We have witnessed some fantastic Formula 1 racing this season in a year of dominance for Sebastian Vettel. There have been plenty of highs
and lows for the 22 drivers who competed in the 2013 season, but who did
the best job over the course of the year?
The top spot in this year’s JLF1 Blog performance grid was as predictable as a victory from the man himself, but how did the rest of the field do? Here is my view on how each driver performed this season.
1. Sebastian Vettel
He made the final part of the year pretty predictable, but we witnessed a truly special event in 2013 as the 26-year-old was crowned world champion for the fourth time. It was a near perfect season for Vettel as he raced to 13 victories, nine in a row, three further podiums and numerous records. He just seemed to be in a different league, a truly deserving champion.
High point: Winning the title in India.
Low point: Multi-21 in Malaysia.
2. Fernando Alonso
2013 was a difficult year for the Spaniard, racing with arguably the fourth fastest car on the grid. His early season victories were very impressive but Ferrari couldn’t keep up with the development of Red Bull and dropped down the order by the seasons end. Qualifying proved to be a weak area but he made up for that with some stunning overtakes.
High point: Winning on home turf in Spain.
Low point: Retiring on lap two in Malaysia.
3. Romain Grosjean
He was labelled a “first lap nutcase” after a troubled 2012 campaign, but 2013 saw the Frenchman transform into a mature and consistent racer. He was definitely the most improved driver of 2013 after scoring six podium finishes, including second place at the US GP. It started in slow style but soon picked up the pace, consistently matching and – on several occasions – beating his more experienced team-mate.
High point: Second at the US GP.
Low point: Crashing into Ricciardo in Monaco.
4. Nico Hulkenberg
The start of the season didn’t quite go to plan but upgrades to his Sauber C32 and the changed Pirelli tyres turned around Hulkenberg’s season. His race in Korea was one of the drives of the year and his qualifying performance in Italy was very impressive. An overachiever in an average car, it is surprising that he hasn’t yet secured a drive at a top team.
High point: Fourth in Korea after a strong defensive drive.
Low point: Failing to start in Australia due to a fuel feed problem.
5. Nico Rosberg
Despite finishing 18 points behind his Mercedes team-mate in the drivers’ standings, 2013 was a really strong year for the German driver – particularly in the first half of the season. His two victories at the blue-riband Monaco and British Grands Prix victories were perfectly executed and his qualifying form was great, scoring three pole positions and five further front-row starts. Three retirements – none of which were due to driver error – lost him points.
High point: Winning in Monaco 30 years after his father Keke.
Low point: Dropping from first to ninth during the Bahrain Grand Prix.
6. Kimi Raikkonen
His season started off in the best way possible, winning the season-opener in Australia. It didn’t end in the same style but it was another consistent year for the Finn with seven further podium finishes. His qualifying pace was, at times, very average and his first lap crash in Abu Dhabi was uncharacteristic. His relationship with Lotus ended sooner than expected after he elected to undergo back surgery and miss the final two races.
High point: Victory in Australia.
Low point: Abu Dhabi, first lap crash and pay issues meant he almost didn’t turn up.
7. Lewis Hamilton
Many thought the Brit was mad to move from McLaren to Mercedes for 2013, but it proved to be a surprisingly impressive season. They struggled with tyre wear issues early on but excelled in qualifying trim. Despite a lack of confidence in the W04, particularly under braking, he scored five pole positions and an impressive victory in Hungary.
High point: Winning in Hungary, his first for the Silver Arrows.
Low point: Tyre failure at Silverstone cost potential home victory.
8. Jules Bianchi
Some of you will be wondering why someone who didn’t score a point in 2013 is in the top 10 of my performance grid, but Bianchi impressed me immensely in his rookie season, despite being drafted in at last minute. His form at the start of the year was fantastic, setting the 11th fastest lap in Australia and finishing the next round in 13th – crucially helping Marussia secure 10th in the constructors’.
High point: 13th in Malaysia.
Low point: First lap crash in Japan.
9. Mark Webber
I was really hoping that the Aussie would score a win in 2013, but it just didn’t come together for him in his final F1 season. Vettel made him look average but he still had some good results and was consistently in the points, helping him to take third in the drivers’ standings. In 2014 he moves to the World Endurance Championship with Porsche, where he will have the work/private life balance that he has wanted for quite some time.
High point: Final podium in Brazil.
Low point: Multi 21 in Malaysia.
10. Valtteri Bottas
The Finnish driver managed to consistently match and beat his more experienced team-mate. His eighth place finish at the US GP was very impressive, as was his overtake on Esteban Gutierrez during the race, and his qualifying lap in Canada was one of the surprises of the year. Despite below-par machinery, he still managed to shine and is certainly one to watch for the future.
High point: Eighth at the Circuit of the Americas.
Low point: Slipping from third to 14th in Canada on Sunday.
11. Daniel Ricciardo
The smiley Aussie managed to secure the best seat on the 2014 grid. He put in some impressive performances this season, particularly his seventh place finishes in China and Italy, and was rewarded for his hard work. It wasn’t a stand-out year for Toro Rosso with an uncompetitive car but Ricciardo really developed and matured as a driver and managed to deliver despite plenty of pressure both before and after the announcement.
High point: Being signed alongside Vettel for 2014.
Low point: Hitting the barrier in Singapore.
12. Jenson Button
The Brit had high hopes going in to 2013, as the team-leader and number one driver, but it proved to be a disaster by McLaren’s standards. The MP4-28 was a tricky car and he was often matched by his less experienced team-mate. He did put in some strong performances and often wasn’t afraid to try a different strategy. Despite a lack of upgrades to the car, fourth in the season finale was an excellent result.
High point: Fourth in Brazil to end the year.
Low point: First lap contact in India, Abu Dhabi & Austin cost him points.
13. Felipe Massa
His final year as a Ferrari driver was far from spectacular, although it was a much more consistent season in comparison to 2012. It started off positively with third in Spain before a shaky middle stint. However, once he found out his fate at the Scuderia he was regularly in the points. The Brazilian also made steps forward in qualifying. Now he looks ahead to 2014 and a new challenge at Williams.
High point: Podium in Spain.
Low point: Crashing in Monaco.
14. Sergio Perez
The Mexican driver didn’t do much wrong in 2013 but McLaren’s revolutionary MP4-28 was a difficult beast to tame. He had a rather lacklustre start to the year where he was consistently out-performed by his team-mate, with the exception being in Bahrain where he came under fire for being too aggressive. He was dropped by McLaren before his ‘home’ race in Austin but ended the year on a high.
High point: 19th to sixth in Brazil.
Low point: Clash with Raikkonen in Monaco.
15. Paul di Resta
It was a difficult end to the year after a very positive start that included a fourth place finish in Bahrain and seven top 10 finishes in the first eight races. However, the second half of the year was disappointing and this wasn’t helped by the change in Pirelli tyres. His run of seven consecutive non-scoring finishes was a combination of driver errors and lacklustre performances. He out-performed his team-mate but didn’t stand out.
High point: Matching his best career finish in Bahrain.
Low point: Crashing on lap one in Italy.
16. Giedo van der Garde
Like most of the rookies on the 2013 grid, the Dutch driver had a difficult start but improvements were made over the course of the season. He was a strong match for his more experienced team-mate and by the end of the season; he was beating him on a more regular basis. He impressed with two stand-out qualifying performances in Monaco and Spa.
High point: Qualifying P15 around the streets of Monaco.
Low point: A clumsy race in Canada.
17. Adrian Sutil
It was a difficult return to F1 for the German driver after a year sitting on the side-lines. He finished 19 points behind his team-mate but had his fair share of bad luck, particularly in Malaysia and China where points looked to be possible. Like di Resta, there weren’t many stand-out moments bar his brilliant drive to fifth in Monaco. Overall, a pretty average season.
High point: Fifth in Monaco.
Low point: Wheel nut issue in Malaysia.
18. Jean-Eric Vergne
He missed out on a promotion to Red Bull and it is easy to see why after a difficult second season in F1. The Frenchman struggled in qualifying and had a weak end to the year, with just one real highlight with sixth place in Canada. He has another tough team-mate to battle with in 2014 as Daniily Kvyat joins the team, but beating him will be crucial if he wants to remain in the sport.
High point: Sixth in Canada.
Low point: Top 10 grid position in Italy but retired with transmission issues.
19. Esteban Gutierrez
Seventh place in the Japanese Grand Prix was the only real positive race result after a difficult rookie season. It was never going to be easy, particularly as Sauber started the year with such a poor car, but we did see progress from the Mexican towards the end of the year. China error was disappointing and he struggled in qualifying.
High point: First points in Japan.
Low point: Early crash in China.
20. Pastor Maldonado
The newly announced Lotus driver wasn’t helped by a poor car, but that was no excuse for being consistently out-performed by his rookie team-mate over the course of the year. He scored just one point, at the Hungarian Grand Prix, and got caught up in far too many clashes. He has plenty to prove in 2014.
High point: 10th in Hungary.
Low point: Williams car sabotage claims in USA.
21. Charles Pic
It was a rather anonymous season for the Frenchman with no real stand-out results or qualifying performances, in my view. He was expected to lead the team but was often matched or bettered by his rookie team-mate. Yes, he did score the team’s best result of the year (two 14th place finishes in Malaysia and Korea), but the other 17 races were rather underwhelming.
High point: 14th in Malaysia.
Low point: 10-place penalty for three reprimands, then getting a drive-through before the next race had even started.
22. Max Chilton
The Brit finished every race of his rookie season but that was partly due to him being behind his rivals. Consistently slower than his team-mate on both Saturday and Sunday, the gap did decrease as the season progressed and we saw steady improvement. However, it was a largely uneventful and average season for the 22-year-old.
High point: 14th in Monaco….
Low point: ….crash with Maldonado in Monaco.
Note, I did not include Heikki Kovalainen as he only completed two races.
Check out my 2013 season review: Part One and Part Two.
What are your views on this, do you agree or disagree? Let me know on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ or Sportlobster.
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| (c) Octane Photographic |
The top spot in this year’s JLF1 Blog performance grid was as predictable as a victory from the man himself, but how did the rest of the field do? Here is my view on how each driver performed this season.
1. Sebastian Vettel
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| (c) Getty Images |
High point: Winning the title in India.
Low point: Multi-21 in Malaysia.
2. Fernando Alonso
2013 was a difficult year for the Spaniard, racing with arguably the fourth fastest car on the grid. His early season victories were very impressive but Ferrari couldn’t keep up with the development of Red Bull and dropped down the order by the seasons end. Qualifying proved to be a weak area but he made up for that with some stunning overtakes.
High point: Winning on home turf in Spain.
Low point: Retiring on lap two in Malaysia.
3. Romain Grosjean
He was labelled a “first lap nutcase” after a troubled 2012 campaign, but 2013 saw the Frenchman transform into a mature and consistent racer. He was definitely the most improved driver of 2013 after scoring six podium finishes, including second place at the US GP. It started in slow style but soon picked up the pace, consistently matching and – on several occasions – beating his more experienced team-mate.
High point: Second at the US GP.
Low point: Crashing into Ricciardo in Monaco.
4. Nico Hulkenberg
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| (c) Octane Photographic |
High point: Fourth in Korea after a strong defensive drive.
Low point: Failing to start in Australia due to a fuel feed problem.
5. Nico Rosberg
Despite finishing 18 points behind his Mercedes team-mate in the drivers’ standings, 2013 was a really strong year for the German driver – particularly in the first half of the season. His two victories at the blue-riband Monaco and British Grands Prix victories were perfectly executed and his qualifying form was great, scoring three pole positions and five further front-row starts. Three retirements – none of which were due to driver error – lost him points.
High point: Winning in Monaco 30 years after his father Keke.
Low point: Dropping from first to ninth during the Bahrain Grand Prix.
6. Kimi Raikkonen
His season started off in the best way possible, winning the season-opener in Australia. It didn’t end in the same style but it was another consistent year for the Finn with seven further podium finishes. His qualifying pace was, at times, very average and his first lap crash in Abu Dhabi was uncharacteristic. His relationship with Lotus ended sooner than expected after he elected to undergo back surgery and miss the final two races.
High point: Victory in Australia.
Low point: Abu Dhabi, first lap crash and pay issues meant he almost didn’t turn up.
7. Lewis Hamilton
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| (c) Octane Photographic |
High point: Winning in Hungary, his first for the Silver Arrows.
Low point: Tyre failure at Silverstone cost potential home victory.
8. Jules Bianchi
Some of you will be wondering why someone who didn’t score a point in 2013 is in the top 10 of my performance grid, but Bianchi impressed me immensely in his rookie season, despite being drafted in at last minute. His form at the start of the year was fantastic, setting the 11th fastest lap in Australia and finishing the next round in 13th – crucially helping Marussia secure 10th in the constructors’.
High point: 13th in Malaysia.
Low point: First lap crash in Japan.
9. Mark Webber
I was really hoping that the Aussie would score a win in 2013, but it just didn’t come together for him in his final F1 season. Vettel made him look average but he still had some good results and was consistently in the points, helping him to take third in the drivers’ standings. In 2014 he moves to the World Endurance Championship with Porsche, where he will have the work/private life balance that he has wanted for quite some time.
High point: Final podium in Brazil.
Low point: Multi 21 in Malaysia.
10. Valtteri Bottas
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| (c) Octane Photographic |
High point: Eighth at the Circuit of the Americas.
Low point: Slipping from third to 14th in Canada on Sunday.
11. Daniel Ricciardo
The smiley Aussie managed to secure the best seat on the 2014 grid. He put in some impressive performances this season, particularly his seventh place finishes in China and Italy, and was rewarded for his hard work. It wasn’t a stand-out year for Toro Rosso with an uncompetitive car but Ricciardo really developed and matured as a driver and managed to deliver despite plenty of pressure both before and after the announcement.
High point: Being signed alongside Vettel for 2014.
Low point: Hitting the barrier in Singapore.
12. Jenson Button
The Brit had high hopes going in to 2013, as the team-leader and number one driver, but it proved to be a disaster by McLaren’s standards. The MP4-28 was a tricky car and he was often matched by his less experienced team-mate. He did put in some strong performances and often wasn’t afraid to try a different strategy. Despite a lack of upgrades to the car, fourth in the season finale was an excellent result.
High point: Fourth in Brazil to end the year.
Low point: First lap contact in India, Abu Dhabi & Austin cost him points.
13. Felipe Massa
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| (c) Octane Photographic |
High point: Podium in Spain.
Low point: Crashing in Monaco.
14. Sergio Perez
The Mexican driver didn’t do much wrong in 2013 but McLaren’s revolutionary MP4-28 was a difficult beast to tame. He had a rather lacklustre start to the year where he was consistently out-performed by his team-mate, with the exception being in Bahrain where he came under fire for being too aggressive. He was dropped by McLaren before his ‘home’ race in Austin but ended the year on a high.
High point: 19th to sixth in Brazil.
Low point: Clash with Raikkonen in Monaco.
15. Paul di Resta
It was a difficult end to the year after a very positive start that included a fourth place finish in Bahrain and seven top 10 finishes in the first eight races. However, the second half of the year was disappointing and this wasn’t helped by the change in Pirelli tyres. His run of seven consecutive non-scoring finishes was a combination of driver errors and lacklustre performances. He out-performed his team-mate but didn’t stand out.
High point: Matching his best career finish in Bahrain.
Low point: Crashing on lap one in Italy.
16. Giedo van der Garde
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| (c) Octane Photographic |
High point: Qualifying P15 around the streets of Monaco.
Low point: A clumsy race in Canada.
17. Adrian Sutil
It was a difficult return to F1 for the German driver after a year sitting on the side-lines. He finished 19 points behind his team-mate but had his fair share of bad luck, particularly in Malaysia and China where points looked to be possible. Like di Resta, there weren’t many stand-out moments bar his brilliant drive to fifth in Monaco. Overall, a pretty average season.
High point: Fifth in Monaco.
Low point: Wheel nut issue in Malaysia.
18. Jean-Eric Vergne
He missed out on a promotion to Red Bull and it is easy to see why after a difficult second season in F1. The Frenchman struggled in qualifying and had a weak end to the year, with just one real highlight with sixth place in Canada. He has another tough team-mate to battle with in 2014 as Daniily Kvyat joins the team, but beating him will be crucial if he wants to remain in the sport.
High point: Sixth in Canada.
Low point: Top 10 grid position in Italy but retired with transmission issues.
19. Esteban Gutierrez
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| (c) Octane Photographic |
High point: First points in Japan.
Low point: Early crash in China.
20. Pastor Maldonado
The newly announced Lotus driver wasn’t helped by a poor car, but that was no excuse for being consistently out-performed by his rookie team-mate over the course of the year. He scored just one point, at the Hungarian Grand Prix, and got caught up in far too many clashes. He has plenty to prove in 2014.
High point: 10th in Hungary.
Low point: Williams car sabotage claims in USA.
21. Charles Pic
It was a rather anonymous season for the Frenchman with no real stand-out results or qualifying performances, in my view. He was expected to lead the team but was often matched or bettered by his rookie team-mate. Yes, he did score the team’s best result of the year (two 14th place finishes in Malaysia and Korea), but the other 17 races were rather underwhelming.
High point: 14th in Malaysia.
Low point: 10-place penalty for three reprimands, then getting a drive-through before the next race had even started.
22. Max Chilton
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| (c) Octane Photographic |
The Brit finished every race of his rookie season but that was partly due to him being behind his rivals. Consistently slower than his team-mate on both Saturday and Sunday, the gap did decrease as the season progressed and we saw steady improvement. However, it was a largely uneventful and average season for the 22-year-old.
High point: 14th in Monaco….
Low point: ….crash with Maldonado in Monaco.
Note, I did not include Heikki Kovalainen as he only completed two races.
Check out my 2013 season review: Part One and Part Two.
What are your views on this, do you agree or disagree? Let me know on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ or Sportlobster.
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