Vettel ends the season in record-breaking fashion with victory at Brazil
Sebastian Vettel has ended the 2013 season in record-breaking fashion for Red Bull, after securing his ninth successive race victory after a highly entertaining 71-lap Brazilian Grand Prix. The German was joined on the podium by team-mate Mark Webber in 2nd, with Fernando Alonso 3rd for Ferrari.
With dark clouds looming ominously overhead, the race began in dry conditions for the first time all weekend. Into Turn 1 Nico Rosberg managed to master an overtaking maneuver on fellow countryman Sebastian Vettel for the lead, as Lewis Hamilton also muscled his way up into 3rd position around Mark Webber. Amazingly the field successfully negotiated the opening lap without major incident, with Jenson Button in particular enjoying a marvelous start for McLaren by rising up from 14th to 11th at the end of the opening lap.
Despite denying Sebastian Vettel the luxury of leading into Turn 1 at the start, Nico Rosberg’s lead was unsurprisingly short-lived as the World Champion instantly retaliated by retaking the lead into Turn 1 on the next lap. Lewis Hamilton also began loosing ground as the opening laps of the race unfolded, with the 2008 World Champion dropping to 4th during the second lap as former McLaren team-mate Fernando Alonso muscled his way back around the Briton. As the field stormed around the majestic uphill final corner of the Subida dos Boxes, Romain Grosjean’s Renault V8 bowed out in explosive fashion as the Frenchman was struck with an engine failure.
This resulted in thick white smoke billowing across the Sao Paulo circuit, as Romain Grosjean pulled over at the side of the track to prematurely bring his 2013 season to a conclusion. Eventually the smoke from Romain Grosjean’s Lotus dispersed, with a safety car deployment deemed unnecessary. As the Frenchman sprinted back to the pits, Mark Webber managed to find a way around Lewis Hamilton for 4th position, with the German marque visibly beginning to struggle with Nico Rosberg also loosing a position to Fernando Alonso in 2nd further up the road.
Whilst Sebastian Vettel once again opened up a considerable gap to the rest of the field in the lead of the race, Mark Webber became the next driver to overtake Nico Rosberg for 3rd as the Mercedes duo continued to struggle for pace in the dry conditions. With the German driver beginning to struggle with tyre degradation as the race wore on, he was instructed via the team radio not to hold up team-mate Lewis Hamilton behind him. This led to an overtaking maneuver by Lewis Hamilton on his team-mate, as Mark Webber made it a Red Bull 1-2 at the front by storming around Fernando Alonso.
By Lap 15 Nico Rosberg had continued to loose ground after initially leading the opening lap, as the German driver soon found himself in the clutches of local hero Felipe Massa. The Ferrari man made light work of the Mercedes driver, as he rose ahead of the German for 5th. Meanwhile the opening round of pit-stops had begun to ensue throughout the midfield, with Valtteri Bottas and Adrian Sutil both pitting together on Lap 17. The Force India mechanics managed to perform a sensational stop for the German, who rejoined the action ahead of Valtteri Bottas and even Jean-Eric Vergne on the run down to Turn 4.
After enjoying a superlative start to the race, Jenson Button had managed to scythe his way up through the order to 6th by Lap 20. The 2009 World Champion soon elected to carry out his first pit-stop a lap later, along with Nico Hulkenberg and Paul di Resta. Further up the field Mark Webber made his first pit-stop for Red Bull, and subsequently endured a frustratingly slow stop after an issue on the left-rear. This saw the Australian driver exit the pit-lane behind Fernando Alonso, as his German team-mate proceeded to carry out his first pit-stop.
Unlike Mark Webber, Sebastian Vettel enjoyed a smooth pit-stop which enabled the German to rejoin the action back in the lead of the race ahead of Fernando Alonso and Mark Webber. Despite enduring a slow pit-stop earlier in the race, Mark Webber soon managed to repeat an overtaking maneuver on Fernando Alonso for 2nd position whilst also producing the fastest lap of the race for good measure. Meanwhile Lewis Hamilton found himself stuck behind the Ferrari of Felipe Massa in the battle for 4th position, with team-mate Nico Rosberg loosing out greatly during the first round of pit-stops and dropping down to a lowly 7th position.
With Lewis Hamilton striving to find a way around Felipe Massa for 4th, the departing Ferrari driver came under investigation from the race stewards for crossing the white line at the entrance to the pit-lane. Eventually the Brazilian driver was struck with a drive-thru penalty for his misdemeanors, gifting Lewis Hamilton 4th position as light rain began to fall intermittently around the Sao Paulo circuit.
After frustratingly being forced to serve his drive-thru penalty, Felipe Massa returned to the pits for his second scheduled pit-stop on Lap 43 along with the McLaren of Jenson Button. Nico Rosberg and Sergio Perez followed the duo into the pits a lap later for their second stops, as Adrian Sutil cheekily un-lapped himself by overtaking Sebastian Vettel. The race leader allowed several other drivers through to un-lap themselves shortly afterwards, raising numerous question marks within the paddock.
The race was momentarily plunged into a state of utter confusion on Lap 46, as Lewis Hamilton failed to notice the Williams of Valtteri Bottas trying to un-lap himself around the outside of Turn 4. This led to a collision between the two, with Valtteri Bottas spinning violently into retirement with left-rear damage whilst Lewis Hamilton was forced to limp back to the pits with a shredded right-rear tyre. With Red Bull understandably expecting the safety car to be deployed, both Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber immediately pitted. This caused outright confusion within the Red Bull garage, with the team instead expecting Mark Webber first.
Eventually both drivers were served and were amazingly able to maintain their track position, despite stacking in the pit-lane. Although Fernando Alonso also pitted during the confusion, the Spaniard was able to close right up to the rear of Mark Webber. However, the experienced Australian driver managed to defend his 2nd position as Sebastian Vettel once again began breaking away at the front. With the race stewards investigating the incident between Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas, the Briton was adjudged to have been at fault and was therefore called into the pits for a drive-thru penalty.
This penalty subsequently saw Lewis Hamilton drop to a lowly 11th, as Mercedes continued to endure a difficult race. Despite the setback of being forced to pit for new tyres and also a drive-thru penalty, Lewis Hamilton soon began clawing his way back through the order as the race entered its closing stages. Meanwhile the race stewards handed Giedo van der Garde a drive-thru penalty for ignoring blue flags, striking a huge blow in Caterham’s aim of rising ahead of Marussia in the Constructors’ Championship.
The battle at the back of the pack was effectively brought to a premature conclusion of Lap 60, when Charles Pic spun on the exit of Turn 5 due to broken rear suspension on his Caterham. The Frenchman pulled to the side of the track after regaining control of his car, leaving only team-mate Giedo van der Garde out on track. As the last few laps ticked away Pastor Maldonado and Jean-Eric Vergne had a minor collision at Turns 1 and 2, with the departing Williams driver leaving the Frenchman no room at the apex of Turn 1. Luckily both drivers managed to continue circulating, with the race stewards electing to further investigate the issue after the race.
Despite the increasing rainfall over the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace, the order at the front remained relatively unchanged as Sebastian Vettel breezed across the line to secure his record-shattering ninth successive victory. The German finished just over ten seconds ahead of his Australian team-mate Mark Webber, with Fernando Alonso an impressive 3rd for Ferrari. Nico Rosberg finished an imperative 5th for Mercedes despite leading the opening lap, allowing the German marque to secure 2nd position the Constructors’ Championship. Lewis Hamilton’s 9th place finish wasn’t enough for him to secure 3rd place in the Drivers’ Championship, as Mark Webber leapfrogged the 2008 World Champion.
Once again the season has been brought to a frenetic conclusion around the legendary Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace, with a mixture of rain and immense track action enthralling many. The end of the Brazilian Grand Prix also marked the end of an era in Formula 1, with the V8 engines bowing out in fine form amid a huge change of technical regulations for next season. Mark Webber also retires from the world of Formula 1 after securing his 42nd career podium finish, and will undoubtedly be missed by many. The Formula 1 fraternity will return once again next March, after what will surely be an intriguing winter break.
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Vettel makes F1 history in Texas with victory number eight in succession
Sebastian Vettel has made Formula 1 history in Texas with his eighth successive race victory, surpassing the legends of Michael Schumacher and Alberto Ascari. The German sensation was joined on the podium by the Lotus of Romain Grosjean, who only just managed to finish ahead of the second Red Bull of Mark Webber.
At the start Sebastian Vettel was able to glide unchallenged into the lead of the race, whereas behind him his team-mate Mark Webber was pounced upon by the Lotus of Romain Grosjean and the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton. As the field negotiated the opening corners of the race, Adrian Sutil made contact with the Williams of Pastor Maldonado along the straight betweens Turn 11 and 12. This contact saw the German spear into the retaining barrier, destroying the front of his Force India and bringing out the safety car for good measure.
Luckily Adrian Sutil was unscathed after his race-ending incident, as the Austin marshals began clearing his stricken Force India. After only several laps behind the safety car, the race was resumed which allowed Sebastian Vettel to romp away into the distance with Romain Grosjean 2nd behind the World Champion. Further down the order Max Chilton served his drive-thru penalty, which the British rookie was issued with after several blocking misdemeanors during qualifying. After being forced to pit during the earlier safety car period, the Sauber of Esteban Gutierrez soon began clawing his way back through the order with the Mexican rookie running 17th by Lap 7.
After being involved in the first lap incident with Adrian Sutil, Pastor Maldonado’s race weekend failed to improve as the departing Venezuelan was shown the black and orange flag due to severe damage to his front-wing. The Williams driver was quick to adhere to the race stewards, as he returned to the pits for a new front-wing which dropped him to last position. With Sebastian Vettel clearly in a league of his own at the front, all eyes were on the battle for 3rd between Lewis Hamilton and Mark Webber, with the 2008 World Champion beginning to come under severe pressure from the soon-to-retire Australian ace. On Lap 14, Webber shot around the outside of Lewis Hamilton at Turn 12, making the sensational move stick.
Whilst Lewis Hamilton vented his frustrations via the team radio, Finnish rookie Valtteri Bottas began reeling in the Ferrari of Fernando Alonso in his quest for his maiden points in Formula 1. Meanwhile Heikki Kovalainen performed the first scheduled pit-stop of the race on Lap 17, with the Finn switching to the harder tyre compound with ambitions of leapfrogging the field later on. After enduring a torrid qualifying performance for Mercedes, Nico Rosberg found himself in a battle for 10th with the Toro Rosso of Daniel Ricciardo on Lap 19. The German eventually stormed up the inside of the future Red Bull driver at Turn 12, as Jenson Button became the latest driver to make a pit-stop from 13th.
In an bid to remain ahead of the McLaren driver, Felipe Massa reacted to Jenson Button’s pit-stop by pitting a lap later. This enabled the Brazilian driver to just remain ahead of his British rival, as many other drivers made their first scheduled pit-stops including Nico Rosberg, Paul di Resta and Daniel Ricciardo. Valtteri Bottas also made his one and only stop on Lap 23, with the Finn rejoining the action in 10th position as he kept his sights firmly placed on his maiden points.
As Sebastian Vettel continued to control proceedings at the front with a lead of over six seconds to Romain Grosjean, Lewis Hamilton made his first stop as Esteban Gutierrez stormed up into 7th position at Turn 12 after perfecting an overtaking maneuver on Jean-Eric Vergne. The Frenchman soon found himself under the pressure of another Mexican driver during the next lap, as Sergio Perez swept around his Toro Rosso and into 8th position. Meanwhile race leader Sebastian Vettel made his stop on Lap 28 along with Nico Hulkenberg, which in turn allowed Romain Grosjean to assume the lead of the race in his Lotus ahead of Mark Webber. The Frenchman’s lead at the front was short-lived, as he pitted on Lap 30 and therefore allowed Sebastian Vettel the luxury of resuming his lead at the front.
After enjoying a relatively competitive return to Formula 1, Heikki Kovalainen struggled during the 56-lap race. The Finn endured a highly uncompetitive start, before dropping through the order shortly after his first pit-stop as the likes of Paul di Resta and then Nico Rosberg muscled their way around the Lotus driver. On Lap 32 Kovalainen returned to the pits for a second pit-stop, changing his front-wing in the process which dropped him way down to 17th position. After overtaking the Finn earlier in the race, Nico Rosberg and Paul di Resta began jostling for 10th position, with the German eventually making the move stick through Turn 12.
As the race entered its closing stages, Mark Webber began producing successive fastest laps in a bid to catch Romain Grosjean for 2nd position. After momentarily dropping back in a bid to extend the life of his tyres, the Australian ace soon pounced back by adding further pressure onto the rear of Romain Grosjean’s Lotus. With tyre wear once again the talking point up and down the paddock, Felipe Massa and Ferrari threw caution to the wind by pitting on Lap 39 for the medium tyre compound in a bid to rise through the order in what was becoming a frustratingly uncompetitive race for the Brazilian.
Paul di Resta also elected to make a second stop for the medium tyre compound, after the Scotsman lost another position to the Toro Rosso of Daniel Ricciardo. Further up the order Fernando Alonso perfected an overtaking maneuver on Nico Hulkenberg for 5th, as Heikki Kovalainen’s return to racing was dealt with yet another blow as a KERS issue materialized on his Lotus. Charles Pic was struck with a drive-thru penalty during the closing stages of the race, after the Frenchman failed to adhere to numerous blue flags as Lewis Hamilton tried desperately to lap him with Fernando Alonso quickly reeling in his former McLaren team-mate.
Despite the threat of tyre wear once again hanging over the teams and drivers like a black cloud, Sebastian Vettel was able to cross the line once again to secure yet another unchallenged victory for Red Bull. The German was followed by the Lotus of Romain Grosjean, who was able to defend from Mark Webber to retain his 2nd position. On the final lap Esteban Gutierrez and Jean-Eric Vergne made contact, which tipped the Mexican into a spin. Although he was able to make it to the finish despite his altercation with Jean-Eric Vergne, the race stewards confirmed they would investigate the issue after the race.
With only one race remaining this season, Sebastian Vettel is remaining to look almost unbeatable at the front. The German could well make it nine in a row next weekend at Sao Paulo, when the 2013 Formula 1 season is finally brought to a conclusion around the iconic Interlagos circuit.
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Sebastian Vettel powers back to the top in second practice at Austin
Sebastian Vettel has powered back to the top in second practice ahead of the United States Grand Prix, ahead of team-mate Mark Webber around Austin’s Circuit of the Americas. The Red Bull duo were followed by the Mercedes of Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton in 3rd and 4th, with Heikki Kovalainen 5th for Lotus.
After a slightly bizarre opening practice session for the United States Grand Prix weekend, the Formula 1 drivers were understandably eager to return to the Circuit of Americas for the second practice session. After ceding driving duties to their respective team-mates’, Jean-Eric Vergne, Giedo van der Garde and Jules Bianchi returned behind the wheel for the second session. After a delayed start to the morning period, the afternoon session began with a flurry of track activity as Heikki Kovalainen and Nico Hulkenberg became the first drivers to exit the pit-lane.
This unsurprisingly saw Heikki Kovalainen produce the first timed lap of the session in his Lotus with a 01:40.335, as Jules Bianchi ran wide in his Marussia as he made his first endeavor around the Circuit of the Americas. Jenson Button soon rose to the top for McLaren with a 01:39.786, before Romain Grosjean continued to lower the benchmark during the early stages of the session with an even quicker 01:39.159. Heikki Kovalainen proceeded to slot into 2nd position behind his team-mate, to momentarily create a Lotus 1-2.
With the extensive delay to the opening practice session earlier in the morning, there was an instant rush of track action during the opening few minutes of the second session. Nico Rosberg was quick to thwart the Lotus of Romain Grosjean, before World Champion Sebastian Vettel asserted his authority over proceedings with a 01:38.352 in his Red Bull. Jenson Button momentarily managed to slot into 2nd position, before Mark Webber did likewise with a 01:38.660 with Lewis Hamilton a close 3rd for Mercedes.
As the many drivers continued lapping the Circuit of the Americas in preparation for the remainder of the weekend, many drivers were seen running extensively wide at Turn 19 including the likes of Adrian Sutil, Romain Grosjean and Felipe Massa. The penultimate corner proved troublesome during the three practice sessions last season, when the sport first visited the Circuit of the Americas. As the session progressed many drivers began opting for Pirelli’s medium tyre compound, which saw the times begin to tumble once again as the likes of Nico Hulkenberg improved with the German slotting into 2nd position behind his fellow countryman.
Once again Nico Rosberg momentarily returned to the top for Mercedes on the softer tyre compound, before Mark Webber produced an even quicker lap time with a 01:37.420 to rise to the top for Red Bull. In traditional fashion the majority of the order soon began completing long timed runs as the session progressed, in a bid to continue preparing for Sunday’s 56-lap race. Despite the switch in focus for many of the teams, Sebastian Vettel soon catapulted himself back to the top with a 01:37.305 as he too opted for Pirelli’s medium tyre compound.
Despite acting as Caterham’s reserve driver for the majority of the season, Heikki Kovalainen wasted no time in returning to his former competitiveness behind the wheel of the Renault-powered Lotus E21. The Finn, who will compete in the final two races in place of Kimi Raikkonen, managed to remain ahead of team-mate Romain Grosjean by several tenths in 5th position behind the Red Bull and Mercedes’ duo.
During the final minutes of the second practice session, Max Chilton spun out at Turn 20 in what was a tough two sessions for Marussia. The Briton, who has so far finished every race this season, was heard explaining of brake failure over the team radio. As the classification remained relatively unchanged during the dying minutes, the Austin marshals endured an amusing ordeal trying to retrieve the Briton’s Marussia as the tractor struggled to carry out the task.
Eventually the checkered flag was unfurled signaling the end second practice session, with World Champion Sebastian Vettel fastest ahead of team-mate Mark Webber and the Mercedes of Nico Rosberg. Lewis Hamilton was 4th fastest for the German marque, with Heikki Kovalainen an impressive 5th for Lotus. The numerous teams will undoubtedly continue crunching the numbers throughout the night, with only one more hour of track action available before the all-important qualifying hour.
Pos Driver Team Time Gap Laps 1. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1m37.305s 35 2. Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1m37.420s +0.115s 37 3. Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1m37.785s +0.480s 38 4. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1m37.958s +0.653s 38 5. Heikki Kovalainen Lotus-Renault 1m38.073s +0.768s 41 6. Esteban Gutierrez Sauber-Ferrari 1m38.229s +0.924s 40 7. Nico Hulkenberg Sauber-Ferrari 1m38.254s +0.949s 40 8. Romain Grosjean Lotus-Renault 1m38.255s +0.950s 33 9. Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 1m38.269s +0.964s 34 10. Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1m38.461s +1.156s 33 11. Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 1m38.719s +1.414s 31 12. Felipe Massa Ferrari 1m38.938s +1.633s 37 13. Sergio Perez McLaren-Mercedes 1m38.941s +1.636s 31 14. Daniel Ricciardo Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m39.246s +1.941s 28 15. Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes 1m39.410s +2.105s 34 16. Valtteri Bottas Williams-Renault 1m39.512s +2.207s 37 17. Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m39.579s +2.274s 36 18. Pastor Maldonado Williams-Renault 1m39.784s +2.479s 33 19. Charles Pic Caterham-Renault 1m40.376s +3.071s 39 20. Giedo van der Garde Caterham-Renault 1m40.563s +3.258s 35 21. Max Chilton Marussia-Cosworth 1m46.226s +8.921s 31 22. Jules Bianchi Marussia-Cosworth 1m47.009s +9.704s 20
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Webber denies Vettel pole after thrilling qualifying at Abu Dhabi
Mark Webber has managed to secure his 13th pole position, after denying team-mate Sebastian Vettel during a thrilling qualifying session around Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina Circuit. The Red Bull duo will start tomorrow’s race ahead of the Mercedes’ of Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton, after the latter spun in the dying minutes of Q3.
The all-important qualifying hour began with the sun setting over the picturesque Yas Marina Circuit, with many drivers immediately electing to spill out onto the track when the session turned green with the likes of Jenson Button, Sergio Perez and Esteban Gutierrez all leaving the pit-lane. The Toro Rosso of Jean-Eric Vergne produced the initial benchmark with a 01:43.442, before the Mercedes of Nico Rosberg rose to the top with 01:42.567 despite dipping all four wheels over the white line at both Turns 20 and 21.
As an abundance of sparks were seen emanating from the rear of Giedo van der Garde and Jules Bianchi’s cars’ through the first sector, Lewis Hamilton was heard requesting a clear visor over the team radio as the sun creeped ever lower. Fernando Alonso managed to slot into 3rd position as the session progressed, whilst Jenson Button completely missed the apex of Turn 9. At the front Nico Rosberg managed to improve with a 01:42.279, before his Mercedes team-mate of Lewis Hamilton continued to lower the benchmark with a 01:42.231.
After remaining in the pit-lane for the opening few minutes, both Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber finally left the confines of the pit-lane to produce their first timed laps of the qualifying session. Initially the newly-crowned Champion rose to the top for Red Bull, before team-mate Mark Webber instantly bettered his time with a 01:41.568. The Red Bull’s reign was short-lived, however, as the times quickly tumbled once again as the opening segment drew to a climactic conclusion. Kimi Raikkonen managed to rise to the top in his Lotus with a 01:41.276, with team-mate Romain Grosjean slotting into 2nd position.
Despite running within the perilous drop-zone for the majority of the segment, Felipe Massa managed to catapult himself to the top of the timing sheets in the dying minutes, however it was later discovered that the Brazilian driver had put all four wheels over the white line at Turn 21. As the checkered flag fell Lewis Hamilton rose to the top for Mercedes with an impressive 01:40.693, as the times chopped and changed in traditional fashion up and down the order. After the opening session Esteban Gutierrez and Adrian Sutil joined the usual suspects of Giedo van der Garde, Jules Bianchi, Charles Pic and Max Chilton in elimination from proceedings.
After a short break, Paul di Resta soon became the first driver to take to the track for Force India. The Scotsman managed to produce the first timed lap of the segment with a 01:41.477, which was quickly thwarted by the Sauber of Nico Hulkenberg. Mark Webber could only initially manage 2nd fastest for Red Bull, before Kimi Raikkonen stormed to the top for Lotus with a 01:40.971. Nico Rosberg rose Mercedes to the sharp-end of the order as the session neared it’s conclusion, with the German managing to produce an impressive 01:40.473 on scrubbed tyres. Lewis Hamilton slotted neatly into 2nd position behind his team-mate, creating a 1-2 for the German marque which remained unbeaten as the session drew to a conclusion.
Sebastian Vettel could only manage 3rd fastest behind the Mercedes duo, as former World Champion Fernando Alonso continued to struggle greatly in his Ferrari. Unlike team-mate Felipe Massa, the Spanish sensation was unable to propel himself out of the drop-zone, which saw him shockingly eliminated from proceedings along with Paul di Resta, Jenson Button, Jean-Eric Vergne, Pastor Maldonado and Valtteri Bottas. This was Fernando Alonso’s worst qualifying performance since last year’s European Grand Prix, where he also qualified 11th..
After the shock exit of Fernando Alonso after Q2 and the surprising pace of the Mercedes, the all-important top ten shootout was poised to be yet another thriller with many eager to see whether Red Bull’s dominance could be challenged. However, the Milton Keynes-based outfit immediately asserted their authority over proceedings during the opening minutes of the top ten shootout, with Sebastian Vettel in particular producing a 01:40.091 despite Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg’s best efforts to thwart him.
As per usual the drivers all returned to the pits after completing their first timed laps, to change tyres and prepare for their second flying laps in a bid to overthrow the rampaging Red Bull’s. When the top ten returned to the track it was clear that the Mercedes would be unable to question Sebastian Vettel’s pace, however Mark Webber hadn’t read the script as the Australian ace stormed to a superlative 01:39.957 to snatch away pole from his German team-mate. Lewis Hamilton’s qualifying session ended with a spin at Turn 14, as the Briton was unable to even thwart his team-mate.
With Mark Webber’s career drawing to a conclusion, the 37-year-old is refusing to leave the sport without a fight. Although his team-mate and his team have secured both Championships already, Mark Webber will undoubtedly be striving to secure victory in tomorrow’s 55-lap race. However, remaining ahead of not only his team-mate but the Mercedes duo of Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton will be imperative if the Australian ace has his sights set on his 10th victory in Formula 1.
Pos Driver Team/Car Time Gap 1. Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1m39.957s 2. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1m40.075s +0.118s 3. Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1m40.419s +0.462s 4. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1m40.501s +0.544s 5. Kimi Raikkonen Lotus-Renault 1m40.542s +0.585s 6. Nico Hulkenberg Sauber-Ferrari 1m40.576s +0.619s 7. Romain Grosjean Lotus-Renault 1m40.997s +1.040s 8. Felipe Massa Ferrari 1m41.015s +1.058s 9. Sergio Perez McLaren-Mercedes 1m41.068s +1.111s 10. Daniel Ricciardo Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m41.111s +1.154s Q2 cut-off time: 1m40.989s Gap ** 11. Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1m41.093s +0.620s 12. Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes 1m41.133s +0.660s 13. Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 1m41.200s +0.727s 14. Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m41.279s +0.806s 15. Pastor Maldonado Williams-Renault 1m41.395s +0.922s 16. Valtteri Bottas Williams-Renault 1m41.447s +0.974s Q1 cut-off time: 1m41.884s Gap * 17. Esteban Gutierrez Sauber-Ferrari 1m41.999s +1.306s 18. Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 1m42.051s +1.358s 19. Giedo van der Garde Caterham-Renault 1m43.252s +2.559s 20. Jules Bianchi Marussia-Cosworth 1m43.398s +2.705s 21. Charles Pic Caterham-Renault 1m43.528s +2.835s 22. Max Chilton Marussia-Cosworth 1m44.198s +3.505s 107% time: 1m47.741
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Sebastian Vettel remains dominant after practice three at Abu Dhabi
Sebastian Vettel has remained dominant at the front after the third and final practice session ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend, with the German ace ending the final hour of practice fastest ahead of team-mate Mark Webber. Lewis Hamilton ended the session as the best of the rest in 3rd, with team-mate Nico Rosberg 4th.
With only one hour of track time remaining for the drivers to prepare for the all-important qualifying hour, the third and final practice session of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend began with an immediate flurry of track action headed by the Lotus duo of Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean, with the Frenchman in particular eager to make up for his lost time during practice two yesterday. However, only several corners into his first installation lap around the Yas Marina Circuit the Frenchman was heard complaining over the team radio of vibrations still plaguing his machine.
Despite the instant flurry of track activity, many drivers up and down the order only completed one installation lap before then returning back to the pits. Eventually Charles Pic became the first driver to produce a timed lap for Caterham, after initially missing the apex of Turn 6. The Frenchman managed a 01:52.337, before then improving on his next lap with a 01:50.512. Giedo van der Garde then improved upon his team-mate’s benchmark with a 01:47.898, as more drivers began returning to the track to begin producing their first timed laps of the session.
As more drivers began producing timed laps, the disgruntled Lotus of Kimi Raikkonen rose to the top with a 01:45.026, as Max Chilton went about removing the bollard at Turn 1. Newly-crowned Champion Sebastian Vettel soon managed to assert his authority over the proceedings with a 01:44.117, as Adrian Sutil was heard describing his Force India machine as undriveable over the team radio. Meanwhile both Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen began trading fastest laps at the front, with the German eventually lowering the benchmark to a 01:43.795. The duo’s battle at the front was short-lived, however, as the Mercedes of Nico Rosberg soon stormed to the top with a 01:43.784.
Although Sebastian Vettel was momentarily able to return to the top in his Renault-powered RB9, Nico Rosberg was quick to better his fellow countryman’s time with a 01:43.465. Whilst qualifying preparations ensued up and down the paddock, Jules Bianchi’s was brought to a premature conclusion after the Frenchman spun at Turn 2 and lightly tapped the retaining tyre barrier. Despite the recovery operation by the marshals, the session remained under green flag conditions with double-waved yellow flags denoting the incident.
The many drivers soon returned to the Yas Marina Circuit sporting Pirelli’s soft tyre compound, as the qualifying simulations swung into full motion. This enabled Jenson Button to momentarily rise to the top for McLaren, with Nico Hulkenberg 2nd. However, the Briton’s reign was short-lived as former team-mate Lewis Hamilton soon rose to the top for Mercedes with a 01:41.580. As the times continued to tumble at the top, Sebastian Vettel soon silenced the opposition with a 01:41.351, which the German sensation managed to improve upon with a 01:41.349. Mark Webber slotted neatly into 2nd position behind his Red Bull team-mate, creating yet another 1-2 finish for the Milton Keynes-based outfit.
With all three practice sessions now over, the attention within the paddock will now switch to qualifying later in the day. Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull look utterly dominant out on track, however the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton and even the Lotus of Romain Grosjean could well spark a surprise when the sun goes down the floodlights illuminate the Yas Marina Circuit.
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Sebastian Vettel returns to the top in second practice at Abu Dhabi
Sebastian Vettel has managed to return to the top for Red Bull during the second practice session ahead of this weekend’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, after 90 minutes of track action around the Yas Marina Circuit. The German was followed by Red Bull team-mate Mark Webber, with Lewis Hamilton 3rd.
After an intriguing opening practice session at the Yas Marina Circuit which was eventually topped by the Lotus of Romain Grosjean, the Formula 1 teams’ and drivers’ returned to the 5.554km circuit to continue with their preparations for the weekend ahead. The second practice session began with the sun setting over the glorious circuit, with both Max Chilton, Giedo van der Garde and Adrian Sutil returning to their respective outfits after ceding driving duties to their various reserve drivers.
Unlike the opening practice session which included the usual waiting game as the many drivers completed installation laps and waited for the track to clear, the second practice session instantly swung into motion as many drivers immediately left the confines of the pit-lane. Kimi Raikkonen unsurprisingly produced the first timed lap of the session with a 01:44.360, as Jean-Eric Vergne ran wide at Turn 8 after out-braking himself. As more drivers gradually began taking to the Yas Marina Circuit, the times at the top began to tumble as the likes of Jenson Button, Kimi Raikkonen and Sergio Perez traded fastest times.
Eventually Sergio Perez managed to produce a 01:43.564 in his McLaren, with team-mate Jenson Button slotting neatly into 2nd position to momentarily create a McLaren 1-2. Meanwhile Mexican rookie Esteban Gutierrez continued learning the tricky Yas Marina Circuit in his Sauber, as he heavily out-braked himself at Turn 9 and completely missed the apex. Sebastian Vettel soon stormed to the top of the timing screens in his Red Bull with a 01:43.062, before Kimi Raikkonen elected to become the first driver to opt for Pirelli’s softer tyre compound.
This saw the 2007 World Champion and former Abu Dhabi Grand Prix winner rise to the top in his Lotus with a 01:41.888, before improving a lap later with a 01:41.726. As several more drivers began joining Kimi Raikkonen on Pirelli’s soft tyre compound, a brake duct was discovered at the side of the circuit after having clearly detached itself from one of the cars. A later replay indicated the culprit was Marussia’s Max Chilton, who so far has a 100% finishing record this season. With yellow flags fluttering a brave marshal gingerly approached the piece of debris in question, before efficiently removing it.
Whilst the Marussia mechanics busied themselves around Max Chilton’s car back in the pit-lane, Paul di Resta’s preparations for the weekend ahead were dealt a minor blow when his Force India machine picked up a front-left puncture at Turn 9. This forced the Scotsman to limp back to the pits with sparks flying from the rear of his car, as Lewis Hamilton stormed to the top in his Mercedes with a 01:41.690. Mark Webber soon managed to thwart the 2008 World Champion, as the Australian ace managed to produce a 01:41.556. Jenson Button then became the latest driver to pick up a puncture on his McLaren, as the Briton limped back to the pits despite no visible signs of a rear-puncture.
As the floodlights surrounding the Yas Marina Circuit became more predominant, Max Chilton’s unusual return behind the wheel continued as the Briton spun on the exit of Turn 1. After several seconds sat stationary, the former GP2 driver half-spun his car back into the right direction and continued circulating. Meanwhile further mistakes ensued up and down the paddock, as Romain Grosjean ran extensively wide at Turn 12. Sebastian Vettel soon managed to return to the top for Red Bull with a 01:41.335, as the newly-crowned Champion once again asserted his authority over the field.
During the final half of the session the teams and drivers began carrying out race simulations on heavy fuel loads, in a bid to gain as much knowledge prior to the 55-lap race on Sunday. This enabled Sebastian Vettel’s reign at the top to remain unchallenged as the session drew to a conclusion, with the Red Bull ace eventually finishing the second session ahead of team-mate Mark Webber with the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton 3rd fastest. Kimi Raikkonen was 4th for Lotus, with the McLaren duo of Sergio Perez and Jenson Button proving surprisingly competitive after a frustrating season.
With three hours of track action now over, the teams and drivers will have only one hour of practice at their disposal before the all-important qualifying session tomorrow which will determine the grid for the race on Sunday. Sebastian Vettel once again looks indomitable in his Red Bull, however Romain Grosjean could well pose a threat when the serious track action begins tomorrow.
Pos Driver Team Time Gap Laps 1. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1m41.335s 33 2. Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1m41.490s +0.155s 32 3. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1m41.690s +0.355s 37 4. Kimi Raikkonen Lotus-Renault 1m41.726s +0.391s 40 5. Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1m41.758s +0.423s 39 6. Sergio Perez McLaren-Mercedes 1m42.006s +0.671s 35 7. Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 1m42.010s +0.675s 30 8. Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1m42.171s +0.836s 30 9. Nico Hulkenberg Sauber-Ferrari 1m42.324s +0.989s 40 10. Felipe Massa Ferrari 1m42.440s +1.105s 35 11. Esteban Gutierrez Sauber-Ferrari 1m42.509s +1.174s 37 12. Romain Grosjean Lotus-Renault 1m42.607s +1.272s 18 13. Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes 1m42.806s +1.471s 26 14. Pastor Maldonado Williams-Renault 1m42.952s +1.617s 35 15. Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 1m42.998s +1.663s 25 16. Daniel Ricciardo Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m43.152s +1.817s 28 17. Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m43.271s +1.936s 35 18. Valtteri Bottas Williams-Renault 1m43.565s +2.230s 34 19. Giedo van der Garde Caterham-Renault 1m44.138s +2.803s 34 20. Jules Bianchi Marussia-Cosworth 1m44.459s +3.124s 34 21. Charles Pic Caterham-Renault 1m44.525s +3.190s 37 22. Max Chilton Marussia-Cosworth 1m45.565s +4.230s 26
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Vettel takes Indian GP victory to clinch fourth successive Drivers’ Crown
Sebastian Vettel has stormed to his sixth successive race victory at the Indian Grand Prix, which in turn has seen the German sensation clinch his fourth successive Drivers’ Championship Crown for Red Bull. Vettel was joined on the podium by Nico Rosberg and Romain Grosjean, as Red Bull also clinched the Constructors’ Championship.
After securing yet another superb pole position during qualifying, Sebastian Vettel glided into the lead of the race at the start, whereas behind him the Mercedes duo of Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton jostled for position. As the field negotiated the tight Turn 1, Mark Webber and Fernando Alonso made light contact which in turn saw the Ferrari driver sustain minor front-wing damage. With the softer tyre compound predicted to only last for several laps at the start, Sebastian Vettel wasted no time in opening up a gap at the front, as down the long straight into Turn 4 the Ferrari of Felipe Massa muscled his way into 2nd position ahead of the Mercedes’ duo.
At the end of the opening lap both Paul di Resta and Jean-Eric Vergne pitted for their respective teams, in a bid to immediately switch from the soft tyre compound to the mediums. A lap later many other drivers did likewise, including race leader Sebastian Vettel and fellow Championship rival Fernando Alonso. Whilst this handed the lead of the race to the Ferrari of Felipe Massa, the Brazilian’s team-mate frustratingly required a front-wing change after his earlier incident, which saw him rejoin the action way down in 20th position. Further down the order saw Giedo van der Garde become the first retirement of the race, after an opening lap collision with the Marussia of Max Chilton which damaged his suspension.
As the opening laps of the race ensued, Felipe Massa led out in front ahead of the Mercedes duo of Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton. Further down the order Fernando Alonso was heard complaining of the handling of his car over the team radio, after a torrid opening few laps to his race. Mark Webber also endured a tough start to the race, however the Australian ace was soon scything his way through the order on the medium tyre compound, eventually rising ahead of Kimi Raikkonen into 4th position by Lap 5. Soon afterwards Sergio Perez managed to also overtake the Finn, who began to struggle on his set of soft tyres.
By Lap 7 more drivers soon began peeling off into the pits for the medium tyre compound, including the likes of Nico Rosberg and Kimi Raikkonen with Felipe Massa, Lewis Hamilton and Pastor Maldonado doing so a lap later. This saw Mark Webber rise up into the lead of the race, after initially dropping down to as low as 7th after the opening lap. By now Sebastian Vettel had silently begun clawing his way up through the order after his earlier pit-stop, and was running a strong 4th by Lap 10. In stark contrast to the Red Bull ace, Fernando Alonso was unable to replicate Sebastian Vettel’s ability to cut through the pack, and was still down in 16th position.
Whilst Sebastian Vettel began setting his sights on future team-mate Daniel Ricciardo in 3rd, Formula 1 rookie Esteban Gutierrez came under investigation for jumping the start. The Mexican driver was soon struck with a drive-thru penalty, after numerous replays confirmed his illegality. Meanwhile Sebastian Vettel made light work of Daniel Ricciardo in the Toro Rosso for 3rd, with the McLaren of Sergio Perez his next target further up on the road. As the German driver produced consecutive fastest laps in his bid to catch his team-mate in the lead, Fernando Alonso was struggling to even make a move stick on Esteban Gutierrez. At Turn 1 it seemed the Spaniard had finally overtaken the Sauber driver, only for him to breeze back around the Ferrari ace down the long straight into Turn 4.
As Sebastian Vettel eased around Sergio Perez for 2nd on Lap 20, Fernando Alonso finally muscled his way around Esteban Gutierrez at Turn 5. The Spaniard finally made the move stick, after some incredibly mature defensive driving from the Mexican rookie. Nico Rosberg pitted several laps later in Mercedes, as Esteban Gutierrez soon came close to incurring yet another penalty as he made more than one change of direction in a bid to keep Romain Grosjean at bay. The race stewards initially placed the duo under investigation, but soon confirmed that no further action would take place.
Mark Webber and Sergio Perez also pitted as the race ensued, allowing Sebastian Vettel to resume his lead at the front. After making his stop, Sergio Perez rejoined the action just behind the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton, whom he soon managed to overtake. Soon both Felipe Massa, Lewis Hamilton, Paul di Resta, Fernando Alonso and Max Chilton all pitted, as the second round of pit-stops entered into full motion. Sebastian Vettel soon pitted as well from the lead of the race, allowing Mark Webber to momentarily resume his lead before also pitting a lap later. This in turn saw Sebastian Vettel retake the lead by a considerable margin over his Australian team-mate.
As the race began to enter it’s closing stages, Charles Pic became the latest retirement after a serious issue materialized on his Caterham. This was the Leafield-based outfit’s first double-DNF of the season, with arch-rivals Marussia remaining ahead of them in the Constructors’ Championship. Several laps later Mark Webber dramatically joined Charles Pic and Giedo van der Garde in retirement, after a familiar alternator issue once again struck his Red Bull machine. Amid a race dominated by tyres and differing race strategies, Adrian Sutil surprised many by making his first and only stop on Lap 41, after running a staggering 45 laps on the medium tyre compound.
Whilst Sebastian Vettel dominated out in front on his way to his sixth successive race victory, rookie Valtteri Bottas was jostling for 11th position with both Daniel Ricciardo and Fernando Alonso. Eventually the Finn was swamped by the charging duo, as he strove to pick up his first points in Formula 1. Kimi Raikkonen soon began struggling significantly on his medium tyres as the race drew to a close, allowing the Mercedes of Nico Rosberg to rise up into 2nd position.
With only several laps remaining, Nico Hulkenberg pitted into retirement for Sauber, bringing an end to a highly competitive streak for the German ace. With Kimi Raikkonen continuing to struggle with his tyres, team-mate Romain Grosjean soon managed to catch the Finn for the final podium position. Despite a minor collision between the duo, Grosjean eventually managed to perfect an overtaking maneuver on his team-mate, with Felipe Massa following the Frenchman through.
As utter freneticism ensued between Lewis Hamilton, Sergio Perez and Kimi Raikkonen during the dying laps of the race, no-one managed to stop the rampaging Red Bull of Sebastian Vettel who crossed the line to take his sixth successive race victory and his fourth successive Drivers’ Crown. The German was followed by fellow countryman Nico Rosberg, with Romain Grosjean an incredible 3rd. Whereas the many drivers either peeled off of the track immediately after crossing the line or slowly trundled back to parc ferme, Sebastian Vettel elected to return to the start/finish line to complete a set of donuts in front of the adoring Indian fans.
With only three races now left in the season, Sebastian Vettel’s Championship battle has now drawn to a sensational conclusion with the German romping to yet more Championship success for Red Bull. Although no-one can now mathematically catch Sebastian Vettel, the battle for 2nd in the Championship will surely enthrall many when the sport reconvenes next weekend at Abu Dhabi.
PROVISIONAL RACE RESULTS The Indian Grand Prix Buddh International Circuit, India; 60 laps; 307.249km; Weather: Smoggy. Classified: Pos Driver Team Time 1. Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1h31:12.187 2. Rosberg Mercedes + 29.823 3. Grosjean Lotus-Renault + 39.892 4. Massa Ferrari + 41.692 5. Perez McLaren-Mercedes + 43.829 6. Hamilton Mercedes + 52.400 7. Raikkonen Lotus-Renault + 1:07.900 8. Di Resta Force India-Mercedes + 1:12.800 9. Sutil Force India-Mercedes + 1:14.700 10. Ricciardo Toro Rosso-Ferrari + 1:16.200 11. Alonso Ferrari + 1:18.200 12. Maldonado Williams-Renault + 1:18.900 13. Vergne Toro Rosso-Ferrari + 1 lap 14. Button McLaren-Mercedes + 1 lap 15. Gutierrez Sauber-Ferrari + 1 lap 16. Bottas Williams-Renault + 1 lap 17. Chilton Marussia-Cosworth + 2 laps 18. Bianchi Marussia-Cosworth + 2 laps 19. Hulkenberg Sauber-Ferrari + 6 laps Fastest lap: Raikkonen, 1:27.679 Not classified/retirements: Driver Team On lap Webber Red Bull-Renault 40 Pic Caterham-Renault 36 van der Garde Caterham-Renault 2
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Sebastian Vettel destroys the opposition on his way to Indian GP pole
Sebastian Vettel has utterly destroyed the opposition on his way to his 43rd pole position for tomorrow’s 60-lap Indian Grand Prix, after yet another dominant display from Red Bull. The German sensation will start tomorrow’s race alongside fellow countryman Nico Rosberg, with Lewis Hamilton and Mark Webber on the second row of the grid.
After a slight delay to the morning practice session due to the heavy smog lingering over the Buddh International Circuit, the all-important qualifying hour got underway on time despite the smog still making visibility less than perfect. Esteban Gutierrez eventually became the first driver to take to the track as the opening segment of qualifying got underway, in what was a slow start to proceedings. The Mexican rookie produced the first timed lap with a 01:27.529, before many other drivers gradually began leaving the pit-lane.
The times at the top slowly began to improve as expected, with the likes of Nico Rosberg and Sergio Perez rising to the top with the latter setting a 01:26.533 in his McLaren. As rookie Valtteri Bottas out-broke himself at the final corner and ran wide, Nico Rosberg managed to return to the top with a 01:26.252 before Esteban Gutierrez became one of the first drivers to opt for Pirelli’s soft tyre compound. This enabled the Sauber driver to instantly return to the top with an impressive 01:26.057, as many other drivers soon followed him onto the softer rubber.
As the opening segment of qualifying progressed, Fernando Alonso rose to the top for the Scuderia with a 01:25.934. Despite their strong display of pace throughout the earlier practice sessions, the Red Bull duo of Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber could only manage 2nd and 3rd respectively behind the Spaniard. Paul di Resta managed to rise to the top for Force India with a 01:25.908, as the times once again took a tumble during the latter stages with the likes of Kimi Raikkonen, Lewis Hamilton and Mark Webber all momentarily rising to the top.
Eventually Jenson Button surprised many with a 01:25.574 to rise to the top for McLaren, as the classification chopped and changed drastically within the drop zone. As the checkered flag was unfurled, Felipe Massa managed to avoid elimination by improving in his Ferrari. This in turn saw the Brazilian driver demote the Lotus of Romain Grosjean into the drop zone, as the Frenchman was joined by the Williams of Pastor Maldonado and the two Caterhams and Marussias in elimination. Jules Bianchi managed to out-qualify the Caterham duo of Giedo van der Garde and Charles Pic, in what remains a tense battle at the back of the Constructors’ Championship.
The second segment of qualifying began with the sole remaining Lotus of Kimi Raikkonen becoming the first driver to take to the track, as he proceeded to produce the first timed lap with a 01:26.279. Fernando Alonso soon thwarted the Finn’s authority at the top with a 01:25.546, before Nico Rosberg shot to the top as the times once again began to tumble. Mark Webber momentarily produced the fastest lap of the segment, albeit after running extensively wide on several occasions in a race weekend featuring many drivers exceeding the track limits without picking up a penalty.
However, the Australian’s reign was short-lived as his Red Bull team-mate soon asserted his authority over proceedings once again. Sebastian Vettel managed to produce a 01:24.568, which remained unbeaten as the second segment drew to a climactic conclusion. As more drivers continued to improve throughout the dying minutes of the session, Lewis Hamilton began to edge nearer to the drop zone in his Mercedes. However, the 2008 World Champion soon propelled himself further up the order and into safety as Daniel Ricciardo, Paul di Resta, Adrian Sutil, Jean-Eric Vergne, Valtteri Bottas and Esteban Gutierrez were all eliminated from proceedings.
After two frenetic segments of qualifying around the Buddh International Circuit, the all-important top ten shootout got underway with Mark Webber and Fernando Alonso wasting no time in immediately taking to the track. Fernando Alonso managed to produce the first timed lap of a 01:25.826, with Mark Webber 2nd as Sebastian Vettel left the pit-lane with a brand-new set of soft tyres bolted to his RB9. This assisted in the German producing an absolutely sensational lap time, the fastest ever witnessed around the Buddh International Circuit in Formula 1 machinery, as the German produced a 01:24.119. Gradually the remainder of the field took to the circuit in a bid to battle over the positions behind the dominant German.
However, no-one could thwart the reigning Champion as Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton managed to at least split the Red Bull duo as Mark Webber was demoted to 4th with the Mercedes’ duo in 2nd and 3rd respectively. Felipe Massa once again managed to out-qualify Fernando Alonso in the Ferrari, with the Spaniard struggling for one-lap pace way down in 8th position. Sebastian Vettel has led every racing lap around the Buddh International Circuit, a stat the German will be eager to uphold during tomorrow’s race as powers his way to what will unquestionably be his fourth successive Drivers’ Crown.
Pos Driver Team Time Gap 1. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1m24.119s 2. Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1m24.871s +0.752s 3. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1m24.941s +0.822s 4. Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1m25.047s +0.928s 5. Felipe Massa Ferrari 1m25.201s +1.082s 6. Kimi Raikkonen Lotus-Renault 1m25.248s +1.129s 7. Nico Hulkenberg Sauber-Ferrari 1m25.334s +1.215s 8. Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1m25.826s +1.707s 9. Sergio Perez McLaren-Mercedes 1m26.153s +2.034s 10. Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 1m26.487s +2.368s Q2 cut-off time: 1m25.458s Gap ** 11. Daniel Ricciardo Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m25.519s +0.951s 12. Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes 1m25.711s +1.143s 13. Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 1m25.740s +1.172s 14. Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m25.798s +1.230s 15. Valtteri Bottas Williams-Renault 1m26.134s +1.566s 16. Esteban Gutierrez Sauber-Ferrari 1m26.336s +1.768s Q1 cut-off time: 1m26.178s Gap * 17. Romain Grosjean Lotus-Renault 1m26.577s +1.003s 18. Pastor Maldonado Williams-Renault 1m26.842s +1.268s 19. Jules Bianchi Marussia-Cosworth 1m26.970s +1.396s 20. Giedo van der Garde Caterham-Renault 1m27.105s +1.531s 21. Charles Pic Caterham-Renault 1m27.487s +1.913s 22. Max Chilton Marussia-Cosworth 1m28.138s +2.564s 107% time: 1m31.564s
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Vettel heads yet another Red Bull 1-2 in shortened final practice at India
Sebastian Vettel has headed yet another Red Bull 1-2 result during the third and final practice session ahead of the Indian Grand Prix, which was shortened by 20 minutes due to visibility issues. The duo were followed by the Ferrari of Fernando Alonso, with Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg a competitive 4th.
After a Friday dominated by Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull around New Delhi’s Buddh International Circuit, the teams and drivers returned to the track for the third and final practice session in a bid to finalize their preparations ahead of qualifying later in the day. However, the start of the third session was frustratingly delayed by several minutes after the heavy smog that had lingered over the track all weekend prevented the medical helicopter from safely operating. Eventually the session was started after a 20 minute delay, leaving only 40 minutes for the teams and drivers to complete their preparations before the all-important qualifying hour.
This led to a frenetic start to the third and final practice session, as the Sauber of Esteban Gutierrez eventually led out a long queue of awaiting drivers all naturally eager to return to the circuit. Whereas some drivers immediately returned to the confines of the pit-lane after an installation lap, others elected to complete timed laps. Esteban Gutierrez set the initial benchmark with a 01:30.709, before Mark Webber immediately rose to the top for Red Bull with a 01:27.879. The Ferrari duo of Felipe Massa and then Fernando Alonso then shot to the top of the timing sheets respectively, with the Spaniard producing a 01:27.792 to thwart his team-mate.
As the shortened session progressed, Mark Webber was quick to return to the top for Red Bull with an impressive 01:27.180. After a tough Friday around the Buddh International Circuit, McLaren’s Sergio Perez pushed beyond the limits as he missed the apex at Turn 7. However, the Mexican’s minor mistake failed to deter him from progressing during his next lap, as he stormed to the top of the timing sheets with a 01:27.136. Eventually reigning World Champion Sebastian Vettel left the confines of the pit-lane to begin his preparations for the all-important qualifying hour, with Pirelli’s soft tyre compound bolted to his Red Bull RB9.
Although Fernando Alonso initially managed to return to the top with a 01:27.011, Sebastian Vettel was soon able to assert his authority over proceedings with a sensational 01:25.332 with Pirelli’s softer rubber at his disposal. The 26-year-old’s team-mate, Mark Webber, slotted into 2nd position as the final practice session neared its completion, therefore creating yet another Red Bull 1-2 at the top of the timing sheets. Whilst the Milton Keynes-based outfit dominated out on track, Nico Hulkenberg returned to the pits and ran over a mechanics foot in the process. Luckily no major injuries were caused, as Max Chilton spun out on track at Turn 6 but managed to continue.
As more drivers began switching to Pirelli’s softer tyre compound during the latter stages of the session, the times behind the Red Bull duo ebbed and flowed however no-one seemed capable of questioning their authority. Esteban Gutierrez was seen flying over the high kerbs at Turn 7 in his Sauber, with the entire front of his car raising into the air and crashing spectacularly back to the track without causing any damage. As the session entered its closing minutes, Lewis Hamilton was forced to run wide at Turn 12 after Romain Grosjean himself ran wide at Turn 11 and rejoined the track right in front of the former World Champion.
After a shortened session the checkered flag was soon unfurled signaling the end of the third and final practice session, with the Red Bull drivers’ of Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber 1st and 2nd respectively. The duo were distantly followed by the Ferrari of Fernando Alonso, with Nico Hulkenberg continuing to impress in the Sauber in a strong 4th position. With all three practice sessions now completed, the teams and drivers will be frantically crunching the numbers before the all-important qualifying hour gets underway later in the day.
Pos Driver Team Time Gap Laps 1. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1m25.332s 16 2. Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1m25.892s +0.560s 14 3. Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1m26.105s +0.773s 19 4. Nico Hulkenberg Sauber-Ferrari 1m26.306s +0.974s 17 5. Romain Grosjean Lotus-Renault 1m26.350s +1.018s 16 6. Felipe Massa Ferrari 1m26.435s +1.103s 20 7. Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes 1m26.438s +1.106s 15 8. Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1m26.441s +1.109s 19 9. Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 1m26.489s +1.157s 15 10. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1m26.557s +1.225s 17 11. Kimi Raikkonen Lotus-Renault 1m26.635s +1.303s 14 12. Pastor Maldonado Williams-Renault 1m26.641s +1.309s 13 13. Sergio Perez McLaren-Mercedes 1m26.737s +1.405s 13 14. Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 1m26.847s +1.515s 17 15. Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m26.876s +1.544s 17 16. Valtteri Bottas Williams-Renault 1m26.883s +1.551s 15 17. Daniel Ricciardo Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m27.259s +1.927s 18 18. Charles Pic Caterham-Renault 1m27.941s +2.609s 18 19. Esteban Gutierrez Sauber-Ferrari 1m28.019s +2.687s 15 20. Giedo van der Garde Caterham-Renault 1m28.498s +3.166s 16 21. Max Chilton Marussia-Cosworth 1m29.094s +3.762s 11 22. Jules Bianchi Marussia-Cosworth 1m29.169s +3.837s 13
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Sebastian Vettel remains unchallenged at India after practice two
Sebastian Vettel has remained unchallenged after the second practice session around New Delhi’s Buddh International Circuit, after heading yet another Red Bull 1-2 at the top. In a session dominated by severe tyre wear on the soft tyre compound, Romain Grosjean managed to finish 3rd fastest for Lotus.
After a rather straightforward opening practice session around New Delhi’s Buddh International Circuit in the morning, the teams and drivers returned to the track later in the afternoon for the second practice session as preparations continued ahead of Sunday’s 60-lap race. Once again the smog still hung in the air as the session turned green, with Paul di Resta back behind the wheel of his Force India after ceding driving duties to reserve driver James Calado in practice one.
Rookies’ Max Chilton and Valtteri Bottas eventually became the first drivers to take to the track, in doing so opening the proverbial flood gates as almost the entire field soon followed. The Williams of Valtteri Bottas soon produced the first timed lap of the session with a 01:29.663, before Kimi Raikkonen thwarted his fellow countryman with a 01:28.419. After the slow start to the opening practice session earlier in the day, proceedings for the second session instantly gathered momentum as the likes of Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel soon elected to take to the track.
As the early stages of the session wore on Lewis Hamilton and then Romain Grosjean rose steadily to the top, with the latter managing to produce a 01:27.531 as his Lotus team-mate half-spun at Turn 3 but managed to continue circulating. However, the Frenchman’s reign over proceedings was relatively short-lived, as the ever-dominant Red Bull of Sebastian Vettel rose straight to the top with a 01:27.360. Despite the German’s fearsome pace he was informed via the team radio that he had suffered yet another KERS issue, however that failed to stop him improving as he set a 01:27.059 shortly after.
After slotting into 2nd position behind his team-mate, Mark Webber soon managed to rise to the top with a 01:27.011. With Sebastian Vettel the only driver to have led a racing lap around the Buddh International Circuit, many drivers up and down the paddock are eager to challenge the runaway German. However, Mark Webber’s pace was soon bettered by the Mercedes of Nico Rosberg, who only just managed to pip the Australian ace with a 01:27.010. As the session progressed, many drivers began electing for Pirelli’s soft tyre compound including the likes of Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen.
With the softer rubber bolted to his Red Bull, the reigning Champion instantly improved with a barnstorming 01:25.722, which propelled him to the top of the timing sheets. As more drivers gradually began opting for Pirelli’s softer tyre compound, many also began completing high-fuel race simulation work. This saw Sebastian Vettel’s time at the top remain unchallenged for the remainder of the afternoon, as all focus switched to race preparation. However, as the session continued many teams and drivers began suffering from excessive tyre wear on the soft compound, creating widespread skepticism up and down the paddock.
Pastor Maldonado’s session was brought to a premature conclusion during the latter stages, when the front-right wheel nut managed to work its way loose only moments after he completed a race-style pit-stop. With Williams coming under severe fire for a similar issue last time out at Suzuka when Pastor Maldonado lost a rear tyre during practice, the team instantly instructed the Venezuelan driver to pull over at the side of the track. With lots of worried faces within the Williams camp, the team also elected to bring an end to Valtteri Bottas’s session.
Meanwhile the remaining 21 drivers continued with their preparations for the weekend ahead, despite the ongoing issue with the soft tyre compound. With all of the drivers focusing solely on long runs in the latter half of the session, Sebastian Vettel remained fastest as the checkered flag was unfurled at the end of the session. The German ace once again finished ahead of his Australian team-mate, with the Lotus of Romain Grosjean 3rd fastest for Lotus. With the Red Bulls locking out the timing sheets with a 1-2 finish during both practice sessions throughout the day, the universal predictions throughout the motorsport fraternity is for yet another weekend dominated by the Austrian outfit. However, with severe tyre wear a possibility, anything could happen around New Delhi’s Buddh International Circuit.
Pos Driver Team Time Gap Laps 1. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1m25.722s 35 2. Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1m26.011s +0.289s 38 3. Romain Grosjean Lotus-Renault 1m26.220s +0.498s 36 4. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1m26.399s +0.677s 36 5. Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1m26.430s +0.708s 39 6. Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1m26.582s +0.860s 40 7. Felipe Massa Ferrari 1m26.601s +0.879s 41 8. Kimi Raikkonen Lotus-Renault 1m26.632s +0.910s 32 9. Sergio Perez McLaren-Mercedes 1m26.857s +1.135s 40 10. Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 1m26.972s +1.250s 39 11. Daniel Ricciardo Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m27.304s +1.582s 17 12. Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 1m27.375s +1.653s 36 13. Valtteri Bottas Williams-Renault 1m27.429s +1.707s 31 14. Nico Hulkenberg Sauber-Ferrari 1m27.491s +1.769s 40 15. Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes 1m27.608s +1.886s 38 16. Pastor Maldonado Williams-Renault 1m27.720s +1.998s 23 17. Esteban Gutierrez Sauber-Ferrari 1m27.949s +2.227s 34 18. Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m28.431s +2.709s 30 19. Giedo van der Garde Caterham-Renault 1m28.692s +2.970s 39 20. Jules Bianchi Marussia-Cosworth 1m28.799s +3.077s 32 21. Charles Pic Caterham-Renault 1m29.366s +3.644s 37 22. Max Chilton Marussia-Cosworth 1m30.164s +4.442s 27
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