With Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull easing to the titles at a canter, the biggest remaining importance of 2013 is the lucrative battle for second in the constructors' championship. A country mile behind the Red Bull juggernaut, grandee teams Ferrari, Mercedes and Lotus are all separated by just over 30 points. Their battle is worth many millions in income distributed by F1's commercial rights holders.
At the centre of that battle is a figure like Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton, but he has already turned his real attention beyond November's season finale. Asked what he's looking forward to most in 2013 now, the Briton admitted in Japan: "Christmas."
For the fans, it's a similar story. Perhaps Vettel's march to all-time records will stimulate their interest. For instance, the German has just won five grands prix on the trot. Not even the great Michael Schumacher won more than seven in a row. If Vettel wins in India - sealing his title - and then Abu Dhabi, Austin and Interlagos, it will match Alberto Ascari's 60-year-old record.
He would also equal Schumacher's record haul of 13 wins in a single season. Hamilton thinks he could do it. "If he (Vettel) doesn't have any reliability issues, most likely (he will)," the Briton said. "He's just walking it." And, like Hamilton's impatient wait for Christmas, Lotus boss Eric Boullier also gave a sickly smile when asked which of the remaining races he is targeting for a win. "Winter testing!" the Frenchman replied.
Including 2013, Red Bull has won the last four drivers' and constructors' championships. McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh said on Sunday that success has been powered by "a lot of money". "It's a very important factor," he added.
Boullier told Speed Week: "I would guess teams like Red Bull and Ferrari spend 250 to 300 million euros a year. "At Marussia it's maybe 60 million, but to be competitive, you can hardly have less than 120 million."
But according to former Mercedes boss Norbert Haug, it's too simplistic to say Vettel is just driving the most expensive F1 car to easy victory in F1. "He is clearly the best," he said on German television Blickpunkt Sport. "He works the hardest, is involved the least in politics, he takes care of his mechanics. Even if you have the most money, the formula one title is not just mailed to you," Haug insisted. (GMM)
Hamilton expects Vettel to win all remaining races
- Published on 15 Oct 2013 13:58
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- By: Rob Veenstra
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Test calendar
Circuit de Catalunya - Winter testing
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Jan 26
I. Hadjar
- 1:18.159
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Jan 27
M. Verstappen
- 1:19.578
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Jan 28
A. Antonelli
- 1:17.362
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Jan 29
G. Russell
- 1:16.445
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Jan 30
L. Hamilton
- 1:16.348
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Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing
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Feb 11
L. Norris
- 1:34.669
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Feb 12
C. Leclerc
- 1:34.273
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Feb 13
A. Antonelli
- 1:33.669
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Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing
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Feb 18
G. Russell
- 1:33.459
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Feb 19
A. Antonelli
- 1:32.803
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Feb 20
C. Leclerc
- 1:31.992
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World Championship standings 2026
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Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
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Spain
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Bahrain
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Bahrain
Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
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Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
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Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
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Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
6 - Mar 8
Australia
Albert Park
13 - Mar 15
27 - Mar 29
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
10 - Apr 12
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
17 - Apr 19
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
1 - May 3
United States of America
Miami International Autodrome
22 - May 24
Canada
Gilles Villeneuve
5 - Jun 7
Monaco
Monte Carlo
12 - Jun 14
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
26 - Jun 28
Austria
Red Bull Ring
3 - Jul 5
United Kingdom
Silverstone
17 - Jul 19
Belgium
Spa-Francorchamps
24 - Jul 26
Hungary
Hungaroring
21 - Aug 23
Netherlands
Circuit Zandvoort
Driver profile
- Team Ferrari
- Points 3,716
- Podiums 137
- Grand Prix 244
- Country United Kingdom
- Date of b. Jan 7 1985 (41)
- Place of b. Tewin, United Kingdom
- Weight 68 kg
- Length 1.74 m
- 485,261 comments on Ferrari
67 members have this team as their favourite
Tweets about Lewis Hamilton
Team profile
- Team name Lotus F1
- Base Enstone, United Kingdom
- Daniel Ricciardo 3
- Kimi Räikkönen 7
- Romain Grosjean 8
- Kimi Räikkönen 9
- Romain Grosjean 10
- Pastor Maldonado 13
- Pastor Maldonado 13
- Kevin Magnussen 20
- Nico Hülkenberg 27
- Jolyon Palmer 30
- Esteban Ocon 31
- Carlos Sainz jr 55
- 65,124 comments on Lotus F1
- 17 members have this team as their favourite
- Tweets about Lotus F1
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