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Saturday, September 28, 2013

Adventurous but Tentative 2014 Formula 1 Schedule Released

Photo Credit: Nissan/Infiniti


With new cars and a reshaped engine formula already planned for 2014, Formula 1 has released a notably larger race schedule featuring some new competitive backdrops. Starting with the Australian Grand Prix on March 16th, the proposed 22-race 2014 Formula 1 schedule will end in Brazil on November 30th. The majority of the 2013 calendar and events remain while four additional grand prix races is planned. One of the new races is set for Russia at a Sochi track created in conjunction with the Olympics. The Russian Grand Prix is set for September 21st. Of the 22 races on the 2014 Formula 1 schedule, three races are essentially penciled in.

For North American Formula 1 fans, the widely touted grand prix in New Jersey is once again receiving a push ahead. The street course event was a heavily promoted inclusion on the 2012 Formula 1 schedule that was ultimately removed from the calendar due to what CEO of Formula 1 Management Bernie Ecclestone described as elements of a contract not being met by the event's group. The saga of the New Jersey Formula 1 race has involved several additional chapters through 2012 and 2013 that has now resulted in a favourable outcome. With a planned circuit running adjacent to the Hudson River with New York City in view, the New Jersey Formula 1 race is scheduled a week ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix on June 1st. The track layout is still pending approval before the 2014 inaugural running.

Added to the Formula 1 schedule in 2010, the Korean Grand Prix event is listed as provisional. An expensive race for the country of Korea, the organizers for the grand prix fought to have terms of their deal with the auto racing sanctioning body renegotiated last year. The Korean Grand Prix still reported a heavy loss after the 2012 event. A 2014 return to Korea will depend on what will be done to make the race sustainable. If the Korean Grand Prix does take place in 2014, it will occur in late April rather than its customary early fall date.

The 2014 Formula 1 schedule also contains the return to potentially two former race tracks. Confirmed for a June 22nd race, the A1-Ring (now known as the Red Bull Ring) will play host to its first Austrian Grand Prix since 2003. Waiting longer for a return than the Austrian Grand Prix is a Formula 1 race in Mexico. Perhaps thanks to the presence of Sergio Perez with McLaren, Formula 1 cars will potentially run their first Mexican Grand Prix in 22 years. Pending approval of the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez race course, the 2014 Mexican Grand Prix will be the second-to-last event on the schedule.

One noted absence from the 2014 schedule is the staging of an Indian Grand Prix. After three years of racing at the Buddh International Circuit, it was already announced in late July that the Formula 1 cars will be delisted from the 2014 schedule. Reports indicated the event organizers and the auto racing sanctioning body could not come to an agreement on race date with Formula 1 wanting to move the event to March as opposed to its current October hosting.



Tentative 2014 Formula 1 Schedule


Date Race Track
March 16th Australian Grand Prix Albert Park
March 30th Malaysian Grand Prix Sepang International Circuit
April 6th Bahrain Grand Prix Bahrain International Circuit
April 20th Chinese Grand Prix Shanghai International Circuit
April 27th Korean Grand Prix Korean International Circuit
May 11th Spanish Grand Prix Circuit de Catalunya
May 25th Monaco Grand Prix Circuit de Monaco
June 1st Grand Prix of America Port Imperial Street Circuit
June 8th Canadian Grand Prix Circuit Gilles Villeneuve
June 22nd Austrian Grand Prix Red Bull Ring
July 6th British Grand Prix Silverstone Circuit
July 20th German Grand Prix Nurburgring
July 27th Hungarian Grand Prix Hungaroring
August 24th Belgian Grand Prix Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps
September 7th Italian Grand Prix Autodromo Nazionale di Monza
September 21th Singapore Grand Prix Marina Bay Street Circuit
October 5th Russian Grand Prix Sochi Olympic Park Circuit
October 12th Japanese Grand Prix Suzuka International Race Course
October 26th Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Yas Marina Circuit
November 9th United States Grand Prix Circuit of the Americas
November 16th Mexican Grand Prix Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez
November 30th Brazilian Grand Prix Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace

Vettel Reveals Winning Late Season Form with Singapore GP Victory



Photo Credit: Pirelli Photo Service


The 2013 Formula 1 season is drawing closer to a conclusion. Despite the efforts of Ferrari's Fernando Alonso and the emerging force of Mercedes AMG, the class of the paddock remains the Red Bull Racing team and their German driver Sebastian Vettel. Under an evening sky, Formula 1 cars rolled for Sunday's 2013 Singapore Grand Prix. Kicking off a tour stint that involves competing in four Asian continent locales, the Singapore event on the Marina Bay Street Circuit provides a nearly surreal atmosphere for the Formula 1 drivers and teams. However, as Sebastian Vettel gained the pole position in Saturday night qualifying, the unique race involved a rather familiar sight. 

The Red Bull-Renault of Sebastian Vettel was simply too tough to catch throughout the 61-lap event on the Marina Bay Street Circuit. Quick on the start, Vettel pulled out a nearly two second lead on the second-place vehicle on the opening lap. A near clockwork race for the Red Bull-Renault driver, the German driver left rest of the field fighting for the runner-up positions.

With exception to Sebastian Vettel, the first two rows of drivers in qualifying for the Singapore Grand Prix encountered a race full of difficulty. After qualifying third, Frenchman Romain Grosjean was forced to retire from the 2013 Singapore Grand Prix on lap 33 when his Renault engine developed issues. The retirement list for the race was rather light as the Lotus-Renault driver was joined by just four drivers after 61 laps. The first driver out of the race was Daniel Ricciardo on lap 24. His Toro Rosso-Ferrari crashed into the turn 18 wall on the Marina Bay Street Circuit. Ricciardo's derelict race vehicle required a safety car period that briefly erased leader Sebastian Vettel's track position advantage. As soon as the safety car returned to the pits and the race restarted, Vettel would once again sail away from the competition. The three-time and reigning Formula 1 champion crossed the line 32.6 seconds ahead of second-place Ferrari's Fernando Alonso to claim his seventh grand prix victory in 2013. Though the drive was masterful, Sebastian Vettel was greeted by a detectable amount of boos on the podium.



Photo Credit: Pirelli Photo Service

Starting on the front row with Vettel but losing the drag race into the first turn, Nico Rosberg would lose time on track for one period of the race as tire rubber gummed up a portion of his Mercedes AMG car's front wing. Rosberg would hold on to finish fourth ahead of teammate Lewis Hamilton. Fourth in qualifying, Mark Webber piloting the second Red Bull-Renault race car met with late-race misfortunes. Running in the top-four late in the Singapore event, Webber lost power and soon his Renault engine ending the race in 15th place.

Stranded near a retired car at the end of the race, Webber received a gracious invitation from the runner-up finisher Alonso for a ride back to pit road. A classy moment rekindles memories of a 1991 British Grand Prix where race winner Nigel Mansell stopped to provide a famous ride for Brazilian Formula 1 legend Ayrton Senna. There was also another incident occurred at the 1995 Canadian Grand Prix where the winning Ferrari of Jean Alesi ran out of fuel. On this occasion, it was future Ferrari driver and seven-time World Driving Champion Michael Schumacher allowing the Frenchman the honour of a full victory lap and ride back to the pits. Unfortunately, in this 2013 case, Mark Webber and Fernando Alonso would run afoul with Formula 1 stewards not as much for the ride but for the fact stopping on track potentially endangered other competitors. Webber has been penalized with a 10-grid position penalty at the next race in Korea since it earned the Australian driver his third reprimand of the 2013 Formula 1 season. Alonso was handed a reprimand for his part.

Fernando Alonso improved greatly on a seventh place qualifying result to finish second at the 2013 Singapore Grand Prix. In regards to the drivers' championship where Alonso holds second place in the standings, the Singapore Grand Prix result means that Sebastian Vettel has padded his points lead with an additional seven markers. The gap between Vettel and Alonso now stands at 60 points following the Marina Bay Street Circuit race.


Photo Credit: Glenn Dunbar/ Lotus F1 Team

A more impressive improvement than the effort of Fernando Alonso to place in the runner-up spot, his future Ferrari teammate Kimi Raikkonen driving a Lotus-Renault climbed from 13th to finish 3rd. Struggling with back pain throughout the weekend in Singapore, Raikkonen felt better during the 61-lap main event Sunday. While the Lotus F1 Team was a favourite in the opening race of the year thanks to Kimi Raikkonen's Australian Grand Prix victory, the organization has been fighting to keep pace with the improvements of Red Bull Racing, Ferrari and Mercedes AMG as the 2013 season progressed.  

Behind sixth place Felipe Massa, the McLaren drivers Jenson Button and Sergio Perez are continuing to soldier on with a race car that has simply been off-pace with the frontrunners this season. The Singapore Grand Prix was the fifth time in 2013 that both McLaren cars finished in points paying positions. Behind the McLarens was the Sauber-Ferrari of Nico Hulkenberg and Adrian Sutil claiming the final championship point.


2013 Formula 1
Singapore Grand Prix
Race Results


Pos # Car # Driver Team Engine





1 1 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull Renault
2 3 Fernando Alonso Ferrari Ferrari
3 7 Kimi Raikkonen Lotus Renault
4 9 Nico Rosberg Mercedes AMG Mercedes-Benz
5 10 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes AMG Mercedes-Benz
6 4 Felipe Massa Ferrari Ferrari
7 5 Jenson Button McLaren Mercedes-Benz
8 6 Sergio Perez McLaren Mercedes-Benz
9 11 Nico Hulkenberg Sauber Ferrari
10 15 Adrian Sutil Force India Mercedes-Benz
11 16 Pastor Maldonado Williams F1 Renault
12 12 Esteban Gutierrez Sauber Ferrari
13 17 Valtteri Bottas Williams F1 Renault
14 18 Jean-Eric Vergne Scuderia Toro Rosso Ferrari
15 2 Mark Webber Red Bull Renault
16 21 Giedo van der Garde Caterham Renault
17 23 Max Chilton Marussia Cosworth
18 22 Jules Bianchi Marussia Cosworth
19 20 Charles Pic Caterham Renault
20 14 Paul di Resta Force India Mercedes-Benz
21 8 Romain Grosjean Lotus Renault
22 19 Daniel Ricciardo Scuderia Toro Rosso Ferrari

Sunday, September 22, 2013

Vettel Achieves Brightness in Singapore GP Qualifying

Photo Credit: Pirelli Photo Service


One of the newer editions to the Formula 1 schedule, the Singapore Grand Prix on the Marina Bay Street Circuit provides one of the more unique atmospheres for competition. Not only is the tight street course a challenging mix of straights and corners but the variable of a nighttime event for the premier open wheel racing series. The Glitzy Marina Bay Street Circuit's history of hosting Formula 1 races may be brief, but the track has instantly gained recognition as a wild event.

Under the nights of a Saturday evening, qualifying for the 2013 Singapore Grand Prix resulted in the race's defending winner Sebastian Vettel claiming the pole. Posting a fast time of 1 minute, 42.841 seconds in Q3, Vettel's Red Bull-Renault took a second-straight time trial session victory. Less than a tenth of a second quicker than the Mercedes AMG race car of Nico Rosberg, Vettel's heading into the final stretch of the 2013 Formula 1 season within striking position of his fourth consecutive Formula 1 driver's title. At this time, Sebastian Vettel has been padding a lead in the drivers' standings thanks to an Italian Grand Prix victory earlier this month. Entering Singapore, the reigning champion with Red Bull Racing is holding a 53-point advantage over the second place challenger in the 2013 standings.

After winning two times in the summer, Nico Rosberg is fighting to establish more consistently strong race weekends with Mercedes AMG. Holding the majority of 2013 season pole positions, the Mercedes AMG team has been realizing the Red Bull-Renault of Sebastian Vettel has upped its game. Lewis Hamilton was fifth quickest on track in Singapore frustrated by the result but determined to move up the grid during the 61-lap race Sunday.



Photo Credit: Pirelli Photo Service


Breaking into the top-three in qualifying, the Lotus-Renault driver Romain Grosjean acquired his highest grid position in the 2013 Formula 1 season. Though this season was not as noisy as Grosjean's 2012 campaign, this is actually an improvement for the Frenchman's stint at the Lotus F1 Team. Grosjean was also successful of out qualifying his teammate on the Singapore track. The first race since Kimi Raikkonen's announcement of 2014 plans to rejoin Ferrari, the lead Lotus F1 Team driver could only muster a 13th place run.

Sandwiched between the Lotus-Renault of Romain Grosjean and Hamilton's Mercedes AMG race car, Mark Webber will start fourth. Despite seeing several of the same players at the front in Formula 1 qualifying at the Marina Bay Street Circuit, there is an interesting dose of parity found at the end of this time trial. Overall, the Singapore Grand Prix qualifying session was highly competitive on the Q3 session time sheet. The top-five vehicles were only separated by nearly four-tenths of a second at the end of qualifying. 

The Ferraris led by Brazilian Felipe Massa had some struggles matching the pace of the Red Bull-Renaults on the Singapore course. With Massa placed sixth on the grid, Fernando Alonso, the man believed to be Sebastian Vettel's only major competition for the 2013 drivers' championship, will roll off seventh. In qualifying, the Ferraris outpaced the McLaren-Mercedes of Jenson Button and the Toro Rosso-Ferrari of Daniel Ricciardo.

 With Sauber, Esteban Gutierrez recorded one of best qualifying efforts in his 2013 rookie season. The Mexican driving the Sauber-Ferrari cracked the top-10 in qualifying. Teammate Nico Hulkenberg was 11th fastest on Saturday despite a malfunctioning DRS wing during qualifying.

A night race in Singapore, the 2013 grand prix on the Marina Bay Street Circuit will start at 8 am Eastern time.


2013 Formula 1
Singapore Grand Prix
Qualifying Results


Pos # Car # Driver Team Engine





1 1 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull Renault
2 9 Nico Rosberg Mercedes AMG Mercedes-Benz
3 8 Romain Grosjean Lotus Renault
4 2 Mark Webber Red Bull Renault
5 10 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes AMG Mercedes-Benz
6 4 Felipe Massa Ferrari Ferrari
7 3 Fernando Alonso Ferrari Ferrari
8 5 Jenson Button McLaren Mercedes-Benz
9 19 Daniel Ricciardo Scuderia Toro Rosso Ferrari
10 12 Esteban Gutierrez Sauber Ferrari
11 11 Nico Hulkenberg Sauber Ferrari
12 18 Jean-Eric Vergne Scuderia Toro Rosso Ferrari
13 7 Kimi Raikkonen Lotus Renault
14 6 Sergio Perez McLaren Mercedes-Benz
15 15 Adrian Sutil Force India Mercedes-Benz
16 17 Valtteri Bottas Williams F1 Renault
17 14 Paul di Resta Force India Mercedes-Benz
18 16 Pastor Maldonado Williams F1 Renault
19 20 Charles Pic Caterham Renault
20 21 Giedo van der Garde Caterham Renault
21 22 Jules Bianchi Marussia Cosworth
22 23 Max Chilton Marussia Cosworth

Sunday, September 8, 2013

Viva Vettel! Red Bull Racing Driver Wins Monza F1 Race

Photo Credit: Pirelli Photo Service



The conclusion of the European tour of the 2013 Formula 1 championship, the Italian Grand Prix at the historic Monza would be the ideal stage for Ferrari's Fernando Alonso to pull closer to Red Bull Racing's Sebastian Vettel in the overall drivers' standings. Following a race at the Belgium Grand Prix, Vettel has continued to stretch the margin between himself and second place in the World Championship points. With eight races remaining in 2013, opportunities are quickly slipping away for anyone wanting to challenge the Red Bull-Renault driver's pursuit of a fourth-straight drivers' title. In Ferrari's home country, a strong effort in Italy could provide a serious symbolic message to Vettel and Red Bull Racing.

Choosing to send a message of his own in qualifying, Sebastian Vettel placed his car on the pole position as part of a Red Bull Racing 1-2 joined by Mark Webber. The Monza circuit serves as one of the fastest courses for drivers and cars. Requiring low downforce aerodynamic packages and peak engine performance, racing at Monza has the habit of producing unusual circumstances where mid-marker Formula 1 teams can operate at the front. In 2007, Sebastian Vettel's first pole and grand prix victory came at Monza driving a Ferrari-powered vehicle for the smaller Scuderia Toro Rosso organization. In this year's qualifying session, Nico Hulkenberg driving for the Sauber F1 Team sailed around the Monza track with a third-fastest time. Hulkenberg does have a Formula 1 pole earned in 2010 when he drove for the Williams F1 Team. While the Sauber is propelled by customer Ferrari engines, the factory team drivers rounded out the top-five. Felipe Massa was only 0.010 seconds slower than his teammate Fernando Alonso.

A few raindrops in the very early staging of the Italian Grand Prix sprinkled onto the Monza track just before the start of Sunday's 53-lap event. However, this rain never materialized into a major race-defining story. Prepared for a dry race, the 22-car grid started with Sebastian Vettel leading the way early. The only driver not to make it to lap one was Paul di Resta when his Force India-Mercedes collided into the back of the Lotus-Renault of Romain Grosjean.


Photo Credit: Sauber Motorsport AG



The pattern for the Italian Grand Prix was a one pit stop strategy with teams starting their cars on medium compound Pirelli slick tires before switching to hard tires. Three drivers outside of the top-10 in qualifying (Kimi Raikkonen, Lewis Hamilton and Esteban Gutierrez) started the grand prix on hard compound tires. Two of the three drivers electing to start the race on hard compound Pirelli tires wound up in trouble through the course of the event. A tire puncture on the Mercedes AMG car of Lewis Hamilton drew in the former world champion onto pit road on lap 12. Relegated to a two-stop plan that cost him track time, Hamilton struggled to finish ninth place. Kimi Raikkonen was the second driver on hard tires who coincidently suffered problems. A collision with Sergio Perez's McLaren-Mercedes on the opening lap forced the Lotus-Renault to the pit to repair damage. Like Hamilton, Raikkonen and the Lotus F1 Team had to abandon their plans of a single pit stop at Monza. Raikkonen finished 11th missing the Formula 1 championship points for only the second time this season. Driving a Sauber-Ferrari, Gutierrez was the only driver who started on hard tires to wind up sticking to the one-stop strategy. He finished 13th after starting 16th on the grid after 53 laps.  



Photo Credit: Pirelli Photo Service


Preserving a small lead and battling concerns with a tire at the beginning, Sebastian Vettel won the 2013 Italian Grand Prix. In post-race, Vettel commented on the win and his early challenges. "It’s fantastic to win this event again. I just managed to make turn one! I locked the front right and it just didn’t seem to come back. I had a big flat spot, which I felt straight away and I wasn’t sure if the tyre would survive, but fortunately I managed to make it round and have a strong first stint." said the 2013 Italian Grand Prix winner.

Ahead by 5.4 seconds, the winning Red Bull-Renault crossed the line with the Ferrari of rival Fernando Alonso next to see the checkered flag. Taking maximum points, Vettel's lead in the 2013 Formula 1 World Drivers' Championship now stands at sizable 53 points. Joining Vettel and Alonso on the podium was the second Red Bull Racing driver Mark Webber. The result was Webber's fourth podium of the season as he concludes his 2013 stint with Red Bull Racing as a future part of the Porsche sports car prototype team awaits him in 2014.

Behind a solid effort from Felipe Massa in the Ferrari team's second car, Nico Hulkenberg crossed the Monza finish line fifth resulting in the strongest race effort posted in 2013 by the German driver and the Sauber F1 Team. Fellow German driver Nico Rosberg took sixth place to lead the Mercedes AMG teams effort. The whole Italian Grand Prix weekend effort from the Mercedes AMG organization was lackluster compared to the previous 2013 races. Contending for poles for much of this season, Rosberg's finish equaled his starting spot that served as the highest for Mercedes AMG while Hamilton stumbled for speed. Mercedes-Benz powered entry McLaren also faced difficulty finding race pace Sunday with Jenson Button holding on to a tenth place effort.

Leaving the European continent, the 2013 Formula 1 teams' next scheduled race is the night race at Singapore on September 22nd.


2013 Formula 1
Italian Grand Prix
Race Results

Pos # Car # Driver Team Engine





1 1 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull Renault
2 3 Fernando Alonso Ferrari Ferrari
4 2 Mark Webber Red Bull Renault
4 4 Felipe Massa Ferrari Ferrari
5 11 Nico Hulkenberg Sauber Ferrari
6 9 Nico Rosberg Mercedes AMG Mercedes-Benz
7 19 Daniel Ricciardo Scuderia Toro Rosso Ferrari
8 8 Romain Grosjean Lotus Renault
9 10 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes AMG Mercedes-Benz
10 5 Jenson Button McLaren Mercedes-Benz
11 7 Kimi Raikkonen Lotus Renault
12 6 Sergio Perez McLaren Mercedes-Benz
13 12 Esteban Gutierrez Sauber Ferrari
14 16 Pastor Maldonado Williams F1 Renault
15 17 Valtteri Bottas Williams F1 Renault
16 15 Adrian Sutil Force India Mercedes-Benz
17 20 Charles Pic Caterham Renault
18 21 Giedo van der Garde Caterham Renault
19 22 Jules Bianchi Marussia Cosworth
20 23 Max Chilton Marussia Cosworth
21 18 Jean-Eric Vergne Scuderia Toro Rosso Ferrari
22 14 Paul di Resta Force India Mercedes-Benz