~ Qualifying Analysis: Who else but Vettel? ~ When the biggest talking point from a qualifying session is the 40 minute delay caused by the wet weather, you know that it will not be one that lives long in the memory. True, the heavy rain that fell during the session failed to produce the ‘topsy-turvy’ grid that we all wanted. Sebastian Vettel did ultimately secure the top spot once again and it also lacked the stand out performances that were so noticeable in the United States. But to simply sweep the final qualifying session of the season under the rug would be a shame, as on closer inspection there were some real points of note to discuss. Firstly, love him or hate him, Sebastian Vettel once again delivered a performance that defied belief on Saturday. We waxed lyrical about his performance during qualifying for the Indian Grand Prix, when he simply obliterated the opposition, with the Mercedes pair the best part of a second down on the German. It was a similar story here in Brazil, as the four times champion produced a lap simply unbeatable. The fact that Nico Rosberg got within six tenths of his fellow compatriot was a measure of just how far the Mercedes man has come this year. Added to the fact that he out qualified his own team-mate Lewis Hamilton by six tenths, it was a very impressive display. Rosberg aside, Fernando Alonso was the next closest man to Vettel in third. I say close, he was an entire second down on the 26-year-old, but it was the Spaniard’s best qualifying session since the Bahrain Grand Prix, way back in April. Mark Webber was next up in fourth, likewise to Alonso, over a full second off of Vettel’s pole time. Now it is commonly said that the best measure of a racing driver’s talent is their performance against their team-mate, as they sit in the very same car as you. We do not wish to criticise Mark Webber on what his final Grand Prix weekend, but that gap of over a second to the German in the other RB9 is rather telling. Vettel’s level of dominance during qualifying in India and here in Brazil is perhaps only comparable to that seen on Michael Schumacher’s return from injury at the 1999 Malaysian Grand Prix. In which case the German maestro preceded to not only out qualify his own team-mate by over a second, but also both McLaren’s, his rival Mika Hakkinen included. Vettel has long had his detractors, with boos from fans becoming common place during 2013 in reaction to ‘the finger’, but performances like that seen today during qualifying for the Brazilian Grand Prix by him can only strengthen the argument that Sebastian Vettel is one of the finest drivers that the sport has ever seen. While Vettel was busy storming to a ninth pole of the season, his former team were having an impressive day of their own, as Daniel Ricciardo and Jean-Eric Vergne both progressed through to the final part of qualifying for the first time since the Italian Grand Prix. Seventh and eighth on the grid is the team’s best collective qualifying appearance since the Brazilian Grand Prix in 2008, a race at which Sebastian Vettel himself finished fourth for the Faenza-based outfit. While it is a bit early to be suggesting a similar result could occur on Sunday, the team could well be in with a chance of securing some points to end their season on a bright note.
Posted on: Sun, 24 Nov 2013 13:27:57 +0000
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