Vettel joins the greats with fourth F1 title

F1 News

Date: 27/October/2013

Sebastian Vettel wrote his name into the F1 history books by claiming a fourth successive title in Sunday’s Indian Grand prix.

The Red Bull star, 26, could afford to lose 15 points to Fernando Alonso and still secure the title with three rounds remaining.

But Vettel typically went all-out for victory, claiming his sixth race win in a row - and ninth of the season - by almost 30 seconds over Nico Rosberg (Mercedes). Romain Grosjean (Lotus) completed the podium with Alonso down in eleventh after front wing damage.

“I’m speechless,” said Vettel. “It’s one of these moments you wish to say so many things but you can’t. The spirit inside the team gives me so much power that it’s a pleasure to jump in the car and go out for the guys and 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.

“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.

“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 makes me very proud.”

Vettel joins countryman Michael Schumacher and Juan Manuel Fangio in winning four successive F1 titles, but is the youngest ever to do so. The only other driver with four titles in total is Alain Prost.

“To join people like Prost, Fangio and Michael is unbelievable. It is very difficult to put into perspective. I’m way too young to understand what it means. I might be 60 [years old] one day, maybe then I will understand.

“To go for the numbers and statistics that we have done in the last four years is unbelievable. To achieve all that in such a short amount of time is very difficult to grasp.”

Red Bull’s legendary technical boss Adrian Newey stated: “Sebastian must now be considered one of the all-time greats.”

With the title pressure gone, Vettel has three more races in which to add to his 2013 victory tally.

Lorenzo victory triggers MotoGP title showdown

MotoGP News

Date: 27/October/2013

The MotoGP World Championship will be decided at the final round in Valencia after Jorge Lorenzo took victory in Sunday’s Japanese round.

Marc Marquez has started the last two races with the chance to become the first rookie to win the premier-class crown since 1978.

Instead reigning Champion Lorenzo has won on both occasions which, combined with a black flag for Marquez in Australia, has helped the Yamaha rider move from 43 to 13 points behind with one round remaining.

Lorenzo led the Japanese race from start to finish, absorbing pressure from Marquez until the pace finally became too much for the 20-year-old. It was Lorenzo’s seventh win of the year, one more than Marquez, and the 200^th for Yamaha in the premier-class of motorcycle grand prix.

“To be the rider to get the 200 wins is a great honour,” said Lorenzo. “To win at Honda's home race is even more special!

“It was a very difficult race today but I never gave up. Finally I was able to make a little gap. We are very proud of this victory, for the result, for the circumstances and for the championship, it couldn't be better.”

On the forthcoming title showdown, Lorenzo added: “Until we finish racing we know the championship is not over. I'm not leading so it's not all up to me, so let's see how our strategy is at Valencia.”

Marquez, who had fallen heavily in morning practice at Motegi, said:

“I tried to follow but in the end Jorge pushed a little bit more. I was too much on the limit, there was too much risk and I say 'ok, 20 points for the championship'. There will be another race in Valencia that will certainly be interesting.

“Now I must focus and do my best in Valencia. We can't forget it's my first season and [winning the championship] wasn't my target at the start. But I will try for sure.”

Marquez, who has been on the podium in all races he has finished this year, is guaranteed to take the title if he is fourth or higher at Valencia, regardless of where Lorenzo finishes.

The MotoGP title has not been decided at the final round since 2006, when Nicky Hayden emerged victorious despite trailing Valentino Rossi heading into the Valencia event.

Champion-elect Vettel blows away rivals for pole in India

F1 News

Date: 26/October/2013

Sebastian Vettel continued his unstoppable charge to the 2013 F1 title by taking pole position with a new lap record at India’s Buddh International Circuit.

Vettel holds a 90-point lead with just 100 points still available, meaning only a disaster can deprive him of the title on Sunday.

But the young German proved he won’t be coasting to a four successive crown by pushing to the limit in qualifying.

The Red Bull star was 0.752s clear of next best Nico Rosberg (Mercedes) with Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso, the only driver that can still mathematically defeat Vettel, down in eighth place after opting for the medium compound tyre.

Vettel, who has won the last five races in a row, said: “So far it's been a brilliant weekend. The car was very good from the moment we hit the track yesterday and we haven't had to change a lot.

“In qualifying, things got better as the circuit ramped up and the car was amazing. This is a great circuit and it's not a secret that if the car behaves in the middle part of the lap, you'll enjoy it.

“I'm trying not to think about the championship but it is hard when every other person asks the same question. Tomorrow is a long race but we have a quick package and should be in good shape.”

Lorenzo puts pole pressure on Marquez, Spies retires

MotoGP News

Date: 26/October/2013

A slimmed down Saturday schedule for the Japanese MotoGP ended with title chaser Jorge Lorenzo getting the better of rookie title leader Marc Marquez by 0.6s.

Motegi is Marquez’s second chance to take an historic title - but for the second time in as many weeks, MotoGP has been forced to make major revisions.

Last time in Australia tyre problems forced compulsory mid-race pit stops, while at Motegi ‘Mother Nature’ saw the track remain silent for all of Friday and Saturday morning when fog and mist prevented use of the medical helicopter.

After being disqualified in Australia for missing the exceeding the number of laps allowed on the fragile Bridgestone tyres, Marquez arrives at the penultimate round with his championship lead cut from 43 to 18 points.

If he wins and reigning champion Lorenzo is third of lower Marquez will avoid a high pressure title showdown in front of their home Spanish fans at Valencia. But it was Yamaha star Lorenzo who dominated the single, wet, 75-minute Saturday track session, used to determine the grid order.

Lorenzo, who broke his collarbone in practice for the wet Dutch round, said: “The last time I rode in the wet was in Assen so I didn't have good memories! In the beginning I was very careful and scared, but in the end I really felt very good.

“It doesn't matter if it's wet or dry tomorrow, although a wet race would be better for the championship.

“This situation is like a gift for us, because before the race in Australia the championship was almost finished. Now we have this new chance. We felt great in the wet. Let’s see how we feel if it's dry tomorrow.

“I will push to the limit and try to win this race.”

20-year-old Marquez is bidding to become the sport’s youngest ever premier-class champion and so far is soaking up the pressure well.

“It was quite difficult today,” said Marquez, who twice ran into the gravel. “It was my first time in Motegi with a MotoGP bike and the first time qualifying in wet conditions so I had to take  more risks than usual.

“But the target was to finish on the first row and we did it.

“For tomorrow we hope for a dry race. It will be hard because no one has had time to find the best set-up, but it is the same for everybody.

“For sure Jorge will push hard in the race, but I will try to manage the situation.”

In other news, former World Superbike champion and MotoGP race winner Ben Spies has announced his retirement due to the lengthy shoulder injuries that have seen him start just two races this season.

“I never dreamed that I would reach the level of success that I have over the past 20 years of racing, but the time has come to stop and I do so with great sadness,” said Spies.

The American’s 2014 Pramac Ducati replacement is yet to be announced.

Lorenzo makes history, Honda fumbles first chance

MotoGP News

Date: 21/October/2013

Jorge Lorenzo made history by winning the first ever MotoGP race to feature compulsory pit stops, at Phillip Island in Australia.

In the process the Yamaha star slashed Marc Marquez’s title advantage from 43 to 18 points after the Honda rookie was disqualified for missing the pit stop window.

The pit stops, when riders were required to switch to their spare bikes, were imposed by Race Direction as an emergency measure when Bridgestone was embarrassingly unable to guarantee the safety of its rear slick tyres on the new asphalt.

Lorenzo, Marquez and Dani Pedrosa had formed a breakaway lead group by the time the lap ten pit stop limit approached.

Pedrosa pitted at the end of lap nine and Lorenzo on lap ten, but Marquez stayed out. Disbelief and confusion spread throughout pit lane - some suggesting Marquez had made a mistake, others that the information on his pit board was wrong.

The 20-year-old duly pitted at the end of the lap eleven, but by then it was too late and he was eventually disqualified. Honda stated that it had been a ‘team error’, believing that Marquez could complete ten full laps and then pull into the pits.

Despite his tender age, and the fact that Phillip Island represented his first chance to win the 2013 title, Marquez kept his emotions in check when talking to the media that evening.

Marquez explained: “We made a big mistake in the plan with the team. It was a big confusion because we thought that we could stop before the end of lap eleven. It was the whole team so you can't blame one person. We made the plan together.

“The positive thing is that we were there and fighting for the victory. When I saw the black flag and 93 it was difficult to understand why. I thought maybe I was too fast on pit entry or maybe I crossed the white line on the pit exit.

“The penalty was very tough but in the end it was the decision”

While Marquez was left to ponder only his second non-score of the year, Lorenzo was wiping the victory champagne from his leathers.

Lorenzo said: “It was a crazy, chaotic. The first time we have changed bikes in a dry race and it was difficult for everyone.

“We have been lucky because without the mistake from Marc, he would have been in second or first place today.”

As Marquez joined the race track after his late pit stop he and race leader Lorenzo sensationally banged handlebars at turn one.

“We arrived at the first corner at the same time,” recalled Lorenzo. “If Marc had looked to the right, maybe he could have let me past because the rider in the race track has priority. Also I made a mistake and braked too late. So I don’t know really who was at fault. I think 50-50.

“But if Race Direction had shown the black flag to Marc sooner, he would have already stopped and the incident would never have happened. It was clear he broke the rule so I don’t know why there was a delay.”

With just two rounds remaining, Lorenzo still has a mountain to climb to deny Marquez of the title - but at least the summit is now within sight.

“Our championship chances have changed so much,” he said. “Before the race it was maybe 2-3%. Now it is 20-30%. Anyway Marc is very competitive at all the tracks and if he finishes in second or third place at each race he will still win the championship.

“We just have to try and win in both Motegi and Valencia and then see what happens. There are a lot of racing laps left and anything can happen. We have to push every lap to the limit.”

Pedrosa and Valentino Rossi joined Lorenzo on the podium. The Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi takes place this weekend.