A dream doesn't become reality through magic. It takes sweat, determination and hard work.

Sunday 22 September 2013

Vettel is booed again after storming to victory

Please don't do that! Brundle issues plea to crowd as brilliant Vettel is booed again after storming to victory in front of Becks and Co


Sebastian Vettel

Sebastian Vettel was again in a class of his own as he completed a double hat-trick to further strengthen his grip on claiming a fourth successive Formula One world title.
Ferrari's Fernando Alonso finished second, the Spaniard is now 60 points adrift, with Lotus' Kimi Raikkonen 98 down after he clambered into the top three with a bad back and from 13th on the grid.
In taking the chequered flag in Singapore for the third consecutive time under the lights of the MarinaBay Street Circuit, it was also Vettel's third straight win this season after recently triumphing in Belgium and Italy. 
Champagne moment: Sebastian Vettel celebrates his victory with third-placed Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso
He's done it again: Sebastian Vettel celebrates after winning the Singapore Grand Prix
1. Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)
But Vettel was again jeered on the podium, forcing interviewer Martin Brundle to issue a plea to the crowd.
Brundle held out his hand saying: 'Please don't do that. That's not correct,' as the fans beneath the podium turned on the triple world champion.
Vettel then joked: 'They are on a tour. They go round on a bus,' after he was jeered in Belgium and Italy. The German was also subjected to a chorus of cheers after he retired while leading the British Grand Prix in June.
'If they boo it is a compliment,' Vettel later added. 'That is the way I take it because we are win and they are jealous.'
As for Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton, he could only finish fifth behind Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg to leave the Briton 96 points down on Vettel. 


Over the line: Vettel takes the chequered flag in Singapore
Thanks for the lift, Fernando: Mark Webber hitches a ride back to the pits after retiring on the final lap
For a matter of seconds - and only for a matter of seconds - Vettel was second-best off the line as he had to give way to Rosberg going into turn one.
There would likely have been millions around the world cheering such a move, only for the joy to be short-lived and give way to groans as Rosberg's momentum forced him to cut the corner.
That allowed Vettel to sweep back into the lead, and from there he put the pedal to the metal and blazed away into a four-second lead after just two laps. 
Stroll: Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel led from start to finish as he enjoyed victory in Singapore
Toe to toe: Vettel enjoyed a brief battle with Nico Rosberg off the start line but otherwise dominated the race
Behind the reigning three-times champion Alonso produced another of his storming starts, as he knows he has to do these days given his car's shortcomings in qualifying. From seventh on the grid, Alonso powered past Lotus' Romain Grosjean, Mark Webber in his Red Bull and Hamilton.
Hamilton's woes off the line saw him also fall behind Felipe Massa in his Ferrari, and although he managed to gain the place back, he went beyond the track limits and was ordered to cede position. From that point on, even through the first round of the pit stops, the race became a procession featuring precious little action.
That was until lap 25 when Daniel Ricciardo made an astonishing error as he ploughed the nose of his Toro Rosso into the barrier at turn 18. It sparked the ninth safety car period in six grands prix around this track, and for a short while it at least suggested Vettel's cruise to the line was in danger. 

RACE CLASSIFICATION 
2. Fernando Alonso (Ferrari)
3. Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus)
4. Nico Rosberg (Mercedes)
5. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
6. Felipe Massa (Ferrari)
7. Jenson Button (McLaren)
8. Sergio Perez (McLaren)
9. Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber)
10. Adrian Sutil (Force India)
Champagne moment: Sebastian Vettel celebrates his victory with third-placed Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso


Sebastian Vettel

Over the line: Vettel takes the chequered flag in Singapore
Thanks for the lift, Fernando: Mark Webber hitches a ride back to the pits after retiring on the final lap
Stroll: Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel led from start to finish as he enjoyed victory in Singapore
Toe to toe: Vettel enjoyed a brief battle with Nico Rosberg off the start line but otherwise dominated the race
Fighting back: Fernando Alonso (above) and Kimi Raikkonen (below) battled well to finish on the podium
Fighting back: Fernando Alonso (above) and Kimi Raikkonen (below) battled well to finish on the podium
Smash: Toro Rosso driver Daniel Ricciardo gets out of his car after crashing during the Singapore race
Cat and mouse: Vettel leads from Nico Rosberg and Fernando Alonso as the German begins to pull away

Special guest: David Beckham was in Singapore to watch the grand prix as he enjoys his retirement
Special guest: David Beckham was in Singapore to watch the grand prix as he enjoys his retirement
Fighting back: Fernando Alonso (above) and Kimi Raikkonen (below) battled well to finish on the podium
A number of drivers pitted for a second time, including the likes of Alonso, Grosjean, Massa, McLaren's Jenson Button, Raikkonen and Sergio Perez in his McLaren.
That left a top four of Vettel, Rosberg, Webber and Hamilton, who all opted not to pit, throwing up different strategies for the leaders over the second half of the race.
But when the safety car exited after five laps - on lap 30 - Vettel simply unleashed his dominance again and blasted away into the night. It meant that come the end of lap 44, when his team ordered him to pit again, he had a 30-second gap over Alonso. 
Smash: Toro Rosso driver Daniel Ricciardo gets out of his car after crashing during the Singapore race
Cat and mouse: Vettel leads from Nico Rosberg and Fernando Alonso as the German begins to pull away
The cushion was enough for Vettel to pit again and emerge ahead of Alonso, and on a fresh set of tyres, and from there the win was in the bag.
Come the chequered flag he finished 32.6secs clear of Alonso, the largest winning margin this year, whilst the Spaniard was 11.2secs ahead of Rosberg.
The closing laps at least threw up some entertainment as the majority of those who had pitted under the safety car saw their tyres fall away rapidly.
That allowed Webber, Rosberg and Hamilton in particular to scythe their way through on fresher rubber. Webber should have claimed fourth but suffered a gearbox and engine issue that forced him into retirement on the final lap.
Behind the leading quintet came Massa, Button - who was running third eight laps from home - Perez, Nico Hulkenberg in his Sauber and Adrian Sutil for Force India.
As for Sutil's team-mate, Paul Di Resta, he also ran into a barrier seven laps from home - but fortunately not resulting in a safety car - leaving him without a point now for five consecutive races.
On the podium, Vettel said: 'The start was quite hairy, I kept the inside clear, but Nico went in too deep (into turn one).
'I was able to get the place back, which was crucial because we had good pace, but then we had the safety car.
'After that again we had the pace, and the car was incredible, which doesn't happen by accident. It was a pleasure to drive it around this crazy track.' Despite his increasing gap to Alonso, Vettel added: 'I'm not really looking at the championship too much, just enjoying the moment.'
Alonso was thrilled with his second place as he said: 'We knew we didn't have the pace, that we had to invent something, and the first opportunity was at the start. This is a fantastic podium, a second place that feels like a win.
'Red Bull were too fast all weekend, so we have to congratulate them for a fantastic weekend, and next we have to do better.'
Raikkonen conceded his back issue did not affect him too much in the race, simply stating he and the team 'did the best we could' under the circumstances.

1 comment: