anyone really think he wants to win the crown on the back of getting bonus points in one particular race? Of course he doesn’t.

It is already somewhat unjust that the point difference between the two is so minimal despite Hamilton having won 10 races to Rosberg’s five. Throwing the double points in on top just makes the sport look shambolic and desperate for excitement.

If, when the chequered flag is waved today, Hamilton is crowned champion then all will probably be forgotten and the double points system will remain in place, having failed to do any serious damage.

If, however, if it is Rosberg who triumphs as a direct result of the points system, then Formula One will have a dubious and maybe even slightly reluctant champion on their hands.

And a huge credibility problem to deal with during the close season.

Raising their game

On the one hand, England’s performance against Scotland last week was extremely encouraging. It must rank up there as one of the Three Lions’s best displays in years.

On the other hand it also raises further questions about Roy Hodgson’s management style. Not because the tactics or team selection were flawed but because he has rarely been able to get his team to play with the sort of passion, energy and enthusiasm they showed on Tuesday.

If it really takes a clash against the old enemy to bring out the best in England’s players, then that can only indicate Hodgson’s motivational powers are not up to scratch.

I have long argued that international managers don’t need to be training gurus or tactical geniuses: you don’t need to teach Wayne Rooney how to shoot or Gary Cahill how to defend. But a good international boss does need to be able to get his players mentally ready and emotionally charged for every game they play for their country.

The difference in the performances against Slovenia and Scotland was, for me, a clear indication that Hodgson’s biggest single failing is his inability to motivate. In this case it took a clash at a heaving Celtic Park set against a background of long-term rivalry and possibly even the recent referendum to get the England team firing on all cylinders.

Maybe the problem is that Hodgson is over-thinking things. Maybe he is trying to be too clever with his formations and team selections.

When England achieved small successes in the past, it was invariably on the back of putting in performances brimming with intensity, speed and passion. Opponents were put on the rack from the word go.

Playing in a local derby last week brought back that intensity.

Now it is up to Hodgson and his backroom staff to figure out a way to ensure the players put their heart and soul into every game they play for their country.

Minnows fight back

It was certainly a week for the minnows in the European Championships. The Faroe Islands beat Greece, Liechtenstein beat Moldova and San Marino secured their first ever qualifying point in their draw with Estonia – ending a run of 61 consecutive defeats in the process.

We are in danger of ending up with a result that will feel unfair and illegitimate

But the most important result for us, and one of the week’s most impressive ‘minnow’ successes, was undoubtedly Malta’s 1-1 draw with Bulgaria. Pietro Ghedin’s team may have been under siege at times, but they held on bravely to secure their first point of the current campaign.

Let’s hope it gives them the confidence and self-belief to go on and claim a few more.

Rushing the rehab

I’m all for people who have been found guilty of doing something wrong being given a second chance. Rehabilitation is absolutely the right course of action. However, common sense suggests you should at least wait until a ‘trial’ is over before starting the reintegration process.

Former Cardiff manager Malky Mackay is currently being investigated by the FA for sending a series of anti-semitic, racist, sexist and homophobic text messages while he was in charge of the Welsh club.

So serious are the allegations levelled against him that he had to withdraw from a deal to take over at Crystal Palace earlier this season when the story first broke.

But last week Mackay was handed the manager’s job at Wigan Athletic.

Fair enough, he has apologised repeatedly for what he did and has shown a respectable amount of humility and regret since his crimes came to light. But his reintegration still feels a bit rushed to me.

Mackay was always going to make a comeback to the world of football – he is too good a young manager for that not to happen. However, he would have done his reputation far more good and made the process much smoother if he had at least waited for the report to come out.

This could get very ugly if the FA decides, for example, that Mackay should be banned from football for a certain amount of time. And I wouldn’t be surprised if his rush to get back in the game may encourage them to do something on those lines…

A new low for football

One of the whistleblowers in the current Fifa corruption scandal revealed last week that she needed FBI protection when she made her allegations about the Qatar World Cup bid.

Phaedra Almajid, a former press officer with the Qatar bid, described how she found federal agents at her door telling her they were aware of threats against her and that they would be giving her protection.

Now the mother of two says she will be forced to “look over her shoulder for the rest of her life”.

Is this what the World Cup is all about? Is this what football is all about? Death threats for single, working mothers? How did Sepp Blatter let it come to this?

Just when you think the whole stinking, reprehensible mess can’t get any worse, something new comes out to make my utter contempt for Fifa, its leader and everything it stands for even stronger.

sportscolumnist@timesofmalta.com
Twitter: @maltablade