FORMULA 1 - 2013

[MIKA27]

Button's warning to F1's teenagers

Jenson Button has warned that entering Formula One too early can "kill a career" for a young driver.

Just days after Toro Rosso announced that 19-year-old Russian driver Daniil Kvyat would replace Daniel Ricciardo next season, Button has spoken of his own start in Formula One.

The McLaren driver was a mere 20-year-old when he entered Formula One with Williams and looking back admits that if he could have waited a year or two he would have.

"For me when I arrived in 2000, I was nowhere near ready for Formula 1. I had to take the opportunity - I had to - because you never know if it'll come again," Button said.

"So you're in a very difficult position when you're that young because you're told you have to take it - and you have to.

"But if I had the option to race for two more years and know I would get into a Formula 1 car after that, I would have taken that option."

And although the Brit went onto win the 2009 Drivers' Championship title with Brawn GP, he says he almost was not around long enough to do so.

"It almost destroyed my career to go so early into Formula 1. As soon as I had a car that wasn't competitive, I found it very difficult to set it up.

"For the young kids that are coming in, it's tough because we have such a big regulation change in 2014: you've got to really understand the KERS system and the power torque of the engine is very different.

"You've got to do so much work out of the car before you get in; it's not like every other formula. Every other formula doesn't have drive-by-wire and all of that, so it's a very different way of racing.

"You've got several hundred people that depend on you and listen to you and your comments about the car to develop it.

"In a small F3 team, you've got eight guys or ten guys that might tweak it here and there, but it's very, very different."

Kvyat, though, won't be the only teenager entering F1 next season as Sauber are set to race 18-year-old Sergio Sirokin.

"The best thing for a young driver, I personally feel, is to have a good career in lower formulae and spend time at a Formula 1 team, experiencing what a driver will go through on a race weekend - because he's going to get a massive shock when he goes to Melbourne," Button added.

"He might be great and none of us will be talking about this again. And hopefully he will, for his sake.

"But it can also kill a career."

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Indian GP: Jenson Button and McLaren go radical in 2014 preparation

Jenson Button will be using a radical set-up at this weekend's Indian Grand Prix to find out if McLaren can unlock a secret for its 2014 Formula 1 car.

Amid a disappointing campaign in which Button nor team-mate Sergio Perez has scored a podium finish, the 2009 world champion reckons McLaren's lack of competitiveness is giving an opportunity to try something very different.

"You definitely go places with the car that you would not normally do because you would be worried about giving points away if the weekend went wrong," said Button.

"Here I have a set-up on my car that is completely different to any other race we have had the last couple of years - just to see where we are. It might help us next year.

"We are in a position where we can do that because we are not fighting for winning races, podiums or the championship so there are some positives to take out of it. And there aren't many in a difficult season."

With McLaren focused on ensuring it does a better job for 2014, Button says there are several areas where it has been able to experiment.

"You learn where you cannot put things in terms of front wing angles and how the airflow is over the car," he said. "And that will really help us for next year's car.

"To have a bad year this year was probably the best year to have it, because you can learn a lot for the new package of 2014."

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Prost joins Formula E with new e.dams team

Formula E has announced that a fifth team has been confirmed for the inaugural 2014 season, with four-time Formula 1 champion Alain Prost teaming up with Jean-Paul Driot to form team e.dams.

Driot is the founder of leading GP2 and Formula Renault 3.5 outfit Dams. The new team uses the same name with an 'e' to represent the electric aspect of the new racing series. Prost and Driot were joined by FIA president Jean Todt and Formula E CEO Alejandro Agag in Paris on Thursday to unveil the new team which joins Andretti Autosport, Dragon Racing, Drayson Racing and China Racing.

Speaking at the launch, Prost said he was pleased to be at the forefront of motorsport's future.

"I am very happy to be a part of the Formula E adventure. Being able to actively participate in the development of this new technology, which is 100% electric is extremely motivating," he said.

"As we've seen in other championships, 2014 will see a move towards more sustainable racing, proving more than ever that motorsport is the benchmark for the future."

[Bartolomeo]

Not my favorite track but hope for an exciting race

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  On 10/25/2013 at 1:38 AM, Bartolomeo said:

Not my favorite track but hope for an exciting race

Likewise Bart - It's not the best track but it's not the worst. I don't think anything can be as bad as Korea.

[MIKA27]

Buddh Free Practice 1: Champion elect Vettel means business

It might have been mighty hazy during the first free practice session of the Indian Grand Prix weekend, but one thing was crystal clear: Sebastian Vettel means business this weekend; he went about confirming his authority early on at Buddh International Circuit by claiming top spot at the end of the morning session.

On a weekend on which Red Bull could enjoy a double crowning – the Drivers’ and Constructors’ titles come Sunday afternoon – they got going in the best manner possible by annexing the top two spots on the timing screens, with Vettel setting a best time of 1:26.683 and teammate Mark Webber 0.188 seconds adrift.

Best of the rest was Nico Rosberg in the Mercedes, just under a quarter second off the top time, with teammate Lewis Hamilton fifth. Splitting the Silver Arrows was Romain Grosjean in the Lotus.

McLaren have tended to look strong on the first day of recent grand prix weekends, gradually falling down the order as weekends progress. In India they looked strong in FP1 with Jenson Button and Sergio Perez, sixth and seventh respectively. The question is whether they can sustain the level when it matters.

Felipe Massa was fastest of the Ferrari pair, in eighth place, a full second down on Vettel’s best.

Next up, in ninth, was the Ferrari powered Sauber of Nico Hulkenberg, with Valtteri Bottas rounding out the top ten in the Williams.

Out of the top ten was Fernando Alonso, who ended the session 12th – a gearbox problem late in the session did not help his cause. Alonso was sandwiched between the Ferrari powered Toro Rosso pair on the timing sheets, Jean Eric Vergne and Daniel Ricciardo were 11th and 13th respectively.

Also way down the order was Kimi Raikkonen who ended the session down in 17th, over a second and a half down on Lotus teammate Grosjean.

Force India reserve James Calado was on duty in place of out-of-sorts Paul Di Resta. Calado ended the session 18th. Di Resta will take over the cockpit from FP2 onwards.

The circuit was very slippery, and the air hazy as F1 engines fired up in anger once again (perhaps for the last time?) at Buddh. Conditions on track were tricky, patrticularly Turn 5 where the likes of Pastoir Maldonado and Calado had some hairy moments.

Nevertheless all eyes are at the top of the timing sheets where the indications are that Vettel and Red Bull are on track to claim the double for a fourth year in a row. After all the triple World Champion need only finish fifth on Sunday to make it four World Drivers’ titles in four years. Betting against him winning in India would be foolish.

[MIKA27]

Court rules this weekend’s Indian GP can go ahead

This weekend’s Formula One Indian Grand Prix will go ahead as scheduled after the country’s top court deferred hearing a case seeking its cancellation over tax issues until next Friday.

The Supreme Court decided to hear the case after campaigner Amit Kumar accused race promoters Jaypee Sports International (JPSI) of not paying entertainment taxes in full for the 2012 event and demanded the cancellation of Sunday’s race.

“The case will come up for hearing on Friday,” Kumar’s lawyer Sanjiv Sen told Reuters.

Kumar had filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in 2011 arguing Formula One was not a sport but entertainment and should not be exempted from entertainment taxes.

JPSI spokesman Askari Zaidi dismissed Kumar’s claims, saying the promoters had deposited the money they were asked to pay.

The Indian Grand Prix has been dropped from next year’s calendar but the promoters are optimistic of a return in 2015.

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Ferrari to build new bespoke Formula 1 factory at Maranello

Ferrari is planning to build a new Formula 1 factory at its Maranello headquarters, according to reports in Germany.

Bild correspondent Frank Schneider said it is a “major project”, intended to end Ferrari’s six-year drought since last winning the Championship in 2007.

Bild said that the new factory will boast three storeys to accommodate Ferrari’s 700 staff members who work exclusively for the Formula 1 team.

The development would be in addition to Ferrari’s totally renovated wind tunnel, and new driver simulator.

Schneider said the new factory will be ready in as little as a year.

He also claimed that Ferrari’s new facilities could convince Sebastian Vettel to move from Red Bull.

However, Helmut Marko thinks the German will stay at Red Bull Racing

“Sebastian’s contract runs for quite a long time,” he is quoted by Speed Week.

“And as long as we give him a competitive car, he has no reason to change teams. Sebastian wants to win, not just be in a team because it is famous,” Marko insisted.

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Indian GP: Sebastian Vettel stays ahead in second practice

Red Bull claimed another one-two in second Indian Grand Prix practice, as Sebastian Vettel again led Mark Webber.

As had been the case in the morning, Mercedes' Nico Rosberg offered a plucky challenge to the Red Bulls.

On the medium compound tyre, Rosberg emerged with the honours, beating Webber by just 0.001 seconds.

Times were over a second faster on softs, and Vettel's early 1m25.722s secured the top spot with an hour to spare, as teams then switched to long-stint tyre work.

Webber repeated the practice one Red Bull symmetry by grabbing second, 0.289s slower than his team-mate, who is poised to secure a fourth consecutive Formula 1 title this weekend.

Rosberg was only sixth on soft tyres, behind Romain Grosjean's Lotus, the second Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari's Fernando Alonso.

Following his morning gearbox issues, Alonso made up for lost time with 37 laps of running. His team-mate Felipe Massa was seventh.

Kimi Raikkonen got into the top 10 this time in eighth, but was half a second down on team-mate Grosjean.

The McLarens completed the top 10 spots.

Pastor Maldonado provided the most notable incident when his Williams shed a wheelnut on track. He managed to coax the loose-wheeled car back as far as the pitlane entry before having to park.

Paul di Resta was back in action for Force India after his earlier illness and took 15th place, 0.2s and three spots behind his team-mate Adrian Sutil.

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Indian GP Qualifying: Vettel too good, but Mercedes emerge as challengers

After topping the times in all three free practice sessions ahead of qualifying for the Indian Grand Prix, it came as no surprise when Sebastian Vettel powered around Buddh International Circuit faster than anyone to claim pole position for the race and with it take a step closer to wrapping up his fourth consecutive Formula 1 world championship title.

Vettel said afterwards, ”Mark chose a different tyre. I have to start on the different tyre, obviously the strategy is different. I think in the end, if everybody does his bit it probably doesn’t matter so much. It’s a great result for the team, we’ll see what the result is tomorrow.”

If there was a surprise it was the emergence of Mercedes as the most likely to challenge the dominance of the Red Bull driver with Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton second and third respectively. However they will be scratching their heads wondering how Vettel was nearly three quarters of a second faster in Q3.

Hamilton reflected, ”It’s been a tough weekend, congratulations to Sebastian he showed serious pace. We have been pushing and we wanted to get a great result this weekend. I was surprised to be where we are. I did have some traffic through Turn 8 and 9 and it didn’t help. It might have been a Red Bull but we didn’t lose too much time.”

Mark Webber will start from fourth on the grid, but unlike the trio ahead of him he qualified on the harder compound Pirelli which from a strategy perspective may give him an advantage as (theoretically) he will be able to run a longer first stint.

Indian Grand Prix, Qualifying – Saturday, 26 October 2013 (Top 10)

1 - Sebastian Vettel

2 - Nico Rosberg

3 - Lewis Hamilton

4- Mark Webber

5 - Felipe Massa

6 - Kimi Raikkonen

7- Nico Hulkenberg

8- Fernando Alonso

9 - Sergio Perez

10 - Jenson Button

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Hamilton: If Fernando had been in that car…he would be far beyond where Vettel is

Lewis Hamilton claims that, at the wheel of a Red Bull, Fernando Alonso’s feats would be far beyond what Sebastian Vettel has achieved. Hamilton, made the remark, despite having recently clarified his views about Vettel’s dominance following suggestions that he lacked respect for the German.

“Feel the need to clarify my thoughts,” he wrote on Twitter earlier this month. “Seb is great champion!”

However, when asked recently by the Spanish sports daily AS if he would have won four titles at the wheel of Vettel’s Red Bull, Briton Hamilton answered: “I can’t really say. It would be foolish of me to say that.”

“But what is clear to me is that if Fernando (Alonso) had been in that car…he would be far beyond where Vettel is now. He would have won even more easily,” added Hamilton.

When asked about the general lack of respect for Vettel’s achievements, Adrian Newey – who pens the dominant Red Bull – put it down to “jealousy”.

Niki Lauda, however, is full of praise for the German, who will stroll to his fourth title in India on Sunday. He need only finish fifth to secure the 2013 World Drivers’ Championship, his fourth successive title.

“If the good lord had mixed a cocktail with all the best features of a racing driver,” Lauda told Auto Bild, “Sebastian Vettel [would be] the result.”

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Pirelli: There has to be more testing or we can’t do the tyres for 2014

Pirelli warned on the opening day of the Indian Grand Prix weekend that they will not be able to supply tyres for next year’s Formula 1 season unless they are allowed to do more winter testing with an up-to-date car.

A spate of blowouts earlier this season and the criticism that followed led to a change in tyre compounds and structure, but even that could not satisfy drivers including Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso and Red Bull’s Mark Webber.

New rules for 2014 are likely to pose different challenges for the tyres and Pirelli’s motorsport director Paul Hembery told reporters at the Indian Grand Prix that the first official test with all the teams at Jerez at the end of January was too little, too late.

“Based on the comments of our chairman a few weeks ago, there has to be some running or we can’t do the tyres,” said Hembery, referring to reported remarks published in Italy’s Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper.

Hembery said he would like ideally to be able to test with 2014 cars in December but the teams are already racing against the clock to be ready for Jerez.

“Not by force, we’d like some common sense. We have to do some testing. If we can’t, we won’t be able to provide the tyres,” he said.

Alonso was critical of the tyres at the South Korean Grand Prix, complaining they could not even last a fast lap of the circuit without their performance dropping off.

Hembery said the Italian tyre manufacturers faced a “tough job” and offered an alternative perspective of the current season where tyre management has assumed greater importance.

“People expect just the magic things sometimes out of thin air…We still see some interesting races and interesting scenarios. That is what the sports is asking for.”

Pirelli have announced a tyre test with McLaren at Italy’s Vallelunga circuit near Rome on Nov. 11-12 with next year’s tyre and a 2011 car, subject to approval by the International Automobile Federation (FIA).

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Massa warns that he is prepared to ignore team orders again

Felipe Massa has warned he still will not move over for Ferrari teammate Fernando Alonso in the remaining few races of his career with the Maranello outfit.

The Brazilian, who is looking for an alternative drive for 2014, was ordered to let Alonso pass recently at Suzuka, but refused.

“I do not consider it a disrespect to be asked to let Fernando past,” Massa told the Spanish sports newspaper Marca. ”But, as in Suzuka, I will race for myself.”

The 32-year-old, reportedly in contention to move to Williams next year, said his attitude will actually help rather than hinder Ferrari.

“What I am looking for is to get as many points as possible to help maintain the second position in the constructors’ championship,” said Massa.

“I will try to finish in the best position I can,” he said in India.

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Sutil fears the era of children on the 2014 Formula 1 grid

Formula 1 has come too soon for incoming Russian drivers Sergey Sirotkin and Daniil Kvyat, who are both still in their teens, claims Adrian Sutil, referring to the duo that is scheduled to debut for Sauber and Toro Rosso respectively in 2014.

“I think it’s much too soon (for them),” the Force India driver, who is 30, told Speed Week. “They are still children.

“But in Formula 1 it takes grown men, because it is a very tough business. It’s also a shame, because it hurts these young talents if they come in too soon. There is no reason for it.

“Yes we have Russia on the calendar next year, so it’s nice if we have a Russian driver. But I think it’s too risky,” said Sutil.

He said it’s not just the young age that is a problem, but Kvyat is skipping the formative categories GP2 and Formula Renault and leaping straight in from GP3.

“It’s not easy to control a Formula 1 car,” said Sutil, “especially with these tyres. These are ultimately the fastest cars in the world, so it’s a risk for everyone.

“Maybe I’m wrong and they are faster than me. But I think talent like that is rare — maybe one in a thousand drivers who make it into Formula 1,” the German added.

McLaren’s Jenson Button is another driver who has questioned the readiness of drivers like Kvyat, earning him a rebuke from Red Bull’s outspoken Helmut Marko.

“Jenson Button should focus on his career,” Marko told the Russian website Formula 1news.ru. “I think we have proved we know what we are doing.

“I don’t care what anybody says,” Marko continued. “Look at what we’ve done with Vettel. Half the paddock said he was ‘too young, he is not ready, he will never be successful’.

“What do I have to say? I don’t go to McLaren and tell them what to do,” Marko insisted.

Marko also lashed out at suggestions drivers like Stoffel Vandoorne, who is backed by McLaren, and Dutchman Robin Frijns, turned down offers to race for Toro Rosso in 2014.

“I never talked to him!” Marko insisted loudly, referring to Vandoorne. “Ask him. Please do. Another guy, this crazy Dutch guy (Frijns), he said he turned down our offer. We never offered him anything and it annoys me to have to listen to what they say.”

But Vandoorne’s manager Richard Goddard, who also works with Button, begs to differ.

“It is true that there was no offer,” he told Auto Motor und Sport, “but there was interest from Toro Rosso’s side.”

[MIKA27]

Williams slammed with second € 60 000 euro fine for another wheel blunder

The Williams Formula 1 team were fined € 60 000 euros for the second race in a row on Friday for the same offence of failing to secure a wheel on Pastor Maldonado’s car during practice.

In Japan two weeks ago, the rear left wheel came off the Venezuelan’s car and bounced across the track. In India on Friday, the front right wheel fastener came off but the wheel stayed on.

Maldonado nursed the car with its wobbly wheel back to the pitlane entrance before stopping.

“Whilst the stewards accept that improvements to the wheel retaining system had been implemented, the team need to ensure that both the wheel and its fastener are fully retained on the car,” stewards said in a statement.

They decided that the € 60 000 fine was still the most appropriate penalty, despite the wheel not coming off, because it was the second offence.

Formula 1 introduced a secondary retainer mechanism after a television cameraman was hit by a wheel that came off Australian Mark Webber’s Red Bull and bounced down the pitlane during a German Grand Prix pitstop in July.

[MIKA27]

Grosjean: It was a group decision

Romain Grosjean has refused to blame Lotus after dropping out in Q1 in India, saying he also played a role in the decision.

Going out on the medium tyres, the Frenchman posted a 1:26.577 which appeared to be a solid time.

However, as one by one his rivals went out on the soft tyres, the Lotus driver began to fall.

Down in 16th place as the chequered flag was waved, there was nothing Grosjean could do as he fell one more place and was out of qualifying.

"I made the decision as well, it is not right to blame the team or myself," he told Autosport.

"We just missed it for some reason. We will look at why. Sometimes it happens."

He added: "We planned a cut-off time before qualifying and all the cars ran quicker than we expected.

"We are more or less where we wanted to be [on lap time], but it seems it was much more tight and the Option tyre performed better than this morning."

[PaulP]

Qualifying

Times

01 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull 1:24.119

02 Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1:24.871 +0.752

03 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1:24.941 +0.822

04 Mark Webber Red Bull 1:25.047 +0.928

05 Felipe Massa Ferrari 1:25.201 +1.082

06 Kimi Raikkonen Lotus 1:25.248 +1.129

07 Nico Hulkenberg Sauber 1:25.334 +1.215

08 Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1:25.826 +1.707

09 Sergio Perez McLaren 1:26.153 +2.034

10 Jenson Button McLaren 1:26.487 +2.368

11 Daniel Ricciardo Toro Rosso 1:25.519

12 Paul di Resta Force India 1:25.711

13 Adrian Sutil Force India 1:25.740

14 Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso 1:25.798

15 Valtteri Bottas Williams 1:26.134

16 Esteban Gutierrez Sauber 1:26.336

17 Romain Grosjean Lotus 1:26.577

18 Pastor Maldonado Williams 1:26.842

19 Jules Bianchi Marussia 1:26.970

20 Giedo van der Garde Caterham 1:27.105

21 Charles Pic Caterham 1:27.487

22 Max Chilton Marussia 1:28.138

[PaulP]

My guess

Vettel

Webber

Hamilton

[MIKA27]

My guess:

Vettel

Webber

Hulkenberg

Whoever wins, enjoy the race.

[MIKA27]

Webber: So let's see

Chasing his first win of the campaign, Mark Webber is hoping his strategy of qualifying on the Prime tyres pays dividends in Sunday's Indian GP.

While his team-mate Sebastian Vettel went out on the soft tyres for his run in Q3, Webber went with a different strategy.

The Aussie, who has yet to win a grand prix in his final season in Formula One, put the Prime tyres on and posted a 1:25.047.

That time put him fourth on the grid behind Vettel and the two Mercs, who like the German went with the soft tyres.

"We thought it was worth trying something a little bit different with the strategy today, so that's why we ran the Primes in Q3," he explained.

"We thought we would probably be a bit further back than the second row to be honest, so it turned out to be a good session for us.

"It's not easy to manage the Primes when you just get a look at them in Q3, but I think we did a good job and we didn't leave too much out there."

From his position of fourth on the grid, Webber is hoping to launch a challenge as those ahead will need to stop long before him.

"We're in a good position to capitalise on a different approach tomorrow. The Option tyre shouldn't last too long and we'll be on a different strategy.

"That said, I'll still have to use the softer tyre in the race at some point, so let's see."

[MIKA27]

'Red Bull showing serious pace'

Lewis Hamilton concedes it won't be easy beating the Red Bulls in India as they have shown "some serious pace."

While Sebastian Vettel claimed pole position for the third time in India, the two Mercedes drivers were left to scrap over second place after Mark Webber opted for a different strategy.

The Aussie's decision to qualify on the medium tyres meant he was not able to join the fight at the front with Nico Rosberg taking second ahead of Hamilton.

However, whether they can achieve a second and third on Sunday remains to be seen as Hamilton concedes the Bulls have the better pace.

"It has been a tough weekend for us," he said.

"Congratulations to Sebastian but it some serious pace that they have especially with Webber on the Primes just behind us.

"We've been pushing as hard as we can, we really want to get a great result this weekend but I think strategy is going to play a huge part.

"I was a bit surprised to be where we are but generally bit by bit adjusting the set-up we got a reasonable balance.

"Hopefully tomorrow we can push together to try stay ahead of the rest."

[MIKA27]

Button banking on early pit stops

Although Jenson Button says his P10 in qualifying for the Indian GP "hurts", he is hoping that after a few laps those on the soft tyres will "get out of our way."

With the soft Pirellis not lasting very long around the Buddh International Circuit, Button was one of a four drivers in the top ten who opted to qualify on the medium tyres.

As a result, the McLaren driver found himself well off the pace set by Sebastian Vettel on the Options.

The Brit's best, a 1:26.487, was 2.368s off the pace and only good enough for tenth place.

But while it may hurt now, Button is hoping it pays off come Sunday's Indian Grand Prix.

"It probably is the right strategy call, but it hurts," he said in an interview with the BBC.

"The Option running was good, quickest in Q1, so it hurts. I found it really difficult on the Prime tyre.

"The idea is that everyone will pit after five or six laps and get out of our way."

[MIKA27]

Rosberg 'pushing the limits'

Nico Rosberg admits it could be a bit of a struggle at the start of Sunday's Indian GP after he opted to qualify on the soft Pirellis.

Throughout this weekend's sessions at the Buddh International circuit, the Option tyre has taken a battering.

Not only does it suffered graining and blistering after just a few laps but the drop-off in lap time can be quite severe.

But despite this, Rosberg was one of six drivers in the top eight who opted to use that tyre in qualifying.

The German posted the second fastest time, 0.752s behind Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel, to return to the front row of the grid.

"To be honest I'm completely on a knife's edge, really pushing to the limit, trying to extra that little more out of the car," said the Mercedes driver.

"Been trying different things, new ways, new set-ups and now it worked so I'm very pleased with that.

"Qualifying second is better than I hoped for - because of Mark being on another strategy.

"So for the moment it is looking okay but the race will be tough because it's very different circumstances here.

"The Option tyre will struggle a bit at the beginning of the race tomorrow, the Prime will be okay but we'll see."

[MIKA27]

Indian Grand Prix: Vettel dominates to take fourth successive world title in fine style

It was never in doubt that Sebastian Vettel would wrap up the 2013 Formula 1 World Championship at the Indian Grand Prix, and he did so as expected in the finest style possible – by winning the race for the third time in as many years, extending his current streak to six races victories in a row and claim the title yet again.

The German was simply in a class of his own, as he has been since August in Belgium, after starting with the very fragile softer yellow band Pirelli tyres he made a pitstop on lap two and was relegated down to 17th. Thereafter he carved his way through the field. By lap 15 he was third, by lap 21 he was second and on lap 29 he regained the lead – briefly lost it to his teammate a lap later – but by lap 32 he was in the lead again where he remained unchallenged to the end.

When the chequered flag fell to bring an to possibly the last ever Indian Grand Prix, Vettel was world champion for the fourth time in a as many years, and Red Bull had wrapped up the constructors’ title for the fourth time as well.

It was another straightforward and dominant display from Vettel, although the team might point to concerns over the alternator on the Renault powered RB9 which would force Mark Webber to pull over and retire from the race while in second place. But in the end, as has largely been the trend over the past four years, Vettel was unaffected.

However there was an irony to Webber’s retirement as it summed up the past three years of the Red Bull partnership in the cruelest way possible. One driver sweeping all before him, the other hitching a lift back to the pits on a scooter. As Vettel and Red Bull donned their world champions t-shirt for a fourth year in succession, Webber could be forgiven getting a batch printed with the (Mario Balotelli style) slogan: Why always me?

But the day belonged to Vettel and it was great to see the world champion doing donuts, climbing fences and bring back some good old fashioned ‘I am very glad I won style celebrations’ – his silhouette amid the smoke of his tyres as he climbed on to the Red Bull in front of the main grandstand will be permanently etched in the memory of those who witnessed the spectacle. And his greatness will be revered in due course.

Vettel spoke afterwards, ”First of all I would to thank the crowd for an unbelievable reception, I am speechless and I was empty when I crossed the line. I spent ages thinking what to say, there is so much you want to say at a time like that.”

“It is a pleasure to jump in the car and go out and drive for the guys and give it all I have. The car was phenomenal today and has been phenomenal all season to be honest.”

“I want to say a big thank you to everyone who is behind the team, it has not been an easy season. From the outside people will think it was easy but it wasn’t. It has been hard for me in particular, to be booed when I have not done anything wrong was hard but I think I answered the things on the track which I am very pleased about.”

“I am overwhelmed, I don’t know what to say but it is the best day of my life so far. When I started to race, Formula 1 seemed so far away but there are so many people I have to thank along the way from karting to here.”

“I was taught so many things and I have always tried to listen but to come out on top of this incredibly talented field is amazing. I am not old yet but I am getting older and maybe I am not grasping it yet. Maybe in 10 years time I will look back and realise the enormity.”

As for the support cast it was Nico Rosberg who was best of the rest, taking second place in the Mercedes despite dropping down to as low as 13th place at the halfway mark. But the Silver Arrows pit wall made the strategy work. The German outfit are now ahead of Ferrari in the constructors’ standings.

Drive of the day, man of the match – call it what you want – must go to Romain Grosjean who turned 17th on the grid to third place and doing only one stop in the race. In the process he also revealed the true colours of his teammate Kimi Raikkonen. As the Frenchman came up to overtake the Finn, whose tyres were clearly finished and way off the pace, Raikkonen was hardly helpful which was strange considering the amount of times Grosjean capitulated for his teammate in the past. Nevertheless Grosjean clearly out performed his highly acclaimed teammate yet again. Raikkonen crossed the line in seventh.

Felipe Massa gave one of his strongest performances in a while on his way to fourth place. Opting to ignore his Ferrari engineers and devise his own game plan for the race, the Brazilian had a mega start and was always at the sharp end of proceedings while teammate Fernando Alonso struggled after a first turn collision compromised his race. The Spaniard spent the afternoon battling with the wrong group of cars, and 11th was his reward.

The best move of the day must go to McLaren’s Sergio Perez who audaciously squeezed past Lewis Hamilton and Raikkonen to ****** fifth place. Granted the Lotus and Mercedes were on griplesstyres at that point, nevertheless it was cheeky and very brave to venture between two of F1′s hard men as Perez did.

At their home grand prix, Force India rose to the occasion with Paul di Resta and Adrian Sutil finishing eighth and ninth respectively.

Daniel Ricciardo, in tenth, claimed the final point for Toro Rosso.

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Grosjean delighted with 'brave strategy'

Sebastian Vettel may have taken most of the plaudits after wrapping up the title in India, but Romain Grosjean was easily the driver of the day.

While Vettel won from pole position at the Buddh International Circuit, Grosjean came from 17th on the grid to claim the final podium position following a "brave strategy" from his team.

After a nightmare Saturday saw him crash out during Q1, Grosjean decided to put in 14 laps on the softer compounds leaving him to do 46 on the medium tyres.

The plan worked perfectly as he managed to make his way up the field to finish third behind race winner Vettel and Nico Rosberg of Mercedes.

"I would not have bet a penny on it. We had a very brave strategy, as we did yesterday, it was not the time to go safe and it paid off," the Frenchman said.

"I tried to go through the field, it was tough until the end. I didn't know when the tyres were going to go off, but the team were fantastic. I am very proud."

Grosjean had to overtake team-mate Kimi Raikkonen during the final few laps to move onto the podium, and it wasn't a straightforward move as he initially went off track and was forced to give back the place.

However, Raikkonen backed off and allowed him to move up.

"Kimi was in a difficult situation and went for the outside and didn't see that point so I knew I had to be careful to my engine," he said. "I lost a little bit of time but we got on the podium and scored good points for the team."