Brazil Grand Prix (2013): RESULT
Sun, 24 Nov 2013
Brazil Grand Prix (2013): RESULT
The F1 drivers title is done and dusted for 2013, but Vettel, on pole for the 2013 Brazilian Grand Prix, can make it nine wins in a row if he can follow the form of the last eight races. Which, of course, he did. But Vettel didn’t have it all his own way, at least from the off, with Nico Rosberg taking his Mercedes past Vettel and Hamilton pushing his past Alonso’s Ferrari.
But Rosberg and Hamilton soon felt the effects of a Mercedes setup that was looking for rain, and Vettel and Alonso left the Mercedes duo behind after a couple of laps, with Hamilton soon succumbing to Webber.
Once Vettel hot the front he started to build a cushion from Alonso, and Webber got stronger taking second place from Alonso on lap 13.
There were no incidents with rain, but a few harsh decisions by the stewards saw Felipe Massa suffer a drive-through penalty for crossing the white line at the pit entry and Hamilton got a drive-through penalty too for closing the door on Bottas, although Bottas appeared to have enough room to have avoided a coming together.
But despite a small scare as Red Bull made a hash of Vettel’s last pit stop, the German cruised to his ninth consecutive win of the season – a record – and his thirteenth victory this year too – another record.
Webber came in a strong second (wouldn’t it have been nice if Vettel had the grace to let Webber win?) and Alonso had the consolation prize of third place in a season where he has made the most of a second-rate Ferrari.
Behind the top three, Jenson Button prove3d he’s bettrer than his car by taking fourth, Rosberg took fifth, Perez made sixth and Feloipe Massa – in his last race for Ferrari – managed seventh.
The final three spots were taken by Hulkenberg in the Sauber, Hamilton in the Mercedes and Daniel Ricciardo – in his last race for Toro Rosso – took tenth.
The Brazilian Grand Prix is the end of the 2013 F1 season, and the cars will be very different in 2014. But don’t bet against Vettel – and Red Bull’s – continuing domination of the sport.
By Cars UK