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Race highlights - Abu Dhabi 2013 - Red Bull dominate, as Mercedes are best of the rest

Published by Christine

Webber's car is pushed to the grid
Credit: Thompson/Getty

Webber's storming qualifying pace was passed back to his teammate today, as Vettel was untouchable at the front. Kimi Räikkönen had trouble on the first lap, whilst Romain Grosjean surged forward off the line to move into contention for a podium.

Force India were the only ones who could make a one-stop strategy work, although many others tried, whilst the stewards were kept busy with unsafe releases and drivers exceeding the track limits. If you missed any of the action, or want a quick reminder of what happened on a specific lap, the Factbyte Factbox highlights should help you out.

As it happened: Abu Dhabi 2013 - The race

Event Highlights

  • Vettel gets ahead of his teammate at the first corner and streaks to a 30 second gap and victory.
  • Webber takes second, with Nico Rosberg best of the rest on the podium.
  • Force India one-stop both their drivers to finish in the top ten.
  • Kimi Räïkkönen retires on the first lap after colliding with a Caterham.
  • 12:30

    Hello fact-hunting friends, welcome to coverage of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix!

  • 12:31

    We have a race in which Sebastian Vettel is not on pole... although it's Webber that takes the first grid slot, and his race starts haven't been memorable this year.

  • 12:32

    The big news following qualifying was Kimi Räikkönen's exclusion, after his car failed a floor test. He's starting from the back of the grid and/or the pit lane.

  • 12:32

    Fernando Alonso had a difficult qualifying, dropping out in Q2. He's promoted one position to tenth, but the Ferrari doesn't look good around Yas Marina.

  • 12:33
    Circuit Data
    Yas Marina Circuit
    Local timezone+04:00 GMT
    First race2009
    Number of laps55
    Circuit length5.554km
    Race distance305.355km
    Start offset0.115km
  • 12:35

    TweetTweet from @virtualstatman: Don't wanna jinx @AussieGrit even more than normal but the pole winner has retired from 3 of the 4 previous @ymcofficial #F1 races

  • 12:36

    Medium and soft tyresMedium and soft compounds are on offer this weekend, the white and yellow sidewalls respectively.

    These are the same tyres as on offer in India, but we're expecting fewer pit stops and less strategy influence in Abu Dhabi.

  • 12:37
    Grid Position
    1M WebberRed Bull
    2S VettelRed Bull
    3N RosbergMercedes
    4L HamiltonMercedes
    5N HülkenbergSauber
    6R GrosjeanLotus
    7F MassaFerrari
    8S PérezMcLaren
    9D RicciardoToro Rosso
    10F AlonsoFerrari
  • 12:39

    TweetTweet from @F1onNBCSports: It's slowly getting darker in Abu Dhabi. The race will start at dusk and will finish under the floodlights

  • 12:40

    As Red Bull and Vettel have the championships already sorted, there are two other distinct battles we are interested in.

  • 12:40

    Mercedes versus Ferrari: Rosberg and Hamilton start on the second row, which is a great position compared to Massa's seventh and Alonso's tenth. Disappointing start to the weekend for Ferrari.

  • 12:41

    Sauber versus Force India: Nico Hülkenberg has a great grid slot in fifth, with Paul di Resta just outside the top ten. Esteban Gutiérrez dropped out in Q1, but so did Adrian Sutil, so that is close.

  • 12:42

    QuoteInterview with Nico Hülkenberg: "A great day again for us yesterday, I was quite surprised myself. Today's going to be a tough race for us, but I don't think we have to hide from these guys. We've got a good chance of racing the Ferraris and the McLarens."

  • 12:43
    Lap Data
    (data from Williams F1)
    Fuel consumption2.6kg
    Fuel lap time penalty0.4s/10kg
    Full throttle59%
    Top speed310kph
    Average speed197kph
    Longest straight1233m
    Pit lane loss21.6s
    Pit lane length357m
  • 12:44

    QuoteInterview with Felipe Massa: "It's a difficult track for our car, but qualifying was a little bit better than I expected. I hope the race can be even better. I hope we can take care of the rear."

  • 12:45
    2013 Race Wins
    PosDriverTotal
    1S Vettel10
    2F Alonso2
    3N Rosberg2
    4L Hamilton1
    5K Räikkönen1
  • 12:46

    The mechanics are scrambling around the rear of Lewis Hamilton's car, with an apparent problem with the brakes. Ted Kravitz says they've had the callipers off to check something.

  • 12:47

    The National Anthem plays out across the track. Bernie Ecclestone stands to attention, next to various dignitaries and VIPs.

  • 12:48

    QuoteInterview with Jenson Button: "It's going to be a bit like India, I think, in terms of strategies playing out, so it should be interesting."

  • 12:49

    TweetTweet from @MercedesAMGF1: Vibration reported by @LewisHamilton on his laps to grid. Boys are now well into changing brakes on the grid

  • 12:54

    The sun is starting to lower, sunset is due in about an hour, so the drivers will have to work through that annoying moment where the sun is in their eyes.

  • 12:55

    The setting sun will dominate the first half of the race, via @BradSpurgeon.

  • 12:57

    TweetTweet from @Lotus_F1Team: 5mins to #AbuDhabiGP kick off; what can #Kimi do from P22? How about @RGrosjean; can he take that elusive first win in #F1? It's showtime...

  • 12:57

    Hamilton makes sure to thank his team for getting the car ready to go, and generally being all round good guys.

  • 12:57

    Genuine lens flare from @OfficialSF1Team.

  • 12:58

    Weather

    32°C

    Track36°C
    Humidity46%
    Wind speed4mps
  • 13:00

    Webber down to Di Resta in 11th are all starting on the soft tyres. Button has mediums, along with Bottas, Gutiérrez, Sutil and Räïkkönen all the way at the rear also on the medium compounds.

  • 13:01

    The formation lap begins, cars pulling away from the grid slowly and starting their way round the five kilometres of warming tyres and brakes.

  • 13:03

    Webber leads them round the final corner and back onto the home straight - a final weave before stopping on his first place grid slot.

  • 13:04

    The rest of the pack are miles behind, Kimi just rounds the final corner now.

  • 13:04

    Green flagRace started.

  • 13:04 Lap 1

    Webber gets passed by Vettel and one of the Mercedes as well, down to third into the first corner.

  • 13:04 Lap 1

    Yellow flagYellow flags in the first sector. Only briefly, track is green once more.

  • 13:05 Lap 1

    Kimi Räikkönen is out already, he's off track and climbing from the car.

  • 13:05 Lap 1

    Team radioTeam radio to Button: "Damaged front wing, damaged front wing."

  • 13:05 Lap 1

    Hamilton dropped back at the start behind Hülkenberg but has passed him for fifth. Grosjean has swept up into fourth place as well now.

  • 13:06 Lap 2

    Vettel has scampered away at the front again, a great first lap so the gap is almost two seconds already.

  • 13:06 Lap 2

    Yellow flagYellow flags again, presumably for the clearing of Kimi's stricken Lotus.

  • 13:08 Lap 3
    Driver Positions
    PosDriver
    11S Vettel
    21N Rosberg
    3-2M Webber
    42R Grosjean
    5-1L Hamilton
    6-1N Hülkenberg
    70F Massa
    82F Alonso
    9-1S Pérez
    101P Di Resta
  • 13:08 Lap 3

    Jenson Button is called in to the pit lane straight away, he's all the way down in 15th now.

  • 13:08 Lap 3

    Replays show Grosjean just went round the outside at the first corner, moving forward to fourth place.

  • 13:08 Lap 3

    Jenson Button made contact with the rear of Paul di Resta, which is likely where his front wing damage came from.

  • 13:10 Lap 3

    More replays, it looks like Giedo van der Garde turned in on Kimi, who probably wasn't expecting the backmarkers to behave the way they do. Collision inevitable.

  • 13:10 Lap 4

    TweetTweet from @Lotus_F1Team: Contact between #Kimi and one of the Caterhams at T1 the cause; looks like damaged front right suspension for the Iceman

  • 13:12 Lap 5

    Button's long pit stop sees him all the way down in last place, but he's stopped once already, where no one else has. There could be progress yet.

  • 13:12 Lap 5

    Green flagTrack is clear.

  • 13:12 Lap 5

    The two Ferrari drivers are following each other on track, Felipe Massa ahead with Fernando Alonso directly behind.

  • 13:13 Lap 5

    Romain Grosjean is less than a second behind Mark Webber in third place. DRS has been enabled so he'll get to use it.

  • 13:13 Lap 5

    Nose change for Jenson Button, via @McLarenF1.

  • 13:13 Lap 6

    Webber asks his team what's wrong with the KERS, they suggest it's a bit empty and they'll charge it up.

  • 13:14 Lap 6

    Pastor Maldonado and Jules Bianchi both come in for their first stops of the day. Bianchi swaps from soft tyres to the mediums.

  • 13:15 Lap 7

    Max Chilton comes in for a stop, and Sergio Pérez follows in. A three second stop for the McLaren team there.

  • 13:16 Lap 7

    Adrian Sutil is up to 11th already, and crucially has gotten ahead of Esteban Gutiérrez too.

  • 13:16 Lap 8
    One to Watch
    M Webbervs.R Grosjean
    3rd+0.555s4th
  • 13:17 Lap 8

    Lewis Hamilton pits, Daniel Ricciardo and Giedo van der Garde also follow in.

  • 13:17 Lap 8

    Looks like the tyres are degrading quicker than expected, with eight drivers having stopped already.

  • 13:19 Lap 9

    Mark Webber pits, with Romain Grosjean following him in to the pit lane directly. You wouldn't want to battle Red Bull in the pit stops, and it's Webber that gets out first. 2.5 seconds against 2.9.

  • 13:19 Lap 9
    Gap Analysis
    PosDriverGap
    1stVET1:46.672
    2ndROS+7.261
    3rdHUL+17.428
    4thMAS+18.934
  • 13:21 Lap 9

    Nico Hülkenberg pits and rejoins the track in 12th place.

  • 13:22 Lap 11

    Grosjean makes a late braking move on Esteban Gutiérrez and takes ninth place.At the front, Nico Rosberg comes in from third place.

  • 13:23 Lap 11

    Rosberg rejoins in sixth place, ahead of Webber, with Adrian Sutil between the two.

  • 13:24 Lap 12

    Vettel now leads Massa and Alonso, with all of them having yet to stop.

  • 13:24 Lap 12

    Jenson Button comes back into the pit lane for a second time, medium tyres back on the McLaren.

  • 13:25 Lap 13

    Hamilton is struggling to get past Esteban Gutiérrez, losing time to Grosjean all the while.

  • 13:26 Lap 13

    Webber closes up behind Sutil, but even with DRS can't even pull alongside the Force India, let alone go for a pass.

  • 13:27 Lap 13

    Vettel's gap is up to 26 seconds over Felipe Massa. Webber's pit stop was calculated at about 22 seconds, so he should be in and out without losing the lead.

  • 13:28 Lap 13

    Pic has been told that he's braking aggressively, his exit is poor, and essentially to be more like Giedo.

  • 13:28 Lap 14

    TweetTweet from @clubforce: The top 5, including Paul, are still on the soft tyres used from the start of the race

  • 13:29 Lap 14

    Webber finally dives down the inside of Sutil and gets ahead of the Force India, taking seventh place.

  • 13:29 Lap 15

    Vettel pits from the lead of the race and rejoins, well, you know where.

  • 13:30 Lap 15

    Kimi gets into a courtesy car, he's off. Late in, early out, that sounds about right!

  • 13:32 Lap 16

    Fernando Alonso has been instructed to come in for his first stop of the afternoon. Meanwhile, Mark Webber sweeps past Jean-Éric Vergne.

  • 13:33 Lap 16

    Romain Grosjean gets past Adrian Sutil in the first DRS zone, but the Force India takes the place right back in the second.

  • 13:33 Lap 17
    Pit Stop Analysis
    DriverF Alonso
    TeamFerrari
    Pit lane21.530s
    Stopped2.8s
  • 13:34 Lap 17

    Gutiérrez is defending from Lewis Hamilton who is desperate to get past. The Mercedes is stuck between two Saubers, as the team call it "a HAM sandwich."

  • 13:35 Lap 18

    Massa and Di Resta in second and third have both yet to stop. Sutil also in sixth hasn't stopped, Gutiérrez ahead of Hamilton and Bottas in 11th also have yet to visit the pit lane.

  • 13:37 Lap 19

    Grosjean makes the same move on Sutil, and although the Force India closes up in the second DRS zone, he can't get back past. Romain up to fifth.

  • 13:37 Lap 19

    Felipe Massa pits, and Esteban Gutiérrez follows - he was holding up Hamilton, but also Nico Hülkenberg so Sauber presumably wanted him out of the way.

  • 13:37 Lap 19

    Massa rejoins just behind Hamilton and ahead of Hülkenberg.

  • 13:38 Lap 20

    Di Resta is sitting second, still yet to stop. Behind him, Rosberg, Webber and Grosjean. Still a massive gap to Vettel though.

  • 13:39 Lap 20

    Rocky instructs Vettel that his target lap time is a 1:47.0. His last lap was a 46.4.

  • 13:40 Lap 20

    Mark Webber sneaks past Nico Rosberg, moving himself up into third place. And then Di Resta finally stops, releasing them back into the podium positions.

  • 13:40 Lap 21

    Sutil and Bottas are the only drivers who have yet to stop then, Sutil up in 5th, Bottas in 9th.

  • 13:41 Lap 21

    Di Resta returns to the track in 13th place, behind Maldonado - and two places down on where he started.

  • 13:42 Lap 22

    Fernando Alonso keeps his foot down to ease past Sergio Pérez, moving up into tenth place, back where he started.

  • 13:43 Lap 23

    Team orders at Caterham, as Giedo gets on the radio demanding to be let by, and Pic is instructed to move out the way. That's 18th and 19th they're squabbling for.

  • 13:44 Lap 23

    Alonso continues his charge, moving past Bottas to take ninth place.

  • 13:45 Lap 23

    Team radioTeam radio to Pic, arguing the team orders: "Giedo is faster than you, if he doesn't pull away now, we'll swap you back."

  • 13:46 Lap 24

    The position has only just changed, with Van der Garde ahead, so Pic clearly argued his case for a few laps!

  • 13:46 Lap 24
    Driver Positions
    PosDriverStops
    11S Vettel1
    2-1M Webber1
    30N Rosberg1
    42R Grosjean1
    512A Sutil0
  • 13:47 Lap 25

    TweetTweet from @F1onNBCSports: "Rocky to Vettel: "You're quicker than Mark in sector one. Save your tires there." Vettel can afford to ease off in all three sectors really."

  • 13:48 Lap 25

    Valtteri Bottas comes in for his first stop of the afternoon, 25 laps in.

  • 13:48 Lap 25

    The floodlights are starting to take precedence now as the remaining daylight slips away.

  • 13:49 Lap 26

    Adrian Sutil jinks to the right of Lewis Hamilton and speeds past, with Felipe Massa taking the opportunity to dive to the left and get past on the inside as well.

  • 13:50 Lap 26

    Hamilton is now down to seventh place, with Fernando Alonso moving to catch Hülkenberg who in turn is behind the Mercedes.

  • 13:50 Lap 26

    Team radioTeam radio from Hamilton: "I don't know what's wrong with the car, I've just got no grip."

  • 13:51 Lap 27

    Alonso closes up behind the Sauber (familiar!) and hustles his way past Nico Hülkenberg. Felipe Massa also sweeps past Sutil, so it's forward progress Ferrari!

  • 13:52 Lap 27

    Sutil isn't massively fast, despite getting past Hamilton. He's bunching up the Mercedes and the Ferrari, with Hülkenberg on the rear of that train.

  • 13:53 Lap 27

    Sutil's old tyres are troubling him now, as Lewis retakes the position, down the inside. Alonso also eyeing a move.

  • 13:54 Lap 29

    Nico Hülkenberg pits, with Sergio Pérez alongside, they were side by side at the pit exit, but Hülkenberg stays ahead.

  • 13:54 Lap 29

    Alonso has found his way past Adrian Sutil. It can't be long before the Force India driver comes in.

  • 13:55 Lap 29

    Team radioTeam radio from Pérez: "I nearly crashed with the Sauber."

  • 13:55 Lap 29

    Replays show it was a potential unsafe release for the Sauber and the stewards get involved.

  • 13:56 Lap 29

    Race controlIncident involving Nico Hülkenberg under investigation - unsafe release.

  • 13:56 Lap 30

    Vettel is warned to look out for Van der Garde, who he's about to pass, and Giedo in turn is instructed to let the race leader past on the straight.

  • 13:56 Lap 30

    Lewis Hamilton pits from sixth place for his second stop of the afternoon.

  • 13:59 Lap 31

    Esteban Gutiérrez is also in for a second stop.

  • 13:59 Lap 31

    StopwatchVettel sets the fastest lap of the race so far, a 1:45.968. That's not a 1:47, is it?

  • 14:00 Lap 32
    Driver Positions
    PosDriverStops
    11S Vettel1
    2-1M Webber1
    30N Rosberg1
    42R Grosjean1
    52F Massa1
    64F Alonso1
    74P di Resta1
    85JE Vergne1
    9-5L Hamilton2
    100V Bottas1
  • 14:01 Lap 33

    Hamilton is getting very detailed instructions about where Massa is compared to him, they're trying to cover him in their strategy. Massa is currently 5th, Hamilton 9th. One second between them on pace.

  • 14:02 Lap 33

    Jules Bianchi looks to have had a change of strategy, as he comes in for a second pit stop. They may have been trying for a one-stop, but the tyres weren't playing along.

  • 14:03 Lap 34

    Race controlIncident involving Adrian Sutil and Pastor Maldonado under investigation - track limits.

  • 14:04 Lap 34

    Race controlAlso a drive through penalty for Nico Hülkenberg.

  • 14:04 Lap 34

    Webber and Rosberg both pit at the same time, a slower stop for the Red Bull crew this time, but Webber still remains ahead.

  • 14:05 Lap 34

    Grosjean moves up to second, with Webber and Rosberg behind him. Massa sits fifth with just one stop, Vettel also one stop under his belt, but a near 40 second gap.

  • 14:07 Lap 36

    Hülkenberg takes his drive through penalty. Giedo van der Garde also comes in for his stop, keeping ahead of his teammate.

  • 14:08 Lap 36

    Fernando Alonso has closed up to sit behind teammate Felipe Massa. There's not much point in team orders any more this season, so they'll likely have to fight it legitimately.

  • 14:09 Lap 37

    Hamilton is instructed he needs to pass Di Resta and Vergne on track, which would suggest they aren't thought to be stopping again.

  • 14:09 Lap 37

    Race controlA quick replay of Pastor Maldonado running wide off track, as the stewards say no further action on the track limits issue with Pastor and Sutil.

  • 14:10 Lap 38

    Sebastian Vettel pits from the lead of the race. With a 40 second lead, he should comfortably keep P1.

  • 14:11 Lap 38

    Vettel's 2.7 second stop keeps him out in front, as Romain Grosjean comes in for his second stop of the afternoon.

  • 14:11 Lap 38

    Webber and Rosberg move ahead of the Lotus, with Grosjean exiting in fourth place - ahead of two Ferrari drivers but only just.

  • 14:12 Lap 38

    Side by side with Massa, Grosjean keeps ahead. Into the next corner, Alonso moves to the inside of a distracted Massa, and they narrowly avoid contact. The Brazilian remains ahead.

  • 14:13 Lap 39

    Felipe Massa comes in to the pit lane for his second visit, a 3.8 second stop is a slow one comparatively speaking.

  • 14:14 Lap 40

    Massa rejoins the race behind Lewis Hamilton, currently the Ferrari sits ninth.

  • 14:16 Lap 41

    TweetTweet from @adamcooperf1: Re Vettel's fastest laps C Horner tells Sky "I wish he wouldn't keep doing that..."

  • 14:17 Lap 41

    The top four drivers have all stopped twice, then, Fernando Alonso is the first of the one-stops so far, sitting fifth. Di Resta and Vergne behind him. Bottas and Sutil are the only other two with just one stop, they are 10th and 11th.

  • 14:18 Lap 42

    TweetTweet from @MercedesAMGF1: Track temp has now fallen to 33C

  • 14:19 Lap 42
    Gap Analysis
    PosDriverGap
    1stVET1:45.513
    2ndWEB+32.737
    3rdROS+36.867
    4thGRO+42.517
    5thALO+48.830
  • 14:20 Lap 43

    Giedo van der Garde previous stop, he's in 18th place, the best of the back markers at the moment. Picture via @MyCaterhamF1.

  • 14:23 Lap 44

    Lewis Hamilton has closed up on Jean-Éric Vergne, he was told before he'd have to pass him on track, and it's only a matter of time now.

  • 14:23 Lap 45

    Hamilton pulls out to the side of the Toro Rosso, down the first DRS zone, and easily makes the move. Vergne can't do anything in the second zone, and crucially Massa has got stuck behind the Toro Rosso for another lap.

  • 14:24 Lap 45
    Top Speeds
    Sector 1Pérez284kph
    Sector 2Sutil312kph
    Sector 3Grosjean218kph
    Speed trapMassa320kph
  • 14:24 Lap 45

    Fernando Alonso pits for his second stop, he passes through the pit exit tunnel and rejoins the track side by side with Jean-Éric Vergne.

  • 14:25 Lap 46

    Alonso runs massively wide off track and stays ahead of the Toro Rosso, but that's definitely outside track limits!

  • 14:25 Lap 46

    At the following chicane, Massa run totally wide and cut the corner. All the drivers scrapping for position and desperate not to lose anything.

  • 14:26 Lap 47

    Valtteri Bottas dives into the pit lane for his second stop. We now have just Paul di Resta in fifth, plus Vergne and Sutil (9th and 10th) with just one stop.

  • 14:26 Lap 47

    Race controlIncident involving Fernando Alonso under investigation - track limits.

  • 14:28 Lap 48

    Bottas is down in 17th now, just behind Hülkenberg who has dropped eleven places from his grid spot. That was a costly drive through penalty.

  • 14:29 Lap 48

    StopwatchFastest lap of the race so far for Romain Grosjean, a 1:44.677.

  • 14:29 Lap 48

    TweetTweet from @MercedesAMGF1: Purpleage for @nico_rosberg on lap 47. Bettered immediately by GRO. Flat out racing

  • 14:30 Lap 49

    Replays show Sergio Pérez moving out the wake of Vergne, as the Toro Rosso kicks up a heap of sparks. Pérez manages to get past Vergne very quickly.

  • 14:31 Lap 49
    Inter-Team Battle
    Toro Rosso
    JE Vergne11th
    D Ricciardo15th
  • 14:33 Lap 50

    Vergne loses another place to Pastor Maldonado. The one stop strategy isn't quite working out for Toro Rosso here.

  • 14:34 Lap 51

    Five laps to go as Fernando Alonso moves to the side of Hamilton. He can't go round the outside just yet, but he remains in the wing mirrors of the Mercedes, and makes the pass for sixth.

  • 14:35 Lap 52

    Rocky is going a bit mad on the Red Bull pit wall, advising Vettel to go easy through some backmarkers up ahead. You would think he could let Vettel get on with it, racing backmarkers is all he's ever done!

  • 14:35 Lap 52

    Fernando Alonso easily dispatches Paul di Resta for fifth place.

  • 14:36 Lap 52

    Race controlIncident involving Fernando Alonso will be investigated after the race - track limits.

  • 14:37 Lap 52

    Vergne pits, his tyres clearly giving up. He's dropped rapidly down the order, behind his teammate now.

  • 14:37 Lap 53

    The only one-stoppers left are the two Force India drivers.

  • 14:39 Lap 54

    Nico Hülkenberg is up to 14th, having passed a Toro Rosso or two. He gets blue flags waved, though, as Vettel scythes his way through the field.

  • 14:39 Lap 54

    The two Force Indias are coming under pressure. Di Resta has Lewis Hamilton behind him, whilst Adrian Sutil has the McLaren of Sergio Pérez looking to pass.

  • 14:42

    Chequered flagSebastian Vettel wins the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix!

  • 14:42

    Fireworks burst across the night sky as Webber crosses for second place, and a dominant Red Bull 1-2.

  • 14:43

    Nico Rosberg takes the final podium position, with Grosjean just missing out in fourth place.

  • 14:43

    StopwatchFernando Alonso sets the fastest lap - 1:43.434.

  • 14:44

    Vettel does a few more donuts to celebrate his win, and thanks the team for giving him a really great car.

  • 14:44
    Race Winner
    DriverS Vettel
    TeamRed Bull
    Race time1:38:06.106
    Race distance305.355km
    Average speed186.758km/h
  • 14:45
    Driver Positions
    PosDriverStops
    11S Vettel2
    2-1M Webber2
    30N Rosberg2
    42R Grosjean2
    55F Alonso2
    65P di Resta1
    7-3L Hamilton2
    8-1F Massa2
    9-1S Pérez2
    107A Sutil1
  • 14:46

    That's Vettel's seventh win in a row, no wonder he's celebrating. Christian Horner says: "He can pay the fine this time."

  • 14:47

    Hugs for Vettel from his parents and team before he heads in for the podium ceremony.

  • 14:48
    Retirements
    DriverReasonLap
    K RäikkönenCollision1
  • 14:49

    Nico Rosberg celebrates with Vettel as the champion enters the green room. Nico looks very hot, gulping down the provided water. Webber sits on the sofa, with just a brief acknowledgement of his teammate.

  • 14:50

    TweetTweet from @clubforce: 8 points for @pauldirestaf1, 1 point for @SutilAdrian as we extend our lead for P6 in the Championship

  • 14:51

    Rosberg waves as he heads out onto the podium. Big cheers for Webber as he takes the second place, and cheers again for race winner Vettel.

  • 14:51

    The national anthems play out, as the drivers stand on the shadowy podium.

  • 14:52
    Championship Standings
    PosDriverPts
    1S Vettel347
    2F Alonso217
    3K Räikkönen183
    4L Hamilton175
    5M Webber166
  • 14:53
    Championship Standings
    PosDriverPts
    1Red Bull513
    2Mercedes334
    3Ferrari323
    4Lotus297
    5McLaren95
  • 14:54

    The trophies are handed out, Webber looks happy enough with another trophy to add to his collection. Rosberg beams with his, and Vettel accepts his trophy before the champagne celebrations begin.

  • 14:57

    QuotePodium quotes - Sebastian Vettel: "I did some donuts, but this time I brought the car back. As you can see it's in parc fermé. Thanks to all the fans, the atmosphere today... so many people, so many German flags, so nice to see. More and more for Red Bull, I hope that keeps up. The car was brilliant, absolutely brilliant, not much more to say. It was flying in some stages, at least it felt like it. Thanks to the team, to Renault as well. A lot of our success is down to them."

  • 14:58

    QuotePodium quotes - Mark Webber: "The start wasn't great. Nico had an unbelievable start, Seb's was a bit better than mine. In the first stint, not strong enough on the soft tyres. Seb got a very good gap, I had to reposition on the primes. The race started well for me but Seb was gone, he was another category at the front. I had to battle Nico for second... it's on to Austin and two more to go."

  • 15:00

    QuotePodium quotes - Nico Rosberg: "I'm happy, third place is good. The aim for the weekend was to be best of the rest behind the Red Bulls. That has worked out, even though second place would have been possible today... Mark just got me with Di Resta, little bit disappointed with that one but otherwise happy.

    "I was very happy to hear that we took some more points off Ferrari again. That's the most important thing for us at the moment, to finish second in the constructor's. It's more money for next year, and also more motivation. If everyone in the factory can see that we built the second fastest car this year, that's a massive boost."

  • 15:05

    Sebastian Vettel has shown how untouchable he is more than ever this weekend. With just two races left to go, it's hard to see anyone matching him or snatching victory from his hands.

  • 15:06

    The two championship battles we were looking at earlier are still ongoing, but both Mercedes and Force India have managed to increase their leads.

  • 15:06

    The next round is in two week's time, at the still shiny and new track in Austin. It should be a better race than this weekend, so make sure you join me back here then!

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