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Race report

Vettel shines in Singapore for the victory

Extending his points lead toward a possible fourth-consecutive Formula One title, Vettel took the win over Alonso.

Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull Racing

Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull Racing

XPB Images

Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel has extended his lead further in the Drivers’ Championship after taking the chequered flag as the winner of the FIA Formula One 2013 Singapore Grand Prix.

The reigning World Champion remains in control in the hunt for his fourth Drivers title, despite momentarily losing the lead at the start of the race to Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg before taking it back again until the end of the 61 lap marathon.

third placed Kimi Raikkonen, Lotus F1 Team and second placed Fernando Alonso, Ferrari celebrate with the champagne on the podium
third placed Kimi Raikkonen, Lotus F1 Team and second placed Fernando Alonso, Ferrari celebrate with the champagne on the podium

Photo by: XPB Images

The current top two in the Drivers’ Championship mirrored their final positions in today’s Grand Prix as Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso finished in second place and in doing so has added a few more points to his name in an attempt to reduce the gap between himself and Vettel.

Lotus Renault’s Kimi Raikkonen had a surprising end result to the race, in which he overcame his disappointing qualifying position yesterday of 13th place, to move through the field improving by 10 places and he picked up the third and final spot on the podium for himself.

Rosberg managed to get back on track after his temporary hold on first place on lap one and he showed good form as he made his way to the front of the field in the closing stages of the race. The German just missed out on a podium finish to take fourth place, but he did pip his team mate, Lewis Hamilton who followed just behind to grab fifth place for himself. Hamilton also had a bit of a disappointing start to his race, when the stewards deemed that the Englishman had left the track and gained an advantage over Alonso’s team mate, Felipe Massa and the pair soon swapped their places back.

Hamilton overcame the bumpy beginning in the end and also finished ahead of Massa, who crossed the line to secure sixth place for himself.

Jenson Button, McLaren MP4-28
Jenson Button, McLaren MP4-28

Photo by: XPB Images

McLaren’s Jenson Button improved by one place from his qualifying position yesterday as he completed the race in seventh place. Towards the end of the proceedings, Button’s pace seemed to fall through tyre wear and this saw him slip from third place to seventh position where he finished. Button’s team mate, Sergio Perez did not manage to catch the 2009 World Champion in time and the Mexican driver ended the race in eighth position.

Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg was beaten by his team mate, Esteban Gutierrez in qualifying yesterday, who made it through to Q3 and the top 10 shootout. Hulkenberg appeared on a mission during the race as he fought for position between his midfield rivals and in the end swapped positions with Gutierrez. Hulkenberg picked up a top 10 point scoring position as he secured ninth place for himself and his Mexican team mate finished out of the points.

Hulkenberg was not only in the limelight for where he finished in the race, but caught the attention of the stewards on lap 19, when they declared that he had left the track and gained an advantage over Perez. Hulkenberg gave the place back to Perez and the pair carried on racing.

Adrian Sutil, Sahara Force India VJM06
Adrian Sutil, Sahara Force India VJM06

Photo by: XPB Images

Force India’s Adrian Sutil was the 10th and final driver to make it into a point scoring position. The German had a battle on his hands to get it though, as some competitive scraps for position occurred in the latter stages of the race but he was the lucky one in the end. Sutil’s team mate, Paul Di Resta did not have luck on his side as well though. The Scotsman suddenly retired from the race on lap 55 when his car was seen in the barriers and this made it his third consecutive race in which he has failed to finish.

Di Resta was also joined in the small list of retirements by Toro Rosso’s Daniel Ricciardo. The Australian had reportedly locked up his front left tyre under braking which led him swiftly into the wall and out of the race on lap 25. The safety car was deployed from lap 25 to 30 to allow the race marshals to clear the debris from the track and Ricciardo’s car.

Raikkonen’s team mate, Romain Grosjean was another driver who failed to cross the finish line. The French man visited the pits on lap 34 and it was reported that his car had an air consumption problem linked to the engine and this led to a long delay in the pits for him. Grosjean finally got back on track and inevitably ended up at the back of the field, but then returned to the pits on lap 38 and parked his car up in the garage which spelt the end of his race.

Vettel’s team mate, Mark Webber also experienced problems with his car which particularly came to light in the latter stages of the race. The Australian reported via the team radio that he was having problems with the gears and on the last lap he lost power which then led to his car to catch fire and he made a swift exit from it at Turn seven. Webber still appeared in the final classification to take 15th place in the end.

Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull Racing RB9
Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull Racing RB9

Photo by: XPB Images

Once again the Marina Bay circuit was kind to Vettel, who after today’s result has achieved a hat trick of victories there and his 33rd career win overall to date. Vettel certainly looks in good shape as he edges closer to taking his fourth consecutive Drivers’ title. Vettel’s team mate, Webber had a disappointing end to his last race in Singapore though, before he leaves the sport at the end of the season. Elsewhere in the field, there were some competitive scraps for position and the appearance of the safety car also caused some excitement as the 22 drivers raced under the lights in the heat.

The drivers and teams now have two weeks to prepare themselves for their next challenge when the Korean Grand Prix takes place. Vettel seems to be the one in charge at the front of the field, but it remains to be seen whether Alonso will catch him, as the end of the season is fast approaching and so too the crowning of the 2013 World Champion.

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