Vettel Scores Historic Victory in Brazil for 2013 F1 Finale

Photo source: Pirelli Photo Service

After 18 grand prix race for the 2013 Formula 1 series, the final 71 laps comprising of the Brazilian Grand Prix is symbolizing a number of last opportunities.

With a new turbocharged V-6 engine mandated for competition next season, this Formula 1 finale represents the last time the V-8 powerplants will be used on the world class race tracks. For drivers, the 2013 Brazilian Grand Prix will be the final time that many will drive for their respected teams. Mark Webber will be leaving Red Bull Racing and Formula 1 altogether for a spot in the debuting Porsche prototype sports car team in 2014. Competing for eight seasons with Ferrari in Formula 1, Brazilian driver Felipe Massa is concluding one chapter of his career. Massa has signed to race with Williams F1 for next season. A lot more leaves to be decided for 2014 as the grid for the final race of 2013 was set.

A poster child for stability, 2013 Formula 1 World Champion Sebastian Vettel was again rock solid in qualifying taking pole on a wet Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace surface with his Red Bull-Renault. Vying for a record-tying ninth consecutive win, Vettel starts the Brazilian Grand Prix with a ton of momentum. However, on the start, it was the Mercedes AMG car of Nico Rosberg that shot out to an early lead.



Photo source: Pirelli Photo Service

The advantage for Rosberg was short-lived as Vettel surged back into the lead. The optimum Mercedes AMG started off the 2013 Brazilian Grand Prix with was derailed as both cars struggled with issues. Nico Rosberg fought handling while Lewis Hamilton suffered a tire puncture when he brushed a lapped Williams-Renault driven by Valtteri Bottas. That being said, both Mercedes AMG would persevere to finish within the points. 

The final race of the season ended early for the Romain Grosjean, After only two laps into the 2013 Brazilian Grand Prix, the Lotus-Renault race car suffered a freak engine explosion. “At this point in the season I think everyone needs a holiday, but apparently my engine decided to go on vacation early!" said Grosjean in post-race. While the 2013 season ended too soon for the Frenchman's liking, Grosjean ends his Formula 1 year as a much more respected driver. Romain Grosjean scored more points than his more controversial 2012 outing and ended the 2013 season with scoring points in 9 of the final 11 races. Though Heikki Kovalainen was not able to score points in the second Lotus F1 Team car, Grosjean confidently commented, "We’ve proven this year that we are a top team, and I’m certainly proud of all the guys in the garage and back at Enstone.".





Photo source: Pirelli Photo Service

With a threat of rain throughout the Sunday event, the Brazilian Grand Prix was predominately dry. A small shower did dampen the race course near the end but not enough for any teams or drivers to opt for intermediate Pirelli tires.

Possessing a 10.4 second lead, Sebastian Vettel won the Brazil Grand Prix in a largely uncontested run in the 2013 Formula 1 season finale. with the victory, the German Formula 1 World Drivers' Champion equaled Alberto Ascari's long-standing record for most consecutive grand prix wins. A win in the 2014 Formula 1 season opener would provide Vettel with the record. Helping him score his fourth championship, Vettel stood on the winning spot of the Formula 1 podium 13 of the 19 races after climbing out of his Red Bull-Renault on Sunday. By doing this, Sebastian Vettel now shares a record for most wins in a season with country mate Michael Schumacher.    

In his final grand prix race with Red Bull Racing, Mark Webber's last event before his return to sports car racing resulted in a runner-up spot. The effort becomes his 42nd career podium in 215 starts. The entire Red Bull Racing team including teammate Sebastian Vettel spoke proudly of what his been a long time spent working with the Australian. A 37-year-old driver, the end of his seven season run with Red Bull Racing is actively a retirement from the open wheel series. During his cool-down lap, Mark Webber took his helmet off in a last chance to absorb the feeling of driving competitively in the Formula 1 series. On the Red Bull Racing team website, Webber commented, "In this sport it's not always possible to give things a personal touch. We have the helmets on all the time, so they fans don't always see a Formula One driver in a car without a helmet. It was nice to get it off and see the marshals and the fans; it was just a really nice thing to experience. I heard a lot of noises that I don't normally hear.".

Completing a season that fell short of personal expectations, Fernando Alonso finished third in the final 2013 Formula 1 race. Winding up second in the overall points, the distance between him and Sebastian Vettel is a massive 155-point gap. The size of the point differential alone is enough for seventh place overall in 2013 Drivers' Championship. Collecting two wins including a climatic home country victory with the Spanish Grand Prix, Alonso and the Ferrari team were definitely not counting the late-season blitz of the #1 Red Bull-Renault. Alonso's Ferrari teammate Felipe Massa posted a seventh place run in front of his home country crowd. In addition to Sebastian Vettel's tire smoking blowout, Massa also engaged in burning rubber within a circular pattern as a farewell to Ferrari. Racing a red Ferrari race car in Formula 1 since 2006, Felipe Massa has technically been powered by Ferrari since his 2002 debut with Sauber (Sauber had a customer engine agreement with the Italian automaker company. Having driven nothing but Ferrari engine power, Massa's transition to Williams will result in the Brazilian being paired with a Mercedes-Benz powerplant. 

Starting in 14th and 15th place, the McLaren race cars ended a dismal season with a pair of solid runs. Jenson Button lead the charge forward climbing to fourth at the end of the Brazilian Grand Prix. Button's McLaren teammate Sergio Perez also posted an impressive sixth place effort. Both McLaren F1 team pilots made two stops for tires but had second changes The result is Perez's final effort with a McLaren-Mercedes race car as the Mexican was released late in the season in the favour of rookie Kevin Magnussen. Sergio Perez's 2014 schedule has been left open.

With a fifth place for Nico Rosberg and a ninth for Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes AMG's Brazilian Grand Prix finish is actually more successful than when comparing season-long standings. By six points, Mercedes AMG took second place in the Formula 1 Constructors' Points standings after a tough fight with Ferrari. For Lewis Hamilton's drivers' points, the Brazilian race regrettably ended up with Mark Webber overtaking the Mercedes driver for third in the final standings.

While unable to escape the back of the Formula 1 running order all 2013 season, Max Chilton receives honourable mention with Marussia. Chilton finished every race in his rookie season.

When the Formula 1 racing tour resumes in 2014, a new page will for the moment put all drivers and teams on an equal playing field. Until that time, there is little doubt the Red Bull Racing team as well as the four-time champion Sebastian Vettel will be leading the toast to successes of 2013.


2013 Formula 1
Brazilian Grand Prix
Race Result


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

Final 2013 Formula 1 Pole Captured by Vettel in Brazil

Photo source: Pirelli Photo Service

Concluding what has become a 2013 Formula 1 tour with surprises, the 19-race series wraps in Brazil with a familiar face taking the headlines. Entering the final race of the Formula 1 season, the Red Bull Racing led by German Sebastian Vettel has been operating undefeated in grand prix races for almost three months. Winning the past eight races, Vettel owns the record for most wins in a single season in the premier open wheel racing series. If Sebastian Vettel repeats his pattern for the 2013 Brazilian Grand Prix, the Red Bull-Renault driver will be equalling another mark of greatness. However, with only 71 laps remaining in the 2013 Formula 1 season, the 100 percent effort of other drivers could still potentially unseat the German from a ninth-consecutive race win.  

Punishing the other Formula 1 runners with a Q3 pace, Sebastian Vettel won his seventh pole in a wet session at the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace. Lapping the 4.309-kilometer Brazilian race track in 1 minute, 26.479 seconds, the #1 Red Bull-Renault eventually rose to the top in a final time trial session delayed by heavy rain. If Vettel succeeds in capturing a ninth grand prix in a row, the German will tie the all-time consecutive winning streak record posted by Alberto Ascari during the 1952 and 1953 race seasons.

For an all-German driver front row, Nico Rosberg mounted the second-fastest effort in qualifying for the Brazilian Grand Prix. The Mercedes AMG race car driven by Rosberg was more than 6/10ths of a second slower on the wet circuit. Four-tenths of a second behind Nico Rosberg's time on track Saturday was Fernando Alonso. A favourite for the driver's championship at the beginning of the 2013, the Alonso and the Ferrari team was slightly off the pace for much of the season provoking a defensive effort late to simply protect the Spanish driver's second place in points. With second place in the drivers' standings locked up in the United States Grand Prix, Alonso will be fighting alongside teammate Felipe Massa to take the runner-up spot in the constructors' championship for the Ferrari team. Within striking distance, Ferrari sits 15 points behind Mercedes AMG for the second-place position. Starting ninth, Felipe Massa's long run with Ferrari will come to an end in his home country.

The biggest  fight remaining in the overall drivers' championship surrounds 3rd place. Separated by the injured Kimi Raikkonen who is not part of the 2013 Brazilian Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton and Mark Webber are separated by six points. While the Mercedes AMG is struggling to return to the form shown doing the summer, the team appears have found some race pace as of late. In qualifying Webber will be in the fourth-place grid position with Hamilton placed only one spot behind.

In sixth, Romain Grosjean will be working to cap off a marvelous late season effort that his included four podium finishes in the past five grand prix events. Grosjean recently finished in the runner-up position at the United States Grand Prix. Barring complications, it seems Romain Grosjean will be back with the Lotus F1 team next season having excellently stepped up his performance.

Also deserving credit for worthy qualifying performances for the Brazilian Grand Prix, both Toro Rosso drivers secured top-10 spots. Preparing for a 2014 season in the vacated seat of Mark Webber with Red Bull Racing, Daniel Ricciardo just barely beat his teammate Jean-Eric Vergne. With Scuderia Toro Rosso powered by Ferrari engines, the final four vehicles in the top-10 are receiving power from the Italian automaker. Nico Hulkenberg driving for Sauber is located in tenth spot.

For a 71-lap race to complete the 2013 Formula 1 season, the Brazilian Grand Prix is set for Sunday at 2pm local time (11am in the eastern time zone). Just like the weekend so-far in Brazil, rain is slated to be a factor.


2013 Formula 1
Brazilian 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	3	Fernando Alonso	Ferrari	Ferrari
4	2	Mark Webber	Red Bull	Renault
5	10	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes AMG	Mercedes-Benz
6	8	Romain Grosjean	Lotus	Renault
7	19	Daniel Ricciardo	Scuderia Toro Rosso	Ferrari
8	18	Jean-Eric Vergne	Scuderia Toro Rosso	Ferrari
9	4	Felipe Massa	Ferrari	Ferrari
10	11	Nico Hulkenberg	Sauber	Ferrari
11	7	Heikki Kovalainen	Lotus	Renault
12	14	Paul di Resta	Force India	Mercedes-Benz
13	17	Valtteri Bottas	Williams F1	Renault
14	6	Sergio Perez	McLaren	Mercedes-Benz
15	5	Jenson Button	McLaren	Mercedes-Benz
16	15	Adrian Sutil	Force India	Mercedes-Benz
17	16	Pastor Maldonado	Williams F1	Renault
18	21	Giedo van der Garde	Caterham	Renault
19	20	Charles Pic	Caterham	Renault
20	12	Esteban Gutierrez	Sauber	Ferrari
21	22	Jules Bianchi	Marussia	Cosworth
22	23	Max Chilton	Marussia	Cosworth

Vettel's Perfect Drive Takes Indian Grand Prix and 2013 F1 Championship

Photo Credit: Infinti

Prior to the 2013 Indian Grand Prix on the Buddh International Circuit, the drivers' and manufacturers' championships were on the break of being locked up. The fourth-to-last race on the 2013 Formula 1 tour, German racing superstar Sebastian Vettel needed only to add five more points than Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso to seal his fourth consecutive title. Capturing pole for Sunday's 60-lap main event, Vettel enters the Indian Grand Prix on a hot streak with five-straight victories.

It was a picture perfect start for Sebastian Vettel as he left the Mercedes-AMG cars in his dust. This early lead was short-lived as Vettel relinguished the top spot for a Red Bull Racing tire stop. Including Vettel many of the top cars starting on the soft compound rubber upgraded to medium compound Pirelli tires within the initial laps.

Within a field scrambling for position behind the leading Red Bull-Renault was Fernando Alonso who was starting the Italian Grand Prix eighth with only a remote chance at challenging Vettel for the 2013 drivers' title. Despite Vettel's potential victory being enough to secure the championship, Alonso's efforts would also be conflicted by a collision with Mark Webber's Red Bull-Renault on the start. With front end damage to his Ferrari, Alonso was forced to pit road for repairs. Alonso would struggle for track position since the early race mishap. Deeper in the field on the first lap, another collision occurred between the Caterhams of Giedo van der Garde and Charles Pic as well as Max Chilton's Marussia-Cosworth. The Caterham-Renault of van der Garde would be the race's first retirement.

Starting 17th after some great Formula 1 race runs on past events, French driver Romain Grosjean was facing an uphill battle competing in India. Starting on soft compound Pirelli slicks, Grosjean's Lotus-Renault lasted 13 laps before making his switch to medium tires. Grosjean would make an intrepid climb early and quickly made his way into the top-5.

As the Indian Grand Prix progressed, Sebastian Vettel began to show his class-leading form. Making his final pit stop on lap 31, the German driver's Red Bull-Renault set out a commanding interval between himself and the second-place runner. Despite the team pride with their lead driver, an opportunity at a Red Bull Racing 1-2 finish was denied on lap 39. An alternator problem on Mark Webber's car has cost the Australian another strong finish in as many grand prix races.

During the late stages of the 2013 Indian Grand Prix, the story was Kimi Raikkonen trying to stay out on medium compound tires placed on his Lotus-Renault back on lap seven. His vehicle was immensely off the pace with other vehicles running on fresher Pirelli. Fighting to hold on to third place, Raikkonen was actually creating drama within his own team as Romain Grosjean was closely following on faster Pirelli tires. With reports of heated team communications towards Kimi Raikkonen's car, the Finnish driver would yield to Grosjean. With a lap 58 pit stop, Raikkonen would finish the Indian Grand Prix seventh.

Crossing the line 29.8 seconds ahead of runner-up Nico Rosberg, Sebastian Vettel officially became the 2013 Formula 1 World Drivers' Champion with a convincing victory at the Buddh International Circuit. An elated German driver celebrated his sixth-straight grand prix win and fourth-consecutive Formula 1 points title with some rarely-seen tire donuts on the racetrack. Leaving his mark on the track, the win was repeats triumphs in 2011 and 2012 making Vettel the only grand prix winner of the Indian Formula 1 race. The Formula 1 race stewards did issue a 25,000 euro fine for the post-race celebration but the penalty likely represented money well spent by Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull Racing who also gains the crown as the manufacturers' champion. With Fernando Alonso unable to claim a single point, Vettel has padded his point lead by 25 points.



Photo Credit: Mercedes AMG

With a quiet second-place run, Nico Rosberg headed the Mercedes-AMG team its first podium since the Hungarian Grand Prix victory by Lewis Hamilton. In the second Mercedes-AMG race car, Hamilton came across the finish line sixth.

Taking the third spot on the Indian Grand Prix, Romain Grosjean benefitted gained pivotal track position thanks to a one-stop strategy performed with his Lotus F1 Team. The result becomes Grosjean's third-consecutive third-place finish in the 2013 Formula 1 season. With 16 races completed in 2013, Romain Grosjean has scored as many points as he did after 19 races in 2012. While his future in Formula 1 was in question at the start of this Formula 1 year, Grosjean's performance especially as of late could allow his stay in the Lotus F1 Team to be extended.




Photo credit: Mercedes AMG

Just outside the podium, some great performances has the Ferrari of Felipe Massa and Sergio Perez's McLaren-Mercedes scoring major points. For Perez, the finish is McLaren's highest placement in a 2013 grand prix event through what has become a dismal season for the typical Formula 1 front-runner.

The next race for the 2013 Formula 1 tour will be held in the United Arab Emirates. The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will be held on the Yas Marina Circuit on November 3rd.



2013 Formula 1
Indian Grand Prix
Race Results

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

Webber Outruns Vettel in Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Qualifying

Photo Credit: Infiniti

For Red Bull Racing and Sebastian Vettel, the 2013 season has already been successful. Following victory at last week's Indian Grand Prix, Vettel has become a four-time Formula 1 World Drivers' Champion and awarded his team enough points to secure a fourth manufacturer's crown. The acclaimed 2013 Formula 1 champion, Vettel and the #1 car attends the 2013 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix with more relaxation than the 21 other cars. With contentious point fights still in play (including a tight second place constructors' championship battle between Mercedes AMG and Ferrari), the Yas Marina Circuit in the United Arab Emirates will provide some tense on-track action.

Sealing his fourth consecutive drivers' title, anyone expecting the German driver to relax his pace for Abu Dhabi Grand Prix qualifying would be sorely misguided. In Q3, Sebastian Vettel posted a 1 minute, 40.075 second lap around the 5.554-kilometer track. An impressive time that eclipses his 2009 lap record, Vettel would not be the polesitter for Sunday's main event. Cracking around the Yas Marina Circuit in 1 minute, 39.957 seconds, the Red Bull-Renault of Mark Webber is receiving the preferential first place spot. After a pole drought for much of the 2013 season, the Australian Webber is ending his tenure at Red Bull Racing with two poles in the last three races.

Behind the all-Red Bull Racing front row starting the 2013 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the Mercedes AMG team has filled the second row. By more than 8/100th of a second, Nico Rosberg claimed the advantage over Lewis Hamilton. Having speed through late spring to summer of this season, the factory German race team has been scrambling to regain their once dominating qualifying pace. Only four points ahead of Scuderia Ferrari heading into this weekend's event, Mercedes AMG has shown a stronger hand in qualifying. Felipe Massa posted a time on Saturday equating to a seventh place starting effort for Sunday. Fernando Alonso just missed making the 10-car pack in Q3. 

The fifth place starting spot of the 2013 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix underwent a post-race change with the exclusion of a well-known figure. Reigning winner of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Kimi Raikkonen will be forced to the rear after his Lotus-Renault E21 car failed a floor deflection test. The failure was caused when a part broke on-track causing the floor to flex more than allowed by Formula 1 rules. Lotus F1 Team principal Eric Boullier commented on the race team's website saying, “No advantage was sought or gained in the incident and the relevant part has been replaced". Raikkonen will have to start 22rd Sunday. Lotus F1 Team's second car driven by the recently hot Romain Grosjean will be promoted to sixth behind Nico Hulkenberg. Hulkenberg's fifth place effort in qualifying with a Suaber-Ferrari race car is also consistent with a meaningful late season effort on the Formula 1 tour.       
Racing for 55 laps Sunday around the Yas Marina Circuit, the 2013 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix operates later in the day than most Formula 1 races. Starting at 5pm local time, the result is an 8am race in the Eastern time zone.



2013 Formula 1
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Starting Grid

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

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

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

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

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