Vettel, tyres. Tyres,Vettel. Vettel.
What else can you say about 2013? Everyone got very excited in Australia when Kimi won but then Red Bull got going and the season was over. Alonso and Ferrari flattered to deceive and, despite winning a couple of races, never really threatened either title. This has to be the most dominant season for any driver since 1992 and everything went Red Bull's way. The continuation of the technical regs allowed the car to evolve, the choice of some of the teams to fit the tyres back to front meant Pirelli had to revert to the tyre construction which better suited their car and Vettel matured into the driver we all thought Lewis Hamilton would become, albeit with a sense of humour.
It really was a year for the No.1's at Red Bull and Ferrari as Webber and Massa never looked like challenging for a win without interference from the team. Who can forget "Multi 21 Seb, Multi 21". No, drive faster you chump, Aussie Grit my arse. At least Massa managed to find another drive for 2014 whilst Mark will be back flipping his way down the Mulsanne straight in an LMP Porsche next year.
Mercedes sort of justified the billions of Euro's the team has been thrown by Daimler Benz as they won 3 races. Nico Rosberg looked every bit as good a driver as Lewis Hamilton but the car really wasn't up to the job as it consumed it's tyres at an alarming rate allowing us all to chuckle at the increasingly irate "I've got not grip man", "The rears have gone man", "These tyres are shot man" radio messages. I sometimes wonder if Lewis has short term memory problems and can't remember his engineers name.
So that's all the winners, although there was only one real winner in 2013, but what about the also rans? Romain Grosjean and Nico Hulkenberg were probably the two "best of the rest". Romain managed to over come his crash kid reputation and Hulkenberg showed what he is capable of in car a long way form being the best on the grid. Why Nico II isn't in a top team next season is beyond me.
I though I'd mention McLaren, if only to snigger to myself at what must be one of their worst season in living memory (or since Peugeot engines). Without a star driver (Yes, I know Jenson Button has won a World title and quite a few races but he really not all that is he?) and some Mexican bloke they sacked at the end of the season McLaren were crap and didn't show any signs of knowing how to retrieve the situation. Martin Whitmarsh is probably safe all the time Ron Dennis is in charge but you have to wonder how long RD will be allowed to continue by his Middle Eastern pay masters if the F1 teams doesn't improve.
Elsewhere Force India managed to assemble the most workman like and mediocre driver line up on the grid with Paul di Resta and Adrian Sutil there, presumably, to make Mercedes happy. Bet they weren't come seasons end. Doesn't appear FI were too impressed either as they have got shot of them both.
Estaban Gutirrez (approximate spelling) showed that to get ahead you should get a neck and, come the end of the season, almost looked like an F1 driver. Well done him, now off the endurance racing there's a good chap. But no, armed with a suitcase full of Pesos it looks like he might have wormed his way into a seat for next season.
Daniel Riccardo and Jean Eric Vergne continued with their interview for the second seat at Red Bull and Riccardo won out. Wonder if JEV had just had his teeth whitened one more time then the drive could have been his. Ho hum, a submissive and pointless Australian backing up Vettel, plus ca chnage plus c'est la meme chose.
In case you didn't notice there were three other teams on the grid Caterham sacked the bloke most likely to do anything significant with their car for a bean pole Dutch man and some French bloke I'd never heard of before he sat in the car and hope to never hear of again. Marussia had a British driver - HOORAY! It was Max Chilton - BOO! Max finished every race, usually last and a long way behind his team mate. Do us a favour lad and pop off to BTCC where your money will buy a competitive car and we can see you racing your brother. Jules Bianchi meanwhile looked quite good until everyone noticed and then he became crap. At least he has managed to get Ferrari engines for the team next season so not such a bad idea to keep him on.
And then there's Williams. The team I grew up loving as Alan Jones slayed the evil Nelson Piquet. Through the 80's and 90's Williams were THE team and now they have some mad Venezualan bloke and a fat Finn. At least Bottas looks like he can drive a bit and Maldonado's money kept the team alive. Fingers crossed Massa will do well there next year but, somehow, I think he will be as shit as he was at Ferrari.
So, Vettel won the title at a canter. He set new records winning the last 9 races. He was, without doubt, the class of the field and the Red Bull RB9 was a peerless motor car (at least when the young German is driving it). Au Revoir 2.4 litre V8's and welcome Turbo charged 1.6 litre V6 kettles. Roll on 2014 and, hopefully, closer racing, despite the interference of the FIA.
What else can you say about 2013? Everyone got very excited in Australia when Kimi won but then Red Bull got going and the season was over. Alonso and Ferrari flattered to deceive and, despite winning a couple of races, never really threatened either title. This has to be the most dominant season for any driver since 1992 and everything went Red Bull's way. The continuation of the technical regs allowed the car to evolve, the choice of some of the teams to fit the tyres back to front meant Pirelli had to revert to the tyre construction which better suited their car and Vettel matured into the driver we all thought Lewis Hamilton would become, albeit with a sense of humour.
It really was a year for the No.1's at Red Bull and Ferrari as Webber and Massa never looked like challenging for a win without interference from the team. Who can forget "Multi 21 Seb, Multi 21". No, drive faster you chump, Aussie Grit my arse. At least Massa managed to find another drive for 2014 whilst Mark will be back flipping his way down the Mulsanne straight in an LMP Porsche next year.
Mercedes sort of justified the billions of Euro's the team has been thrown by Daimler Benz as they won 3 races. Nico Rosberg looked every bit as good a driver as Lewis Hamilton but the car really wasn't up to the job as it consumed it's tyres at an alarming rate allowing us all to chuckle at the increasingly irate "I've got not grip man", "The rears have gone man", "These tyres are shot man" radio messages. I sometimes wonder if Lewis has short term memory problems and can't remember his engineers name.
So that's all the winners, although there was only one real winner in 2013, but what about the also rans? Romain Grosjean and Nico Hulkenberg were probably the two "best of the rest". Romain managed to over come his crash kid reputation and Hulkenberg showed what he is capable of in car a long way form being the best on the grid. Why Nico II isn't in a top team next season is beyond me.
I though I'd mention McLaren, if only to snigger to myself at what must be one of their worst season in living memory (or since Peugeot engines). Without a star driver (Yes, I know Jenson Button has won a World title and quite a few races but he really not all that is he?) and some Mexican bloke they sacked at the end of the season McLaren were crap and didn't show any signs of knowing how to retrieve the situation. Martin Whitmarsh is probably safe all the time Ron Dennis is in charge but you have to wonder how long RD will be allowed to continue by his Middle Eastern pay masters if the F1 teams doesn't improve.
Elsewhere Force India managed to assemble the most workman like and mediocre driver line up on the grid with Paul di Resta and Adrian Sutil there, presumably, to make Mercedes happy. Bet they weren't come seasons end. Doesn't appear FI were too impressed either as they have got shot of them both.
Estaban Gutirrez (approximate spelling) showed that to get ahead you should get a neck and, come the end of the season, almost looked like an F1 driver. Well done him, now off the endurance racing there's a good chap. But no, armed with a suitcase full of Pesos it looks like he might have wormed his way into a seat for next season.
Daniel Riccardo and Jean Eric Vergne continued with their interview for the second seat at Red Bull and Riccardo won out. Wonder if JEV had just had his teeth whitened one more time then the drive could have been his. Ho hum, a submissive and pointless Australian backing up Vettel, plus ca chnage plus c'est la meme chose.
In case you didn't notice there were three other teams on the grid Caterham sacked the bloke most likely to do anything significant with their car for a bean pole Dutch man and some French bloke I'd never heard of before he sat in the car and hope to never hear of again. Marussia had a British driver - HOORAY! It was Max Chilton - BOO! Max finished every race, usually last and a long way behind his team mate. Do us a favour lad and pop off to BTCC where your money will buy a competitive car and we can see you racing your brother. Jules Bianchi meanwhile looked quite good until everyone noticed and then he became crap. At least he has managed to get Ferrari engines for the team next season so not such a bad idea to keep him on.
And then there's Williams. The team I grew up loving as Alan Jones slayed the evil Nelson Piquet. Through the 80's and 90's Williams were THE team and now they have some mad Venezualan bloke and a fat Finn. At least Bottas looks like he can drive a bit and Maldonado's money kept the team alive. Fingers crossed Massa will do well there next year but, somehow, I think he will be as shit as he was at Ferrari.
So, Vettel won the title at a canter. He set new records winning the last 9 races. He was, without doubt, the class of the field and the Red Bull RB9 was a peerless motor car (at least when the young German is driving it). Au Revoir 2.4 litre V8's and welcome Turbo charged 1.6 litre V6 kettles. Roll on 2014 and, hopefully, closer racing, despite the interference of the FIA.
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