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Sunday, October 27, 2013

Vettel Commandingly Takes Pole for 2013 Indian Grand Prix

Photo credit: Pirelli Photo Service



The fourth-to-last event on the 2013 Formula 1 schedule, the Indian Grand Prix welcomes the open wheel racing series when the white hot Red Bull Racing driver Sebastian Vettel is showing unbeatable domination. Qualifying for the third-ever Indian Grand Prix would only stoke the burning desire for the German's fourth Formula 1 Drivers' title.

Mounting a 1 minute, 24.119 second top time in the Q3 session of qualifying, Sebastian Vettel's Red Bull-Renault has captured the prime grid position for the 2013 Indian Grand Prix. The qualifying effort for Vettel was roughly 14/100ths of a second better than the second-fastest car on the 5.125-kilometer race course. Winner of the last five events, Vettel can clinch his fourth consecutive Formula 1 championship by earning an additional five points. In the quest for this feat accomplished just one time before by the seven-time World Drivers' Champion Michael Schumacher, the Buddh International Circuit is a hospitable ground for Vettel having won both runnings of the Indian Grand Prix

Vettel's win extends the Red Bull Racing team's pole qualifying streak to five events. The second Red Bull-Renault driven by Mark Webber will be starting in fourth place. It's important to note Webber has been riding on medium compound Pirelli tires when he set the fourth-fastest time on the Buddh International Circuit. Among four drivers in the top-10 starting on the medium compound racing slicks, Mark Webber will be the highest starting on the slightly slower but more durable rubber.

Able to split the Red Bull Racing duo, the Mercedes AMG Formula 1 machines of Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton rose to the occasion in the late minutes of Q3. Separated by seven-tenths of a second, Rosberg grabbed the advantage over Hamilton. While Red Bull Racing's 2013 team performance has performed themselves as the near-unopposed leader of the Formula 1 constructors' championship, Mercedes AMG and Ferrari are in a tense second-place battle. Ferrari leads by only 10 points over Mercedes AMG. Leading the charge for Ferrari in Indian Grand Prix qualifying was Felipe Massa. Massa will start fifth while teammate and longshot 2013 championship hopeful Fernando Alonso will line up eighth on Sunday. Lotus F1 Team is also close to both teams making the runner-up spot in the team points standings very contentious.


Photo Credit: Pirelli Photo Service


After several races where Romain Grosjean has been propelled into the Formula 1 limelight, the Frenchman's qualifying effort in India was off-pace with his recent success. The Lotus F1 Team's plan for using medium compound tires in the Q1 session was perhaps a major contributing factor to Grosjean starting 17th in Sunday. By contrast, Kimi Raikkonen's Lotus-Renault race car will be starting sixth on the Indian Grand Prix grid.

With the Formula 1 tour already affirming there will not be on 2014 edition of the Indian Grand Prix, the 2013 race could allow a driver and team to brag about their effort right up to the likely 2015 return to the Buddh International Circuit. The 60-lap 2012 Indian Grand Prix is set to start at 3pm local time (5:30am Eastern time).



2013 Formula 1
Indian Grand Prix
Starting Grid


Pos # Car # Driver Team Engine





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

Saturday, October 19, 2013

Honda's 2015 Formula 1 Engine Comes to Life on YouTube

BAR-Honda F1 Car Replica at Georgian Auto Show 2005
Photo Credit: Chris Nagy

On Friday, Honda's United Kingdom outlet provided race fans with their first sense of an upcoming Formula 1 powerplant; That sense consisted of sound.

Through a YouTube release, an audio track for the turbocharged, 1.6 liter V-6 racing engine has been made public. An audio-only presentation, the 2015 Honda Formula 1 engine was led across the power band as a sampling for what will be heard on the race track.

The Honda turbocharged V-6 engine is being developed jointly with the McLaren F1 team. While new Formula 1 rules come into place for last year, McLaren's ongoing contract with Mercedes-Benz is delaying Honda's entry until the 2015 season. For the Japanese company re-entering the top-ranked open wheel racing series, the extra time will prove pivotal in developing the full-functional race powerplant.

Until 2015, here is a small dose of what Formula 1 fans can expect from the upcoming McLaren Honda combination:



Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Pit Strategy Nets Vettel Victory in Thrilling Japanese Grand Prix


Photo Credit: Nissan/Infiniti

Since 1987, the Suzuka Circuit has served as the host of the Japanese Grand Prix for all but two years in between the 2013 event. Over that time, the Honda owned race track has produced some storied fights for Formula 1 supremacy. The Alain Prost/Aryton Senna championship battles in 1989 and 1990 remains as the most memorable. Though there was not going to be a tight drivers' point battle heading towards the 5.807-kilometer track, there was a slim chance the race could result in the crowning of the 2013 championship. Heading into the Japanese Grand Prix, Sebastian Vettel needed just 24 points on Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso to seal his Fourth consecutive championship.

Aside from the champion, the Suzuka Circuit is known for producing some hard-fought races along all competitors. The 53-lap, 2013 edition of the Japanese Grand Prix would perhaps rank as one of the finest of the season.

With Mark Webber sitting on pole for the first time in 2013, the Australian is counting down his tenure at Red Bull Racing as Sunday's race was staged. With Webber's teammate Sebastian Vettel starting alongside, the Red Bull-Renaults seemingly appeared to be on easy street for leading into the first corner. What was not foreseen as the lights went out to commence the 2013 Japanese Grand Prix was a faltering by both Red Bull-Renault race cars on the start. Instantly on the race's start Romain Grosjean shot by Vettel and Webber for the lead.


Photo Credit: Andrew Ferraro/Lotus F1 Team


With the leaders running smoothly into turn 1, the cars driven by Jules Bianchi and Giedo van der Garde wrecked. No safety car was deployed since both cars were well off into the turn one run-off area but activation of the DRS system was delayed. Another early retirement from the Japanese Grand Prix was Lewis Hamilton who suffered a cut tire due to contact. The damage to Hamilton's Mercedes AMG proved quite severe resulting in parking the race machine after seven laps.

From fourth to first into the turn corner, the Lotus-Renault of Romain Grosjean's breathtaking pass was one of the Frenchman's trademark daring maneuvers. While his aggression is renowned, the Frenchman's foil has been his inexperience and poor sense in the past Formula 1 seasons. Last year, Grosjean's driving also resulted in the Lotus F1 Team driver being parked by the Formula 1 sanctioning body for making too many mistakes. In 2013, Romain Grosjean has been showing a more level-headed approach that has kept him out of trouble but has not exactly equated the driver registering better performances. The start of the Japanese Grand Prix could be a turning point for Grosjean. Setting several fastest laps, Grosjean pulled out a 3.3-second lead over second place Mark Webber by lap 11. Turning over the lead on a lap 12 pit stop, Romain Grosjean's Lotus-Renault would remain at the front of the Japanese Grand Prix becoming a source of excitement throughout the Formula 1 event.

With Romain Grosjean, Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel trading the lead among themselves through pit stops, one of those drivers operated on a three-stop strategy for Pirelli racing slicks. Red Bull Racing's Mark Webber ran shorter stints on his tires harnessing the performance of newer compound rubber rolling on the Suzuka Circuit. Running an awkward third for much of the Japanese Grand Prix, Sebastian Vettel elected to bring his Red Bull-Renault to pit road on only two occasions. Banking on the increased track position outweighing the advantage on fresher tires, Sebastian Vettel would proceed with his gamble on lap 37.

Mark Webber pitted for the final time in lap 42 taking faster medium compound tires back out on track for the final 11 laps of the 2013 Japanese Grand Prix. Quickly catching than-second place Romain Grosjean on harder compound rubber, the task of passing the formidable Lotus-Renault proved difficult for Webber's Red Bull-Renault. A battle taking place roughly 9 seconds behind Sebastian Vettel, the second place fight between Grosjean and Webber would benefit the championship points leader every lap it waged. In fact, when Mark Webber was finally able to snatch the runner-up position from the Lotus-Renault, there would be only two laps for the Australian driver to catch Vettel. Proving far too much of a gap, Sebastian Vettel crossed the line 7.1 seconds ahead of his Red Bull Racing teammate for a fifth-straight victory on the 2013 Formula 1 racing calendar.



Photo Credit: Pirelli Photo Service

The triumph was Vettel's fourth Japanese Grand Prix win in five seasons. As a result of a fourth place finish by Fernando Alonso's Ferrari, the 2013 World Drivers' championship will remain in play for at least one more race. Vettel needs only to finish fifth place or better to fend off even the best efforts of Alonso for the season's title. Describing the race as a "very rewarding win", Vettel added, "The Championship is the big target of course, but the season is very long still and the best way to wrap it up is not to think about it. I’m happy to go home for a bit now and to relax before we go out to India. That’s an impressive country and I’m looking forward to racing there in a couple of weeks.”

The second-place finish for Mark Webber was not the desired victory the Australian wanted but was his first podium since the Italian Grand Prix. "I did my best and in the end it was a good result.”, said Webber after 53 laps at Suzuka. As for third place Romain Grosjean, he talked at length about what could be a career-defining run. "It was superb to go past both the Red Bulls like that and it’ll be one of my best memories of the year. The car was fantastic on the first set of tyres and we managed to pull away, but then the Red Bulls were able to reel us in later on. Ultimately, we were the only car to almost catch the bull. It’s been a great home race for my engineer; it’s always good to come to Japan and it’s really good to be back on the podium again.”, said Grosjean.

The next event for the 2013 Formula 1 season will take place October 27th with the running of the Indian Grand Prix.


2013 Formula 1
Japanese Grand Prix
Race Results


Pos # Car # Driver Team Engine





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

Saturday, October 12, 2013

Webber Wows with Pole Run in Japanese Grand Prix Qualifying

Photo Credit: Pirelli Photo Service



A race many Formula 1 drivers look forward to, the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka International Racing Course is a fast track with challenging, hard-braking corners. For years, the grand prix in Japan concluded the Formula 1 season with some memorable incidents including two Senna/Prost battles with the championship on the line. For 2013, the Japanese Grand Prix is the 15th race on a 19-race calendar. As for the drivers' title battle this season, reigning champion Sebastian Vettel's 77-point lead has effectively ended a chance at a firm late season battle.

Qualifying for the 2013 Japanese Grand Prix, Sebastian Vettel was favoured to take pole for a fourth-straight occasion. Two Friday practices on the 5.807-kilometer race track consisted of Vettel and Mercedes AMG drive Lewis Hamilton posting top times. While predictions were right about Red Bull Racing on the front row, it was Australia's Mark Webber that captured the top spot on the grid. In Q3, Webber logged the only speed under 1 minute, 31 seconds for the pole position. At 1 minute, 30.915 seconds, the time marginally edged-out teammate Vettel by 0.026 seconds.

With Webber's success with his Red Bull-Renault, the other team car wheeled by drivers' championship contender Sebastian Vettel received attention for its inability to mount a pole time following three-straight times triumphing in qualifying. Reports that Vettel's Red Bull-Renault was experiencing issues with its KERS (kinetic energy recovery system) is believed to have been an obstacle for grabbing pole at Japan. Sebastian Vettel has a mathematical chance of locking up the title at Suzuka if the Red Bull Racing driver would gain 23 points on Ferrari's Fernando Alonso. A win by Sebastian Vettel and a finish lower than ninth by Alonso would seal the 2013 Formula 1 World Drivers' Championship in favour of the Red Bull-Renault driver.

The second row of the Japanese Grand Prix will feature Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes AMG car and the Lotus-Renault of Romain Grosjean. On the third row, Felipe Massa is wrapping up his current career with the Ferrari Formula 1 by drastically out-qualifying his teammate Fernando Alonso. Alonso's Ferrari will start eighth at Suzuka on a fourth row that also finds Nico Hukenberg posting another Q3 worthy effort with Sauber-Ferrari. Climbing seven positions in the last Formula 1 round in South Korea, Kimi Raikkonen's presence in ninth place doesn't seem as troubling as it does for some potential race winners. Raikkonen's win in Australia was the only victory so far in 2013.

Mark Webber has been a soul of some misery on track as of late. Running well at the Singapore Grand Prix, a late retirement cost him glory. In addition to failing to finish the race at the Marina Bay Street Circuit, Webber accumulated a 10 grid spot penalty following a kind gesture from Fernando Alonso deemed unsafe by race stewards. In South Korea, Mark Webber placed the third fastest time of the Q3 session with his Red Bull-Renault but would have to start 13th as he served his penalty. Progressing quickly to the front through the first-half of the race, Webber's plans of a strong finish at the Korean Grand Prix was crushed when a Force India-Mercedes collided into his race car. Initially appearing as a minor hit to the sidepod of the Red Bull-Renault, a fire quickly sparked ending the Australian driver's day. Moving to the Porsche prototype sports car program for 2014, 37 year-old Mark Webber's remaining Formula 1 career is practically five races away from completion. Pole at the Japanese Grand Prix is well-earned for the driver who has driven for Red Bull Racing for 7 of his 12 Formula 1 seasons.

A 53-lap event, the 2013 Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka is set for 3 PM local time (2 AM eastern time).


2013 Formula 1
Japanese Grand Prix
Starting Grid

Pos # Car # Driver Team Engine





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

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Avoiding Most of Race Excitement, Vettel Wins Korean Grand Prix

Photo Credit: Nissan/Infiniti
 
The sixth race remaining on the 2013 Formula 1 tour, the Korean Grand Prix welcomes the 22-car field for the fall round. The fourth Formula 1 race for the Korea International Circuit, the staging of the 2013 event comes as certainty surrounds the future for the grand prix.
 
For the eventual victor of the 2013 edition of the Korean Grand Prix, the honour was settled quickly. Polesitter Sebastian Vettel used a strong launch to propel him into the race lead. For 55 laps, the German driver of the #1 Red Bull-Renault enjoyed a relatively textbook victory. The latest in a season that is shaping into a fourth straight championship for Sebastian Vettel, the ease of mounting a race-long leading pace gave competitors no meaningful chance of beating the Red Bull Racing pilot in this 2013 Korean Grand Prix.
 
As Vettel effectively enjoyed a Sunday drive at the Korea International Circuit, the major action took place behind the leading Red Bull-Renault. Despite forecasts that the race would take place during a wet afternoon, the 2013 Korea Grand Prix proceeded on a dry race surface. On the start, Felipe Massa's Ferrari spun his Ferrari forcing many drivers to take evasive action. As the race progressed, many teams competing in the 27 degree Celsius weather contended with wear of their Pirelli tires. Tire marbles rapidly littered the track outside of the racing line.
 
In the early stage of the Korean Grand Prix, Mark Webber's Red Bull-Renault RB9 began making significant progress coming from the 13th place grid position. Qualifying third but demoted 10 places for an incident at the race in Singapore, Webber is intent to prove that the Red Bull Racing could deliver a firm one-two punch. Equally as impressive in race trim were the two Lotus F1 Team cars. Starting third, Romain Grosjean provided a solid effort maintaining a spot in the top-three. Joining Grosjean from a ninth place starting position, the second Lotus-Renault of Kimi Raikkonen mounted another big gain during a grand prix event.
 

Photo Credit: Nissan/Infiniti

 
While the Renault engines were humming at the front, the Mercedes-Benz powerplants propelling Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton were not singing harmoniously with their race cars. Hamilton experienced difficulty keeping pace for the Red Bull Racing and Lotus F1 Team cars with his Mercedes AMG machine citing a lack of traction during the event. Nico Rosberg's race would be dramatic past the halfway mark in the Korean Grand Prix when the front wing and nose section of his Mercedes AMG car partly detached. After several laps where the front end of his race car was scrapping the track surface, Rosberg pitted for a replacement nose piece.  
 
 
Photo Credit: Mercedes AMG
 
The Korean Grand Prix was slowed on two occasions in the middle stage for a safety car period. The first use of the safety car occurred on lap 31 after a series of events. First, Paul di Resta spun his Force India-Mercedes and crashed. Following the race, di Resta responded, “I have to hold my hands up and apologise to the team. Maybe I took a little bit too much kerb and that’s sent me off the track.". There was also a major field of debris created when a tire on Sergio Perez's McLaren-Mercedes came apart. Catching debris from the McLaren on his tires, Mark Webber was forced to pit the Red Bull-Renault one lap after making a tire stop. For Webber, this positioning on the track would quickly prove costly when the race resumed. 
 
Shortly after the first safety car period concluded, the regrouped cars provided some dicey action that would set the atmosphere for the second safety car period on lap 38. With Paul di Resta retired, the second Force India-Mercedes lost driven by Adrain Sutil spun out in turn three. At the time, Sutil was recovering following damage on the first lap. Attempting to pass the spinning Force India race car on the outside of the corner, Red Bull's Mark Webber was speared by the rear of Sutil's vehicle. Drilled in the side pod, Webber was unconcerned for his Red Bull-Renault race car. However, it only took seconds before the Australian realized his car was seriously wounded. Stopping the Red Bull Racing machine, the rear of the car was quickly engulfed by flames. Mark Webber's podium quality performance at the Korean Grand Prix ended in a second-straight DNF.
 
In the initial stages of this second safety car, race officials confusingly dispatched the Marshall vehicle before the safety car. The Jeep brand Marshall vehicle would quickly concede the control of the Formula 1 field to the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG safety car but not without attracting universal puzzlement.    



Photo Credit: Pirelli Photo Service
While Vettel stretched what would be a 4.2 second margin of victory in the closing laps of the 2013 Korean Grand Prix, the Lotus-Renaults would be acknowledged as the best-of-the-rest. With seven-tenths of a second separating each other, Kimi Raikkonen outran Romain Grosjean for second place. Improving greatly from his starting position, Raikkonen has collectively gained 16 spots between qualifying and the race for the past two grand prix events. Taking third, Grosjean's effort is the Frenchman's third occasion taking the final podium spot in 2013. Every podium finish for Romain Grosjean in the 2013 Formula 1 season was accomplished with Kimi Raikkonen taking second.
 
One of two Sauber-Ferrari race cars qualifying in the top-10 at the Korea International Circuit Saturday, Nico Hulkenberg ran a determined fourth place as he crossed the finish line ahead of an attacking Lewis Hamilton. Hulkenberg's result for the Sauber F1 Team is the best finish for 2013.

As a result of Sebastian Vettel's win, his points lead has increased over second-place in the standings Fernando Alonso. With Alonso finishing sixth in Korea, the margin grows by 17 points resulting in a new gap of 77 points. Taking into account a Formula 1 driver can only collect a maximum of 25 points in a race weekend, Fernando Alonso's only chance at competing against Sebastian Vettel for the 2013 World Drivers Championship would depend on the combination of a pair of Ferrari victories and Sebastian Vettel failing to score points in two of the final five rounds.

Racing on back-to-back weekends, the Formula 1 tour is heading to Suzuka for the Japanese Grand Prix set for October 13th. Sebastian Vettel is the reigning winner of the race in Japan.



2013 Formula 1
Korean Grand Prix
Race Results


Pos # Car # Driver Team Engine





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

Sunday, October 6, 2013

Vettel Tops Tight Korean GP Qualifying Session

Photo Credit: Pirelli Photo Service


The second race in a late season Asian continent stint, the Korean Grand Prix on the 5.62-kilometer Korea International Circuit is part of the dawning for the 2013 Formula 1 season. Running for its fourth time, the Korean Grand Prix is an event shaky ground for the future. A troubled race financially according to some reports, the grand prix in South Korea is only tentatively scheduled on the 2014 Formula 1 calendar. Even if it does return next year, the Korean Grand Prix will be shifted to an early season event.

Enjoying a late season position on the Formula 1 tour, the 2013 Korean Grand Prix would have appreciated a more cinematic battle for the drivers' championship. Heading into the race weekend, Red Bull Racing's Sebastian Vettel is maintaining a 60-point lead over second place Fernando Alonso. Bad news for the competition looking to make ground up on Vettel is the fact the German driver had won the last two races at the Korea International Circuit.

During qualifying, Sebastian Vettel obtained the top grid position with a 1-minute, 37.202-second lap time in Q3. Two-tenths of a second off Vettel's time, the Mercedes AMG race car of Lewis Hamilton took the grid spot beside the Red Bull-Renault for Sunday's race. Mark Webber was third fastest during the Q3 session placing all three previous Korean Grand Prix pole winners at the top on the time sheet. However, Webber will lose some of his advantage. Due to a penalty assessed following his part in an unsafe incident at the end of the Singapore Grand Prix, Mark Webber will be demoted 10 grid positions for the start in Korea putting the Red Bull-Renault in 13th place. For fourth-place Romain Grosjean, this means he receives the first progression forward for 10 drivers. For the French Lotus-Renault driver, the start is the second race in a row where he is starting in third place.

Driving the Mercedes AMG team's second race machine, Nico Rosberg will start fourth on Sunday after lapping the track in 1 minute, 37.679 seconds. The top-five times in the Q3 session of 2013 Korean Grand Prix qualifying were separated by less than half a second. Behind Rosberg, the Ferraris of Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa will look to pad their manufacturers points position. Ferrari is only seven points ahead of Mercedes AMG.


Photo Credit: Sauber Motorsport AG


Taking the fourth row of Sunday's Korean Grand Prix, the customer Ferrari engined cars of Sauber has placed both team cars in the top-10 for the first time in 2013. Marginally off the pace of Felipe Massa's factory Ferrari, the Sauber-Ferrari of Nico Hulkenberg took the advantage over Esteban Gutierrez. The remaining top-10 competitors starting the 2013 Korean Grand Prix consists of Kimi Raikkonen's Lotus-Renault and the McLaren-Mercedes of Sergio Perez.

Sunday's main event will consist of 55 laps on the Korea International Circuit. Taking place at 3 PM local time, race time for viewing the Korean Grand Prix in the eastern time zone is 2 AM.



2013 Formula 1
Korean Grand Prix
Race Results

Pos # Car # Driver Team Engine





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