On the surface Sebastian Vettel’s win at the Japanese Grand Prix looked to be a solid victory crafted with determination and a solid strategy. The conspiracy theorists out there would suggest Red Bull’s decision to keep Vettel on a two-stop strategy, while switching Mark Webber to a three-stopper, was all about providing an opportunity for Seb to forge a win from third place, while harming Mark’s chances of a first win for season 2013.
Certainly, Vettel’s own radio calls late in the race asking the team to keep Mark away from him would lend support to that theory. But former Red Bull driver David Coulthard is having none of that, suggesting if it were true that Mark would be telling the world all about it.
All we can do is wonder what would have happened if Mark was able to bully his way past Romain Grosjean with the effectiveness which Vettel did. Instead, it took Mark seven laps to find a way around the Lotus driver by which time any chance of a challenge to Vettel’s lead had been lost.
Which means our regular F1 pictorial update gives us yet another opportunity to look at that bloody finger!
[Pics: Caterham F1 Team/LAT Photographic; Ferrari; Lotus F1 Team/LAT Photographic; Mercedes AMG; Red Bull/Getty Images; Sahara Force India Formula One Team; Sauber Motorsport AG; Toro Rosso/Getty Images; Vodafone McLaren Mercedes; Williams F1/LAT Photographic]
5 replies on “2013 Japanese Grand Prix in pictures”
Thanks again! Great shots, love Suzuka and love the green on those Caterhams.. It’s a pity that Webber didn’t convert Pole to a Win though. 🙁
Hey, at least Mark is on the podium this time around. Agree that the finger needs to go away. Thanks for the pics. They are great, as always.
What they said.
Vettel is the Justin Beiber of F1
AHAHAHh Mark that has to be the best tittle ever.
He annoys me and I’ve never meet him in person, not sure if its just his smugness that comes through in all the photos.