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

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

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

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

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

A Deutschland Dream: Vettel Captures First German Grand Prix

Photo Credit: Pirelli Photo Service

Earlier in the Formula 1 season, Fernando Alonso accomplished an eye-catching feat of worthy of patriotism. At the Spanish Grand Prix in May, crowds were thunderous with the sight of Alonso's Ferrari passing the start/finish line first at the Circuit de Catulunya. It because evident right off the bat at the 2013 German Grand Prix the Nurburgring could serve as the next moment where fans will be applauding with national pride.

On Saturday, a Mercedes AMG race car driven by Lewis Hamilton claimed the pole ahead of the 60-lap main event. In addition to the star badge belonging to Germany's more prominent auto company, the German Grand Prix's front row also featured the country's famed superstar athlete Sebastian Vettel. Despite 29 wins and 3 world driving titles in Formula 1, Vettel was still seeking his first-career German Grand Prix.

When the lights went out to signify the German Prix Grand Prix on Sunday, the front row battle of the grid matched the winless in 2013 driver against a reigning champion wanting to claim victory at his nation's highest-ranking motor race. A mix between a bad start for Hamilton and Vettel's quenching desire to delight his home crowd ended with the Red Bull-Renault taking the lead into turn one. Vettel's teammate Mark Webber was also able to carve his way around the pole-sitting Mercedes AMG car. Falling to third on the first lap, Lewis Hamilton would never exist as a force for victory on Sunday.

The Ferrari handled by Felipe Massa participated in a short 2013 German Grand Prix. Despite a good start, Massa veered off track on lap three stalling his engine. Unable to return to action, Massa became the first retirement of the race.

Unlike the British Grand Prix, Pirelli tires held together on the race track. However, a tire would become a source of a scary incident in Germany. During Mark Webber's first pit stop on lap 8, a right-rear wheel wasn't properly attached to the hub of the race car. When Webber left his pit, the tire flew off his Red Bull-Renault and was launched into a cameraman filming the pit crew actions for another team. A violent-looking hit, the cameraman named Paul Allen was knocked to the ground. Requiring medical attention at both the on-course infirmary, Allen was later transported to an off-site hospital. Formula 1 stated that Allen remained conscious and that the trip to a hospital was for observation. 

The Red Bull Racing team was immediately fined 30,000 euros for the pit road incident. Christian Horner stated after the race, "We need to understand what went wrong in that first pit stop for Mark, but as I said, our main concern today is knowing that the cameraman is okay.”. As a result of the incident, Mark Webber's Red Bull-Renault lost enough positions in the race to place the Australian one lap down. However, with a safety car period caused by a firey blow-up of the Marussia-Cosworth driven by Jules Blanchi on lap 23, Webber was able to regain a lead lap position. Mark Webber was surge his way back into the points ending up with a seventh place result after 60 laps at the Nurburgring.

Despite Sebastian Vettel leading for almost the entire German Grand Prix, the Lotus-Renault of Kimi Raikkonen maintained hot pursuit of the blue Red Bull race car. However, Raikkonen's best efforts would not be enough to deny the German of his 30th victory. His fourth Formula 1 event win in 2013, Vettel proudly celebrated the honour of winning a major grand prix on home soil. Sebastian Vettel becomes the first national driver to win the German Grand Prix since Michael Schumacher in the 2006 season. The win also erases another grand prix from a list of races not won by the three-time world drivers' champion. A month ago, Vettel added his first Canadian Grand Prix to his career tally.

Photo Credit: Pirelli Photo Service

For the Lotus-Renault race cars, the Nurburgring served as a major confidence builder for drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean. Starting fourth, the Lotus F1 Team's lead driver Raikkonen was almost able to steal the home country victory away from Sebastian Vettel. Kimi Raikkonen finished second by a mere one-second gap. Importantly for Grosjean, his third-place finish is the Frenchman's first championship points since the Bahrain Grand Prix. Ironically, the podium order for the Bahrain Grand Prix mirrors the Grand Prix finish in Germany running Vettel, Raikkonen and Grosjean. After the strong start for the Lotus F1 Team, the Formula 1 group had been suffering a gradual downfall until the results at the Nurburgring.

Missing the podium, Fernando Alonso's Ferrari accepted a fourth place finish after 60 laps at the Nurburgring. A three-time winner of the German Grand Prix, Alonso crossed the starter's stand 7.7 seconds behind the winning Red Bull piloted by his championship adversary. Despite gaining ground in the points after Silverstone, the Ferrari driver saw the gap grow 13 points with the conclusion of German event. Sebastian Vettel now holds a 34-point advantage over Fernando Alonso after nine Formula 1 races.

In fifth place, Lewis Hamilton trotted home in the Mercedes AMG with disappointed. The unfortunate start and a set of Pirelli tires that proved incompatible with his race car's handling were mentioned as set-backs. From 11th to 9th, the second Mercedes team car of Nico Rosberg collected an additional two points proving handy for keeping the team in second-place in the constructors' standings. Mercedes AMG is only three points ahead of Ferrari for the position behind the out of reach Red Bull Racing lead.




Photo Credit: Pirelli Photo Service

After two Formula 1 rounds concluding with finishes outside of the top-10, McLaren rebounded somewhat at the German Grand Prix with both cars scoring point-paying positions. With Jenson Button in sixth and Sergio Perez settling with eighth, the Mercedes-powered McLaren race cars executed a two-pit stop strategy involving a long stint on Pirelli medium compound slick tires. However, the McLaren organization is still far from the competitive team of seasons past. After the German race, the British based team is trailing Force India by ten points in the constructors' championship standings.

In tenth place, there was a reason for German driver Nico Hulkenberg to celebrate. For the second race in a row, Hulkenberg and his Sauber-Ferrari collected useful points.

For the tenth race on the 2013 Formula 1 schedule, teams race once again in three weeks taking part in the Hungarian Grand Prix.



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

Rosberg Wins Bizarre British Grand Prix

Photo Credit: Mercedes AMG

For the eighth time in 2013, 22 Formula 1 cars lined up to start a grand prix event. This time, attention turned on the popular Silverstone Circuit as the British Grand Prix would act as the stage for the world's greatest open wheel drivers. In addition to the Italian Grand Prix, the British Grand Prix has been a mainstay on the Formula 1 calendar every year since the inception of the World Championship in 1950. The 2013 edition of the grand prix would be another stand-out race at Silverstone. We have a deputed winner, a World Championship leader in trouble and a tire fiasco.

At the start, the Mercedes AMG car of Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg started on the front row. On the start, it was Hamilton who used has pole-sitting grid position to take an early lead. In the second row on the starting gird, the Red Bull Racing drivers Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber were itching to break the Mercedes-Benz brigade but could not find an advantage early.

The tone of the 2013 British Grand Prix would be dominated by the unexpected failure of tires supplied by Pirelli. On lap 8, the first victim would emerge as the race leader. Lewis Hamilton's left rear slick tire had begun to disintegrate on his Mercedes race car. Able to drive his crippled car to the stops on three tires, Hamilton would drop to last in the running order. Two laps later, Felipe Massa would also suffer a similar tire issue. After three tire failures by lap 16, a safety car needed to be deployed so track crews could clean a debris littered on the Silverstone Circuit attributed to the decaying rubber. Lewis Hamilton, Felipe Massa, Jean-Eric Vergne and Sergio Perez were all burdened by effects of a left-rear tire problem over the course of the 52-lap race. Hamilton and Massa survived their incidents to collect top-10 finishes. On the other hand, Perez and Vergne suffered early retirements from the grand prix due to their blown Pirelli tires.

Photo Credit: Mercedes AMG

When the race progressed after the safety car, the Red Bull-Renault of Sebastian Vettel had once again found his way to the front of a grand prix race. Having won the 2009 British Grand Prix, that victory dates back to before Vettel was ever a Formula 1 champion. In pursuit of his fourth-straight driver's title, the German was looking forward to another major points day to add to what is an impressive lead already in 2013.
Unfortunately for Sebastian Vettel on the 41st lap of the 2013 British Grand Prix, his Red Bull-Renault would suddenly stop just as the German drove past the pit entrance. For the second time in the race, a safety car needed to be called as Vettel's powerless Red Bull-Renault was in a position where it could obstruct the event.

When the final safety car period ended, Nico Rosberg found himself inheriting the lead. Behind Rosberg, the second Red Bull-Renault in the hands of two-time British Grand Prix winner Mark Webber charged furiously towards the Mercedes Formula 1 car but simply came up short. At the line of 0.7 seconds, Nico Rosberg took his third Formula 1 victory. “This is a great moment for me and our team to win in the home of motor racing at Silverstone”, said Rosberg  in post-race comment. Webber came a close second while the Ferrari of Fernando Alonso completed a quiet march from a ninth-place start to finish on the podium. Alonso's third-place finish was only a 0.6-second advantage over a resurgent Lewis Hamilton.  




Photo Credit: Pirelli Photo Service

Unfortunately for Nico Rosberg and the Mercedes AMG team, both victories this season have been tainted by protests and accusations of the team not playing by the rules. As the Monaco Grand Prix race win left competing teams alleging Mercedes AMG team unfairly benefitted from a Pirelli tire test, the post-race buzz around Silverstone had to do with a possible penalty due to a race infraction. When a local yellow flag is displayed at one corner of the race track, it was deemed Rosberg did not sufficiently slow down. While the race stewards did the discretion to levy a time penalty on Rosberg's car deleting it from even a podium position, the outcome of the incident was left with a reprimand allowing the German to keep his victory.

While the Pirelli tire issue and a potential penalty threatened to mar the race victory, Nico Rosberg relished his third Formula 1 victory (his second in three races). Rosberg's win driving a factory-based Mercedes-Benz race car is the first such accomplishment since Sir Sterling Moss won the British Grand Prix at Aintree with the Silver Arrows back in 1955.

While the German Mercedes team celebrated, the British Grand Prix was not kind to national teams. McLaren and Williams had both been accustomed to victory at Silverstone on multiple occasions in the past. For 2013, neither Formula 1 organization was successful in even placing a car within the top-10. For the Williams F1 Team, a nine-time constructors' champion, they are still without points in the 2013 championship. It has been since the 2012 United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas when the Williams organization cars last scored in points-paying positions.

Following the race, the tire supplier to the Formula 1 series has been put under scrutiny. Paul Hembery, Pirelli's motorsport director, offered a statement following the grand prix stating, "There have obviously been some issues with rear-left tyre failures which we have not seen before. We are taking the situation very seriously and we are currently investigating all tyres to determine the cause as soon as possible, ahead of the next Grand Prix in Germany." The tire construction, compound and even the Formula 1 teams themselves have been the target for the investigation that quickly needs to bare results. Racing at the Nurburgring just one week after the British Grand Prix, the situation is tense for teams and drivers.

The last race for the 2013 Formula 1 series is a trip to Germany's famed Nurburgring. A race set for July 7th, Fernando Alonso is the defending German Grand Prix winner.   


2013 British Grand Prix
Formula 1
Race Results

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