YET ANOTHER Formula1 weekend that got Vettel-ed and this time it was the 2013 Korean Grand Prix. After clinching an easy pole on Saturday, Sebastian Vettel led from the start and steered clear of all the mess and trouble behind to claim an easier win on the Sunday. This win means that Vettel has won more than half of the races contested in 2013, this includes a 100% win ratio in the last 4 GPs. And he scored a hat-trick of wins in Korea. If statistics is what you're still looking for, here are three very serious ones. First, Vettel has led more than 95% of the laps in the last four races. Second, had it not been for his retirement in 2010, Vettel would've been the only driver to have won all the races contested at the Yeongam circuit in Korea. And third, he is the only driver to have won the Korean Grand Prix from pole-position.
Vettel could mathematically seal the 2013 Drivers' title in Japan (next weekend) if he wins and Alonso finishes P8 or lower. Since Alonso's DNF seems like a remote possibility, it could very well be that Vettel will secure his title at the 2013 Indian Grand Prix! And I hope there are a sizeable number of Indian fans in the stands to witness this unique feat!
Vettel's domination is a result of two very important factors. A team delivering a perfect car, followed by a driver extracting the best from his car, from his tyres and his era of Formula1. But sadly, this perfection, which is what everyone in Formula1 is out to attain, is labeled as boring because of Vettel's supreme domination where it seems P2 and lower is what the competition is fighting for.
And in P2 in Korea finished Raikkonen, ahead of team-mate Grosjean, followed by Hulkenberg, who is my 'Driver of the Day' for his stellar defensive driving against two DRS enabled World Champions, Fernando Alonso (in the first stint) and Lewis Hamilton (in the second stint). The P4 was his season's best performance which propelled the in-form and not-in-demand (seemingly so) German to P11, ahead of country man and former team-mate Adrian Sutil. This also helped Sauber jump up and tie with Toro Rosso for 7th place in the Constructors' Championship.
However, Hulkenberg's performance and talent could all go waste if the media reports are to be believed. First, he's yet to secure a drive for 2014 and while Lotus has indicated serious interest, the move is yet to be confirmed. Second, there are reports that the German's 80kg /6ft. body may just be too heavy for teams to accommodate next season, where all cars will be designed from scratch as per the new regulations. While the overall minimum weight of the car has been increased, it seems that the powertrains are heavier than expected and maybe drivers with smaller frames and light weight would be preferred. Well, weight issues or not, I just hope that we don't end up losing one of the most talented drivers on the grid to issues not related to his race craft performance.
Sahara Force India endured a difficult end to the Korean Grand Prix after both their drivers ran out of luck and retired from the race. Paul Di Resta's race ended in the barrier after clipping a kerb whereas Adrian Sutil lost control of the car at the second restart which resulted him crashing into Mark Webber and ultimately retirement. The Indian owned team lost further ground to Mclaren for 5th place after the former World Champion team had both drivers score points in the race. The points deficit is now 19 points and one would hope that Sahara Force India regains its lost form and takes the fight to Mclaren to secure their best ever Constructors' Championship position.
While Indian fans would've been upset with their team's performance, there could be good news in the offing not just for Indians but Formula1 fans across the globe. And the company to thank could be TATA Communications, who are the 'Official Wed Hosting and Content Delivery Network Provider' for Formula1. At the Singapore Grand Prix which concluded last weekend, their team conducted a live-streaming of the race to the FOM HQ in the UK. The streaming was described as a success and if my assumption is correct, FOM is keen to exploring options to introduce live-streaming via the Internet.
While other rival sporting properties like the MotoGP, IPL, etc. already offer such solutions to the fans, it is not a case of better late than never for Formula1 fans. For those outside of the UK and areas where interactive TV viewing isn't available (where you can select which driver and camera to follow during the race), the internet could very well offer this option and what better if this service is being offered via the TATA network itself! However, much like me, all readers would first need to get secured high-speed broadband access to enjoy an interrupted follow of their favourite teams and drivers.
Category