Image: Courtesy IBNLive (Brazilian GP 2013, Race Podium) |
Pos | No | Driver | Team | Laps | Time/Retired | Grid | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | Sebastian Vettel | Red Bull Racing-Renault | 71 | 1:32:36.300 | 1 | 25 |
2 | 2 | Mark Webber | Red Bull Racing | 71 | +10.4 | 4 | 18 |
The results show you that Mark Webber made his final bow to the crowd overtaking the Bullish Fernando Alonso, who has also driven one of his best races fighting for the podium, perhaps gunning for the win, if not second. While winners make it look easy, assuredly, such consistency is no easy feat. Earlier when Mika Hakkinen (for McLaren Mercedes) drove with a car built by Adrian Newey on his way to the championship, I remember him throwing it away at Hungary into the sand trap - one gear shift mistake, driver error most certainly, cost him the whole race.
Sebastian Vettel had many critics as the year progressed. He was being criticized as the Redbull seemed to have a traction control form, absorbing energy as it took corners, giving it additional cornering speed and advantage that almost no other car had. Yet, the consistency of his performance display the grit and aggression hidden behind that mischievous smile.
Adrian Newey |
Rory Byrne |
Alonso partnered by Raikkonen, and Mercedes with a better strategy than earlier should make it all the more interesting. This is a team sport, Engineers excelling, Pit crews dominating - Red Bull does its fastest pitstop in 2.1 seconds, fastest average in a race for any one of its drivers at 2.3 seconds (stationary) and at most 2.8 seconds - their longest stop for either of their drivers. Few Teams have achieved that perfection (after McLaren in their strongest days.)
Should they continue this, Vettel will have a Race winning team with him, no matter what others have. A team that can beat itself in consistency and performance - a message we ought to take away, rather than mere domination of the one driver who makes it look so easy.
Christian Horner seems to be a bag of nerves despite having the best outfit in the pit-lane - will this work for him if both his cars are in trouble? How will the Aussie, Daniel Riccardio perform when he drives next season with a whole new car?
More about the real Sebastian Vettel, youngest 4 time world champion and record holder, in another post. -- Till we meet again ...
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