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Sunday, 6 October 2013

Korean Formula One Race Weekend Report

Hi Everyone,

I thought I'd do a complete report after the Korean Grand Prix today, so that you are reading one post instead of several different post over a Grand Prix weekend, so starting from today, an all-in-one report for each race weekend, 

I trust that all my readers would like this new format,

As always, leave any comments or suggestions.

Regards

Marius

Friday 4th October 1st Free Practice Sessions Results:

Pos.DriverTeamTimeLaps
1.ukLewis HamiltonMercedes01:39.63020
2.deSebastian VettelRed Bull01:39.66720
3.auMark WebberRed Bull01:39.81619
4.deNico RosbergMercedes01:40.11720
5.ukJenson ButtonMcLaren01:40.21522
6.esFernando AlonsoFerrari01:40.37418
7.frRomain GrosjeanLotus01:40.39619
8.fiKimi RäikkönenLotus01:40.67715
9.mxSergio PerezMcLaren01:40.86020
10.brFelipe MassaFerrari01:40.88013
11.deNico HülkenbergSauber01:40.89920
12.deAdrian SutilForce India01:41.43218
13.vePastor MaldonadoWilliams01:41.48222
14.mxEsteban GutiérrezSauber01:41.62621
15.frJean-Eric VergneToro Rosso01:41.92419
16.fiValtteri BottasWilliams01:42.00220
17.auDaniel RicciardoToro Rosso01:42.04318
18.ukJames CaladoForce India01:43.00821
19.frCharles PicCaterham01:43.66020
20.nlGiedo van der GardeCaterham01:43.88319
21.ukMax ChiltonMarussia01:44.10014
22.veRodolfo GonzalezMarussia01:46.81010


Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes Grand Prix, 2013 South Korean Formula 1 Grand Prix, Formula 1


Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton had the edge over the Red Bull pairing of Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber as practice got under way in Korea on Friday. The Briton lapped in 1m 39.630s which proved quick enough to withstand a very late challenge from Sebastian Vettel, as the world champion pared down to 1m 39.667s to miss out by 0.037s. Mark Webber underlined the Red Bull threat with the third fastest time of 1m 39.816s.

Friday 4th October 2nd Free Practice Sessions Results:

Pos.DriverTeamTimeLaps
1.ukLewis HamiltonMercedes01:38.67331
2.deSebastian VettelRed Bull01:38.78130
3.deNico RosbergMercedes01:38.79732
4.auMark WebberRed Bull01:38.84435
5.brFelipe MassaFerrari01:39.11430
6.frRomain GrosjeanLotus01:39.22634
7.esFernando AlonsoFerrari01:39.44431
8.fiKimi RäikkönenLotus01:39.75733
9.ukJenson ButtonMcLaren01:39.77429
10.deAdrian SutilForce India01:40.00634
11.ukPaul di RestaForce India01:40.00734
12.mxSergio PerezMcLaren01:40.15231
13.mxEsteban GutiérrezSauber01:40.18633
14.deNico HülkenbergSauber01:40.21034
15.frJean-Eric VergneToro Rosso01:40.44630
16.auDaniel RicciardoToro Rosso01:40.55226
17.vePastor MaldonadoWilliams01:41.11735
18.fiValtteri BottasWilliams01:41.28934
19.nlGiedo van der GardeCaterham01:42.46136
20.frCharles PicCaterham01:42.79835
21.frJules BianchiMarussia01:43.10831
22.ukMax ChiltonMarussia01:43.44129


Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes Grand Prix, 2013 South Korean Formula 1 Grand Prix, Formula 1

Lewis Hamilton followed up his impressive Practice One showing by clocking the fastest time in second practice in Korea on Friday. The Mercedes driver’s best lap of 1m 38.673 was 0.108s quicker than Sebastian Vettel’s effort of 1m 38.781 for Red Bull, as both drivers trimmed their times by switching from the medium-compound Pirelli tyres to the supersofts. The second Mercedes of Nico Rosberg was just another 0.016s slower on 1m 38.797s, whilst Mark Webber recorded a 1m 38.844s in the other Red Bull. 

Saturday 5th October Free Practice Results:

Pos.DriverTeamTimeLaps
1.deSebastian VettelRed Bull01:37.88117
2.auMark WebberRed Bull01:38.01817
3.deNico RosbergMercedes01:38.31816
4.ukLewis HamiltonMercedes01:38.33215
5.esFernando AlonsoFerrari01:38.48613
6.frRomain GrosjeanLotus01:38.70119
7.brFelipe MassaFerrari01:38.81614
8.fiKimi RäikkönenLotus01:38.85717
9.deNico HülkenbergSauber01:38.96116
10.ukJenson ButtonMcLaren01:39.11414
11.mxEsteban GutiérrezSauber01:39.12815
12.vePastor MaldonadoWilliams01:39.19616
13.deAdrian SutilForce India01:39.20417
14.mxSergio PerezMcLaren01:39.27415
15.auDaniel RicciardoToro Rosso01:39.32717
16.ukPaul di RestaForce India01:39.37119
17.frJean-Eric VergneToro Rosso01:39.66515
18.fiValtteri BottasWilliams01:40.12817
19.frCharles PicCaterham01:41.36019
20.nlGiedo van der GardeCaterham01:41.61420
21.frJules BianchiMarussia01:41.64614
22.ukMax ChiltonMarussia01:42.26717


Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull, 2013 South Korean Formula 1 Grand Prix, Formula 1

Having been second best to Mercedes on Friday, Red Bull underlined their status as favorites by heading the final practice session in Korea on Saturday morning. Championship-leader Sebastian Vettel edged team mate Mark Webber by just 0.137s to top the time-sheets  with the Mercedes pairing of Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton third and fourth fastest respectively.

Saturday Qualifying Results:

Pos.DriverTeamTimeLaps
1.deSebastian VettelRed Bull01:37.20213
2.ukLewis HamiltonMercedes01:37.42016
3.auMark WebberRed Bull01:37.46413
4.frRomain GrosjeanLotus01:37.53114
5.deNico RosbergMercedes01:37.67916
6.esFernando AlonsoFerrari01:38.03817
7.brFelipe MassaFerrari01:38.22316
8.deNico HülkenbergSauber01:38.23717
9.mxEsteban GutiérrezSauber01:38.40515
10.fiKimi RäikkönenLotus01:38.82217
 
11.mxSergio PerezMcLaren01:38.36214
12.ukJenson ButtonMcLaren01:38.36514
13.auDaniel RicciardoToro Rosso01:38.41714
14.deAdrian SutilForce India01:38.43115
15.ukPaul di RestaForce India01:38.71815
16.frJean-Eric VergneToro Rosso01:38.78113
 
17.fiValtteri BottasWilliams01:39.4708
18.vePastor MaldonadoWilliams01:39.9878
19.frCharles PicCaterham01:40.8646
20.nlGiedo van der GardeCaterham01:40.8716
21.frJules BianchiMarussia01:41.1696
22.ukMax ChiltonMarussia01:41.3226

Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel continued his brilliant recent run of form by beating Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton to pole position in Yeongam on Saturday afternoon.

The world championship leader’s first run in Q3 yielded a lap of 1m 37.202s and Hamilton was unable to get any closer than 0.218s to the German, handing Vettel his sixth pole position of the season and the 42nd of his career. 

The other Red Bull of Mark Webber was third quickest, but he will start 13th following the ten-place grid penalty he earned in Singapore for accumulating his third stewards' reprimand of the season.

Sebastian Vettel, Lewis Hamilton, Mark Webber, Mercedes Grand Prix, Red Bull, 2013 South Korean Formula 1 Grand Prix, Formula 1

Official Starting Grid for Sunday's Grand Prix:


13. M. Webber
au
10 Place Grid Penalty Following Singapore reprimand 


Sunday 6th October: Korean F1 Grand Prix

Race Report - Sebastian Vettel claimed his fourth successive 2013 victory in an action-packed race in Yeongam on Sunday.

Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull, 2013 South Korean Formula 1 Grand Prix, Formula 1

As battles raged behind him, the Red Bull driver kept his cool, surviving two safety-car restarts to lead home the Lotus duo of Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean, with Sauber's Nico Hulkenberg a superb fourth. Vettel was less dominant in Yeongam than he had been in the previous three races, and had to be careful to nurse his right-front tyre in a race in which several rivals ran into graining problems.

David Coulthard, Nico Hülkenberg, Sauber, 2013 South Korean Formula 1 Grand Prix, Formula 1

Grosjean took the fight to the Red Bull man initially by passing Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes on the opening lap, but the Frenchman was later jumped by team mate Raikkonen. The first safety-car deployment had thrown the Finn a lifeline after he’d run eighth early on as he struggled with under-steer. 

Romain Grosjean, Lotus Renault, 2013 South Korean Formula 1 Grand Prix, Formula 1

When Sergio Perez’s McLaren had thrown the tread off its right-front Pirelli tyre on the 31st lap it sent safety-car driver Bernd Maylander into action as the debris was cleared up. After the usual rash of pit stops (which included Red Bull's Mark Webber taking an extra stop because of a puncture from the debris), the racing resumed on the 37th lap, with Vettel and Grosjean pushing ahead again. But some great opportunistic driving by Raikkonen - allied to a mistake from Grosjean who ran wide in the final corner - saw him jump his team mate going into the first corner. 

Sergio Perez, 2013 South Korean Formula 1 Grand Prix, Formula 1

Just as things were settling down, Adrian Sutil spun at Turn 3, the Force India striking Mark Webber’s Red Bull. The latter caught fire and as a merry blaze erupted the safety car was deployed again on the 38th lap. A fire vehicle also took to the track in front of Vettel, adding to the confusion. The RB9 was eventually recovered so that the racing could resume a second time on the 41st lap.

Mark Webber, Red Bull, 2013 South Korean Formula 1 Grand Prix, Formula 1

Now Vettel moved clear but Raikkonen was initially able to keep him honest before having to safeguard his position against his team mate as Grosjean got his second wind. As Vettel nursed his right-front tyre after being told off for setting the fastest lap with two to go, he won by 4.2s from Raikkonen who had Grosjean just seven-tenths of a second behind him. Behind them, fourth place had been the subject of a fabulous dust-up between Hulkenberg, Hamilton, Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso, McLaren’s Jenson Button and the second Mercedes of Nico Rosberg. Hulkenberg’s Sauber at the head of the pack had the edge on traction and straight-line speed over Hamilton’s Mercedes, and though the Briton briefly got ahead with a nice pass going into Turn 1 on the 48th lap, Hulkenberg was able to re-pass on the main straight. Thereafter he calmly frustrated Hamilton’s every move to take a great fourth place and further boost his value in the driver market. 

Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull, 2013 South Korean Formula 1 Grand Prix, Formula 1

While Hamilton and the German battled, Alonso did all he could to take advantage, and on the 41st lap he and Hamilton switched places several times before the Mercedes driver reasserted himself. That left Alonso to settle for a sixth place which makes his title hopes ever slimmer. Further back Rosberg lost touch as he was held up by Button’s slowing McLaren. 

The German had briefly caught and passed Hamilton on the 28th lap before his Mercedes’ nose broke and started sparking spectacularly after dragging on the track. He fell back behind his team mate when it proved difficult to change the nose during his resultant pit stop, took advantage of the lifelines of the safety cars, and got back into contention for fourth in the closing stages. But as Button lost pace on his ageing tyres, Rosberg lost touch with the Hulkenberg-Hamilton-Alonso scrap, and they were out of reach by the time he had overtaken Button on the 53rd lap.

Lewis Hamilton, Romain Grosjean, Mercedes Grand Prix, Lotus Renault, 2013 South Korean Formula 1 Grand Prix, Formula 1

Felipe Massa battled strongly to recover from a half spin going into the third corner on the opening lap, which caused upsets and wing damage for Button and Sutil, but the intensity of a fight with McLaren’s Sergio Perez on the 43rd lap is to be investigated by the stewards. The Mexican recovered from his tyre failure and finished seven-tenths of a second behind the Ferrari to take the final point.

Lewis Hamilton, Nico Hülkenberg, 2013 South Korean Formula 1 Grand Prix, Formula 1

There was an even more intense, and less disciplined, street fight for 11th and as Sauber’s Esteban Gutierrez and Williams’ Pastor Maldonado duffed each other up, Massa and Perez had swept by. Maldonado fell back, leaving Gutierrez to come through ahead of the Venezuelan’s team mate Valtteri Bottas.

Charles Pic took 14th, just ahead of Caterham partner Giedo van der Garde. The Dutchman had an adventurous race, getting a drive-through penalty for forcing Marussia’s Jules Bianchi wide on the opening lap. Even so he was able to catch and pass both Bianchi and the other Marussia of Max Chilton, who were the final finishers in 16th and 17th.

Daniel Ricciardo, Scuderia Toro Rosso, 2013 South Korean Formula 1 Grand Prix, Formula 1

Both Toro Rossos retired on the penultimate lap with mechanical issues, losing Daniel Ricciardo the chance of some deserved points after a strong drive. They joined Webber and the Force Indias in retirement after Sutil had stopped in the pits on the 50th lap and Paul di Resta had dropped out after crashing on the 25th lap.

The stewards have four incidents to review following the race, including the Massa-Perez one mentioned above. Perez is also under investigation for forcing Paul di Resta off track, whilst Van der Garde and Chilton are to be looked at for speeding under the safety car. Finally, Pic, Van der Garde and Bianchi are under investigation for failing to slow for yellow flags.

Romain Grosjean, Kimi Räikkönen, Sebastian Vettel, Lotus Renault, Red Bull, 2013 South Korean Formula 1 Grand Prix, Formula 1

The result brings Red Bull within seven points of their fourth consecutive constructors’ crown, and Mercedes within a point of Ferrari for second in the standings - Red Bull have 402 points, Ferrari 284 and Mercedes 283, while Lotus are on 239, McLaren 81 and Force India 62.

Kimi Räikkönen, Romain Grosjean, Lotus Renault, 2013 South Korean Formula 1 Grand Prix, Formula 1


Vettel extended his championship lead over Alonso to 77 points and now sits on a total of 272. As a result the German could clinch the title in Japan next week were he to win with Alonso ninth or lower. The Spaniard has 195, and Raikkonen has displaced Hamilton from third with 168 to his 161. Webber remains fifth on 130 with Rosberg on 122.

Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull, 2013 South Korean Formula 1 Grand Prix, Formula 1

Race Results

Pos.DriverTeamTime
1.deSebastian VettelRed Bull1:43:13.701
2.fiKimi RäikkönenLotus+4.224
3.frRomain GrosjeanLotus+4.927
4.deNico HülkenbergSauber+24.114
5.ukLewis HamiltonMercedes+25.255
6.esFernando AlonsoFerrari+26.189
7.deNico RosbergMercedes+26.698
8.ukJenson ButtonMcLaren+32.262
9.brFelipe MassaFerrari+34.390
10.mxSergio PerezMcLaren+35.155
11.mxEsteban GutiérrezSauber+35.990
12.fiValtteri BottasWilliams+47.049
13.vePastor MaldonadoWilliams+50.013
14.frCharles PicCaterham+1:03.578
15.nlGiedo van der GardeCaterham+1:04.501
16.frJules BianchiMarussia+1:07.970
17.ukMax ChiltonMarussia+1:12.898
Did not finish
18.frJean-Eric VergneToro Rosso+2 Laps
19.auDaniel RicciardoToro Rosso+3 Laps
20.deAdrian SutilForce India+5 Laps
21.auMark WebberRed Bull+19 Laps
22.ukPaul di RestaForce India+31 Laps

2013 Championship Standings:

Drivers' Championship

Pos.DriverPoints
1.deSebastian VettelRed Bull272
2.esFernando AlonsoFerrari195
3.fiKimi RäikkönenLotus167
4.ukLewis HamiltonMercedes161
5.auMark WebberRed Bull130
6.deNico RosbergMercedes122
7.brFelipe MassaFerrari89
8.frRomain GrosjeanLotus72
9.ukJenson ButtonMcLaren58
10.ukPaul di RestaForce India36
11.deNico HülkenbergSauber31
12.deAdrian SutilForce India26
13.mxSergio PerezMcLaren23
14.auDaniel RicciardoToro Rosso18
15.frJean-Eric VergneToro Rosso13
16.vePastor MaldonadoWilliams1
17.mxEsteban GutiérrezSauber0
18.fiValtteri BottasWilliams0
19.frJules BianchiMarussia0
20.frCharles PicCaterham0
21.nlGiedo van der GardeCaterham0
22.ukMax ChiltonMarussia0

Constructors' Championship

Pos.TeamPoints
1.Red Bull402
2.Ferrari284
3.Mercedes Grand Prix283
4.Lotus Renault239
5.McLaren81
6.Force India F162
7.Sauber31
8.Scuderia Toro Rosso31
9.Williams1
10.Marussia0
11.Caterham0

The Next race will take place on the 11th, 12th & 13th of October at the Legendary Suzuka F1 Circuit in Japan.

Watch this blog for further news and developing stories.

Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull, 2013 South Korean Formula 1 Grand Prix, Formula 1
Red Bull Team Celebrating at Yeongam

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