Nico Hulkenberg returns to Force India on multi-year deal for 2014
Nico Hulkenberg has been officially confirmed at Force India for the 2014 season, after the Silverstone-based outfit announced that the German would return on a ‘multi-year’ deal after only one season at Sauber. Despite the 26-year-old’s confirmation, his team-mate at Force India has yet to be announced.
After leaving Force India at the end of the 2012 season for Sauber, many were expecting the German sensation to partner Romain Grosjean at Lotus following Kimi Raikkonen’s return to Ferrari. However, after the Enstone-based outfit elected for Venezuelan driver Pastor Maldonado, Nico Hulkenberg’s options for the new season consisted of either another season at Sauber or a return to Force India. Throughout the 2013 campaign Sauber struggled in comparison to the previous season, with the Swiss outfit unable to return to the podium as Nico Hulkenberg managed to bring home the lion share of the team’s points alongside rookie Esteban Gutierrez.
For the 2014 season Formula 1 will enter a new era of technical regulations, with a new 1.6 litre turbocharged V6 engine formula being introduced. Although testing with the new engines has not yet begun, Mercedes are hopeful of offering a competitive engine when the new era of Formula 1 dawns in March. Nico Hulkenberg has expressed great delight in making his return to Force India for the new season, with hopes that the new Mercedes engine package will enable the Silverstone-based outfit to enjoy a competitive season.
“I am happy to come back to Sahara Force India,” explained Nico Hulkenberg, who scored 63 points with the outfit in 2012. “The team is aiming high for next year and I believe that the experience I have gained over the years will help us achieve those goals. I genuinely believe we can have a competitive package in 2014. I’ve heard a lot of positive things about the Mercedes engine as well, so I think there is a lot to be excited about for next year. I know this team and I can see their determination; it’s a great bunch of people and we all share the same hunger for success.”
Whilst the rumour-mill surrounding Nico Hulkenberg’s future endeavours for 2014 will now evaporate, speculations will surely continue with regards to the German’s eventual team-mate for the new season. Adrian Sutil and Paul di Resta will unquestionably remain candidates, with the former team-mates enduring a topsy-turvy 2013 season which ultimately ran out of steam after Pirelli made amendments to their tyres. Other likely candidates such as former McLaren driver Sergio Perez could also remain a possibility for the Silverstone-based outfit, as the pieces of the 2014 driver market slowly begin falling into place.
Picture Copyright © Force India F1 Team
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
Picture Copyright © Pirelli
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
Picture Copyright © Pirelli
Sebastian Vettel secures victory in crazy Korean Grand Prix
Sebastian Vettel has stormed to his fourth successive Formula 1 victory for Red Bull, after an utterly crazy 55-lap race around the Korea International Circuit. The race was plagued by two safety car periods, as a frenetic race ensued up and down the order. Sebastian Vettel was joined on the podium by the Lotus duo of Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean, with Nico Hulkenberg an impressive 4th for Sauber.
At the start Sebastian Vettel enjoyed a tremendous getaway off of the line, cruising into the lead of the race whereas Lewis Hamilton struggled and instantly came under pressure from the Lotus of Romain Grosjean. As the field streamed down the long straight between Turns 2 and 3, the Frenchman managed to perfect an overtaking maneuver on Lewis Hamilton for 2nd as the pack ran five-wide at one stage on the run down to Turn 3. Under braking Felipe Massa lost control of the rear of his Ferrari, which subsequently saw the Brazilian driver come to a halt in the middle of the track.
Although Felipe Massa was able to continue circulating, albeit towards the back of the pack, a concertina-effect rippled through the midfield as many drivers strove to avoid the stricken Ferrari. Both Adrian Sutil and Jenson Button sustained minor front-wing damage in the process, which accounted for their early pit-stops for replacements. After starting the race from way down in 13th position, the Australian sensation began gradually climbing his way through the order with an overtaking maneuver on the McLaren of Sergio Perez and then the Williams of Pastor Maldonado.
As the opening laps of the race ensued, Felipe Massa became the next driver to pit for Ferrari as Jenson Button managed to produce the fastest lap of the race after pitting for new tyres and a front-wing. Pastor Maldonado, Paul di Resta and Esteban Gutierrez all elected to pit a lap later, as Giedo van der Garde and Jules Bianchi came under investigation after an opening lap misdemeanor. Whilst several more pit-stops ensued up and down the order, Kimi Raikkonen managed to find a way around the Ferrari of Fernando Alonso, before he too elected to pit along with the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton. After being investigated by the stewards for forcing Jules Bianchi off of the circuit at the start, Giedo van der Garde was struck with a drive-thru penalty. This decision by the stewards would undoubtedly have left a bitter taste in the mouthes within the Caterham camp, as the Dutchman was running a competitive 12th at the time of his penalty.
On Lap 10 Romain Grosjean pitted from 2nd position, with the Frenchman enjoying a highly competitive opening few laps to the Korean Grand Prix. Upon returning to the action he was only just able to remain ahead of the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton, as the duo battled fiercely for position through Turns 3 and 4. Whilst the 2008 World Champion strove to find a way around the Lotus driver, race leader Sebastian Vettel pitted. Once again the Red Bull mechanics perfected a smooth stop for the German, as Mark Webber amazingly assumed the lead of the race despite starting from a lowly 13th position.
The Australian sensation’s lead at the front was unfortunately short-lived, as he soon pitted and therefore ceded the lead of the race back to his German team-mate. Whilst Sebastian Vettel opened up the gap at the front to the Lotus of Romain Grosjean, action further down the order saw Sergio Perez come under investigation from the stewards for allegedly forcing Paul di Resta off of the track. By Lap 17, everyone except the Toro Rosso of Daniel Ricciardo had carried out at least one pit-stop. This left the Australian driver a strong 4th ahead of the Mercedes of Nico Rosberg, who quickly managed to find a way around the future Red Bull driver.
On Lap 26 Paul di Resta became the first retirement of the race, after he lost control of his Force India through the tricky Turn 12 and subsequently buried his car in the retaining tyre barrier. This was the 27-year-old’s fifth consecutive retirement behind the wheel of his Force India VJM06, amid a disappointing second half of the season for the Silverstone-based outfit. As the stricken Force India was gradually cleared under double-waved yellows by the Korean marshals, Mark Webber managed to find a way around the Ferrari of Fernando Alonso for 5th.
Utter mayhem was unleashed on Lap 28, when Nico Rosberg tried to overtake team-mate Lewis Hamilton. In the process the German’s front-wing became dislodged, creating a spectacular sight as sparks flew over the front of the Mercedes machine. Miraculously Nico Rosberg managed to both maintain control of his car and complete the overtaking maneuver on Lewis Hamilton, before limping back to the pits for a new front-wing. This in turn forced his British team-mate to remain out on track for another lap, despite suffering from severely degraded tyres in 3rd position.
Due to Lewis Hamilton’s struggle on his second set of tyres, the 2008 World Champion was in danger of being caught by the Red Bull of Mark Webber, who elected to pit on Lap 31. A lap later further madness ensued when Sergio Perez’s front-right tyre exploded down the long straight between Turns 2 and 3, showering the circuit in debris and pieces of rubber. The Mexican sensation managed to remain in control of his McLaren, as the safety car was unsurprisingly called upon due to the amount of debris on the track.
Almost immediately after the safety car’s deployment, both Sebastian Vettel and Romain Grosjean pitted at the front along with many other drivers up and down the order. After several long laps behind the safety car, the race was resumed with Sebastian Vettel in the lead of the race ahead of the Lotus of Romain Grosjean. However, the safety car was called upon shortly after the restart, amid further confusion and madness involving an incident between Adrian Sutil and Mark Webber. The Force India driver lost control of his car under braking much like Felipe Massa at the start, and collected Mark Webber at Turn 3. The Australian driver’s car immediately caught fire, and continued to burn through the rear of the car.
Hulkenberg was the star of the 55-lap race, as he fended off both Hamilton and Alonso
Eventually a fire truck was deployed to assist with the blaze, however the safety car had yet to be deployed creating a peculiar scenario as race leader Sebastian Vettel caught up with the fire truck only moments before the safety car was deployed. Prior to Sutil and Webber’s collision, Kimi Raikkonen managed to overtake Romain Grosjean for 2nd with Nico Hulkenberg 4th for Sauber. Once the race was finally resumed on Lap 40, Sebastian Vettel managed to storm off into the distance once again with Kimi Raikkonen in hot pursuit for Lotus. Further back Fernando Alonso desperately tried to overtake Lewis Hamilton for 5th, however the former McLaren driver managed to defend his position and begin catching Nico Hulkenberg.
As the race entered its closing stages, a highly frenetic battle within the midfield ensued between the likes of Felipe Massa, Sergio Perez, Pastor Maldonado, Esteban Gutierrez and Valtteri Bottas. After causing the second safety car period and signaling the end of Mark Webber’s race, Adrian Sutil was struck with a drive-thru penalty for speeding in the pits. During the final few laps Lewis Hamilton desperately tried to perfect an overtaking maneuver on Nico Hulkenberg for 4th, however the straight-line speed of the Sauber coupled with the German’s superb defensive driving saw him remain ahead of the Briton.
After a torrid second half of the race for Adrian Sutil, the German eventually pitted into retirement on Lap 52, as Nico Rosberg muscled his way around the McLaren of Jenson Button for 7th. During the final few laps both the Toro Rosso drivers’ of Daniel Ricciardo and Jean-Eric Vergne entered retirement due to mechanical issues, as Sebastian Vettel remained dominant out in front ahead of the Lotus of Kimi Raikkonen. Eventually the reigning Champion crossed the line to take yet another victory for Red Bull, and his hat-trick of victories around the Korea International Circuit.
The Lotus duo of Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean joined Sebastian Vettel on the podium, with the Sauber of Nico Hulkenberg undoubtedly securing the driver of the day award after fending off the advances of Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso to finish a highly competitive 4th. After a thrilling and frenetic 55-lap race around the Korea International Circuit, the sport will now immediately depart for Suzuka in preparation for the Japanese Grand Prix next weekend. Sebastian Vettel could well clinch the title in Japan, a trait which has been achieved by many of the greats in past including the German in 2011.
PROVISIONAL RACE RESULTS The Korean Grand Prix Korean International Circuit, Korea; 55 laps; 308.630km; Weather: Dry. Classified: Pos Driver Team Time/Gap 1. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1h43m13.701s 2. Kimi Raikkonen Lotus-Renault +4.200s 3. Romain Grosjean Lotus-Renault +4.900s 4. Nico Hulkenberg Sauber-Ferrari +24.100s 5. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +25.200s 6. Fernando Alonso Ferrari +26.100s 7. Nico Rosberg Mercedes +26.600s 8. Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes +32.200s 9. Felipe Massa Ferrari +34.300s 10. Sergio Perez McLaren-Mercedes +35.100s 11. Esteban Gutierrez Sauber-Ferrari +35.900s 12. Valtteri Bottas Williams-Renault +47.000s 13. Pastor Maldonado Williams-Renault +50.000s 14. Charles Pic Caterham-Renault +1m03.500s 15. Giedo van der Garde Caterham-Renault +1m04.500s 16. Jules Bianchi Marussia-Cosworth +1m07.900s 17. Max Chilton Marussia-Cosworth +1m12.900s 18. Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso-Ferrari +2 laps 19. Daniel Ricciardo Toro Rosso-Ferrari +3 laps 20. Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes +5 laps Fastest lap: Vettel, 1:41.380 Not classified/retirements: Driver Team On lap Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 36 laps Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes 24 laps
Picture(s) Copyright © Pirelli
Sebastian Vettel cruises to flawless Italian Grand Prix victory
Sebastian Vettel has cruised to a flawless victory at the Italian Grand Prix, after an utterly dominant display during the 53-lap race. The German ace was followed by the Ferrari of Fernando Alonso, with Mark Webber managing to finish 3rd in his last race around the legendary Autodromo di Monza.
Despite intermittent rain showers prior to the start of the Italian Grand Prix, the race began in dry weather conditions with the entire field electing to start on the dry weather tyres. Only three drivers started on the harder compound, in the form of Kimi Raikkonen, Lewis Hamilton and Esteban Gutierrez. At the start Sebastian Vettel managed to retain his lead through the opening chicane, as Lewis Hamilton was one of many who skipped across the run-off area to avoid a collision.
As the opening lap of the race wore on Felipe Massa found himself in 2nd position behind Sebastian Vettel, with Mark Webber 3rd and Fernando Alonso 4th. At the second chicane Paul di Resta became the first retirement of the race, as the Scotsman completely out-broke himself and slammed into the rear of Romain Grosjean. Although the resulting incident didn’t damage Romain Grosjean’s car, Paul di Resta’s front-left was utterly destroyed as he pulled to the side of the track and into retirement.
After lightly damaging his front-wing during the opening chicane after a minor collision with Sergio Perez, Kimi Raikkonen was forced to return to the pits after the opening lap for a new front-wing. This saw the Finn plummet back down the order, after a relatively competitive opening lap. Whilst Sebastian Vettel set upon opening up a considerable lead at the front, Fernando Alonso masterfully overtook Mark Webber around the outside at the second chicane. The Australian driver sustained minimal front-wing damage, however the duo continued circulating.
Due to his poor qualifying performance, Lewis Hamilton had elected to start the race on the hard tyre compound. Unfortunately for the former Italian Grand Prix winner his early race pace prevented him from fully excelling, as the McLaren of Jenson Button overtook him for 10th. The Ferraris swapped positions as the opening laps ensued, with Felipe Massa seemingly allowing his team-mate through into 2nd position on team orders.
By Lap 10, Sebastian Vettel had opened up a five second lead at the front to Fernando Alonso, however his mechanics soon came over the team radio instructing the German that his front-right tyre had picked up a flat-spot after the opening lap. Despite the initial worry from the team, the issue in question soon faded into insignificance as the German continued to romp away into the distance. Whilst Sebastian Vettel dominated once again at the front, Lewis Hamilton was struck with further bad luck in the form of a slow puncture on his Mercedes.
Despite the team’s insistent requests for the 2008 World Champion to pit for a new set of tyres, he was unable to fully understand them after radio communication issues also plagued his car. Eventually Lewis Hamilton pulled off into the pits, which saw the Briton also plummet down the order and behind Kimi Raikkonen to 19th position. As the 28-year-old began scything his way through the likes of Giedo van der Garde and Charles Pic, Jean-Eric Vergne became the next retirement after the Frenchman’s Toro Rosso was struck with what appeared to be an engine-related issue.
By Lap 20 the first scheduled pit-stops of the race were carried out, as Romain Grosjean, Sergio Perez and Daniel Ricciardo made their way to the pit-lane. The Mexican driver suffered from a slow stop, and therefore lost a position to team-mate Jenson Button. Sebastian Vettel soon elected to pit from the lead of the race, as Red Bull stacked their drivers with Mark Webber also pitting albeit roughly 11 seconds down the road. This allowed Fernando Alonso to momentarily lead a Ferrari 1-2, a scene which was undoubtedly met with euphoria amongst the Tifosi faithful.
Felipe Massa, Nico Hulkenberg, Adrian Sutil and Pastor Maldonado became the next list of drivers to make their scheduled pit-stops, with Felipe Massa loosing out to Mark Webber when he rejoined the circuit. Although Fernando Alonso was leading the race ahead of the Mercedes of Nico Rosberg, neither had pitted. The German soon released his fellow countryman into 2nd position when he elected to pit a few laps later, before Fernando Alonso finally did likewise on Lap 27 and allowed Sebastian Vettel to resume his dominant lead out in front.
Although the majority of the field were all on one-stop strategies, both Kimi Raikkonen and Lewis Hamilton unfortunately were not after their earlier altercations with punctures and front-wing damage. Kimi Raikkonen was the first of the duo to return to the pits on Lap 30, just as Lewis Hamilton managed to produce the fastest lap of the race. Whilst many awaited the Briton’s eventual pit-stop, Lewis Hamilton continued to display a blistering pace around the Autodromo di Monza. The 2008 World Champion managed to sneak passed Nico Hulkenberg for 5th at Turn 3, before the team once again began trying to communicate with him about his second and final pit-stop.
After many laps of expectation, Lewis Hamilton finally made his pit-stop on Lap 38, after previously making a mistake and running straight on at Turn 2. This saw him rejoin the race down in 14th position and behind Kimi Raikkonen, however the duo soon managed to begin once again scything their way through the midfield. Whilst Raikkonen and Hamilton steadily rose through the order after overtaking the likes of Esteban Gutierrez and Adrian Sutil, Mark Webber was instructed to short-shift on the exit of Turn 2 through the lower gears.
As the last few laps of the race panned out, Sebastian Vettel was issued with the same instruction, with the German instead told to short-shift through the higher gears. Whilst the Red Bull duo tried their best to adapt to the new gearing technique, Lewis Hamilton managed to overtake Kimi Raikkonen for 11th and then Sergio Perez for 10th to secure one hard-fought point, whereas the Finn could only manage 11th and his second non-points scoring result in succession.
Despite worried looks within the Red Bull camp amid fears of gearbox woes, Sebastian Vettel managed to storm to yet another dominant victory on Ferrari territory, with the Scuderia of Fernando Alonso a distant 2nd only just ahead of the short-shifting Mark Webber. Felipe Massa finished a relatively competitive 4th, with Nico Hulkenberg an important and impressive 5th.
The Formula 1 fraternity will reconvene later in the month, when the sport returns to Asia for the only night race of the year around the illuminated streets of Singapore. Sebastian Vettel has become renowned for stepping up a gear when the sport returns to the Far East, a trait he’ll be aiming to live up to next time out.
PROVISIONAL RACE RESULTS The Italian Grand Prix Monza, Italy; 53 laps; 306.720km; Weather: Cloudy. Classified: Pos Driver Team Time 1. Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1h18m33.352 2. Alonso Ferrari + 5.4 3. Webber Red Bull-Renault + 6.3 4. Massa Ferrari + 9.3 5. Hulkenberg Sauber-Ferrari + 10.3 6. Rosberg Mercedes + 10.9 7. Ricciardo Toro Rosso-Ferrari + 32.3 8. Grosjean Lotus-Renault + 33.1 9. Hamilton Mercedes + 33.5 10. Button McLaren-Mercedes + 38.3 11. Raikkonen Lotus-Renault + 38.6 12. Perez McLaren-Mercedes + 39.7 13. Gutierrez Sauber-Ferrari + 40.8 14. Maldonado Williams-Renault + 49.0 15. Bottas Williams-Renault + 56.8 16. Sutil Force India-Mercedes + 1 lap 17. Pic Caterham-Renault + 1 lap 18. van der Garde Caterham-Renault + 1 lap 19. Bianchi Marussia-Cosworth + 1 lap 20. Chilton Marussia-Cosworth + 1 lap Fastest lap: Hamilton, 1:25.849 Not classified/retirements: Driver Team On lap Vergne Toro Rosso-Ferrari 35 Di Resta Force India-Mercedes 1
Picture Copyright © Pirelli
Sebastian Vettel storms to sensational pole amid Ferrari dismay at Monza
Sebastian Vettel has stormed to his 40th pole position in sensational fashion at Monza for the Italian Grand Prix, amid a dismal performance from Ferrari after the Scuderia strove to perfect their synchronized slipstreaming. The German will start tomorrow’s race alongside team-mate Mark Webber with Nico Hulkenberg 3rd.
In stark contrast to last time out at the Belgian Grand Prix, the all-important qualifying hour around the Autodromo di Monza began in glorious sunshine. As the opening segment of qualifying began, Esteban Gutierrez became the first driver to take to the track for Sauber, and was quickly followed out by the Mercedes of Nico Rosberg. Naturally Esteban Gutierrez managed to produce the initial benchmark with a 01:26.293, before the Mercedes of Nico Rosberg immediately obliterated the Mexican’s reign with a 01:25.276.
As the opening segment progressed, the times at the top continued to tumble as the likes of Jean-Eric Vergne and Fernando Alonso rose to the top with the latter producing a 01:24.938 for the Scuderia. However, the Toro Rosso of Jean-Eric Vergne was quick to return to the top with a 01:24.630 as the Faenza-based outfit continued to impress on home soil. However, their reign was soon brought to a conclusion in the form of Lewis Hamilton and then Sebastian Vettel, with the latter rising to the top with a 01:24.319 behind the wheel of his RB9.
Whilst the familiar faces gradually rose to the top, the equally familiar faces were eventually eliminated from proceedings as the opening segment of qualifying drew to a conclusion. Former GP3 Champions Esteban Gutierrez and Valtteri Bottas were joined by Giedo van der Garde, Charles Pic, Jules Bianchi and Max Chilton at the back of the grid.
The second segment of qualifying saw Daniel Ricciardo become the first driver to take to the track and eventually produce the first timed lap, with the future Red Bull driver setting a 01:24.746. His initial benchmark was soon thwarted by the Ferrari duo of Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso, as they stormed through a cloud of dust kicked up by the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton who ran extensively wide at the final corner. This mistake from the 2008 World Champion saw him limp back to the pits for a new set of Pirelli tyres, before he returned to the track in a bid to progress out of the drop zone.
As the Mercedes ace struggled to produce a competitive lap time, reigning World Champion Sebastian Vettel flew back to the top of the timing sheets with a 01:23.977. Further down the order both Kimi Raikkonen and Lewis Hamilton were eliminated from proceedings, drawing to a conclusion a dismal display from the former Champions. Despite Hamilton’s mistake at the final corner several laps earlier, replays showed Adrian Sutil blocking the Briton on not one but two separate occasions. This led to a stewards investigation, yet failed to raise the mood within the Mercedes garage.
After the frenetic proceedings of the second segment of qualifying, both Kimi Raikkonen and Lewis Hamilton were joined by Romain Grosjean, Adrian Sutil, Pastor Maldonado and Paul di Resta, in what was considered an incredibly competitive midfield.
Without any further ado, the all-important top-ten shootout began with the remaining Mercedes of Nico Rosberg taking to the Autodromo di Monza first, as the Ferrari duo filed out onto the track in unison with intentions of mastering their now annual feat of synchronized slipstreaming. During his first timed lap, Nico Rosberg could only manage a dismal 01:28.332, which was instantly thwarted by the Red Bull of Mark Webber with a 01:23.990. Despite the competitive lap time from the Australian driver, team-mate Sebastian Vettel eased to the top with a 01:23.859, practically cementing his position at the top.
In traditional top ten shootout fashion the majority of the drivers’ returned to the pits for new tyres, before then returning to the track for the final set of all-important timed laps. Mark Webber produced the fastest middle sector on his final lap, but lost copious amounts of time in the final sector as Jean-Eric Vergne ran extensively wide at the final corner and kicked up a huge plume of dust into the oncoming drivers’ faces. Sebastian Vettel, however, was undeterred as he improved once again with a 01:23.755 to secure his 40th career pole.
As the rest of the field completed their final laps Nico Hulkenberg amazed many by storming into 3rd position for Sauber, their best qualifying result since last season’s Japanese Grand Prix. The Ferrari duo were unable to perfect their synchronized slipstreaming, as Felipe Massa amazingly managed to out-qualify team-mate Fernando Alonso in 4th.
With the threat of rain lingering over tomorrow’s 53-lap race, Sebastian Vettel could well find his road to victory slightly trickier than expected. However, the German won his first ever race in extremely treacherous weather conditions at the same circuit in a Toro Rosso back in 2008, and will surely be confident whatever the weather come race day.
Pos Driver Team Time Gap 1. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1m23.755s 2. Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1m23.968s +0.213s 3. Nico Hulkenberg Sauber-Ferrari 1m24.065s +0.310s 4. Felipe Massa Ferrari 1m24.132s +0.377s 5. Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1m24.142s +0.387s 6. Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1m24.192s +0.437s 7. Daniel Ricciardo Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m24.209s +0.454s 8. Sergio Perez McLaren-Mercedes 1m24.502s +0.747s 9. Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 1m24.515s +0.760s 10. Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m28.050s +4.295s Q2 cut-off time: 1m24.776s Gap ** 11. Kimi Raikkonen Lotus-Renault 1m24.610s +0.633s 12. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1m24.803s +0.826s 13. Romain Grosjean Lotus-Renault 1m24.848s +0.871s 14. Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes 1m24.932s +0.955s 15. Pastor Maldonado Williams-Renault 1m25.011s +1.034s 16. Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes 1m25.077s +1.100s Q1 cut-off time: 1m25.030s Gap * 17. Esteban Gutierrez Sauber-Ferrari 1m25.226s +0.907s 18. Valtteri Bottas Williams-Renault 1m25.291s +0.972s 19. Giedo van der Garde Caterham-Renault 1m26.406s +2.087s 20. Charles Pic Caterham-Renault 1m26.563s +2.244s 21. Jules Bianchi Marussia-Cosworth 1m27.085s +2.766s 22. Max Chilton Marussia-Cosworth 1m27.480s +3.161s
Picture Copyright © Pirelli
Daniel Ricciardo Fastest As Rain Strikes Again At Silverstone
Daniel Ricciardo has ended the opening practice session of the British Grand Prix weekend fastest overall, as heavy rain once again struck the legendary Silverstone circuit. For the majority of the session the drivers remained in the pits, before Daniel Ricciardo led them out in the closing minutes in the still treacherous conditions.
The Formula 1 paddock reconvened in typical British weather for the opening practice session of the weekend, as the teams and drivers were greeted with heavy and persistent rain over the legendary Silverstone circuit. Despite several installation laps up and down the field at the start of the session, the awaiting masses were treated to very little track action during the opening practice session of the British Grand Prix. Valtteri Bottas and Esteban Gutierrez were the first to brave the elements at the start, before many others including local favorites Paul di Resta, Max Chilton and Jenson Button also took to the track.
During the opening hour of the session, the majority of the drivers elected to remain in the safe and dry confines of the pit-lane with only a handful of drivers including Daniel Ricciardo, Jean-Eric Vergne and Esteban Gutierrez tip-toeing around the Silverstone circuit on Pirelli’s Cinturato full wet tyres. The Sauber driver completed several laps, however he failed to produce a timed lap during his stint after passing through the pits to carry out practice starts at the pit exit.
As the damp proceedings drew to a miserable conclusion, Daniel Ricciardo injected some track action as the Australian sensation finally shattered the monotonous silence and took to the track once again to produce the first timed lap of the day with a 02:00.029. The Toro Rosso driver managed to improve by several seconds during his next lap with a 01:57.992, as many other drivers followed his trend and finally took to the Silverstone circuit with only ten minutes remaining in the session.
Local hero Lewis Hamilton wasted no time in giving his adoring home fans something to cheer about, as the 2008 World Champion quickly rose to the top for Mercedes with a 01:55.458. Whilst Lewis Hamilton set the fastest lap of the session for the German marque, Charles Pic was caught out in the still treacherous weather conditions as the Frenchman spun into the retaining tyre barrier at Turn 18 and lightly damaged his car. The ever-efficient marshals swiftly cleared the stricken machine, before Daniel Ricciardo pounded around the track to produce a 01:54.249 to return to the top and end of the session fastest for Toro Rosso. The Australian driver was followed at the top by Nico Hulkenberg and Pastor Maldonado, with rain still falling overhead.
Naturally the teams, drivers and fans will be hoping for better weather conditions for the second practice session of the weekend later in the afternoon, when further track action should allow the drivers to continue their vigorous preparations for the weekend ahead.
Pos Driver Team Time Gap Laps 1. Daniel Ricciardo Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m54.249s 10 2. Nico Hulkenberg Sauber-Ferrari 1m55.033s + 0.784s 7 3. Pastor Maldonado Williams-Renault 1m55.354s + 1.105s 7 4. Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1m55.458s + 1.209s 5 5. Esteban Gutierrez Sauber-Ferrari 1m55.825s + 1.576s 9 6. Valtteri Bottas Williams-Renault 1m56.361s + 2.112s 7 7. Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m57.891s + 3.642s 4 8. Giedo van der Garde Caterham-Renault 1m58.859s + 4.610s 6 9. Max Chilton Marussia-Cosworth 1m59.719s + 5.470s 7 10. Jules Bianchi Marussia-Cosworth 1m59.876s + 5.627s 8 11. Felipe Massa Ferrari 2m06.534s + 12.285 6 12. Nico Rosberg Mercedes no time 3 13. Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes no time 4 14. Romain Grosjean Lotus-Renault no time 1 15. Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes no time 1 16. Adrian Sutil Force India-Mercedes no time 4 17. Fernando Alonso Ferrari no time 4 18. Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault no time 1 19. Sergio Perez McLaren-Mercedes no time 1 20. Charles Pic Caterham-Renault no time 3 21. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault no time 4 22. Kimi Raikkonen Lotus-Renault no time 0
Picture Copyright © Getty Images
The Canadian Grand Prix In Pictures
After a thoroughly entertaining Canadian Grand Prix weekend, eventually dominated by reigning World Champion Sebastian Vettel, it’s time to review the race weekend with a look back at some of the best images taken. These range from stunning action shots of the cars on track, to images of the drivers outside their cars or on the podium. Enjoy…
Picture(s) Copyright © McLaren F1 Team, Mercedes AMG Petronas, Lotus F1 Team, Sauber Motorsport AG, Force India F1 Team, Williams F1 Team, Caterham F1 Team, Marussia F1 Team & Pirelli
FIA Confirm Death Of Canadian Grand Prix Marshal
The FIA has issued a statement confirming the tragic death of a Canadian Grand Prix marshal, who was struck by a mobile crane after the race as Esteban Gutierrez’s Sauber was cleared. As the marshal assisted the crane carrying the Mexican’s stricken car, he tripped and was subsequently hit by the recovery vehicle.
Medical staff were immediately on the scene, and the marshal was initially sent to the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve’s medical centre before being airlifted to the nearby Sacre-Coeur hospital in Montreal for further treatment. Despite the medical staffs’ best efforts, the marshal tragically succumb to his injuries sustained at the circuit at 18:02 local time.
“The FIA is sad to announce the death of a Formula 1 Grand Prix du Canada circuit worker, at 6:02 pm.” Read an official statement from the FIA, “The worker, a member of the Automobile Club de l’Île Notre Dame, was the victim of an unfortunate accident that occurred at the end of this afternoon’s Formula 1 Grand Prix du Canada. The worker was helping to recover a car which had stopped during the race. The recovery vehicle had lifted the car to return it to the pits and while doing this the worker dropped his radio and attempted to pick it up. As he did this, he stumbled and was hit and run over by the recovery vehicle.
“The worker was transported via helicopter to Sacre-Coeur Hospital. Unfortunately, the worker succumbed to his injuries at the hospital. The FIA, l’Automobile Club de l’Île Notre-Dame and the Formula 1 Grand Prix du Canada want to communicate their deepest condolences to the family and friends of the victim. The identity of the worker cannot be revealed at this time.”
This is the first time a marshal has been killed at a Grand Prix event since way back in 2001, when a marshal was killed following Jacques Villeneuve and Ralf Schumacher’s horrific incident at the season-opening Grand Prix when a tyre flew through a gap in the fencing.
Picture Copyright © Williams F1 Team
Massa And Gutierrez Struck With Post-Qualifying Penalties
Felipe Massa and Esteban Gutierrez have been struck with post-qualifying grid penalties for the Spanish Grand Prix, after blocking discrepancies during qualifying for the race. This means Felipe Massa will instead start 9th for the race, whereas Esteban Gutierrez will start 19th after both were issued with three-place grid penalties.
During the all-important qualifying hour, traffic became a recurring issue up and down the pack, especially throughout the final sector. As is witnessed throughout the year, many drivers tend to slow right down prior to beginning their flying lap so as to build a large enough gap between themselves and the drivers ahead. Sometimes such a tactic fails to work effectively, with drivers hindering others behind them who are striving to complete their timed laps.
Esteban Gutierrez will instead start the race from 19th on the grid.
Esteban Gutierrez was issued his three-place grid penalty for clearly blocking Kimi Raikkonen, as the Finn negotiated the final complex of corners after setting the fastest times in both sectors one and two. Upon arriving at Turns 14 and 15, Kimi Raikkonen was frustratingly met with the slow moving Sauber of Esteban Gutierrez. After initially qualifying 16th, the Mexican rookie will instead start in 19th position alongside the Marussia of Jules Bianchi.
The reason behind Felipe Massa’s penalty was relatively the same, as the Brazilian driver impeded Mark Webber between Turns 11 and 12 during the latter stages of the qualifying hour. Initially the third row of the grid consisted of the Ferrari duo of Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa, however this penalty will see the latter start the race from 9th position alongside the Force India of Paul di Resta. The Brazilian driver was not entirely happy with the stewards decision, after Massa thought he had successfully allowed the Australian driver through.
“As for the Stewards’ decision relating to what happened with Webber in Q2, it was not my intention to get in his way and in all honesty, I can’t recall having affected his qualifying.” Explained Felipe Massa, “When I saw him in the mirrors, I thought I’d get through the corner before letting him by, which was the only course of action at such a narrow point. On top of that, he was on worn tyres at the time and I don’t think he was doing a quick lap.”
Prior to the qualifying hour, Felipe Massa had finished fastest during the final practice session. The Brazilian ace will now face a tough 66-lap Spanish Grand Prix, where he will now start towards the midfield where keeping a clean nose at the start could prove tricky.
Picture(s) Copyright © Getty Images
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