F1 2013: Season Review

Now that the dust has settled on another Formula One year, I’ve been thinking about this season: the highs and lows, shocks and surprises and I thought I’d get a little summary together to tie us over until the new season begins next year. Feel free to disagree with me and let me know why!

Kudos to the Champ

No matter whether you like him or hate him, Sebastian Vettel has done some remarkable things the last four years, as has the Red Bull team. We have been the witness of some dominating performances reminiscent of Michael Schumacher and Ferrari. People will complain, as always but there’s plenty going on after the winning position if you pay attention.

The records Vettal has broken, and at such an age, are incredible and he’s probably not done by a longshot. I’ll be interested to see how he copes with the lows if and when they come his way. We saw a darker, meaner side of him in the team orders fiasco early in the season. Is there more of this to come? Time will tell.

Stand out driver

There are a few names to mention here. Fernando Alonso for Ferrari has once again pushed more than most other drivers with an inferior car. Valtteri Bottas has proven he has some talent, but whether he can transform that into results is something else. Nico Hulkenberg has once again shown this season why he is so highly rated. Max Chilton set his own record of finishing every race in his rookie season.

However, I have to give it to Lotus driver Romain Grosjean. Compared to the driver he was last season, and despite a few hiccups this year, he has proven himself to be fully deserving of his place in F1 and with a team such as Lotus. We have not seen all the French driver can do and if Lotus can pull it together next year, he could be a title contender. Wouldn’t that be a great reward for him!

Stand out team

Of all the teams, Mercedes did better than expected, especially judging by their performances since the brand took the team in 2010. To have the pace they did was downright shocking to everyone on the grid – unfortunately they couldn’t hold it in the race due to high tyre wear. They solved it through the season (probably helped by the ‘illegal’ tyre test they did) and were often the closest challengers to the Red Bulls.

Best race

I enjoyed Melbourne, Australia, the most. I like the track, and being the first race of the season always means there are some unsure faces and some unpredictable results. Kimi Raikkonen won the first race after an unsurprising Red Bull front row. At first, it was a case of familiar faces at the front. It soon changed and the season would offer a little more spice but things soon settled down and things got boring in subsequent races, unfortunately,

Worst race

Silverstone was probably the worst race of the season, but on the other hand, it was the most interesting. It was the worst because of six tyre blowouts that could have, at any point, seriously injured the driver in the car and others around it. It was worse because we’d seen tyre failures like this before but nothing this severe. I said at the time I was surprised the race wasn’t stopped and I still hold to the belief. It was a ridiculous environment to be in. It did lead to a change in compounds for the next two races – did that play a part in Red Bull’s success in the second half of the season? Undoubtedly.

Biggest surprise

For me, the biggest shock was McLaren being so uncompetitive. It was ridiculous that one of the teams we’re used to seeing challenge for wins and championships couldn’t get a podium this year, especially after Jenson Button won in Brazil. Lewis Hamilton, for all his problems, definitely made the right choice that year. Whether it continues to pay off, is something we’ll have to see, as well as if McLaren can make it back to the top.

New rules and changes

One advantage to waiting a while before posting this review was these “new rules” being introduced. I’m a bit confused that they’d go for double points at the last race rule but not an increased weight limit to be fairer to drivers – I mean, really?! The fact that this rule would have made only three – yes, THREE – differences to the championship in about ten years makes it a stupid rule that won’t really do anything. I kind of understand why they did it, but one race is kind of pointless if someone wins with three or four races to go in the season. It seems like a cheap shot and not thought out at all, but with all the other changes, it will make for an interesting year.

Overall thoughts

Not the most dramatic or enthralling of seasons by a longshot, but it definitely had its moments. While some things will be carried over to the new season, the new rules and regulations mean that we are going back to square one for many teams and that should give us a much more interesting season to come as teams and drivers get to grips with what they have to work with. I’m very excited for 2014!

End of an Era in Brazil, 2013

The threat of rain kept drivers, engineers and audiences around the world waiting for an upset that Brazil can often throw into the mix. Unfortunately, it was only the threat we got. Sebastian Vettel got his record, and Mark Webber came away with a good result to end the season with another Red Bull one-two finish. Not only that, it is the end of Webber’s F1 career, Massa’s time at Ferrari and the era of the V8 engines. While there was more tension than usual in this race, it still wasn’t the most exciting of the year.

Tribute to a legend

Some will agree and others won’t, but Webber is, in my opinion, a true legend of the sport. His number of podiums and wins may not be as high as Vettel’s, and he may not have a world championship but compared to almost every driver on the grid today – and in the years that he has been racing in F1, there is no more honest and respectful driver out there. There are always bad days and incidents but his honesty on pretty much everything will be sorely missed. I’ll be keeping an eye on how he goes in endurance racing from next year and wishing him all the best!

We saw another rare chink in Vettel’s luck today. It wasn’t enough to keep him off the top step of the podium but a late call for a pit stop had him sitting there a bit too long – but didn’t affect Webber too much. On the first lap, there was the hope that Nico Rosberg could give Vettel more of a challenge but now, we’ll have to wait for next year for a serious challenger.

Racing incidents

The Lewis Hamilton & Valtteri Bottas incident was very curious. It must have been a tough decision for the stewards, but it came back quite quickly. Lewis was moving back from his original position but there was space on the other side – not much, but some – and it wasn’t like he was forcing the Williams driver off the track. Again, it was harsh but as Bottas ended up worse off, and Lewis was the one making the direction change, it had to be his responsibility in the end, I guess. I’m still not convinced though.

I felt very sorry for Felipe Massa. The decision to give him a drive-through penalty was harsh, and it did spoil what was turning out to be a great battle between himself and Hamilton. We’ve seen those battles in the past often end badly but Massa crossed the wrong lines on the track and that does incur a penalty. After the race, he commented that he wasn’t the only doing it, but the only one to get a penalty. Whether that is true, I don’t know but you can see how it would feel to him, on his final race at Ferrari. Hopefully he won’t dwell on it too much.

Summary

McLaren had a great weekend, considering the form they’ve had all year.  A fourth for Jenson Button is the best result of the year for them and his experience will be invaluable with their rookie driver coming through. Fernando Alsono will have to think about his future if Ferrari still can’t deliver a car. The Mercedes team have done well this year – better than anyone thought – and Romain Grosjean has really grown this year. Let’s not forget Max Chilton, who did finish EVERY race this year, in his first year in the sport. A great achievement, and this all makes next year much more interesting!

Results

1 – S. Vettel (Red Bull)

2 – M. Webber (Red Bull)

3 – F. Alonso (Ferrari)

4 – J. Button (McLaren)

5 – N. Rosberg (Mercedes)

6 – S. Perez (McLaren)

7 – F. Massa (Ferrari)

8 – N. Hulkenberg (Sauber)

9 – L. Hamilton (Mercedes)

10 – D. Ricciardo (Toro Rosso)

11 – P. Di Resta (Force India)

12 – E. Gutierrez (Sauber)

13 – A. Sutil (Force India)

14 – H. Kovalainnen (Lotus)

15 – J. E. Vergne (Toro Rosso)

16 – P. Maldonado (Williams)

17 – J. Binachi (Marussia)

18 – G. van der Garde (Caterham)

19 – M. Chilton (Marussia)

20 – C. Pic (Caterham) – DNF

21 – V. Bottas (Williams) – DNF

22 – R. Grosjean (Lotus) – DNF

A Predictable Result in Austin, 2013

I love the track at Austin; it looks like it will be exciting every time. Unfortunately, it didn’t live up this time, partly due to Sebastian Vettel’s continued domination, and partly due to the conservative tyre choices. Let’s face it, Pirelli cannot catch a break – they either pick too durable tyres or too weak tyres but the problem they face is the compounds are just wrong this year. This is something that really needs to change next year or they will continue to fail in their given target: create unpredictable races with more pit stops.

Grosjean’s form continues

I’ve said this a few times, but Romain Grosjean is getting better! Compared the incidents he had last year, the man racing now is completely different – I could almost be convinced it was his twin brother. Everything he’s doing is working, and if Lotus can keep up with Red Bull, Mercedes (and you could argue Ferrari and hopefully McLaren again next year), you’d have to say he has a chance at being in that championship hunt.

It’s a welcome back to the grid for Heikki Kovalainen as well. Not the best result in the race, but overall his weekend was good, and if he can keep it up next week, is there a chance he’ll actually get a race seat again? I hope so.

Mixed fortune for Williams

It’s obvious, now more than ever, that Pastor Maldonado and Williams are not on good terms. Signs have been there for a while but this weekend it came to boil when the drive publically said he thought the team might have altered his car. That’s crazy, right? Why would they do that when they NEED points? He has options, mostly due to his funding as I don’t think he’s a fantastic driver. Yes, he has a win, and I’ll give him that but compared to Sergio Perez, Esteban Gutierrez, Nico Hulkenberg and others, I don’t rate him.

Valterri Bottas, on the other hand, had a fantastic weekend and got a points finish for the team. It was a great drive and result from the rookie and proves he’s got talent. Whether he can turn that talent into something exceptional, we’ll have to wait and see.

Taking the good with the bad

The whole weekend was full of mixed fortunes for many teams other than Williams and Lotus. McLaren had a bit of a strange one with Jenson Button finishing just inside the points after a penalty and Perez in seventh – it’s ironic since he’s been let go. Ferrari as well, with Massa also outside the points compared to Alonso’s result, despite being injured. Mercedes got a decent result from Lewis Hamilton which cemented their place in the Constructors Championship ahead of the final race as well, but Nico Rosberg could only manage ninth.

Force India didn’t have a great one with a retirement for Adrian Sutil and Paul Di Resta missing out on points. It’s hard to see the Scot not only keeping his drive but even staying in the sport. It’s a shame, because he’s got talent (and I’m being patriotic) but as it stands his past comments and unlucky results and problems may well have killed his F1 career this year. Hopefully not, but I doubt he’ll be with Force India next year either way.

Summary

Not an amazing race but another record for Vettel. The final race could be a bit more interesting, especially if we get rain again, as can very possibly happen in Brazil. I can’t believe it’s the final race next week, but I’m looking forward to new rules and regulations, the confusion, trials and joys it will bring. Until next week!

Results

1 – S. Vettel (Red Bull)

2 – R. Grosjean (Lotus)

3 – M. Webber (Red Bull)

4 – L. Hamilton (Mercedes)

5 – F. Alonso (Ferrari)

6 – N. Hulkenberg (Sauber)

7 – S. Perez (McLaren)

8 – V. Bottas (Williams)

9 – N. Rosberg (Mercedes)

10 – J. Button (McLaren)

11 – D. Ricciardo (Toro Rosso)

12 – J. E. Vergne (Toro Rosso)

13 – F. Massa (Ferrari)

14 – E. Gutierrez (Sauber)

15 – H. Kovalainen (Lotus)

16 – P. Di Resta (Force India)

17 – P. Maldonado (Williams)

18 – J. Bianchi (Marussia)

19 – G. van der Garde (Caterham)

20 – C. Pic (Caterham)

21 – M. Chilton (Maurssia)

22 – A. Sutil (Force India) – DNF

Plenty of Action in Abu Dhabi, 2013

While the Abu Dhabi race has not always been an exciting one, we have seen before it is possible to overtake here, if a little difficult. Unlike other races here, there was plenty of action going on, but Sebastian Vettel was clear of it during the first lap as he recorded another win.

A weekend to forget

Kimi Raikkonen had the worst weekend of his season. After the outburst in India, he almost didn’t show up – and missed the media events on Thursday. He only just made it to the first session and the pace wasn’t there. After a decent qualifying, he was demoted to the back and in the race, retired on the first lap. Financial issues have also come to light again and Kimi threatened not to race for the last two races if it wasn’t fixed. Safe to say he won’t miss Lotus next season!

The Britons Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton didn’t have the best race either. Lewis got stuck in traffic and had no grip at points throughout the race, and had to settle for a points finish when, realistically, he should have been fighting for the podium. It’s not the first time he’s had problems in Abu Dhabi, but let’s hope it’s the last. Button suffered front wing damage at the start again and that ruined his race but Sergio Perez salvaged a couple of points for the McLaren team.

Ferrari’s performance returns?

This was a good event for Ferrari – and boy, did they need it! Their poor run of form recently has raised many questions about the team, he decision to bring back Raikkonen and on Fernando Alonso’s future. They had poor pace in the practise sessions but the differing conditions make those largely redundant. Qualifying brought an improvement but the race was where we saw what Alonso and Felipe Masssa are capable of in a poor car.

It’s a shame, because Massa was brought in first when he was running ahead of his teammate but given the structure of the Ferrari team, and the speed Alonso had afterwards, it’s not surprising. Where Massa will go next year has yet to be confirmed but I hope he’s around for a while yet.

Plenty of action

Paul Di Resta managed a decent result again to help counter his run of bad form and increase hope for his future in F1. While I definitely saw more of his teammate, Adrian Sutil, Di Resta got the better result with his one stop and gives him great momentum in the final two races.

Nico Hulkenberg was once again in the thick of it. It was another strong showing that will increase his chances of getting the Lotus seat for 2014. However, the drive through penalty ended his hopes for a strong finish. It had to happen – the release was not safe, proven by moving away from the tarmac with the McLaren just behind.

It was looking good for Romain Grosjean to get another podium, but this time, the one time he needed the one stop strategy to work, it didn’t. Still, fourth is a brilliant result and keeps my hopes alive that he can maybe scrape a win before the season ends.

Summary

There wasn’t much need to see or hear much about Vettel throughout the race after the first corner. It was a dominant race from him once again and shows why he already wrapped up the championship. Two races left this season and if he wins both he equals more records. It was a good weekend, more exciting than we’ve seen for a while!

Results

1 – S. Vettel (Red Bull)

2 – M. Webber (Red Bull)

3 – N. Rosberg (Mercedes)

4 – R. Grosjean (Lotus)

5 – F. Alonso (Ferrari)

6 – P. Di Resta (Force India)

7 – L. Hamilton (Mercedes)

8 – F. Massa (Ferrari)

9 – S. Perez (McLaren)

10 – A. Sutil (Force India)

11 – P. Maldonado (Williams)

12 – J. Button (McLaren)

13 – E. Gutierrez (Sauber)

14 – N. Hulkenberg (Sauber)

15 – V. Bottas (Williams)

16 – D. Ricciardo (Toro Rosso)

17 – J. E. Vergne (Toro Rosso)

18 – G. van der Garde (Caterham)

19 – C. Pic (Caterham)

20 – J. Bianchi (Marussia)

21 – M. Chilton (Marussia)

22 – K. Raikkonen (Lotus) – DNF

India sees Vettel take his Fourth Consecutive Championship in 2013

So, this weekend we have seen Sebastian Vettel take his fourth consecutive world championship! It’s a fantastic result, even if the race didn’t live up to expectations. It was certainly more interesting than the other races in India, and it was an example of the tyres being chosen correctly – still safe but with more uncertainty. It was promising to be exciting but in the end, Vettel’s dominance showed through it all. That’s four in a row for the man and the team. Will it be the same next year? I don’t mind it happening, as long as there’s less dominance!

Webber’s Woes

I really feel for Mark Webber – he had a chance of a solid result this weekend, most likely second place. I don’t think he could have held off Vettel this time around, even if he was on the better strategy – the new champion just seemed to get everything right and the traffic was never too bad for him this time.

The speed Vettel had through the entire race was staggering, and I don’t think Webber could have responded, but now we’ll never know. It’s a shame, and of course, the conspiracy theories will start flying soon but the team were obviously concerned since they told Vettel to take it easy. I was highly amused at Kimi Raikkonen getting the fastest lap on the last lap of the race, just to prove a point on his soft tyres.

Impressive drives

Romain Grosjean had a stellar race – from 17^th to 3^rd is a great result and continues the excellent form he’s had in recent races. Gone seem to be the accident prone driver and replaced with a man who has consistent speed and the desire to get the best result possible. It seems his driving style combined with the Lotus car really allows him to get the most out of his tyres, and I hope he can pick up a win before the season ends.

It was a good show from both Force India drivers to finish in the points, and nice to not have any complaints from them this weekend. You’ve got to give it to Sergio Perez as well, equalling McLaren’s best result of the season in 5^th (still doesn’t feel right to say, but hey). It’s a shame his teammate, Jenson Button, had such an unfortunate afternoon as the pace was there and it could have been 5^th and 6^th between them!

Another year and no title for Alonso

This has got to be getting to him now. In 3 out of the last 4 years, Alonso has been the closest, the runner up and the first loser to Vettel. How long will he stay at Ferrari if they keep this up? How long will they put up with his comments? With Raikkonen moving back to the team next year, will Alonso return to McLaren, or, just to stay in theme, how about Lotus, formerly Renaut? Interesting idea.

Summary

You’ve got to give it to Vettel, regardless of what you think of him as a driver. The team has come together for him perfectly. Will it last? Maybe, but the new rules will bring a lot of changes. One thing that did tickle me was the Raikkonen-Grosjean situation and the radio message to Raikkonen. It’s come to my attention that teams swear over the radio to prevent the messages being broadcast, but in this case, it was bleeped out and played. Lotus told Raikkonen to move over (but not so politely) and he responded in kind. It can be found on YouTube. Oh Kimi…

Results

1 – S. Vettel (Red Bull)

2 – N. Rosberg (Mercedes)

3 – R. Grosjean (Lotus)

4 – F. Massa (Ferrari)

5 – S. Perez (McLaren)

6 – L. Hamilton (Mercedes)

7 – K. Raikkonen (Lotus)

8 – P. Di Resta (Force India)

9 – A. Sutil (Force India)

10 – D. Ricciardo (Toro Rosso)

11 – F. Alonso (Ferrari)

12 – P. Maldonado (Williams)

13 – J. E. Vergne (Toro Rosso)

14 – J. Button (McLaren)

15 – E. Gutierrez (Sauber)

16 – V. Bottas (Williams)

17 – M. Chilton (Marussia)

18 – J. Bianchi (Marussia)

19 – N. Hulkenberg (Sauber) – DNF

20 – M. Webber (Red Bull) – DNF

21 – C. Pic (Caterham) – DNF

22 – G. van der Garde (Caterham) – DNF

Not Quite a Classic Race in Suzuka, 2013

I do love Suzuka, it’s one of my favourite races of the year and it rarely disappoints. Yet again, there was no disappointment this year but it has to be said, it wasn’t the most exciting race ever – a pattern that has been consistent throughout this season. We were teased with the possibility of a winner other than Sebastian Vettel, which was nice while it lasted.

The right, or wrong, strategy

A lot of talk has been about Red Bull’s strategy, and once again the conspiracy theorists have come out of hiding and said the team sabotaged Mark Webber’s race so that Vettel could win. That’s rubbish.

At the point of the first stops, it wasn’t clear if Vettel could beat both Webber and Romain Grosjean, and to get past the Lotus driver, Red Bull pitted early, forcing Grosjean to respond. Ultimately, this would allow Vettel to take the lead and win but he’s good with tyres and can manage his race well. It was excellent driving and if Webber had gotten past Grosjean quicker, it might have been different. Besides, Mark is leaving this year, if he really thought something was going on, don’t you think he’d say so? He’s normally very honest, anyway.

Stand out drivers

Throughout the last couple of races there have been some great drivers, most notably Grosjean and Nico Hulkenberg.

Like most people, I wasn’t sure Grosjean would be around this year, and quite rightly so. He was a danger to himself and other drivers and that carried on, albeit to a lesser degree, this year. The latter half of the season has seen someone completely new arrive and it couldn’t have happened at a better time, as he can prove himself to be a lead driver.

Hulkenberg has had flashes of brilliance before, but the last two races have shown a step up for Sauber and himself. If this continues for the rest of the season, it’s hard to imagine him not finding a better drive – although I don’t see why he’d move back to Force India at this stage, as some believe.

The Williams fall out

The last lap incident with Pastor Maldonado and Valtteri Bottas was a very interesting one. Maldonado reminds me a lot of Puan Pablo Montoya, quick racing driver but ruthless in his driving style. This works well but there should still be a level of respect between drivers – especially teammates.

How the stewards viewed it as a racing incident is beyond me, but they do have more information and views than me, so it’s hard to argue. From every view I saw, there was nowhere else for Bottas to go, and was essentially run off the road. If that had been Monaco, it would have been nasty – and let’s not forget, we’ve seen Maldonado do this before. Like a lot of rumours, I don’t believe he’ll be at the Williams team next year.

The driver market

This leaves a few questions about where some drivers will be next year. Felipe Massa, Hulkenberg, Paul Di Resta, Maldonado and even Fernando Alonso are all rumoured to want to, and potentially are, moving. There’s even talk about Rubens Barrichello returning – which would be fantastic but not very likely.

I hope Hulkenberg gets a seat at a top team, like Lotus. He’s done wonders in a car that isn’t up to scratch and would do very well, I think. He’s proven it before and will do so again. I’d like Di Resta to get a better drive, as I think he has a lot of talent but he needs to stop complaining about the team every time something goes wrong. It’s not good for morale and won’t make him an attractive prospect. As for Alonso going to McLaren, I can see it, but not until next year so he can see if they improve.

Summary

Not a bad race overall, with some interesting talking points but it does seem Vettel will get his fourth title next time out in India. Hats off to him, he does deserve it but as a fan, I want more variety. Well done to Max Chilton for being the only driver so far to finish every race this season, as it was announced at the weekend!

Results

1 – S. Vettel (Red Bull)

2 – M. Webber (Red Bull)

3 – R. Grosjean (Lotus)

4 – F. Alonso (Ferrari)

5 – K. Raikonnen (Lotus)

6 – N. Hulkenberg (Sauber)

7 – E. Gutierrez (Sauber)

8 – N. Rosberg (Mercedes)

9 – J. Button (McLaren)

10 – F. Massa (Ferrari)

11 – P. Di Resta (Force India)

12 – J. E. Vergne (Toro Rosso)

13 – D. Ricciardo (Toro Rosso)

14 – A. Sutil (Force India)

15 – S. Perez (McLaren)

16 – P. Maldonado (Williams)

17 – V. Bottas (Williams)

18 – C. Pic (Caterham)

19 – M. Chilton (Marussia)

20 – L. Hamilton (Mercedes) – DNF

21 – G. van der Garde (Caterham) – DNF

22 – J. Bianchi (Marussia) – DNF

Plenty Going on in Korea, 2013

Okay, so it’s taken me a bit longer than usual to get Korea’s post done – sorry! New job distracted. It’s not a great excuse, but it’s all I’ve got, and it does allow me to mention some things which have come to light since the last race – and just in time for Suzuka! I love Suzuka, it’s up there as one of my favourites. Hopefully, we’ll get some close and exciting racing.

A step up for Sauber

Since the tyre changes earlier this season, Sauber have been pulling back up the ranks. A lot of that is down to Nico Hulkenberg, who still seems to miss out on the bigger drives unfortunately. It was a stellar result for him, and once again proved what he can do.

That being said, it has emerged this week he is a serious contender for the Lotus seat, and I really hope he gets it. He’d be a brilliant replacement for Kimi Raikkonen, and if you put him with Romain Grosjean, you’re going to have an exciting line-up! 

The turning point

Two safety cars in Korea, and both changed the race. What was probably going to be a three stop strategy for most teams turned into two! It was an interesting turn of events and made for some exciting racing in the final laps.

I feel a bit sorry for Grosjean, with a few more laps, he might have passed Raikkonen. I’m a fan of the Finn, and he took his chance and it worked, but Grosjean was trying so hard and that extra step would have done him wonders.

Even more tyre concerns?

Back at it again, eh? Pirelli have had a bit of a nightmare this season but I do feel for them. They are restricted in what they can do testing wise, and that needs to change if we really want to get the right tyres for the sport. Some people disagree the current style works or is good, but it’s the way it is. So, let’s give them the resources and time to get it right – surely that’s the right idea?

Next year will be even more interesting, and hopefully they’ll get it right but I have little doubt of this, as testing is limited and no one knows what’s going to happen.

Sombre news

I’d normally talk about Vettel’s chances in Japan, but I think it’s important to mention two things that have happened this last week in the world of motorsport.

Last week’s IndyCar race saw a huge crash involving Dario Franchitti in Texas. There are clips online and it is a shocking incident to see and reminded me of the accident involving Dan Wheldon last year in Las Vegas. Thankfully, Frnachitti survived, and while he suffered some severe injuries, he seems to be stable. I’m hoping for a speedy recovery.

My next part isn’t so good. This morning, Maria De Villota was found dead. The news emerged towards the end of the second practise second in Suzuka and this is a devastating announcement. After her life threatening crash last year where she lost her right eye, it had seemed De Villota was recovering. Tributes have been coming in from all corners in a unifying sight, and I’d like to add my own to them. A real role model and big part of F1 and the motorsport world, my thoughts also go out to her friends and family.

Summary

It was an interesting race, livened up to the end. This week has been a mixed one – excitement about Suzuka and sadness about the accident and loss. I’m hoping next week brings better news.

Results

1 – S. Vettel (Red Bull)

2 – K. Raikkonen (Lotus)

3 – R. Grosjean (Lotus)

4 – N. Hulkenberg (Sauber)

5 – L. Hamilton (Mercedes)

6 – F. Alonso (Ferrari)

7 – N. Rosberg (Mercedes)

8 – J. Button (McLaren)

9 – F. Massa (Ferrari)

10 – S. Perez (McLaren)

11 – E. Gutierrez (Sauber)

12 – V. Bottas (Williams)

13 – P. Maldonado (Williams)

14 – C. Pic (Caterham)

15 – G. van der Garde (Caterham)

16 – J. Bianchi (Marussia)

17 – M. Chilton (Marussia)

18 – J. E. Vergne (Toro Rosso) – DNF

19 – D. Ricciardo (Toro Rosso) – DNF

20 – A. Sutil (Force India) – DNF

21 – M. Webber (Red Bull) – DNF

22 – P. Di Resta (Force India) – DNF

The Glamour of Singapore, 2013

A street circuit where the race takes place at night? It’s got to be Singapore and it is a spectacle. It’s a challenging circuit, and one of the longest ‘natural’ races at just short of the two hour limit. Every driver is drenched in sweat afterwards but you can tell how much they love it. Sebastian Vettel was in his element again but by no means was it an easy win this year.

The range of strategies in play

We saw varying strategies in play, which gave us a few surprises. Jenson Button took a risk with a massive stint on his tyres in which he almost got a nice reward. Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso both made a long stint work and end on the podium, but McLaren still aren’t at that level yet.

Romain Grosjean and Mark Webber both had problems with the car this time around, a massive shame as both were looking at possible podiums at one point. What this would have meant for the entire race had they both lasted, we’ll never know. Webber’s grid penalty for the next race will also not make things any better. 

The safety car

This was the turning point of the race. It was at an awkward time in the race for the teams as they had to decide how to alter their strategies and predict what other teams would do. This proved to be essential in the final result, as I never would have predicted that podium this time around from the starting positions we had. If the safety car had been 5-10 laps later, it would have been a totally different game.

The unfortunate incidents

Daniel Ricciardo’s accident came after he signed his deal at Red Bull – thankfully – but it had a massive impact on the race, resulting in changing strategies that made for an interesting watch. This race was a lot more exciting than recent events, which the championship needed at this stage.

Paul Di Resta’s run of bad luck continued again – he needs to be careful he doesn’t inherit Webber’s misfortune – and at the worst possible time. With seats available in the driver market, he needs good results to get a better driver and show what he can do. The only positive was his progress until his retirement, he made his way through the field and initial signs were promising.

Good show by Mercedes

It finally looks like the Mercedes team have gotten over their problems earlier in the year but unfortunately haven’t been able to keep up with Red Bull. Then again, who has? There was some good hard racing between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg and it was good to see. I was hoping for a few more daring attempts but I’m not disappointed.

We saw a more upbeat Hamilton this time around, which was good. I do feel for Rosberg, the safety car didn’t help him at all – he might not have finished any higher but it would have been interesting to see – and after his fantastic start where he almost took the lead, I’d have loved to see that battle continue.

Summary

It wasn’t a bad race. It was a result for Vettel, who extended his lead to 60 points. Unless he has at least two retirements or finishes outside of the points twice, it’s hard to see him not taking his fourth world championship. Once again, Alonso showed his form by finishing second as did Raikkonen, even with a bad back and injections, for the final podium slot. The Mercedes team will be raring to go at the next race.

Results

1 – S. Vettel (Red Bull)

2 – F. Alonso (Ferrari)

3 – K. Raikkonen (Lotus)

4 – N. Rosberg (Mercedes)

5 – L. Hamilton (Mercedes)

6 – F. Massa (Ferrari)

7 – J. Button (McLaren)

8 – S. Perez (McLaren)

9 – N. Hulkenberg (Sauber)

10 – A. Sutil (Force India)

11 – P. Maldonado (Williams)

12 – E. Gutierrez (Sauber)

13 – V. Bottas (Williams)

14 – J. E. Vergne (Toro Rosso)

15 – G. van der Garde (Caterham)

16 – M. Chilton (Marussia)

17 – J. Bianchi (Marussia)

18 – C. Pic (Caterham)

19 – M. Webber (Red Bull) – DNF

20 – P. Di Resta (Force India) – DNF

21 – R. Grosjean (Lotus) – DNF

22 – D. Ricciardo (Toro Rosso) – DNF 

Almost a Standard Day in Monza, 2013

Monza was interesting for a lot of reasons, but I was definitely hoping for some rain – just to mix things up a little! Without the rain, I figured Sebastian Vettel was going to race off and win. He did. There wasn’t as much distance as normal, but in the dry conditions, he was never really troubled. A few gearbox worries and a lockup on the first corner, but nothing he couldn’t handle. It was a good race from him.

The end of Webber’s European road

Well, it’s the end of Mark Webber’s European adventures as a Formula 1 driver, but he will still be racing in Europe in the future (although this detracts from my point). Not only did the Red Bull driver have a decent start this time, it was a solid race and he got on the podium, which was a fitting way to end this chapter of his life. I’m hoping he gets to the top step at least once this year, maybe on the very last race – that would be a really fitting end for him!

More misery for Di Resta

Paul Di Resta is missing something at the moment – it might be luck. He’s had a run of bad weekends and when something goes wrong, the rest of it goes wrong for him too. He’s got a brave face on and doing what he can but this is the time to really step up, mentally, and show everyone how good he is. The car isn’t half bad this year and some strong results to the end of the season could help him next year. The results do need to come his way for that to happen.

Trouble at Ferrari?

A lot has been said about the relationship between Fernando Alonso and Ferrari recently – and it’s hard to interpret what’s really going on. There’s plenty of tension, Alonso does not have the care he wants, but I can’t help feeling something is missing this year. Last year was one of the best seasons I’ve seen from him, or any F1 driver in a long time and that has vanished. Instead of supporting the team, he is making sly comments and statements, trying to get a reaction. I’m not a fan of that. If you have something to say, say it – either to the public or privately to the team. Get rid of the bad air and work past it.

I also didn’t see Kimi Raikkonen going to Ferrari this year. I figured it more likely than him going to Red Bull, but I thought it would cause the same problems. My guess would've been Nico Hulkenberg, especially after his outstanding performance this weekend. Whether it will work out is another question, and we'll see in time.

Summary

Hulkenberg stood out to me this around. It was another flash of the brilliance he is capable of – give the man a decent car and he’ll put it near the front, I’m sure. Force India and Di Resta need to dust themselves off and get back on it for the last races. As for McLaren, they’re still a long way off unfortunately. Can anyone stop Vettel?

Results

1 – S. Vettel (Red Bull)

2 – F. Alonso (Ferrari)

3 – M. Webber (Red Bull)

4 – F. Massa (Ferrari)

5 – N. Hulkenberg (Sauber)

6 – N. Rosberg (Mercedes)

7 – D. Ricciardo (Toro Rosso)

8 – R. Grosjean (Lotus)

9 – L. Hamilton (Mercedes)

10 – J. Button (McLaren)

11 – K. Raikkonen (Lotus)

12 – S. Perez (McLaren)

13 – E. Gutierrez (Sauber)

14 – P. Maldonado (Williams)

15 – V. Bottas (Williams)

16 – C. Pic (Caterham)

17 – G. van der Garde (Caterham)

18 – J. Bianchi (Marussia)

19 – M. Chilton (Marussia)

20 – A. Sutil (Force India) – DNF

21 – J. E. Vergne (Toro Rosso) – DNF

22 – P. Di Resta (Force India) – DNF

The Champ Shows What He’s made of in Belgium, 2013

Plenty of people – myself included – thought that when F1 returned from its summer break, we’d see Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes continue where they left off in Hungary. Although the practise sessions were of mixed conditions, there was a feeling that Hamilton was not showing his true speed. Qualifying almost seemed to prove that and the race was going to be easy, right? Wrong.

Vettel takes control

Although not as obvious as his 2011 campaign, when Sebastian Vettel gets the lead early on, he can still control the race. It’s been one of the key strategies from him and the Red Bull team and the race at Spa shows it still works well. How much the mixed conditions impacted his qualifying, and whether the Mercedes have really overcome all of their problems, are two key factors that will determine how the rest of Red Bull’s title challenges go. After this result, it brings things back into perspective about who has the momentum over the next few races.

McLaren’s direction

McLaren had a better weekend than they have had for a while, and a botched strategy cost Jenson Button a potential podium – which would have been a massive boost to the team. They have switched their focus to next year’s car but since they began this year with a car that would have some impact to next year, I’m left wondering how wise that move is. Time will tell, but it looks unlikely that a win is on the cards for Button or his younger teammate, Sergio Perez.

Misery for Di Resta

I really feel for Paul Di Resta this weekend. He was having a pretty stable race before Pastor Maldonado wrecked his car. We’re very quick to judge Romain Grosjean for accidents but Maldonado has had plenty of his own since he entered F1 and I think his penalty was light – but what other penalty was there to give?

The Force India team has slipped back a bit – probably because McLaren are slowly moving back towards where they would normally be – but it was a decent result for Adrian Sutil with a few more points in the bag.

Stepping up

Qualifying gave us all a bit of a surprise this weekend – largely due to the weather – but also with some excellent strategy calls. Caterham and Marussia surprised everyone by getting it right and making it into Q2 – with the Toro Rosso cars missing out. It was not to be in the race but at least they are making progress – and in the future they can be mixing it with the rest on a more regular basis.

Despite their poor starts, Daniel Ricciardo and Jean-Eric Vergne made it back up the field, with the former grabbing a point. The poor starting position wasn’t good but if the rumours are true and Ricciardo has signed a contract for Red Bull, it’ll be one less thing on his mind!

Summary

This was definitely not the most exciting race at Spa, which is a massive shame. It’s one of my favourite tracks and produces some of the most exciting races (and I would love to go there one day!). The weather might have mixed things up a bit more but I think Vettel had this one in the bag from the moment the lights went out. Two weeks until Monza and we get a change in the type of track.

Results

1 – S. Vettel (Red Bull)

2 – F. Alonso (Ferrari)

3 – Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)

4 – N. Rosberg (Mercedes)

5 – M. Webber (Red Bull)

6 – J. Button (McLaren)

7 – F. Massa (Ferrari)

8 – R. Grosjean (Lotus)

9 – A. Sutil (Force India)

10 – Daniel Ricciardo (Toro Rosso)

11 – S. Perez (McLaren)

12 – J. E. Vergne (Toro Rosso)

13 – Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber)

14 – E. Gutierrez (Sauber)

15 – V. Bottas (Williams)

16 – G. van der Garde (Caterham)

17 – P. Maldonado (Williams)

18 – J. Bianchi (Marussia)

19 – M. Chilton (Marussia)

20 – P. Di Resta (Force India) – DNF

21 – K. Raikkonen (Lotus) – DNF

22 – C. Pic (Caterham) – DNF

F1 2013: The Story So Far

It’s been an interesting season this year, with plenty happening both on and off the track. McLaren are suffering horribly but with small improvements before the break, Mercedes have had mixed form but seem to be pulling things together, Ferrari are going backwards, Lotus not going anywhere and Red Bull still on top at this stage – but for how long?

Tyres

This year, a lot of the headlines, rumours and races have been dominated by the tyres. This has been true of every year Pirelli has been in the sport but never to such a negative degree. Prime examples of this are the blowouts in Silverstone and other races and the ‘secret test’ by Mercedes and Pirelli after Barcelona.

We have seen Pirelli go to extremes this year and it hasn’t worked, unfortunately. The problem is, using tyre compounds from previous years means teams already have data on them and a lot of the unpredictability the supplier is supposed to be bringing to each race won’t be there. It’s certainly an issue but it would be nice for racers to push flat out again and show what they can do. There have always been limitations of some sort and those who make the most of them end on top.

The drive everyone wants?

Mark Webber’s drive is probably one of the most desired seats in the sport right now – at least on one hand. Daniel Ricciardo, Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso have all been named as potentials. I said recently that I didn’t think Raikkonen would go, and I still maintain that. Yes, it’s a good drive but he’s savvy enough to know that Sebastian Vettel will always be number one in the team, and with some of the stunts he’s pulled off, it wouldn’t be good – and Raikkonen wouldn’t be as nice as Webber.

The other side is this: Why would an experience driver go there with that knowledge? For someone in Ricciardo’s position it’s a no brainer – he gets a better car and that may help him down the line. Alonso and Raikkonen don’t need that; they need to rally their current teams around them to get the best results, in my opinion.

Looking to next year

New rules for next year should shake things up a bit (hopefully for the better as far as McLaren are concerned). It’s got that air of excitement about it that has been missing this year. I’m a firm believer that motorsport, especially at the top level like F1, should be pushing boundaries and passing technology down to road cars. That seems to have diminished recently, and hopefully this will encourage a return of that practice.

Stand out driver?

It’s hard to pick out a stand out driver so far – there’s been a few. I think it has to be Lewis Hamilton. He’s made the move to Mercedes work and its early days. They’ve done far better than he or anyone else thought – especially with their form from the end of 2012. If they really have got over their tyre wear issues, they’ll be a serious threat over the reason of the season.

Worth a mention

Saying that, we’ve had some impressive performances this year. Both Toro Rosso drivers have upped their game this year and produced fantastic results, with Ricciardo having a shot at the Red Bull seat for next year. Paul Di Resta has done very well this year, proving that he is going to be a top driver should he get the car under him, and his teammate, Adrian Sutil, has done a great job on his Formula One return.

Summary

It’s not been the greatest year, which is a shame. Politics and drama have come to the forefront again and are overshadowing the racing going on – and there is some great racing happening when we are allowed to focus on it. I get the feeling the whole sport is waiting for the rule changes next year to bring some new life to Formula One. I really hope so.

Is there a New Dominant Force in F1? – Hungary, 2013

I’ve used the word dominant a few times this year. Each time, I think you can’t get any more dominant than this. Any takers on how many more times I’ll use that phrase this year? IT’s going to be up to nine more times. I’m normally very critical of the Hungaroring – I find the racing flat and boring for the most part – but this year, a year full of back-to-front perspectives, I am pleasantly surprised.

The Lewis Hamilton I remember

Don’t get me wrong here, since moving to Mercedes, Hamilton has been doing very well. I, like many others, was very critical of his move at the end of last year but he’s made it work. He’s had some great races in a car that does have problems, but this was a glimpse of the 2008 champ on form.

Mercedes look in good form for the rest of the season. Their tyre problems seem to have vanished since their Barcelona test and the introduction of the new tyres this weekend. What remains to be seen is how long they’re gone for. While it was exceptionally hot on track, compared to Silverstone – and Spa and Suzuka coming up – Hungary is a slower track and is easier for the tyres. Time will tell how series a challenge Hamilton, Nico Rosberg and Mercedes can mount.

The Red Bull seat everyone wants?

Well, maybe not everyone. We don’t know who the candidates for this seat are – except Daniel Ricciardo, who has pulled some great results this year and impressed in his test run at Silverstone earlier this month. There’s been speculation over Kimi Raikkonen (which I REALLY doubt will happen) and now Alonso (which I still doubt, but for some reason, not as much as Kimi – despite Sebastien Vettel’s preference of Raikkonen). Alonso has been spoken to about his comments after Sunday’s race but it remains to be seen exactly how this situation will unfold, or who will emerge in the seat in the end. My money is still on Ricciardo.

Grosjean…Oh, Grosjean

Romain Grosjean is a wildcard. He has speed but at times, no or little control. He’s had some brilliant drives in his F1 return, but some horrendous – and quite honestly, stupid – incidents too. It’s easy for me to sit here and criticize since I’m not in the car but considering he’s doing this so often and others are not…something’s got to give, right?

Hungary was a mixed race for the Lotus driver. He had a stellar drive, really, and could have been challenging right at the front but for two key incidents. His pass on Felipe Massa where all four wheels were off the track was harsh. Very harsh, but the rules are rules. There are opinions that we had a great overtake (which we did) and he should have gotten away with it – but I don’t agree. The rules are the rules, if you let one person break them, then why not someone else. Who gets the “unfair” treatment then? It was a good attempt, fantastic, even, but it was just that little bit too wide. I want to see more of that from everyone, you have to take risks and he did. This time, it didn’t work.

His pass on Jenson Button reminded me of Sergio Perez in Monaco, a blocking pass. Jenson was not going to move over, that was clear. Grosjean was also not going to make the chicane at that stage, which was also clear. The penalty there was deserved, and both drivers were lucky nothing to serious happened to their cars. Close, but very well held together despite the contact.

Summary

I could go on a lot longer, but in the end, Hamilton got the win you could say he should have had at Silverstone. It’s not as sweet for the home fans but no one will deny he earned the win and it has been a while coming this year. Hopefully, this will be a fresh challenge on that second title. It’s a difficult task but it’s doable. You’ve got to say there are now four contenders who can take it, but Vettel is still in the driving seat.

Results

1 – L. Hamilton (Mercedes)

2 – K. Raikkonen (Lotus)

3 – S. Vettel (Red Bull)

4 – M. Webber (Red Bull)

5 – F. Alonso (Ferrari)

6 – R. Grosjean (Lotus)

7 – J. Button (McLaren)

8 – F. Massa (Ferrari)

9 – S. Perez (McLaren)

10 – P. Maldonado (Williams)

11 – N. Hulkenberg (Sauber)

12 – J. E. Vergne (Toro Rosso)

13 – D. Ricciardo (Toro Rosso)

14 – G. van der Garde (Caterham)

15 – C. Pic (Caterham)

16 – J. Bianchi (Marussia)

17 – M. Chilton (Marussia)

18 – P. Di Resta (Force India) – DNF

19 – N. Rosberg (Mercedes) – DNF

20 – V. Bottas (Williams) – DNF

21 – E. Gutierrez (Sauber) – DNF

22 – A. Sutil (Force India) – DNF

It was a Predictable Grand Prix Weekend in Germany, 2013

I’ve seen some reports and comments calling the German race a thrilling and eventful race, but I’m not inclined to agree. There were some moments of good racing, some good and bad strategy, but other than the first few laps, and the last ten, it was nothing to write home about – except Jules Bianchi’s car insisting on going racing without a driver! That was quite amusing – but very dangerous.

Red Bull back on top? 

What we saw this time around was almost a return to Vettel’s dominant championship win. There some reasonably exciting moments but it by no means a thriller that some reports called it. Having passed Lewis Hamilton on the first lap, it was almost plain sailing for the Red Bull driver, but by a much smaller margin than we’ve seen previously, granted. This could be a pattern for the rest of the season but I hope not – I want to see a fight on the track!

Mercedes and Ferrari falling back

Hamilton and Alonso have both come out and said improvements need to happen, and quickly. Hamilton knew what he was getting into, but Alonso will remember the time since his last championship, and what to do if Ferrari can’t deliver. The future of his teammate, Felipe Massa, is under continued scrutiny. His drives are sometimes brilliant but there is too much inconsistency to really make him reliable to any championship effort.

McLaren’s strong weekend 

Finally! Finally, finally, finally I have something positive to say about McLaren! I am a fan of the team from when I was younger, and like many people, it’s not been fun seeing them so far back. They had a good weekend this time around, compared to the rest of the year. It’s not their best result but with both cars in the points and improved performances, it’s a good step forward that will help for next year.

The Lotus – Red Bull – Kimi triangle 

Webber’s replacement is also going to be a hot topic for the rest of the year. Kimi Raikkonen and Daniel Ricciardo are favourites for the seat and I have a feeling the latter will get it. He has really grown recently and is improving all the time, but I just don’t think Raikkonen will do it.

Yes, he wants to win, and have the best car, but he has seen how Vettel treats teammates and Raikkonen wouldn’t settle for that. He wouldn’t have the full support for a future championship assault, no matter what Red Bull say. They have a number one and two driver, they just won’t admit it. If Lotus can show they have what it takes, they have a good chance of keeping him, but there aren’t many other options right now.

Safety is still the most important thing

A cameraman was hit by Webber’s escaping tyre. It’s more safety concerns, and still with tyres, but of a different nature. It was unfortunate but it could have happened to anyone around him and the most important thing is he’s okay! How this affects broadcasting shots and journalists in the long-term remains to be seen but there is an immediate ban on the media in the pit lane for the next race.

Summary

You’ve got to give it to Vettel, the guy is a great driver and his achievements just keep adding up. He’s now won his home grand prix and is still leading the championship. It wasn’t a great showing from his rivals this time out and whether you blame tyres or anything else, it is easy to see that Vettel, and Red Bull, have the strongest grip on the 2013 WDC and WCC. We’re almost halfway there but there’s plenty more to come.

Results 

1 – S. Vettel (Red Bull)

2 – K. Raikkonen (Lotus)

3 – R. Grosjean (Lotus)

4 – F. Alonso (Ferrari)

5 – L. Hamilton (Mercedes)

6 – J. Button (McLaren)

7 – M. Webber (Red Bull)

8 – S. Perez (McLaren)

9 – N. Rosberg (Mercedes)

10 – N. Hulkenberg (Sauber)

11 – P. Di Resta (Force India)

12 – D. Ricciardo (Toro Rosso)

13 – A. Sutil (Force India)

14 – E. Gutierrez (Sauber)

15 – P. Maldonado (Williams)

16 – V. Bottas (Williams)

17 – C. Pic (Caterham)

18 – G. van der Garde (Caterham)

19 – M. Chilton (Marussia)

20 – J. E. Vergne (Toro Rosso) – DNF

21 – J. Bianchi (Marussia) – DNF

22 – F. Massa (Ferrari) – DNF

Carnage at Silverstone, 2013

Coming in to the race weekend at Silverstone – one of my favourites, and not just because I live in the UK – I expected some tension, some good racing and a fair share of drama both on and off the track. I did not expect the mass blow outs that occurred in the race, or the race winner, Nico Rosberg, to take the top step on the podium,

Mercedes Obvious Step Forward 

Regardless of the outcome of the testing investigation, it is obvious to say that Mercedes have made a step forward. Whether it is beceause of the test or general development started to work out for them, we will probably never know. In the end, they seem to have made a step forward. I don’t want to take anything from Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton – and it would have been nice to have a British winner this year – but if they can keep up this form throughout the rest of the year, they will come into this championship later on.

It was unfortunate for Hamilton as he was doing great before his tyre blew out but it was an impressive drive back up to fourth and he has to take some comfort in that. Rosberg took the win and has been showing his stuff but if he can be consistent throughout the rest of the season, he will really establish himself in the field.

Webber’s Announcement

One of the biggest stories for me leading into Silverstone was Mark Webber’s decision to leave Formula One at the end of the season. While it’s not completely unexpected, he is an excellent driver and has one of the most trusted voices of the sport. He is honest and very blunt, making his point without bowing to political pressures and he will be sorely missed. I’ll be interested in his progress in endurance racing and I’m sure everyone wishes him well!

Getting the Strategy Right

Towards the end of the race, during the safety car period, there was a decision to make by the teams. Pit and put fresh tyres on for a last dash or stay out and try to hold as high a position as possible. With the way the tyres have been working (for a couple of years now) the decision should have been easy – but as ever, it wasn’t. Lotus driver Kimi Raikkonen was probably the biggest name to lose out on this call, although from the radio message it didn’t seem to be his choice. In the end, that won’t make him feel better and there were other cars in top positions that lost out to Webber and Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso because they did put new tyres on and fought their way up past the positions they had been in to reach the podium. Some teams will really need to think about their strategy calls going forward.

The Stand Out Racers

I think it’s important to mention that Daniel Ricciardo and Adrian Sutil both had very strong races, and had they opted for new tyres at the end, quite possibly could have ended up with podium finishes. Ricciardo is probably the favourite to succeed Webber at Red Bull next year (I don’t buy Raikkonen moving over at the moment) and Sutil and Force India have been doing a fantastic job all season. I felt bad for Paul Di Resta who got a good result from the back of the grid but you have to wonder where he might have ended had he started where he qualified. Nevertheless, excellent effort on all three accounts.

Tyres, Tyres and More Tyres

Every time this year, I’ve dedicated a section to tyres. I was hoping after the testing investigation that would stop – but no! Tyre blowouts. Some seriously dangerous problems with the Pirelli tyres had me wondering if the race would be red flagged, and it was usually only the left rear. If you watched the BBC coverage, they pointed out the kerbs could be a factor in this with sharp edges cutting into the tyres, but the tyres should be able to withstand that, surely? We’ve had racing like this for a while and no mass problems so what happened? Nothing definite has come to light but with new structures this weekend and 2012 specs afterwards, more changes are coming to the F1 teams this month. It is going to be interesting to see how it all fits together.

Summary

It was a good race, very interesting and lots happening – especially in the opening and closing stages. Unfortunately, the tyre issues overshadowed a lot of the middle portion of the race but we had some good racing from the Mercedes team and a fantastic effort from Webber at his final British F1 Grand Prix. Ferrari have some head scratching to do to find out why they seem to be slipping backwards so the pressure is on. Bring on Germany!

Results

1 – N. Rosberg (Mercedes)

2 – M. Webber (Red Bull)

3 – F. Alonso (Ferrari)

4 – L. Hamilton (Mercedes)

5 – K. Raikkonen (Lotus)

6 – F. Massa (Ferrari)

7 – A. Sutil (Force India)

8 – D. Ricciardo (Toro Rosso)

9 – P. Di Resta (Force India)

10 – N. Hulkenberg (Sauber)

11 – P. Maldonado (Williams)

12 – V. Bottas (Williams)

13 – J. Button (McLaren)

14 – E. Gutierrez (Sauber)

15 – C. Pic (Caterham)

16 – J. Bianchi (Maurssia)

17 – M. Chilton (Marussia)

18 – G. van der Garde (Caterham)

19 – R. Grosjean (Lotus) – DNF

20 – S. Perez (McLaren) – DNF

21 – S. Vettel (Red Bull) – DNF

22 – J. E. Vergne (Toro Rosso) – DNF

A straightforward Race in Canada, 2013

I have to admit, it wasn’t the most exciting race of the year. In all honesty, even with all this tyre controversy that keeps popping up, it’s not been as exciting overall as some previous years. Even Sebastian Vettel’s title winning season in 2011 was more exciting at times than what I’m seeing. It’s a shame, as after the mixed conditions of practise and qualifying, I was expecting a bit more this time around. Although, he can now add Montreal to his collection of wins for the first time.

Vettel Strikes Back

As I mentioned before, this was a performance befitting Vettel’s 2011 season. He controlled the race perfectly from the outset. There was only a couple of laps he wasn’t in front and that is impressive, considering the complaints Red bull have been lobbying all season so far about tyres. To add to the dominance, Mark Webber, Vettel’s teammate took the fastest lap with a damaged front wing.

It has to be said, Vettel would have had it if he hadn’t been told to calm down. We know that the German likes his stats and at the end he was going purple but was told over the radio to let it go. This time, he listened to the team.

Back to ‘Real Racing’

So, there were much fewer complaints overall about the tyres this race. There were fewer pit stops and much less in the way of close racing. We still had some, Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso’s battle being one example, but there was a lot more procession to this race than others so far – with the exception of Monaco. Is this the type of racing we want every time? For me, I’d like a bit more mixing up of the field and more battles but the drivers were flat out racing this time and that’s good for them too.

Force India Continue Good Form

My stand out team of the season so far has to be Force India. They have done a great job so far, achieving some good results – even on top of some poor decisions and qualifying results. I was surprised at the decision to bring back Adrian Sutil but he has done remarkably well – where was this Sutil last time? – And Paul Di Resta is going from strength to strength. I wouldn’t put it past a top team to pick this driver very soon. At 26 years old, he still has plenty more to show and I can see a world champion in him (Honest, I’m not biased about him being a Scot…much!).

At the same time, Toro Rosso are also doing well! Hopefully in another year or two, these teams will close the gap even further to the big four and be competing for the race wins!

The Mercedes Hearing

We have a date for this hearing – 20^th June. We can hope to have a result before the following weekend for the British grand Prix but I’m not sure we will. Since this is the first hearing with this body, they will want to get everything right first time and that takes time. It would be nice to get a verdict and put this behind us as soon as possible, regardless of where you stand on the situation.

Sombre News

I think it’s really important to mention this. A crash or accident at any time is worrying, and in a sport where there are so many dangers, you always hope that drivers and support staff are alright. Safety has come a long way over the last 20 or so years but this weekend we had an accident that few people could have predicted.

A marshal was run over by a crane lifting Gutierrez’s car. Reports have said that the man stopped to pick up his radio and the crane driver couldn’t see him and ran him over. Support staff did their best and quickly transported the man to hospital where he later died. It’s a tragic accident and it takes a lot of the shine off the whole weekend.

Drivers and teams have paid tributes to the man and I would hope anyone reading this does the same for the man’s friends and family. Without marshal’s at every event, most sporting events couldn’t take place and it is a dangerous job at the best of times that many people seem to forget about. Rest in Peace.

Summary

I haven’t mentioned Ferrari or Mercedes much today. They didn’t stand out much to me, other than Hamilton and Alonso’s battle for second. Ferrari really need to sort their qualifying pace out if they want to challenge Vettel for the championship, and Mercedes still need to work on rear tyre usage. It seems their tyre test didn’t help much.

Jean Eric Vergne had a fantastic qualifying and race result and force India’s Di Rest managed over 55 laps on one set of tyres, with competitive lap times for most of that stint which is very impressive. These two have been my stand out drivers of the race – and probably the season so far.

Onwards, to Silverstone!

Results

1 – S. Vettel (Red Bull)

2 – F. Alonso (Ferrari)

3 – L. Hamilton (Mercedes)

4 – M. Webber (Red Bull)

5 – N. Rosberg (Mercedes)

6 – J. E. Vergne (Toro Rosso)

7 – P. Di Resta (Force India)

8 – F. Massa (Ferrari)

9 – K. Raikkonen (Lotus)

10 – A. Sutil (Force India)

11 – S. Perez (McLaren)

12 – J. Benson (McLaren)

13 – R. Grosjean (Lotus)

14 – V. Bottas (Williams)

15 – D. Ricciardo (Toro Rosso)

16 – P. Maldonado (Williams)

17 – J. Bianchi (Marussia)

18 – C. Pic (Caterham)

19 – M. Chilton (Marussia)

20 – E. Gutierrez (Sauber)

21 – N. Hulkenberg (Sauber)

22 – G. van der Garde (Caterham)

Time for a Party in Monaco, 2013

It wasn’t the most exciting race this year by a longshot, and even be Monte Carlo’s standards, it wasn’t amazing. It’s always a bit different due to the nature of the track and while there were a lot of cars bunched up, it was very slow. Once again, overshadowing the whole weekend was the issue of tyres and testing.

Rosberg’s Time to Shine

The worry coming into this race was the Mercedes would qualify on pole, which they did, but fall back during the race with excessive tyre wear. The tyre test is another factor to consider a bit later but with it being so hard to overtake, Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton had to be feeling reasonably confident. In the end, Rosberg controlled the race perfectly, even pulling away from the Red Bulls who did not seem to be on the pace this round. We didn’t see much of Rosberg as a result, there were too many things happening elsewhere but it was a great drive to win in Monaco. This will be a massive boost to the team.

Hamilton could have easily had second this time, and a one-two for the team would have been great. A mistake with the timing of his pit stop during the safety car period dropped him behind the Red Bulls of Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber. He openly admitted after the race it was his fault.

The Overtakes

It is almost impossible to overtake on track at Monaco, and any opportunities are not always taken because the smallest mistake will lead to the barriers and the end of the race – not just for the ones involved in the overtake. This year, we saw some daring moves, most notably from Sergio Perez and Adrian Sutil. Sutil made some great moves at the hairpin, passing Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso without incident. It was daring and you have to say that since his return this year, the Force India driver has been on great form.

Perez made his moves just after the tunnel, and while bold and daring, I’m not sure they were great moves. Each time, he forced the other driver off of the track to avoid a collision, and with Fernando and Button, it’s what they did. They wanted to finish the race but it wasn’t a great way to do it. Unfortunately, not all drivers are like that, and Kimi Raikkonen basically said no. The move was late this time, but Kimi left no space but there were nowhere to go. Perez retired later in the race and Kimi dropped way back, managing to finish 10^th.

Tyre Testing

After the last race in Barcelona, there was a three day tyre test with Mercedes. It’s been called a secret test and teams have been protesting (most notably Red Bull and Ferrari) but what does this mean?

The track was booked openly by Pirelli, and Mercedes asked to take part. Reports say that other teams were spoken to but that’s all we know. Current cars and current drivers on UNKNOWN compounds. While the team will have an idea of what was going on and with who, they were not told what each compound was for so it wasn’t going to be a massive benefit. On top of that, 1,000Km over three days between the two cars so not a massive amount of testing really, and yes, they may come across a compound next year or even later this year they’ve raced on but they can’t set a car up precisely for that compound, and next year the cars change anyway. Like I said, there will always be something the teams can take but in the time between races, how much could have been put to use? It will be interesting what the FIA does about this.

Summary

There were some great drives in Monaco, controlling themselves perfectly to get the best result. Well done to Rosberg and hopefully this will be an upturn in performance for his team which will help put up a bigger fight for the championship. Button drove a solid race and McLaren do seem to be turning it around, whereas Alonso just didn’t seem to have an answer for anything this weekend. That will be worrying given the Ferrari team’s form this year so far. On another note, big crashes from Felipe Massa and Pastor Maldonado this time out as well. Both seem to be okay but hopefully they will be back to their old racing selves next time as they are great drives and it’s never nice to see problems like that.

Results

1 – N. Rosberg (Mercedes)

2 – S. Vettel (Red Bull)

3 – M. Webber (Red bull)

4 – L. Hamilton (Mercedes)

 

5 – A. Sutil (Force India)

6 – J. Button (McLaren)

7 – F. Alonso (Ferrari)

8 – J. E. Vergne (Toro Rosso)

9 – P. Di Resta (Force India)

10 – K. Raikkonen (Lotus)

11 – N. Hulkenberg (Sauber)

12 – V. Bottas (Williams)

13 – E. Gutierrez (Sauber)

14 – M. Chilton (Marussia)

15 – G. van der Garde (Caterham)

16 – S. Perez (McLaren) – DNF

17 – R. Grosjean (Lotus) – DNF

18 – D. Ricciardo (Toro Rosso) – DNF

19 – J. Bianchi (Marussia) – DNF

20 – P. Maldonado (Williams) – DNF

21 – F. Massa (Ferarri) – DNF

22 – C. Pic (Caterham) – DNF

A new show of domination in Spain, 2013

The Spanish Grand Prix gave us another view of the dominance of Fernando Alonso. His driving skills showed us why, even in an uncompetitive car last year, he was still in the title fight until the end. This race was almost Sebastian Vettel-esque from some of his races in the last few years.

The Stunning Spaniard

Without the mistakes in 2 out of the five races, Alonso would be leading the championship. If the car keeps developing, he will be leading it soon enough regardless. It was smooth sailing after the bold overtakes on the first lap and from there he was doing just enough to keep himself safe. Vettel has managed to control races like that recently but this shows how much Alonso wants to win this year. There’s no pressure after the season Ferrari had last year and how close they came so unless something drastic happens soon, it could be good season for them. Massa also had a good race to reach a podium finish from ninth. His form is constantly improving and I would love to see a race victory for him this year at least once.

Salvaging the Points

It was damage limitation for both McLaren and Mercedes this weekend. The former still trying to understand why they have lost so much pace with this car and the latter not able to improve the tyre wear during a race. McLaren should be happy with a double points finish, even if it is in the lower half of the top ten. It still seems strange to be saying that about the team who had the quickest car at the end of last year, and both Jenson Button and Sergio Perez were downbeat despite how well their races went.

For Mercedes, a pattern is emerging. It wasn’t as bad this weekend for Nico Rosberg, still finishing in the points but Lewis Hamilton, passed by both a Williams and Button, was also not happy, as was clear in his post-race interview. Monaco might help them, as it is difficult to overtake there and they are very quick in qualifying but I think they’ll still miss out on the pit stops.

Red Bull and Tyres

One good thing about this post being a week late is that I’ve been able to keep track of the on-going Pirelli tyre situation. Red Bull are still not happy but as has been pointed out, it wasn’t long ago they won a race from four pit stops. How quickly they change their minds about how efficient the tyres are and how good they are for the sport.

Pirelli have announced they want to change the tyres as early as the Canadian grand prix next month but no matter what decision they make, someone won’t be happy. Where is the line between changes that should be made and those that shouldn’t. Safety is the most important thing, and we have seen some worrying incidents with the tyres but I don’t agree that last year’s tyres should be used or even much harder tyres. If it’s the bonds that are the problem; then strengthen the bonds, they’re not amateurs and will probably have a way of doing so.

I’m not solely convinced that four stops during a race is too many. I enjoy the multiple pit stops and working out who’s where. It can be a little confusing but how many people focus on EVERY car on the track at once. Generally you’ll follow the drivers you want to win, or do well, and those around them, while on the lookout for others who do well or do not. More than four stops would definitely be a problem, but four isn’t too bad. If everyone does three stops it will become processional again and that won’t be so fun, the fact we are getting a mix means there is always something going on and I enjoy that.

Summary

While not the most exciting race so far this year, there wasn’t anything inherently bad about it. It’s quite possible we would be saying it was dull if it was Vettel who rushed to victory but having Alonso show his worth is refreshing. He’s a force to be reckoned with this season once again, and as for the tyres, we’ll have to wait and see.

Results

1 – F. Alonso (Ferrari)

2 – K. Raikkonen (Lotus)

3 – F. Massa (Ferrari)

4 – S. Vettel (Red Bull)

5 – M. Webber (Red Bull)

6 – N. Rosberg (Mercedes)

7 – P. Di Resta (Force India)

8 – J. Button (McLaren)

9 – S. Perez (McLaren)

10 – D. Ricciardo (Toro Rosso)

11 – E. Gutierrez (Sauber)

12 – L. Hamilton (Mercedes)

13 – A. Sutil (Force India)

14 – P. Maldonado (Williams)

15 – N. Hulkenberg (Sauber)

16 – V. Bottas (Williams)

17 – C. Pic (Caterham)

18 – J. Bianchi (Marussia)

19 – M. Chilton (Maurssia)

20 – J. E. Vergne (Toro Rosso) - DNF

21 – G. van der Garde (Caterham) - DNF

22 – R. Grosjean (Lotus) - DNF