Sebastian Vettel drove to victory at last Sunday’s Grand Prix of Korea taking the lead in the driver’s championship away from Fernando Alonso. Mark Webber finished second giving Red Bull Racing the top two steps on the podium.
Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso finished in third place and is four points behind driver’s championship leader Vettel.
With his third win in a row and 100 points left to play in the season, the young German looks poised to capture his third title in three years.
Vettel’s teammate Mark Webber, stormed to pole position on Saturday qualifying, but after a slow getaway Vettel had the lead after the first corner.
He never relinquished, only giving up the lead in pitstop shuffles.
A week ago, Vettel cruised to a dominant win in Japan, and followed it up with an equally dominant drive in Korea. Over the last three weeks, the Red Bull chassis has come alive and is the best car, leaving Ferrari and McLaren without answers as how to surmount a challenge to the reigning world champions.
Alonso’s teammate Felipe Massa had his most competitive drive of the season. Competitive enough that at one point his pace prompted Ferrari to warn Massa he was too close to Alonso and needed to back off.
On race day, the embattled Massa was tipped to retain his seat at Ferrari for the 2013 season, and has since been confirmed the team in 2013.
Alonso’s strategy was to save his tires in hopes of making a last gasp attempt to catch the Bulls with his less worn rubber. He threatened Webber if only for a moment before dropping back and finishing the race in third.
McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton suffered a rear anti roll bar failure early in the race compromising his afternoon. The Briton stopped three times to change his tires whereas all other drivers were required to stop only twice.
After the race Hamilton surmised that his shot at the driver’s championship was all but over adding more injury to his tumultuous last year with McLaren.
Lotus’ Kimi Raikkonen placed fifth behind the two Ferraris and Nico Hulkenburg drove to an impressive sixth for the Sahara Force India Team.
Lotus driver Romian Grosjean finally made it past the first corner and placed seventh. Toro Rosso drivers Jean-Eric Vergne and Daniel Ricciardo drove to eighth and ninth place. Hamilton was tenth.
The championship moves to India’s Buddh International Circuit in one week’s time. This is the second year Formula 1 has had a race in India. Last year’s winner, Sebastian Vettel, looks poised for a repeat victory.
