FORMULA 1 - 2013

[MIKA27]

Webber: I couldn't do any more

Despite wearing a rueful smile, Mark Webber was disappointed after retiring while running second in India.

Opting to start on the medium tyres, Webber was able to run longer than those who lined up ahead of him.

Working his way into the lead, Webber held onto the P1 slot for 20 laps before he had to pit for he soft tyres.

It was a brief run on those tyres before he was back in the pits for his final stop and a new set of medium tyres.

Chasing his team-mate Sebastian Vettel in a Red Bull-only battle, Webber was forced to retire on lap 40 when his alternator failed.

"Disappointing, but there's not much I can do - there was something wrong with the car, so we had to stop straight away," he said.

"I felt some problems with the gearbox and I told the guys but they thought it would clear but it seemed to come back almost immediately."

He added: "In the end I still have a smile on my face as I couldn't do any more today."

As for his race, the soon-to-be retired Aussie spoke to the BBC about his strategy compared to Vettel, who started on the softs.

"Seb had a very clean first lap so he got a nice buffer at the start.

"We knew we would be close on strategy and we were still looking for a strong result, but the car didn't come home."

[MIKA27]

Vettel: I’m way too young to understand what it means to be four times world champion

Four times Formula 1 World Champion Sebastian Vettel has joined an elite group of drivers who have won the championship four or more times – Juan Manuel Fangio, Michael Schumacher, Alain Prost. After the Red Bull driver clinched the 2013 title in fine style, for himself and the constructors’ title for his team, with yet another dominant victory at the Indian Grand Prix, he spoke to media about the remarkable achievement.

Tell us your emotions from this victory.

Sebastian Vettel: First of all I would love to say thank you to the crowd. Unbelievable reception today. It’s a shame we are not racing here next year. I’m speechless, I don’t know. I crossed the line, I was empty. I took ages thinking about something to say. It’s one of these moments you wish to say so many things but you can’t. Phenomenal season. The spirit inside the team is so strong that… I said it on the radio, it gives me so much power that, it’s a pleasure to jump in the car and go out for the guys and just try to give it all I have. The car was phenomenal today. It was phenomenal all season to be honest. I couldn’t ask for more.

I think the crowd here probably enjoyed your little celebration before coming up to the podium. Had you thought about that or was that just purely instinctive reaction?

SV: No, I haven’t really thought about it. Rocky, my engineer called for the usual procedure but I said “yeah, not this time,” and there’s so many people here on the main grandstand that I had to do it. Usually we are not allowed to – but it felt so right at that time. I want to say a big thank you to the team, to all the people that were behind us. For sure it was not an easy season, even if people from the outside get the idea that we had it in our hands for quite a while, the last couple of races. But I think it was a difficult one all in all. Very difficult one for me personally. To receive boos, even though you haven’t done anything wrong, to overcome that and to give the right answer on the track and finally get the acceptance that I think we’re all looking for as racing drivers… it makes me very proud to join people like Prost, Fangio and Michael is unbelievable.

You’ve said you’re speechless and can’t find the words to describe the emotions of this moment – but please try one more time. As you stand here away from your racing car, how do you feel?

SV: I miss it! How do I feel? I’m overwhelmed. I don’t know what to say. I think it’s one of the best days of my life so far. When I was small… I always try to think back and think back where you started. Formula One was so far away. To race against these drivers, to race in Formula One was so far away. There have been so many people that I have to thank along the way from go-karting, junior formula categories, up to now, that have been teaching me a lot. I’ve always tried to listen and learn and it’s incredible to race some of the best drivers in the world, that Formula One ever had. I think it’s a very strong field and to come out on top of them… As I said, I think the spirit in the team is fantastic and to go for numbers and statistics that we have done in the last four years is unbelievable. I don’t feel old – I’m getting older but I think I’m not that old yet and to achieve that in such a short amount of time is very difficult to grasp. Maybe in ten years’ time. I’m trying very hard to come to the level I am now and maybe then I’m a little bit better in understanding what we have done so far.

There was something unusual we saw at the end of the race: you got out of the car, almost kneeled, almost kissing in front of the car. What was that?

SV: It’s just an appreciation for the car, for the team. It’s pretty special. We work so hard all year to try and make that car faster, as simple as that. The guys are pushing, you could argue that it’s the fifth season with this generation of cars. Next year it will be a new generation, but you still see issues that we have. Unfortunately Mark had a problem with the alternator, similar to last year. Out of precaution, I wasn’t allowed to use the drinks bottle in the race, we switched the KERS off, we did everything to try and save energy at the end. So the cars are built on the limit, even if you think it’s season number five, with the same – in a way – the same kind of car. The fact that the car lasts, the work that the mechanics put into the car. It’s just an appreciation. I think it’s a team effort at the end of the day. I spoke to the guys yesterday night… surely you could argue that I have an important job when I’m out there driving the car, no doubt, I’m aware of that but I’m not selfish, I’m not taking all the credit myself. I’m very thankful for what these guys are doing. If you look at their pay check at the end of the month, you’d be surprised if you could do the amount of hours that they do. I think it’s better to work at McDonalds than to do what they do! It’s one hundred percent commitment. They love their job, they love the fact that they are working on a Formula One car and get to see technology like that. I think at the end of the day we could… it’s rockets in a way. It’s a shame, in a way, that with modern circuits people don’t get the excitement of the speeds that close any more, but I think for safety reasons there’s no doubt… you don’t want to go back to where we’ve been in the past, so I think the sport has progressed but for sure you lose some of the excitement but I think for racing fans, such as the mechanics, it’s still the same. It was just a gesture of saying thank you.

Would you say this has been amongst your most or probably the most emotional day, as an F1 driver?

SV: In a way, we saw that one coming. Last year was very special. If you look at the race last year, Brazil, it was… if you tried to write a story like that you can’t because you can’t be creative enough. Maybe this year the difference is that it happens in a place like this. What I want to say is that I would actually love to take the time out and travel India, travel around here, because I think this country has the possibility to teach you so much. The majority of people are very poor, if you compare the living standards to Europe. I think it’s within human nature that you always find something to complain about. Being German, maybe it’s in my roots to find something to complain about but you come here, the majority of people have a very difficult life you would say, but they are very happy. Obviously we don’t get to see much because it’s an isolated world, we are here in the paddock so if you get to see a little bit of the surroundings, it’s quite frightening sometimes to see the circumstances people have to live in, but the big lesson is that they are happy. It was a difficult emotion to cross the line and to feel happy all of a sudden because you’re in a rhythm, you know what you’re doing, you have a certain routine. Yes, I was very nervous before the race but I am all the time, I am nervous, usually the last hour of my sleep from Saturday to Sunday is quite poor because I’m looking forward to the race, I’m having all sorts of scenarios in my head. I think it takes time to understand what happened but I think it is also a special place to win at and yeah, when my engineer called for the usual procedure – parc ferme, park the car – I said to myself I don’t care, I go there, the crowd was great in the main grandstand and I’ll have some fun there which I enjoyed a lot.

When you were growing up, watching Formula One, did you ever root for the underdog, did you ever want the guy finishing behind Schumacher to win, as a fan?

SV: I was never imagining myself to… what were we dreaming about when we were young boys? To be honest with you, when I started karting, I was doing the free practice, I was interested in the result, knowing if I was quick or not, I wanted to know, and after that I went to the sand and played with toy cars. We played hide and seek… it was a very nice time, to be honest. I had a lot of friends at the go-kart track, at the age of seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, when it was really about just growing up and having a hobby, you know? My friends at school went to play football, I joined them, I wasn’t very good. I already didn’t like losing at the time so yeah, it was a very nice time. It’s a lot of work, a lot of hours you put in, but I have to thank my parents in a way because they never put pressure on me. I understood it was very serious, I understand that they… maybe I understand now better than back then, but I understood that they spent a lot of time with me, sacrificed their lives in a way but we had a good time as a family together. Yeah, even if I wouldn’t be here in Formula One now and successful somewhere else, I don’t know, studying and having a normal job, I would still look back and say it was a nice time we spent together as a family and we would still talk about it every second or third dinner, because they are nice memories that we have. So when I was a child, I wasn’t really… of course, it was a dream to race in Formula One but I think it’s wrong to say it was a target. Later on, when I was 15/16, yes, I had a target but now, looking back, it was very difficult to grasp.

You returned to your hotel at nine at night which was six hours after qualifying finished. Is it normal or are you as diligent at any other weekend?

SV: I think I spend a lot of time here at the track, looking at stuff, writing my reports and trying to give feedback but also to be honest, last night I had dinner here at the circuit. Many times people complain about the paddock and the people; to be honest with you, I’m not like that, I enjoy being here and spending time with people that you know. I had an interesting discussion last night with a journalist. I like the paddock, it’s not like a prison to me. People say when you cross the entrance it’s like being in a circus but I think it’s what you make of the circus also. If you come in with a negative mindset then for sure you will have a bad time. This morning, when I looked at the car and also yesterday to be honest, I looked at it and it’s a small piece of kit. It’s not very big. A truck is bigger, any truck you can buy on the road is bigger but imagine the speed this car can travel with you behind the wheel. It’s amazing. I just appreciate that fact, you know. Whether you finish first, second, 15th or last, it doesn’t really matter, but I think it’s something unique, that we get to feel, we get to enjoy. I appreciate that and hopefully this kind of feeling never changes.

First all the boos you got recently – from maybe many Ferrari fans – were quite shameful, it was not very much deserved. Your thoughts

SV: Yes, but to be honest with you, I’m not blaming the Ferrari fans. I tried to make the example, unfortunately nowadays the world is ticking so quickly that people are not always listening exactly to what I’m saying or what I’m trying to say. I don’t blame the people that booed, you know. If I go to the football stadium, for example, I cheer for the home team. The first moment you maybe don’t appreciate the outside or the away team to score a goal, the guy who actually scored a goal you don’t appreciate him being an amazing player and you might boo because other people boo. So in that regard, I think I know how to put it but like I said, obviously it doesn’t feel great but if you have a love for.. for example for Ferrari or McLaren… I had actually one guy writing a letter after Singapore. He apologised because he was in the crowd and he was booing and he apologised that he was booing, it was the wrong thing to do. I think if people think about it they understand but in the heat of the moment, you know, there’s nobody really to blame. Somebody starts, some people join in, others don’t. We are fans of the sport and if some people have a passion for Ferrari, which they might have for good reason, they’ve been around for quite a while, they don’t like it if somebody else wins. It’s not necessarily my fault. I think I’m mature enough to understand that.

Four names: Fangio, Schumacher, Prost, Vettel.

SV: It’s very difficult to, to understand. Put it this way, I was watching TV, I was watching Formula One when Fernando started to win races and now I’m racing Fernando, he’s been my toughest opponent for the last couple of years. I think he’s extremely talented, very gifted behind the wheel, for sure. He’s Spanish, he’s very passionate, one way and the other. Now, to race people like him, race people like Lewis who I think has an amazing level of natural talent, to race people like Mark who I rate the same way, like Nico who I think is underestimated. A lot of guys, you know: Kimi, Jenson. To win four titles, I don’t know, it’s just a big number, you know? Four. Titles. Fangio put the number of five titles, everybody appreciated him as the best driver in the world. Michael came along a couple of years later or… couple of years! Quite many years later. Different time, different era of the sport. Don’t get me wrong, I’m just talking as a fan of the sport, you know? Yes, he had a very dominant car but he created that at Ferrari, you know? He was working very hard, arguably harder than everybody else. He had some tough challenges coming in and going out: people like Montoya, David, Kimi, Fernando. It’s incredible that one guy managed to actually score more championships than this guy did.

Unfortunately Fangio passed away but when you speak to true legends of the sport, in my opinion, like Stirling Moss, they actually have the guts to say that… ****, this guy was better than me, he deserved to win and Stirling Moss for sure was not a… he finished twice, I don’t know how many times, three/four times in the championship? To join people like that: Michael, Fangio, Prost is very difficult to put into perspective. I’m way too young to understand what it means. I might be sixty one day, maybe then I will understand but nobody cares any more. I care, it’s difficult to realise something that nobody can take away from you, basically.

Would you say that people have been unfair to you when they say that F1 is becoming boring because of you winning everything but at the same time, there are people like Fernando Alonso who say that you should be respected for being the fastest?

SV: No, I’m not… I don’t know the word, nachtragend (resentful). I’m not… I don’t blame people. They boo because they are Ferrari fans. At the time it hurts, as I said, not to get the reception that you expect but at the same time, I think I’m clever enough to understand why they do it. I’m not blaming them. Maybe if I would be a fan of McLaren, Ferrari, whatever, one of the traditional teams, I wouldn’t like it if the same kind of guys, same team wins again and again. I think the most important thing for me is to get the respect from people that I know and people that I race against. I feel respected amongst the drivers. Sure you have to fight to get that respect when you come in but I’m not blaming the fans. It’s very difficult for the fans, to be honest, to understand what’s going on behind the scenes because they get a little of an idea of who we are but it’s impossible for everyone to introduce yourself and to explain what kind of guy you are. But then again, it’s nice to give a little bit back to people you meet, at the hotel, at the track, outside of the track, maybe when you’re shopping, people that recognise you. Therefore, I think it’s important that you get the respect from people that you really know. Others, I think, will always struggle, there will always be pros and cons, speaking for and against you.

When you entered the room, you were on the phone. Who were you talking to? And what was the talk about?

SV: My parents and my brother. I was basically… they said congratulations. I said that I loved them very much, thank you and yeah, it’s very difficult to find the right words. As I said, it’s one of these things I struggle to understand right here, right now. But as I tried to explain in my message in German, there have been a lot of people supporting me on the way and for sure my family played a huge role. I think we just got to spend a very good time together and to have this sort of outcome, nobody expected that. It’s just a nice bonus at the end of the day.

You just said that you would love to explore India. Considering there’s no race next year, would you like to explore India in the off-season? Would you have the time?

SV: There’s not enough time in the off-season, to be honest. It’s a very busy schedule. If you look at the schedule itself, obviously December will be quite busy and then I get some time for myself at Christmas. And then we start very soon in January. It’s a big big big project waiting for us next year. I think teams like Mercedes, Ferrari spend a lot of time thinking of new ideas. It’s a new car, it’s a new engine so it will be an incredibly big challenge. We already start testing in January. I think this year’s winter will be as short as… or will be shorter than many winters before. And then you have… at the moment there’s 22 races in the calendar, so you don’t get to spend two, three, four, five weeks really for holidays or to have a break. I think, in the end, that India is big, lot of people here and you need more than a week or two to really get the taste of the country. It’s a shame but since there’s quite a good perspective that one day I will retire and I will still be young, I’m looking forward to that.

Since you said that India is a special place to win, would you consider naming your 2014 car with an Indian angle?

SV: Actually, don’t get me wrong, but yesterday there were a couple of guests we had from the team and I signed some autographs and I was asking for their names and I regret that because I looked like an idiot. They were spelling the names and I’m… ‘OK, can you say that again?’ and one guy who had, I don’t know, some Ts in his name and he spelled it and he said D like Tomato. So I put D and I looked like an idiot because he actually meant T. Don’t get me wrong, you look like an idiot when he spells the name and you put something down wrong. For sure, my English isn’t perfect either but I struggled to understand him. I really like the people here, they are very friendly. He didn’t actually take it personally so we just did another card. With the right spelling.

[MIKA27]

Vettel gets reprimand after title celebration donuts while team gets €25 000 fine

Sebastian Vettel spent some of his first moments as a quadruple World Champion-elect in the stewards office after Sunday’s Indian Grand Prix, and walked out with a reprimand while his team was slapped with a €25 000 fine.

After wrapping up his 2013 title campaign in style with a third consecutive win at the Buddh circuit, the German let his emotion spill over with a series of perfect donuts on the front straight.

“(Engineer) Rocky called for the usual procedure, but I said ‘not this time’,” Vettel grinned as he recalled doing the donuts, stopping the car on the grid and throwing his gloves into the grandstand.

The Red Bull driver, however, broke a fundamental rule about taking his car straight to ‘parc ferme’ – a crucial procedure to prevent interference with the car and strict compliance with the rules.

Indeed, FIA officials were quickly on the scene of the abandoned RB9 to ‘neutralise’ it, and Vettel and team manager Jonathan Wheatley were summarily called up by the stewards.

The FIA announced: ”The driver failed to proceed directly to the post race parc ferme as detailed under article 43.3 of the FIA Formula 1 Sporting Regulations. Due to the special circumstances the Stewards accepted the explanation of the driver. The team failed to instruct the driver sufficiently to return directly to post race parc ferme.”

Vettel was given a reprimand an his Red Bull team was handed a € 25 000 fine.

Helmut Marko, however, said he could not understand the officials’ strict adherence to the rules in such a universally-enjoyed moment of emotion and celebration, calling the FIA’s reaction “unbelievable” and “strange”.

Earlier German commentator Marc Surer said: “The FIA could penalise him, but I hope they turn a blind eye, because this was not just any race but the title decider. On the other hand, the FIA constantly surprises me with the penalties they issue.”

It was Vettel’s first reprimand of the season. Three reprimands in one season leads to a ten place grid drop penalty.

MIKA: Yep, this is a perfect example of the FIA ruining a celebration such as this. I'm not the biggest Vettel fan but the guy just won his 4th WDC, give him a break. I loved watching Seb celebrate.

[MIKA27]

Lotus unhappy with Raikkonen's move

Lotus will be having a chat with Kimi Raikkonen in the wake of Sunday's Indian GP after the Finn forced his team-mate off the road.

Racing for third place in the final stages of the grand prix, Raikkonen's tyres were shot and he was struggling while team-mate Romain Grosjean was right on his tail.

The Frenchman made his move only for Raikkonen to vigorously defend, even forcing his team-mate off the track.

As to be expected, Lotus weren't very happy even though Grosjean went on to finish on the podium.

"It was a little disappointing, to be honest. He knew his tyres were finished and there was no need to have a battle," the team's Trackside Operations Director Alan Permane told Sky Sports F1.

"Romain was racing hard and I'm sure we'll have a chat in the office about it."

Meanwhile, team boss Eric Boullier billed the incident as a "misunderstanding" between the team and the driver.

"It was a bit of a misunderstanding because Kimi didn't expect Romain to be so fast and we then had to cool them down on the radio. When you have ten laps to go, you never know how much your laps might go."

[MIKA27]

Alonso's Indian GP an 'uphill' battle

Fernando Alonso has billed his Indian GP as an "uphill" battle following first lap damage.

Trying to make up positions at the start, the double World Champion had contract with Mark Webber who was pushed into his path by Kimi Raikkonen.

Alonso suffered front wing damage and had to pit on Lap 2 for repairs, which dropped him down to P20.

However, with his F138 also suffering issues with the steering, he only managed to work his way up to 11th.

"It was not a clear start," said the Spaniard.

"I was a bit unlucky because I think Mark was also having contact with someone and the third part of that equation was me. And I had a battle in corner four as well [with Jenson Button].

"The race was uphill from that moment.

"It was a difficult race, with not enough pace. The car was damaged. The steering wheel was very heavy into the right corners and light into the left corners."

But while Alonso had a disappointing afternoon, the same cannot be said of his nemesis Sebastian Vettel.

The Red Bull racer claimed the victory, his sixth on the trot, and yet another World title.

"I congratulate Sebastian Vettel, they have been very strong and dominant, especially in the second half of the season and Red Bull deserve to be Champions.

"We need to start thinking about next year and make things more difficult for him."

[MIKA27]

'Sweet reward' for under pressure Perez

Sergio Perez believes he proved with his display in India that he can deliver when under pressure after finishing fifth.

The McLaren driver started in ninth place, but an excellent strategy which saw him put in a long first stint on the medium tyres helped him to secure a season-best finish.

It is a welcome boost for the 23-year-old Mexican as there are question marks over his race seat for the 2014 campaign as McLaren are yet to confirm him.

"Unlike the past two or three weekends, I was finally able to enjoy a clean race without any bad luck!" he said.

"Fifth place is a great result for me. Without question, I have a lot of pressure on my shoulders, but it's always sweeter when you perform well while under pressure. I'm extremely satisfied.

"In the closing laps, it was a fantastic feeling to get past Kimi [Raikkonen] and Lewis [Hamilton] in a single move. I just braked as late as I could for Turn Four to try and keep Lewis behind - and I managed to do it.

"It's been a tough season, but today's result is a promising sign and really motivates the whole workforce ahead of the last three races, where we'll be doing our best to get more strong finishes under our belts."

[fozzie]

Great racer. Great champion. Thoroughly bloody nice bloke.

[MIKA27]

Hulkenberg in the dark over brake failure

Nico Hulkenberg was disappointed when his points-scoring run came to an end while battling for eighth place in Sunday's Indian Grand Prix.

The Sauber driver has been on a great run of late, scoring points in each of the last four grands prix.

Chasing a fifth successive top-ten result, Hulkenberg was forced to park his C32 when his brakes failed just six laps from the end of the Indian GP.

"Today I would have passed the finish line in eighth place," he said.

"We don't know yet what happened.

"When I was braking into the last turn something clicked and all of a sudden my brakes were gone. Something must have been broken on the car.

"Following that I pitted and went out again, but something wasn't right. It is very disappointing."

[MIKA27]

Massa believes Vettel has matched Senna's, Schumacher's greatness

Felipe Massa believes Sebastian Vettel is now ranked at the same level as Ayrton Senna after racking up four consecutive world championships.

Vettel has joined Michael Schumacher, Juan Manuel Fangio and Alain Prost as the only drivers to have won four drivers' titles by winning the Indian Grand Prix.

Massa, who came within a point of winning the world championship in 2008, believes there is longer any doubt that the German is an all-time great.

"Today, he signed his name as one of the best Formula 1 drivers in history together with Senna, together with Schumacher, together with other drivers who are all the time at the top," said Massa.

"I'm very happy for him [as after] everything he did in his career he deserved it. He is a fantastic driver."

Massa's Ferrari team-mate Fernando Alonso, who was the only driver who could have prevented Vettel clinching the title in the Indian GP, has congratulated his title rival.

He stressed that his focus is now on mounting a more serious challenge to the Red Bull ace next year.

"I congratulate Sebastian," said Alonso. "He's had a very, very strong season dominating especially the second part of the year with many wins, so well done to him and the team.

"Hopefully next year, we can make things a little bit more difficult than next year."

Alonso added that it is not possible to come up with a definitive answer as to how to rank the great drivers of F1 and that numbers alone only tell part of the story.

He believes it is up to individuals to decide who the greats of the sport are.

"Many people think Ayrton was the best in history, he had only three championships compared to people that had more," said Alonso.

"Some people think that Michael is the greatest if you look at the numbers he should be the best one because he has 91 victories and seven titles.

"This is nothing we can discuss, there will always be many different opinions and this is the good thing about the sport."

[NaFFe]

Good job by seb. Glad he had respect for the red bull car and bugger the FIA for the fine

[ptrthgr8]

I'm a huge Vettel fan so I loved seeing Seb win this race and the title. I think the FIA is about as bad as the NFL when it comes to celebrations, but I also think the fine is pretty much peanuts for a team that wins millions. I bet nobody at Red Bull will be admonishing Seb any time soon.

Will be fun to see what Seb does in the last few races without any title pressure. I'm pretty sure he'll still drive the tires of that RB9 as usual.

Cheers,

Greg

Sent from my DROID RAZR MAXX HD

[MIKA27]

I'm a huge Vettel fan so I loved seeing Seb win this race and the title. I think the FIA is about as bad as the NFL when it comes to celebrations, but I also think the fine is pretty much peanuts for a team that wins millions. I bet nobody at Red Bull will be admonishing Seb any time soon.

Will be fun to see what Seb does in the last few races without any title pressure. I'm pretty sure he'll still drive the tires of that RB9 as usual.

Cheers,

Greg

Sent from my DROID RAZR MAXX HD

Absolutely: The fine is nothing really considering also everyone back at the RBR factory get a £10,000 bonus!

[MIKA27]

Alonso: Congratulations to Sebastian for a very strong season with many wins

Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso congratulated Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel on his fourth successive Formula 1 World Drivers’ title on Sunday. Alonso reserved judgement on where the German stood among the greats, while re-affirming his team’s commitment to dethroning the newly crowned World Champion.

Alonso saw his already faint chances of keeping the championship battle alive evaporate when Vettel completed an Indian Grand Prix hat-trick to become Formula 1′s youngest quadruple champion.

“Congratulations to Sebastian. Obviously a very, very strong season, dominating specially the second part of the year with many many wins. Well done to him and to the team,” Alonso, who finished 11th, told reporters. ”Hopefully next year we can make things more difficult.”

Alonso went into Sunday’s race trailing Vettel by 90 points and the German sealed the championship with the ruthlessness that has become the hallmark of his sustained domination in the past four years

The 26-year-old’s success has left many wondering if Vettel might be the greatest modern Formula 1 driver but numbers alone would not convince Alonso, who is widely regarded as the sport’s most complete driver even if his car is currently inferior.

“Different opinions for different people and all of them we need to respect,” Alonso said.

“Many people think Ayrton [senna] was the best ever. He won only three championships, compared to people who have won more.

“Some people think Michael [schumacher] is the greatest. If you see the numbers, he should be the best because he has 91 victories, seven titles.

“[Vettel's] driving performance is big with numbers, being four-time champion. In 2011, I remember him winning 14 or 15 races, this year he will win, I don’t know many. Now it’s 10, he will win maybe 13 races.”

Alonso would not hazard a guess whether he, given an equally fast car, could beat Vettel and preferred to focus on mounting a stiffer challenge next year.

“I’m not here to guess…today is the day to congratulate him and for him to enjoy the championship and it’s the day for us to start working even harder.

“They have been very strong, dominating for the last four years. We need to do something better than what we did in the last four years because it’s clear that it’s not enough. So we will start immediately.”

For the time being, Alonso was happy trying to ensure that Ferrari finishes second in the Constructor’s championship after being overtaken by Mercedes.

“For me, it makes a difference to have the team happy. They, at the end of the month, pay me…you need to make happy [the person] who gives you food,” he said.

[MIKA27]

Ecclestone civil action to begin this week in German court

Formula 1′s attention will turn from Sebastian Vettel’s fourth world title celebrations to the inside of a courtroom early this week.

Reports say that while German prosecutors have not decided whether the bribery affair will go to criminal trial, a separate civil action will get underway in London on Tuesday.

Bloomberg news agency said that German prosecutors “may be watching for anything that will help their case”, as media company Constantin sues Formula 1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone for $171 million for the alleged bribing of jailed banker Gerhard Gribkowsky.

“It’s not ideal, it would be better if it wasn’t happening, but we can’t change the court system,” Ecclestone, who is scheduled to appear and give evidence in the trial, said.

Former Minardi team owner Paul Stoddart said he is backing the British magnate, who turns 83 on Monday.

“I’ve not seen an ounce of credible evidence that proves [that] he is guilty,” he said. “Formula 1 will be much poorer the day Bernie is not there.”

[MIKA27]

Pirelli relationship with F1 became even more strained in India

Formula 1′s uneasy relationship with its tyre supplier Pirelli became even more strained during the course of the Indian Grand Prix weekend.

At the tail end of the Italian marque’s highly controversial 2013 campaign, the tyre situation was stark in India as the Soft or ‘Option’ tyre failed to last more than a few laps.

“Teams say the blistering here is worse than it has ever been in the Pirelli era,” the BBC’s Andrew Benson said on Sunday.

The situation was so alarming that Pirelli, having only a tentative green-light by the FIA to stay in the sport beyond 2013, issued a recommendation to the teams that the Soft tyre not be used for more than 15 laps on Sunday.

The FIA refused to enforce it, on the grounds that some teams have the advantage of being better able to manage Pirelli’s heavily-degrading tyres.

Auto Motor und Sport pointed out that Force India driver Adrian Sutil, for example, made the Soft tyre work for almost 20 laps on Sunday for his one-stop strategy.

The report said sporting director Otmar Szafnauer, who admitted that stretching the tyre’s life to 19 laps was “remarkable”, also ‘shook his head’ at Pirelli’s recommendation.

Pirelli boss Paul Hembery said afterwards in an official statement: “We are disappointed to see that some teams went against our recommendations and used the compounds for longer than we advised them to do.”

In India, Pirelli renewed its threat to quit Formula 1 if teams do not agree to more pre-season running prior to 2014, but the BBC reports that the tyre supplier is refusing to pay for that testing.

“It’s fair to say that Pirelli is not exactly winning many friends in Formula 1 at the moment,” Benson added.

MIKA: Please ditch Pirelli and bring in Michellin and Bridgestone.

[MIKA27]

Newey: It was a career risk to leave McLaren and join an upstart team sponsored by a fizzy drink company

Red Bull designer Adrian Newey’s decision to join Red Bull from McLaren in 2006 has paid off fourfold but, ominously for his rivals, still he wants more.

After the Milton Keynes-based Formula 1 team and Germany’s Sebastian Vettel racked up a quadruple double – four successive drivers’ and constructors’ championships – at the Indian Grand Prix on Sunday, Newey is already focused on trying to make it five.

Rivals might wish he took a sabbatical, switched to designing racing yachts for an Americas’ Cup challenge or worked for them but Newey has no such plans at present.

“It’s been an amazing ride,” he told reporters at the Buddh International Circuit after Vettel became the youngest four times champion at the age of 26.

“When I joined Red Bull it was kind of a bit of a career risk to leave an established team like McLaren and join an upstart team sponsored by a fizzy drink company.

“But it’s been incredibly satisfying. it’s kind of schoolboy comic stuff, really. I love working with the team, I love working with my colleagues at the team, I find the environment very stimulating.

“Next year we have this big regulation change which is exciting and nerve-racking at the same time. So that’s my immediate concentration. After that we’ll have to see.”

Newey-designed cars have now won 10 constructor’s championships in total with three separate teams – five with Williams from 1992 to 1997 and one with McLaren in 1998.

The British boffin still uses a pencil and pad in his Milton Keynes office, happily labelling himself the last of the design dinosaurs, while overseeing others who put concepts into practice.

“We don’t pretend to be anything we’re not. We’re a Formula One team operating out of relatively scruffy factory units in Milton Keynes, nothing glamorous,” he said. “We just try and keep our feet on the ground and have a good creative atmosphere in the team.”

In this year’s championship, Vettel has won 10 of the 16 races so far, including the last six in a row.

There is every chance that by the end of the year he will have extended that run, possibly to equal the 60-year-old record of nine set by Italian Alberto Ascari, but it did not look that promising earlier in the year.

Red Bull started the season with a car that was basically a continuation of the 2012 one, with a few refinements.

The quick-wearing Pirelli tyres did not play to their strengths, particularly on high speed corners, and in the early races team principal Christian Horner voiced repeated criticism until a spate of blowouts at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone in June forced a change and a return to the 2012 construction.

Vettel won three of the first eight races and then seven of the eight since Silverstone.

“Going back to 2012 tyres, for sure, helped us,” said Newey, while adding there was “no single magic bullet’ and other factors also played a part.

“The 2013 tyres were much more load sensitive. It was much more easy to damage them if you put too much load into them,” he said.

“A bit of it was the nature of the circuit as well. The circuits we had as we got into the second half of the season perhaps suited the car.

“We hadn’t fully got on top of the high downforce…circuits such as China and Barcelona. So probably Spa and Monza suited us as being medium and low downforce circuits and then by the time we got to Singapore we’d managed to get on top of the high downforce areas we’d struggled with a bit earlier in the season.”

The closest comparison is with 2011, when Vettel ended up with 11 wins in total and was also dominant.

In 2011 Ferrari started well but by the mid-season McLaren were pretty strong and making good strides and we were worrying that actually their development rate was higher than our own,” said Newey.

“This year Ferrari started off well, but come mid-season Mercedes seemed to be making very good strides and we were kind of worrying that their development rate was going to overtake us.”

[MIKA27]

Boullier concedes money may decide

Lotus team principal Eric Boullier admits money may yet play a role in deciding Romain Grosjean's new team-mate.

Lotus are in the hunt for a driver to replace Kimi Raikkonen for next year's Championship with Nico Hulkenberg and Pastor Maldonado reportedly leading the running.

But while Boullier has stated several times that he would "love" to sign Hulkenberg, the Frenchman concedes finances may play a role.

While Hulkenberg does not have any big sponsors backing his career, Maldonado brings with him Venezuelan oil company PDVSA.

"I need to decide if I can afford a driver," Boullier told the BBC.

"The idea is to bring stability to the team.

"Yes, we are working for a financial package, but I would like to have the best drivers as well.

"But you also have to think about your team. You need to save your people."

[MIKA27]

Eric Boullier apologises for Kimi Raikkonen/Lotus F1 radio exchange

Lotus boss Eric Boullier has apologised for the radio exchange between Kimi Raikkonen and Alan Permane during the Indian Grand Prix.

The team's trackside operations director Permane told Raikkonen to "move out of the ****ing way" as the Finn struggled for pace with worn tyres while team-mate Romain Grosjean was right behind him.

In his first passing attempt, Grosjean had to go off track to avoid contact.

Raikkonen responded on the radio with another profanity before Grosjean, under pressure from Ferrari's Felipe Massa, passed him on his way to third place.

Lotus said after the race that it would discuss Raikkonen's defiance.

On Monday, Boullier said the radio exchange had been inappropriate and that he will make sure it is not repeated.

"Romain was two seconds per lap faster than Kimi at that time, so it was not even a team order," said Boullier.

"By asking Kimi to let Romain pass, we just made the obvious choice, as Massa could have stolen our podium.

"With hindsight, this radio message could have been sent in a less emotional way.

"There was a lot of tension, a lot of potential technical problems, and some of the words that flew around were simply not appropriate.

"I know that quite a few people were surprised and I can only apologise for that on behalf of the team. It won't happen again."

[MIKA27]

Pastor Maldonado set for Williams F1 exit

Pastor Maldonado and his PDVSA backers are in the final stages of talks that will secure their exit from Williams, and clear the way for Felipe Massa's arrival.

After weeks of speculation about the future of the Venezuelan driver, who has endured a troubled time at Williams this year, high-level sources have revealed he will be racing elsewhere next season.

Although it is understood a deal to leave Williams has not yet been finalised, it is anticipated that matters will be resolved imminently to allow Maldonado to sign a contract elsewhere.

Maldonado has already held 2014 talks with Lotus, Sauber and Force India, with the £20 million per season backing of the oil company a major attraction.

His hopes of a Lotus deal rest on the team not pulling off an investment deal with Quantum Motorsports as that tie-up would provide the outfit with the financial means to secure its preferred option of Nico Hulkenberg.

The other teams are in no rush to finalise their plans, and are now awaiting confirmation from Maldonado that he is a free agent.

Although PDVSA's original five-year deal with Williams runs until the end of 2015, it is understood there will likely be an agreement reached to ensure the team is compensated for the change of plans.

That income, allied to any fresh commercial backing from Brazil that the team can secure if it signs Massa to race alongside Valtteri Bottas, should ensure that Williams is financially secure heading in to next year.

Speaking earlier this month, Maldonado openly admitted he was frustrated at Williams and would prefer to stay at home in 2014 than race in uncompetitive machinery again.

"I really need a good car to enjoy it, and this year I'm not enjoying it," Maldonado said.

"I'm living a really bad moment and I need some motivation to keep doing my best.

"I want something more. I'm here for something more."

[Bartolomeo]

Pirelli relationship with F1 became even more strained in India

Formula 1′s uneasy relationship with its tyre supplier Pirelli became even more strained during the course of the Indian Grand Prix weekend.

At the tail end of the Italian marque’s highly controversial 2013 campaign, the tyre situation was stark in India as the Soft or ‘Option’ tyre failed to last more than a few laps.

“Teams say the blistering here is worse than it has ever been in the Pirelli era,” the BBC’s Andrew Benson said on Sunday.

The situation was so alarming that Pirelli, having only a tentative green-light by the FIA to stay in the sport beyond 2013, issued a recommendation to the teams that the Soft tyre not be used for more than 15 laps on Sunday.

The FIA refused to enforce it, on the grounds that some teams have the advantage of being better able to manage Pirelli’s heavily-degrading tyres.

Auto Motor und Sport pointed out that Force India driver Adrian Sutil, for example, made the Soft tyre work for almost 20 laps on Sunday for his one-stop strategy.

The report said sporting director Otmar Szafnauer, who admitted that stretching the tyre’s life to 19 laps was “remarkable”, also ‘shook his head’ at Pirelli’s recommendation.

Pirelli boss Paul Hembery said afterwards in an official statement: “We are disappointed to see that some teams went against our recommendations and used the compounds for longer than we advised them to do.”

In India, Pirelli renewed its threat to quit Formula 1 if teams do not agree to more pre-season running prior to 2014, but the BBC reports that the tyre supplier is refusing to pay for that testing.

“It’s fair to say that Pirelli is not exactly winning many friends in Formula 1 at the moment,” Benson added.

MIKA: Please ditch Pirelli and bring in Michellin and Bridgestone.

1. Not all Pirellis fault since no testing is really allowed

2. Too late for another Manufacturer IMHO although competition would be good

[MIKA27]

Brawn to leave Mercedes as talks regarding his role in team break down

Mercedes team principal Ross Brawn is set to leave Mercedes at the end of the season as talks between him and his employers, regarding his role in the team’s future, resulted in a stalemate.

BBC’s Eddie Jordan and Andrew Benson wrote: “Ross Brawn will leave his position as Mercedes team principal at the end of the Formula 1 season. Brawn and Mercedes have failed to reach an agreement on a role in which he would have been happy to stay at the team, sources close to Mercedes have said.”

It is expected that the team will be run by the trio consisting of their two executive directors, Toto Wolff and Paddy Lowe, with non-executive chairman Niki Lauda.

Brawn’s role in the team has been in the spotlight ever since Lowe’s defection from McLaren was announced in March, with many speculating that the team was top heavy with senior managers.

Shortly after joining the team Lowe told Auto Motor und Sport, “Ross is currently the team principal. We don’t know how long he wants to go on, but it’s his decision alone.

“I’m proud to work with a man who has beaten me many times in my career. In the meantime there’s a lot to do and I’m very comfortable with that.”

Prior to the breakdown Brawn told media, “I don’t know what role I’ll have in the long term. There are various options. I like the team, and the people.”

In July Wolff revealed that Lowe ”works for Ross and he is fitting in perfectly.”

Mercedes and Brawn have not offered comment on the latest development.

MIKA: Sad to see Brawn leave. IMO, he was the backbone of the team. he knows his stuff. Guess he'll be heading over to Honda...

[MIKA27]

Mateschitz: Like Muhammad Ali, Alonso’s media statements are very deliberate

Red Bull team owner, billionaire Dietrich Mateschitz has likened Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso to legendary boxer Muhammad Ali.

Mateschitz was referring to the fact that many regarded Ali as the master of trying to win with the help of ‘psychological warfare’.

Alonso’s key psychological weapon in the Red Bull era might have been his constant suggestion that that arch rival Sebastian Vettel wins because his car is superior.

“Like Muhammad Ali, Alonso’s media statements are very deliberate,” Mateschitz told Kronen Zeitungnewspaper. ”He is the worst of all at the psychological warfare.”

Mateschitz’s right hand man, Helmut Marko, thinks Vettel’s struggle for popularity this year – including numerous bouts of podium booing – is partly due to the psychological war.

“People like Fernando Alonso say Sebastian is not the best driver, he only has the best car,” the Austrian told Der Spiegel.

“These are targeted political statements,” Marko insisted.

However, he insists that is no reason for Vettel to jump ship to another team, after four consecutive championship triumphs in a Red Bull.

“He will only change teams if we no longer build him a competitive car,” said Marko.

“Why would he go to Ferrari or Mercedes now, especially since he would have Alonso or Hamilton as his teammate?

“I see no alternative for him at the moment other than us,” added Marko.

“Ayrton Senna won all of his titles with McLaren, he never drove for Ferrari, but he didn’t have an image problem because of it.

“Maybe it’s cooler to win for Ferrari, but that’s not easy at the moment,” he insisted.

Meanwhile, Mateschitz – who watched Vettel secure his fourth title in India from the comfort of his lounge in Salzburg- admitted the moment was satisfying if not euphoric.

“Because we expected it, it was like celebrating Christmas over a week,” he smiled. “It’s not quite as exciting, but the joy is there every time.”

[MIKA27]

FIA checks Red Bull for overheating and bending floor

Another possible secret of Red Bull’s dominance in the second half of this season is emerging.

Auto Motor und Sport said that former Stewart and Jaguar designer Gary Anderson, now a technical pundit for the BBC, floated the theory about the RB9.

The car, which in Sebastian Vettel’s hands has won the last six grands prix on the trot, caught Anderson’s attention recently when images of a rear-facing thermal camera were broadcast.

The images show that the floor just underneath the drivers’ feet, the so-called ‘tea-tray’, was running extremely hot at slow speeds.

Anderson believes Adrian Newey may have found a way to “lift the ‘tea tray’ away from the track as it gets hot”, allowing a lower front ride height.

AM&S reported on Tuesday that Force India also believes the Anderson theory, and that such a solution would be illegal.

So, in India, the FIA’s technical delegate Jo Bauer reportedly put Anderson’s theory to the test, heating the ‘tea tray’ to a temperature of 300 degrees C.

“The result? It did not move,” said correspondent Michael Schmidt. “Consequently, the Red Bull RB9 is legal, at least in this area.”

[Lotusguy]

Well-deserved title, even though it makes the remainder of the season boring.

[NaFFe]

I reckon seb will push for the fastest lap records on every race left