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Vettel wins Korean GP to take overall lead
Source: Agencies |
October 15, 2012, Monday
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WITH a third straight race victory, Sebastian Vettel is suddenly closing in on a third straight Formula One title.
The Red Bull driver won the Korean Grand Prix on Sunday to move ahead of Ferrari's Fernando Alonso in the F1 standings by six points with four races remaining, having erased what looked like a commanding lead for the Spanish driver just three weeks ago.
Vettel started second on the grid behind Mark Webber but overtook his teammate on the first turn and never relinquished the lead, finishing 8.2 seconds ahead of Webber.
Alonso was third, 13.9 seconds off the pace.
"The foundation was there with a good start," Vettel said. "I wasn't sure because I was starting on the dirty side of the grid but I was able to get some good grip and get inside at the first turn."
Vettel, who also won the previous races in Singapore and Japan, now looks to be the favorite for a third straight championship title, something only previously achieved by Juan-Manuel Fangio and Michael Schumacher.
Webber claimed his first second-place finish of the season but the Australian was disappointed with his start from pole. "The initial launch was not good," Webber said. "There was some wheel spin and from there I knew I would have issues. It was very mediocre."
Ferrari's Felipe Massa was fourth, followed by Lotus driver Kimi Raikkonen and Force India's Nico Hulkenberg. McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton finished a disappointing 10th, despite starting third on the grid.
Lotus driver Romain Grosjean avoided the first-lap incidents that he was involved in at the Belgian and Japanese GP's to finish seventh ahead of Toro Rosso drivers Jean Eric-Vergne and Daniel Ricciardo.
Hamilton, who is fourth in the standings 62 points behind Vettel, had a rear suspension problem with his McLaren and even got a piece of astroturf from the edge of the track stuck under his car late in the race.
The Red Bull driver won the Korean Grand Prix on Sunday to move ahead of Ferrari's Fernando Alonso in the F1 standings by six points with four races remaining, having erased what looked like a commanding lead for the Spanish driver just three weeks ago.
Vettel started second on the grid behind Mark Webber but overtook his teammate on the first turn and never relinquished the lead, finishing 8.2 seconds ahead of Webber.
Alonso was third, 13.9 seconds off the pace.
"The foundation was there with a good start," Vettel said. "I wasn't sure because I was starting on the dirty side of the grid but I was able to get some good grip and get inside at the first turn."
Vettel, who also won the previous races in Singapore and Japan, now looks to be the favorite for a third straight championship title, something only previously achieved by Juan-Manuel Fangio and Michael Schumacher.
Webber claimed his first second-place finish of the season but the Australian was disappointed with his start from pole. "The initial launch was not good," Webber said. "There was some wheel spin and from there I knew I would have issues. It was very mediocre."
Ferrari's Felipe Massa was fourth, followed by Lotus driver Kimi Raikkonen and Force India's Nico Hulkenberg. McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton finished a disappointing 10th, despite starting third on the grid.
Lotus driver Romain Grosjean avoided the first-lap incidents that he was involved in at the Belgian and Japanese GP's to finish seventh ahead of Toro Rosso drivers Jean Eric-Vergne and Daniel Ricciardo.
Hamilton, who is fourth in the standings 62 points behind Vettel, had a rear suspension problem with his McLaren and even got a piece of astroturf from the edge of the track stuck under his car late in the race.
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