Race Report 2013 Brazil F1 GP: Vettel ends perfect season with win

Start 2013 Brazilian F1 GP

Sebastian Vettel ended the 2013 season with another victory in Brazil, a record ninth in a row to cap off an amazing campaign. The German led home his retiring team mate Mark Webber in the cold Interlagos conditions, with Fernando Alonso coming a valiant third in the final race of the year.

Mark Webber

Webber couldn’t quite manage the one final win of his career that he craved as Vettel’s pace and tyre management was too impressive once again. Despite an error by Red Bull at Vettel’s last stop, which saw them fail to recognise his arrival and cost him 13 seconds, he eased to victory when the expected heavy rain failed to materialise.

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W04

After Lewis Hamilton clashed with Williams’ Valtteri Bottas, Red Bull, scared of Vettel being caught out behind a safety car, called their man in but didn’t have tyres ready. Webber was forced to wait behind his team mate and ultimately only just clung onto 2nd ahead of Alonso. The Spaniard set some blistering laps but the Australian had enough to hold him off.

Felipe Massa burnouts Brazil 2013

Further behind it was an entertaining race. Felipe Massa, in his last ever outing for Ferrari, was unlucky to finish 7th after a harsh drive through penalty while Lewis Hamilton suffered a similar fate to come 9th. There was a return to form for Jenson Button who scored his best finish of the season with 4th, while Romain Grosjean retired on the opening lap with a blown engine.

Start of 2013 Brazilian F1 GP

At the beginning, Vettel made an uncharacteristically slow start and was piped into the first corner by Nico Rosberg. The Mercedes man only lasted a lap in the lead as Vettel disposed of him and disappeared into the distance. Rosberg was then past by Alonso and Webber who scrapped between themselves for the final podium places. By the time Webber got past Alonso, Vettel was too far ahead.

2013 F1 drivers that raced in Brazil

Felipe Massa showed impressive pace and was involved in an intense battle with Rosberg, while a struggling Hamilton sat behind. Massa would suffer at the hands of the Stewarts for crossing the white line on the entrance to the pit lane that cost him 4th place. Mercedes pace was lacking in the race as Rosberg and Hamilton faded. Rosberg went on to finish 5th behind Button and just ahead of the outgoing McLaren driver Sergio Pérez. Nico Hulkenberg drove another strong race to finish 8th, while Webber’s Red Bull replacement next season, Daniel Ricciardo took tenth.

Sebastian Vettel wins his 9th GP in a row

In many ways the final race summed up the entire campaign. Vettel was uncatchable out front, Alonso made the most of his mediocre car, Mercedes were off the pace despite promising much in qualifying, while Massa and Hamilton rued their luck. 2014 will see many changes to the rules of the sport that will hopefully produce a more competitive season and stop Red Bull’s complete domination.

2013 Brazil F1 GP podium: 1. Vettel 2. Webber 3. Alonso

Vettel will hope this isn’t the case as he looks to continue eating into Michael Schumacher s records. 2013 has been one of the most dominant seasons in F1 history for a single driver while Vettel has catapulted himself into being one of the greatest ever. For now it is for the rest to catch up as F1 takes a giant leap into the unknown. It will be another fascinating season. See you in 2014.

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