user icon
icon
link-icon
<< Return to the news list
Only Vettel not 'bored' as 2013 nears predictable end

Only Vettel not 'bored' as 2013 nears predictable end

  • Published on 18 Nov 2013 08:56
  • comments 0
  • By: Rob Veenstra
Even Sebastian Vettel's post-race 'donuts' are becoming predictable, after the quadruple world champion on Sunday smashed an old Michael Schumacher record in Texas. Not even in Schumacher's ultra-dominant Ferrari era last decade did the great German win eight races on the trot in a single season, but Red Bull's Vettel put the lid on that achievement at the chequered flag of the US grand prix. "I'm not getting bored!" he grinned afterwards.

However - with the possible exception of those who wear dark blue uniforms in the paddock - Vettel may not find many who agree with him, one week ahead of Brazil's season finale. "Ferrari, McLaren and Mercedes badly need to raise their game," said Telegraph correspondent Tom Cary, "because there are no prizes for guessing who is going to win in Brazil."

Even Bernie Ecclestone apparently got bored in Austin, as he left the Circuit of the Americas with his police escort on lap 43, according to Bild newspaper. Perhaps that was because even the battles behind Vettel on Sunday were few and far between.

Pirelli took an ultra-conservative approach with hard compounds for the US grand prix weekend, raising concerns that one-stop strategies remove too much excitement from the races. Speed Week reports that at the next meeting of F1's new strategy group, a proposal from Pirelli to mandate two-stop strategies in 2014 will be considered.

A minor point of note from Sunday's race was that it guaranteed Fernando Alonso will keep second place in the drivers' championship, ahead of Lewis Hamilton and the now-absent Kimi Raikkonen. "It's a small reward for me," the Spaniard said, "the same as being first of the 'mortals' behind Red Bull."

But F1 legend Mario Andretti said in Austin that Alonso can still be proud, even though Vettel's dominance at present is absolute. "It's hard to say which one of them is better," he told the Spanish sports daily AS. "But the fact that after four consecutive titles for Vettel we are still discussing it, shows that Alonso is still an amazing driver, and that both of them are probably among the best ever," Andretti added. (GMM)
F1 News Fernando Alonso Lewis Hamilton Sebastian Vettel McLaren Pirelli Ferrari Mercedes

Replies (0)

Login to reply

BE Grand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

BEGrand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

World Championship standings 2024

Pos
Team
Points
1
Red Bull Racing
195
2
Ferrari
151
3
McLaren
96
4
Mercedes
52
5
Aston Martin
40
6
Visa Cash App RB
7
7
Haas F1
5
Show full world champion standings

Test calendar

Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing

See full test schedule

Related news

Give your opinion!

Will Bottas challenge Hamilton for the world championship in 2020?

Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Bahrain
29 - Mar 2
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
7 - Mar 9
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
22 - Mar 24
Australia
Albert Park
5 - Apr 7
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
19 - Apr 21
China
Shanghai International Circuit
3 - May 5
United States of America
Miami International Autodrome
17 - May 19
Italy
Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
24 - May 26
Monaco
Monte Carlo
7 - Jun 9
Canada
Gilles Villeneuve
21 - Jun 23
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
28 - Jun 30
Austria
Red Bull Ring
5 - Jul 7
United Kingdom
Silverstone
19 - Jul 21
Hungary
Hungaroring
26 - Jul 28
Belgium
Spa-Francorchamps
23 - Aug 25
Netherlands
Circuit Zandvoort
30 - Sep 1
Italy
Monza
13 - Sep 15
Azerbaijan
Baku City Circuit
20 - Sep 22
Singapore
Marina Bay Street Circuit
18 - Oct 20
United States of America
Circuit of the Americas
25 - Oct 27
Mexico
Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
1 - Nov 3
Brazil
Interlagos
22 - Nov 24
United States of America
Las Vegas Street Circuit
29 - Dec 1
Qatar
Losail International Circuit
6 - Dec 8
United Arab Emirates
Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule

Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
-
Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit
29 - Mar 2
Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit
7 - Mar 9
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
22 - Mar 24
Australia Albert Park
5 - Apr 7
Japan Circuit Suzuka
19 - Apr 21
China Shanghai International Circuit
3 - May 5
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
17 - May 19
Italy Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
24 - May 26
Monaco Monte Carlo
7 - Jun 9
Canada Gilles Villeneuve
21 - Jun 23
Spain Circuit de Catalunya
28 - Jun 30
Austria Red Bull Ring
5 - Jul 7
United Kingdom Silverstone
19 - Jul 21
Hungary Hungaroring
26 - Jul 28
Belgium Spa-Francorchamps
23 - Aug 25
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
30 - Sep 1
Italy Monza
13 - Sep 15
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
20 - Sep 22
Singapore Marina Bay Street Circuit
18 - Oct 20
United States of America Circuit of the Americas
25 - Oct 27
Mexico Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
1 - Nov 3
Brazil Interlagos
22 - Nov 24
United States of America Las Vegas Street Circuit
29 - Dec 1
Qatar Losail International Circuit
6 - Dec 8
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule

Driver profile

ES Fernando Alonso 14
  • Team Aston Martin
  • Points 533
  • Podiums 9
  • Grand Prix 149
  • Country ES
  • Date of b. Jul 29 1981 (42)
  • Place of b. Oviedo, ES
  • Weight 68 kg
  • Length 1.71 m
Show full profile

Team profile

McLaren
McLaren
Show full profile
show sidebar