Could British rallying be set for a renaissance?

Online Sport Editor Jamie Klein analyses the potential implications of last weekend’s Monte Carlo Rally for UK rally fans, and examines the chances of British hopefuls Kris Meeke and Elfyn Evans.

After years in the wilderness, it may be that last weekend’s Monte Carlo rally marks the beginning of a long-awaited resurgence for the sport of rallying the UK.

A third place finish for Ulsterman Kris Meeke behind the wheel of a Citroen marks the first time in 11 long, painful years that a Briton has finished on the podium of a World Rally Championship event. The last Brit to do so? The late Richard Burns, at Rally Australia in 2003.

2014 is the year that Meeke, who is now 34 years of age, has finally been handed the break he’s deserved for much of his career. A protégé of Britain’s other rallying mega-star of yesteryear, Colin McRae, Meeke missed out on the chance to drive for Citroen back in 2006, teammate Dani Sordo beating him to the preceding year’s junior title.

Kris Meeke, pictured driving for Citroen last year, ended an 11-year wait for a British podium finisher in WRC last weekend. Photo: carwitter.com

After several years in the wilderness, Meeke re-emerged on the rally scene in earnest in 2009 with Peugeot, sealing the Intercontinental Rally Challenge title the following season. That put Meeke back in the WRC fray, throwing in his lot with the new BMW-backed Prodrive effort in 2011, but funding shortages saw him ditched after just a handful of rallies.

Just when it appeared Meeke’s hopes of a full-time WRC drive looked to be over, the very team that had cast him aside all those years ago offered him a lifeline. Two rallies with Citroen last year were enough for Meeke to show that he deserved one of two permanent seats this year – despite not finishing either of them!

In a rally marked by atrocious conditions, Meeke defied his reputation by keeping his car on the road where several of his rivals were unable to, finishing a fine third place, just under two minutes in arrears of reigning champion Sebastien Ogier and a similar margin ahead of new teammate Mads Ostberg, who claimed fourth place.

But, podium finishes alone are not going to be enough to re-ignite British interest in rallying. If the public are going to sit up and pay attention to the degree they did in the McRae-Burns era, a Brit needs to start winning rallies – and lots of them.

Unfortunately, it’s doubtful that Meeke is the right man for that particular job. As luck would have it though, there is another young hopeful waiting in the wings who may just have what it takes to really spark a full-blown renaissance for British rallying – Elfyn Evans.

The son of former rally driver Gwyndaf, it’s been a swift rise to the highest level for Evans. After finishing runner-up in the British Rally Championship in 2011, the Welshman dominated the entry-level WRC Academy series in 2012 before impressing during a part-time campaign in the second tier WRC-2 series last year.

Promoting Evans to a full-time M-Sport seat alongside ex-F1 star Robert Kubica and veteran Mikko Hirvonen with so little experience thus represents something of a gamble, but the 25-year-old was in fact the only one of the trio to make the finish in Monte Carlo, holding his own to clinch a highly respectable sixth place finish.

The successes of Burns (left) and McRae (right) ensured rallying enjoyed a high profile in the UK in the late nineties and early noughties. Photo: fanaticosdelrally.com

It will take time for Evans to develop into a driver capable of winning rallies at the highest level, but the promise he has shown so far is undeniable. After all, recently departed nine-time champion Sebastien Loeb didn’t win his first rally until the age of 28, and it’s far from inconceivable that Evans will have stood on the top step of the podium in three year’s time.

A generational shift looks to be taking place in the rallying world. The old guard, Loeb’s generation, have all departed the scene, and time is clearly running out for such experienced drivers as Hirvonen and Sordo, neither of whom have the sheer pace and consistency to challenge for the title and look set to be relegated to supporting roles at their respective teams.

The immediate future belongs to Volkswagen’s Ogier, who is now clearly WRC’s benchmark driver, as well as Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville and M-Sport’s Kubica, the only two drivers who, for now, look to have the pace to truly threaten the Frenchman.

For Meeke, it’s probably a bit too late to join that exclusive club even if he’s sure to rack up more podium finishes this season – and maybe, if circumstances permit, a first win for a British rally driver since his late mentor McRae won the Safari Rally in 2002.

But, it’s Evans who British rallying fans should be looking towards to well and truly make the British public sit up and take notice of the sport once again.

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BBC vs Sky: Which delivers the best F1 coverage?

It’s been two years since the BBC-Sky rivalry in the world of Formula One broadcasting commenced. James Coghlan evaluates the two different approaches and gives his verdict as to which is superior

2008 was a good year for British F1 fans. Not only did it yield a home-grown champion in the form of Lewis Hamilton, but it also marked the end of ITV’s somewhat underwhelming TV coverage of the sport.

Following the conclusion of a five-year deal, the BBC obtained exclusive rights to broadcast F1 in the UK from 2009 onwards. The presenting team spearheaded by Jake Humphrey moved far beyond the standards set by ITV, introducing a perfect blend of professionalism and banter that captivated the viewing audience and redefined their expectations of how the sport should be covered.

The BBC’s original line-up of Eddie Jordan, Jake Humphrey and David Coulthard was a hit with viewers. Photo: twominutessport.blogspot.com

However, thanks to a freeze in the licence fee, the BBC has been forced to share broadcast rights with Sky from 2012 onwards, only showing half of the races live while Sky established an entire channel to covering the sport with a unprecedented level of commitment and depth. This has meant UK fans have been able to choose between two very different ways of viewing F1 for the last two years. But, the question is: which one delivers the best experience?

In its first year, the BBC began broadcasting live video coverage of F1 on the internet, also making use of interactive TV by offering onboard camera views, the post-race ‘Forum’ and rolling highlights on its ‘Red Button’ facility. Since then, the their offerings have gone even further, introducing neat services like the brilliant ‘Driver Tracker’ and F1 coverage on the BBC Sport smartphone app.

However, these technological endeavours pale into comparison to the host of features offered by the Sky Sports F1 channel, which offers everything that the BBC does and more; its ‘Sky Race Control’ service, for instance, has even more feeds than the BBC equivalent and is also available on multiple platforms. Sky’s endless promotions of its “incredible 5.1 audio” and “stunning high definition” live up to their billing, too. Indeed, if Sky goes ahead with its proposals to broadcast races in 3D, it almost won’t be worth going to see Grands Prix live in person.

Ex-MotoGP and Gadget Show presenter Suzi Perry has done a commendable job filling Humphrey’s role. Photo: thedrum.com

The presenting team is an area in which the BBC hits back, however. Their current line-up of pundits works extremely well, as each one is able to offer the viewer a different perspective of events; with ex-driver David Coulthard, former team owner Eddie Jordan and his brilliant technical director Gary Anderson providing detailed and role-specific analysis of any development that comes their way. Ben Edwards’ commentary style is also highly effective, combining sharp observations with a level of excitement that makes watching a bunch of cars going round a track a fantastically entertaining experience.

Suzi Perry also deserves praise for having successfully filled the shoes of BT Sport-bound Jake Humphrey in 2013. Thanks to her vast experience in presenting other motorsport, most notably MotoGP for much of the 2000s, Perry is able to deliver a level of technical insight that seemed to be beyond her predecessor, but couched in the same sort of light-hearted, jocular manner that made the BBC’s coverage such a big hit in the first place.

Sky’s presenters are a highly professional bunch, led by former rugby presenter Simon Lazenby, who has managed to ease relatively comfortably into the world of F1 after two seasons presenting the sport. Despite being prone to the odd controversial clanger, he appears more confident and composed than his BBC counterpart Perry, which helps to offset his limited technical knowledge. Ex-drivers-turned-pundits Damon Hill and Johnny Herbert more than make up for this, however, always on hand to chip in with expert insight when Lazenby runs dry.

Sky’s presenting team provide more in-depth analysis than their BBC counterparts, but lack chemistry. Photo: planetf1.com

Where Sky’s analysis really excels is in its use of the ‘Skypad’, which provides a highly digestible breakdown of all the most complex and exciting parts of the on-track action. In the hands of another expert analyst in the form of Anthony Davidson, the facility adds a significant amount of value to post-race discussion and gives the viewer a much clearer understanding of the race’s most important developments. Whilst the BBC’s post-race analysis is good, it could use something like the Skypad to help direct the pundits.

The race commentary is an area where Sky lags behind. That’s not to say that the combination of David Croft and BBC defector Martin Brundle is bad by any means, but it is a little underwhelming compared to the brilliantly berserk commentary provided by Edwards and Coulthard. This highlights a wider problem with Sky’s presenting team as a whole: they’re a bit boring.

Nowhere is this more apparent than in their extensive 90-minute race build-up, in which they attempt to replicate the sort of fun-filled adventures typical of the BBC’s coverage. This would be fine if the presenters could muster the sort of entertainment value of the tremendous trio of Perry, Jordan and Coulthard – but they can’t. The problem is that there is no tangible chemistry between Sky’s presenting team at all, making any attempt on their part to make the programme entertaining somewhat awkward to watch.

That said, Sky is perfect for the viewer who wants to indulge in extensive analysis tailored to the hardcore race fan, and are willing to pay for the privilege. The BBC’s more light-hearted approach however appeals to a much wider audience, and still provides an excellent standard of coverage and technological features for what remains a taxpayer-funded free-to-air service. For that reason, in spite of all of Sky’s efforts so far, the BBC remains the superior way to watch for the substantial majority of F1 fans.

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Spotlight on: The Dakar Rally

Though press coverage has declined in recent years, Online Editor Jamie Klein believes the legendary Dakar Rally is an event that still warrants sports fans’ attention.

This year’s edition of the most gruelling event in motorsport, the Dakar Rally, is now underway. The event presents a challenge like no other to its 426 competitors, who will traverse some 9,000 kilometres of the toughest terrain imaginable over the course of two weeks in their bid to be crowned champion.

The desert landscape is a familiar one to the competitors of the Dakar. Photo: bestofrallylive (via Flickr)

The Dakar Rally is not like a conventional rally of the kind seen in the World Rally Championship. Instead of there being dedicated roads for competitors to use, any route can be used to get from one checkpoint to the next – making good navigation as important as raw speed in the battle for victory. The stages are also far longer than in traditional rallies, often covering hundreds of kilometres and taking hours to complete, featuring such obstacles as rocks, camel grass, sand dunes and even salt lakes, making for truly spectacular viewing.

In between stages, the competitors stay overnight in the ‘bivouac’, a tented village set up each day where the drivers and riders and their mechanics can make repairs to their vehicles. With stages often lasting the entire day, those involved will be fortunate to get more than a few hours sleep each night, making the event a real test of will-power and stamina. This year’s event began in the Argentine city of Rosario on Sunday, and will draw to a close next Saturday (18 January) as the surviving bikes, quads, cars and trucks arrive in Valparaiso, Chile.

A brief history

170 entries turned out in Paris in December 1978 for the start of the inaugural Dakar Rally, the brainchild of founder Thierry Sabine, just 74 making it all the way to the finish line in the Senegalese capital of Dakar. The early races were more about the spirit of  adventure of the event rather than the battle to be top of the timesheets. The Dakar gained notoriety in Britain in 1982, when Margaret Thatcher’s son Mark went missing for six days in the Sahara desert whilst competing in the event.

Ari Vatanen at the wheel of a Citroen. Photo: jcspeedway.blogspot.com

By the time Sabine tragically died during the 1986 rally in a helicopter crash, the Dakar’s entry list had swelled to 486, featuring a growing number of professional teams backed by big-money sponsors and factories desperate for success. The arrival of Peugeot in 1987 moved the goalposts as the French manufacturer came to dominate with former WRC champion Ari Vatanen at the helm; the Finn would go on to rack up a mammoth 50 stage wins and four overall victories during his time in the Dakar.

Vatanen’s last win in 1991 co-incided with the first for the man who would go on to become known as ‘Mr. Dakar’, Stephane Peterhansel. Over the course of the 1990s, the Frenchman racked up a further five wins in the bike category, on each occasion riding a Yamaha, surpassing the record of compatriot Cyril Neveu. In 1999, Peterhansel took the decision to switch to the car category, and in 2004 he emulated Hubert Auriol’s feat of winning on both two wheels and four behind the wheel of a Mitsubishi.

By now, Mitsubishi had well and truly become the team to beat, Jutta Kleinschmidt in particular generating press attention by becoming the first (and, to date, only) woman to win the event with the Japanese manufacturer in 2001. In the bikes, Yamaha struggled after Peterhansel’s depature, with Austrian manufacturer KTM picking up the baton with their first win courtesy of Italian Fabrizio Meoni in 2001. Sadly, Meoni became the latest name in the list of those to have died competing in the Dakar in 2005, further highlighting the dangerous nature of the race.

Worse was to come however in 2008, when the Dakar’s organisers were forced to cancel the rally in light of terrorist threats aimed directly against it – ostensibly spelling the death knell for the event. Nevertheless, the decision was made to relocate the rally to South America, Argentina and Chile playing host to the 2009 event. Whilst KTM picked up where they left off in the bikes, Mitsubishi’s reign in the car category came to an abrupt end when Volkswagen took their first victory courtesy of South Africa’s Giniel de Villiers.

Mr. Dakar himself, Stephane Peterhansel, will be eyeing victory number 12 in 2014. Photo: bestofrallylive (via Flickr)

Volkswagen were however left unchallenged after Mitsubishi departed the scene, themselves quitting the Dakar after taking a further two wins. That left no official factory participation in the car category for the first time since the mid-80s in 2012, with the German X-Raid outfit stepping up to become the new dominant force with their armada of Minis. This allowed Peterhansel to return to the top step of the podium, taking wins number 10 and 11 over the course of the last two years.

Names to look out for

Stephane Peterhansel (France, Mini) – Gunning for a 12th victory overall, Peterhansel can never be discounted. His approach of prioritising his position in the overall classification over individual stage wins has paid dividends over the years, and the speed and reliability of his X-Raid Mini should give him all the tools he needs to do the business.

Nasser Al-Attiyah (Qatar, Mini) – The biggest challenge to Peterhansel is likely to come from within the Frenchman’s own team, Al-Attiyah the only other former Dakar winner in the X-Raid stable. Technical problems have hampered his challenge in the past two years since his sole victory in 2011, so a clean run this year should make the Qatari a threat.

Carlos Sainz (Spain, SMG Buggy) – Sainz is no stranger to winning, having won the World Rally Championship twice as well as the Dakar in 2010. The Red-Bull backed SMG Buggy he’ll be driving is unproven in relation to the Mini, but the prowess of the driver isn’t in question. One to watch if the car is able to go the distance.

Spanish hotshoe Joan Barreda leads the way in the bikes after two stages. Photo: bestofrallylive (via Flickr)

Cyril Despres (France, Yamaha) – Five-time Dakar bike champion Despres has taken a gamble this year, switching from KTM to Yamaha on the advice of countryman Peterhansel. Despres will be looking to equal the record for wins in the bike category this year, but it will be anything but straightforward as he familiarises himself with a new team.

Marc Coma (Spain, KTM) – The only man who has been capable of challenging Despres in recent years, Coma will be aiming to add to his tally of three wins now he no longer has to share a team with his arch-rival. He missed last year’s event through injury, however, so he will need to get back up to speed quickly to keep in contention.

Joan Barreda (Spain, Honda) – This may only be Barreda’s fourth Dakar, but the young Spaniard is already being talked about as the fastest rider in the world, a reputation he gained last year when he won four stages on board the unfancied Husqvarna bike. Now spearheading Honda’s challenge, Barreda will undoubtedly be eyeing the top step of the podium this year.

Catch daily highlights of the Dakar Rally on Eurosport between now and 18 January, or check out the official Dakar website for the latest information.

Top 10: Formula One drivers of 2013 – Part II

After unveiling the bottom half of his top 10 list, Online Sport Editor Jamie Klein takes you through his top five Formula One drivers this season.

Photo: Craig Dennis (via Flickr)

5. Kimi Raikkonen – Down 1

It’s fair to say that Raikkonen’s second season of his comeback for Lotus peaked rather too soon – at the very first race, where he took a convincing victory in Melbourne, in fact. The car was undoubtedly capable of more, remaining competitive even after the mid-season revision of the Pirelli tyres, and there were quite a few subsequent near misses for “The Iceman” in his quest to add to his Australian win. Indeed, Raikkonen featured on the second step of the podium more often than anyone else all year.

As the second half of the year progressed, and the severity of Lotus’s financial woes became clear, Raikkonen’s performances appeared to decline accordingly as teammate Grosjean increasingly took over from Kimi as the team’s “go-to guy”. From Spa onwards, he was out-done by the Franco-Swiss at every race, but perhaps his motivation to perform was flagging, particularly once his move to Ferrari for next season was sealed.

4. Lewis Hamilton – Down 2

Photo: Joe McGowan (via Flickr)

Considering McLaren’s woes this season, it didn’t take long for Hamilton to convince the doubters that his move to Mercedes was the right one. After some strong early performances, the Brit was unfortunate to lose a potential victory at Silverstone to tyre failure before a first win with his new employers finally came with an imperious drive in the sweltering heat of Hungary – after which many observers believed Hamilton may have been on the cusp of launching some kind of title challenge.

This was not to be however, and Hamilton losing out to Vettel along the Kemmel Straight at Spa on the first lap perfectly symbolised the point at which the hopes of the rest of the field were dashed. Hamilton was not quite as convincing from the next race at Monza onwards – though how much of this was down to cracks in the former champion’s chassis, which weren’t spotted until after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, isn’t clear. But, five pole positions and as many trips to the podium certainly constitutes a record Hamilton can look back upon with satisfaction.

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See Also: The 10 Types of Formula One Fan

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Photo: Takayuki Suzuki (via Flickr)

3. Romain Grosjean – New Entry

From “first-lap nutcase” to one of the undoubted class acts of the season, the last 12 months have seen quite a turnaround for Grosjean. Warned that his drive may be at risk following a dismal weekend at Monaco, where he briefly reverted to type after taking out Ricciardo mid-race, you can’t give the Frenchman enough credit for the way he knuckled down and found a way to cut out the errors that had so far held back his career.

Germany, where a Safety Car cost him a very realistic shot at a maiden victory, proved the springboard to a phenomenal second half of the year during which Grosjean was often Vettel’s strongest adversary, and as Raikkonen progressively went off the boil as speculation over his future intensified, the man from Geneva was always in the podium mix once the second flyaway leg of the calendar got underway. Leading the first stint at Suzuka and his defence of second from a hard-charging Webber at Austin were both feats worthy of the champion-in-waiting status that some pundits have now begun to attribute to Grosjean.

2. Fernando Alonso – Down 1

Photo: Joe McGowan (via Flickr)

If there was a nagging feeling that, perhaps, the wrong person came out on top of last year’s championship, Alonso’s heroics behind the wheel of a largely recalcitrant Ferrari have done nothing to alter a perception which exists among many F1 fans that the two-time champion remains the cream of the crop. Five podiums, including two convincing victories in the first eight races, before Pirelli revamped their tyres, laid what appeared to be a solid foundation for another title tilt, even if numerous points went begging for reasons both within and outside of Alonso’s control.

In the second half of the year however, with Ferrari one of the worst affected teams by the tyre changes, Alonso’s performances became all the more impressive. In particular, three successive second place finishes at Spa, Monza and Singapore kept the title fight alive longer than otherwise would have been the case, and, though the Spaniard was out-qualified by Massa eight times, the Brazilian ended up the only driver outside of the top five teams to score less than half of the points of his teammate.

Photo: Takayuki Suzuki (via Flickr)

1. Sebastian Vettel – Up 2

Even if Vettel’s record-matching achievements this year have failed to convince you that he is the best driver in the field, this year proved beyond doubt that he is head and shoulders above the rest when it comes to getting the most out of the modern breed of Formula One car. Save for when he didn’t run in Q3 at China, the German was never out of the top three in qualifying, and was rarely off the podium in races – only missing out after a gearbox failure robbed him of victory at Silverstone and during two of the early season tyre wear bonanzas at China and Spain.

His actions at Malaysia, whilst perhaps questionable from a standpoint of sporting ethics, unveiled the same ruthless streak and sheer determination to win that have elevated Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher to such legendary status, and now that Vettel has sealed a fourth title on the trot, it seems hard to believe that he won’t be held in similar esteem by the time he decides to hang up his helmet in eight or 10 years’ time.

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Top 10: Formula One drivers of 2013 – Part I

Now that the Formula One season has come to a close, Online Sport Editor Jamie Klein takes you through the first half of his list of the top 10 best drivers of the year.

Photo: Joe McGowan (via Flickr)

10. Jenson Button – Down 5

With Lewis Hamilton moving on to Mercedes for the 2013 season, Button had every reason to be feeling confident back in March, but it didn’t take long to become obvious that McLaren’s design gamble was not going to pay dividends. Increasingly resigned to scrapping for the minor positions, a solid drive to fifth place in China stood as the Briton’s best result until the end of the season at Brazil, where Button stormed his way from 14th on the grid to take fourth.

Whilst Button is hardly renowned for being a one-lap specialist, he will have been disappointed at losing out to teammate Perez in the qualifying stakes 9-10, and perhaps, considering his world champion status, that there wasn’t more daylight between he and the Mexican in terms of race pace. That said, Button was the more consistent across the course of the year of the two McLaren drivers, only failing to score five times all year in a car often flirting with the fringes of the top 10.

Photo: Joe McGowan (via Flickr)

9. Daniel Ricciardo – New Entry

The prospect of promotion to Red Bull meant that there was awful lot at stake in 2013 for Ricciardo and his Toro Rosso teammate Jean-Eric Vergne. Though there was one stage where it appeared the latter may have been starting to get the better of Ricciardo, the gregarious Aussie upped the ante at precisely the right time, booking his seat at Red Bull with a series of convincing qualifying and race performances as Vergne faded into anonymity in the latter half of the year.

Indeed, Ricciardo was out-qualified by Vergne only four times all year, and made seven appearances in the points versus just three for the Frenchman – including a pair of superb seventh places at China and Italy. However, street circuits proved something of an Achilles’ heel for Ricciardo, retiring from both Monaco (where he was thoroughly eclipsed by Vergne) and Singapore, whilst poor starts, like his fellow countryman Webber, also occasionally served to undo his hard work during qualifying.

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See Also: The 10 Types of Formula One Fan

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8. Mark Webber – Down 2

Photo: Simon Williams (via Flickr)

Regrettably for Webber, his final season in F1 is inevitably defined by events at Malaysia, where Vettel ignored the instruction issued by Red Bull to remain behind his teammate, instead snatching away what was Webber’s rightful victory. Even more disappointing was the fact that the Australian thereafter failed to register a win all year whilst his German teammate proceeded to sweep all before him. Two late pole positions demonstrated the one-lap pace is still there, but Webber’s apparent inability to adapt his driving style to the demands of the modern breed of Coanda effect-assisted cars proved his undoing.

Nevertheless, there were some fine drives by Webber over the course of the year, such as at Silverstone, where he lost out on what would have been a fitting retribution for “Multi 21” by the narrowest of a margins to Rosberg. The Red Bull driver was also plagued with bad luck throughout the year, most notably at India, where an alternator problem denied him what would have been a straightforward second place; without such misfortune, he would have been considerably closer to clinching the runner-up spot in the championship his machinery warranted.

Photo: thesidelineagenda.com

7. Nico Hulkenberg – Up 1

During the first half of the season, prior to Pirelli’s decision to make its tyres more durable after the fiasco that was the British Grand Prix, it looked as if Hulkenberg had made the wrong decision to jump ship from Force India to Sauber. But, as the former suffered a competitive nosedive in the advent of the revised tyres, Sauber’s improving fortunes allowed Hulkenberg to really begin to shine and cement his reputation as a star of the future.

Monza was the start of this late season flourish, more than doubling his points tally for the year at a stroke by finishing a superb fifth. After that, the mild-mannered German was never out of the points, save for two occasions that weren’t his fault; his drive to fourth at Korea, where he held off the advances of the ostensibly quicker Hamilton for a significant chunk of the race, stood out in particular.

6. Nico Rosberg – Re-Entry

Photo: Cord Rodefeld (via Flickr)

It may have been the first time that Rosberg has been out-scored by a teammate in F1 since his maiden season in 2006, but it’s also been the first time the German has been partnered with a teammate as well regarded as Hamilton. And, few would have anticipated back in March that Rosberg would end the season quite so close to the former champion in the drivers’ standings, with just 18 points separating the pair, whilst also out-qualifying Hamilton, regarded by some as the best qualifier in the business, eight times over the course of the year.

Whilst Rosberg was able to rack up two race victories at Monaco and Silverstone this year to Hamilton’s sole triumph at Hungary, it’s worth remembering that the second of those wins was somewhat fortuitous, the 28-year-old benefiting from a puncture for Hamilton and a gearbox failure for Vettel. And, whilst Rosberg’s only non-appearances in the points can be pinned on mechanical maladies of one sort or another, there were perhaps a couple too many occasions where he was simply out-raced by Hamilton.

Check back later today for the second half of the list, which will reveal the top five drivers of the year.

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Vettel wins again as Webber waves goodbye to F1

Mark Webber’s pit garage just before his final race. Photo: Red Bull Racing (via Twitter)

Sebastian Vettel ended an utterly dominant 2013 season with a record-equalling ninth successive win in Brazil, with teammate Mark Webber making it a Red Bull one-two in his final ever Grand Prix outing.

Though Nico Rosberg was able to jump ahead of Vettel at the start the race from second on the grid, once the four-time champion assumed the lead of the race at the start of the second lap, he was unstoppable as ever.

Six laps in to the race and Vettel had already established a cushion of as many seconds over nearest pursuer Fernando Alonso, who was quick to dispatch the struggling Rosberg whose car was seemingly set up for the wet conditions of qualifying rather than the dry of the race.

Alonso’s grip on second place was short-lived however, as Webber, after clearing Rosberg, cruised up to the back of the Ferrari driver and quickly found a way past. By this stage, however, Vettel was already 10 seconds down the road and all but out of reach of the rest of the pack.

There was a brief moment of drama for Vettel, when he lost a few seconds stationary in the pits as the Red Bull mechanics failed to have his tyres ready, but this proved only a small blip in the 26-year-old’s inexorable charge towards a 13th win of the season.

That particular feat puts Vettel on a par with Michael Schumacher’s record, set back in 2004 for Ferrari, as well as Alberto Ascari’s run of nine successive wins – which Vettel could surpass with a victory at Melbourne in March.

Behind Vettel, Webber and Alonso duly completed the podium, with Jenson Button claiming McLaren’s best result of what has been a dismal year for the team with fourth place through a combination of a great opening stint from a poor grid slot of 14th and other drivers hitting trouble.

Chief among these were the two drivers battling for fourth place – Lewis Hamilton and Felipe Massa. The former sustained a puncture and then a penalty for a collision with a lapped Valtteri Bottas, whilst the latter was slapped with a penalty for a minor pit-lane infraction.

That allowed Rosberg, who was swallowed up by the pack in the opening part of the race, back into fifth, just ahead of Sergio Perez in his final race for McLaren. Massa had to be content with seventh place after his penalty in his last race for Ferrari, whilst Hamilton could do no better than ninth after his dramas.

The abiding memory of the Brazilian Grand Prix will be the sight of Mark Webber with his helmet off on the slowing-down lap, cruising back to the pits to stand on the podium for the last time as a Formula One driver.

It’s rare that a driver decides to walk away from the sport by choice, but the fact the Australian was still in demand prior to making the decision to quit demonstrated that it was the right time for Webber to depart the scene.

After all, at 37 years of age, it’s doubtful Webber could have gone on to have a better chance of winning the title than the one which slipped through his fingers in 2010, while next year’s rule changes, which will place further emphasis on the kind of car preservation Webber is known to dislike, make it a logical time to stop.

Webber, one of the most colourful characters in the paddock and a real fan favourite, will undoubtedly be missed by everyone involved in the sport next year. Never afraid to speak his mind, he will be remembered more for his personality off the track than his achievements on it.

That said, nine Grand Prix victories and 13 pole positions is nothing to be sneezed at, particularly when you consider that Webber, who made his F1 debut back in 2002, didn’t get his hands on a veritable race-winning car until 2009 – when he had the poor fortune of being joined at Red Bull by Vettel!

Webber’s F1 career may now have come to a close after 215 races across 12 seasons, but he now embarks on a new chapter of his career as he joins Porsche’s fledgling endurance racing programme next year. It may not be long before motor racing fans see him spraying champagne atop a podium once more.

Jamie Klein, Online Sport Editor

The 10 types of Formula One fan

1. The Patriot

Photo: telegraph.co.uk

It’s all about Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button for this fan. Considers McLaren a bunch of murderous traitors for having the audacity to employ a non-British driver and harbours an unhealthy distrust of anyone called ‘Fernando’.

2. The Crash-lover

Photo: inautonews.com

This fan watches F1 for one reason and one reason only – to see some top quality smash and bash action. If they miss a race, the first (and often only) question they’ll ask is: “Did anyone crash?” Often found on their PlayStation trying to cause the biggest shunt possible on F1 2013.

3. The Moaner

Photo: cliptheapex.com

Whether it’s Sebastian Vettel streaking away into the distance, DRS making overtaking too easy or backmarkers not getting out of the way fast enough, this fan loves nothing more than a good moan during a race. Just don’t get them started on Pirelli tyres.

4. The Start ‘n’ finish

Photo: mpchristianity.com

After watching the start of the race, this fan tends to nod off after 10 or so laps if not much is happening. Be sure to wake them up when the chequered flag drops, though – they just love seeing Eddie Jordan embarrass himself and the drivers during the podium interviews.

5. The Talent Spotter

Photo: hamilton-fr.com

This fan will take a shine to a particular promising young driver, and, once they’ve made it to the top, proudly proclaim how they have “supported them from the very beginning”. They tend to lose interest quickly if their chosen one is faring badly, though.

6. The Obsessive

Photo: planetf1.com

No practice session is too early in the morning for this fan to get up for. Is more than happy to shell out £40 every month just for the privilege of watching the Sky Sports F1 channel and will religiously watch every episode of F1 Legends and Ted’s Notebook, even the repeats.

7. The Cynic

Photo: telegraph.co.uk

Any dominant performance by a particular driver or team will immediately arouse the suspicion of this fan. Something must be amiss, whether it’s Illegal traction control systems or running underweight – a team simply doing a better job than their rivals just isn’t a good enough explanation for them.

8. The Tech-Nerd

Photo: brashgames.co.uk

This fan questions why F1 cars should be subject to such stringent technical regulations merely for the sake of ‘the show’ or ‘safety’. They view the drivers as an unnecessary distraction from the thrill of the engineering arms race and have a poster of Adrian Newey on their bedroom wall.

9. The Old-Schooler

Photo: the370z.com

This fan fondly remembers watching James Hunt and Niki Lauda do battle and is able to tell you precisely what they were wearing when Ayrton Senna won his first race. Liable to call Lotus ‘Toleman’ or refer to Nico Rosberg as ‘Keke’.

10. The Clairvoyant

Photo: bloguin.com

This fan is obsessed with the driver market, and is constantly speculating who will end up where for the upcoming season. Discussing which team Adrian Sutil will drive for next year is of more interest to them than the races themselves.

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Jamie Klein, Online Sport Editor

Victorious Vettel is not taking his success for granted

Photo: Takayuki Suzuki (via Flickr)

Sebastian Vettel romped to yet another victory in Sunday’s United States Grand Prix, his 12th of the year and his eighth in a row – the most any Formula One driver has ever taken in succession in the space of a single year.

Getting away from pole position cleanly, the race was once again as good as over by the end of the first few laps as Vettel inevitably eased his advantage at the head of the field from the chasing pack. His winning margin may not have been as dominant was it was two weeks ago at Abu Dhabi, but at no stage was the Red Bull driver’s victory in any real doubt.

The only person able to keep Vettel even vaguely honest all race was Lotus driver Romain Grosjean, who vaulted ahead of Mark Webber at the first corner and went on to claim his best result of the season with second place. Grosjean came under immense pressure from the soon-to-retire Aussie towards the end of the race, but held his nerve superbly to cement his reputation as a future star of the sport.

Lewis Hamilton was another man to get ahead of Webber at the start, but was forced to concede third position early on. A fresh chassis for this weekend nevertheless undoubtedly gave the Briton a boost after two disastrous races, Hamilton narrowly hanging on from Fernando Alonso and Nico Hulkenberg in the closing stages.

Sergio Perez responded to his recent firing by McLaren in the best possible fashion with an impressive drive to seventh, ahead of Valtteri Bottas – one of the stars of the weekend – who took his recalcitrant Williams to a magnificent eighth place, scoring his first ever F1 points, on a weekend where his struggling teammate Pastor Maldonado had accused the team of sabotaging his car.

This year’s championship will come to a close this weekend at Brazil, where Vettel will be aiming for a 13th win of the season that would see him tie Michael Schumacher’s record for total wins in a year, set in 2004, as well as Alberto Ascari’s 60-year old record of winning nine Grands Prix on the trot.

But, just before doing his now customary celebration of a post-race doughnut, Vettel appeared to get somewhat emotional on the team radio after taking the chequered flag, saying: “We have to remember these days; we have to enjoy them while they last.”

He has a point. Next year’s technical rule changes, in which a new breed of turbocharged 1.6-litre V6 engines will be introduced, are expected to shake up the competitive order, and, while most are expecting Red Bull to remain firmly among the strongest few teams, history shows that nothing can be taken for granted.

The last time there was such a major rule change was back in 2009, when Brawn GP – which rose from the ashes of the defunct Honda team – took the paddock by surprise and propelled Jenson Button to six wins in the first seven races and, consequently, the title. At the same time, Red Bull went from being one of the sport’s also-rans to undisputed front-runner.

Conversely, those that set the pace the previous year – Ferrari and McLaren – struggled badly, taking just three wins all year between them. Hamilton, who became the sport’s youngest ever-title winner in 2008, went from hero to zero, whilst his fellow countryman Button did precisely the opposite.

Vettel, a fastidious student of F1 history, is only too aware that he could suffer a similar fall from grace next year. Previous rule changes have often heralded a changing of the guard, perhaps most notably back in 2005, when a temporary ban on mid-race tyre changes led to an upstart named Alonso stealing the mantle of the hitherto untouchable Schumacher.

Similarly, back in 1998, wholesale rule changes saw Mika Hakkinen go from being a driver whose time seemed it would never come to a two-time champion and Schumacher’s most feared rival. 1997 champion Jacques Villeneuve, on the other hand, would never win a race again in his career.

Whilst it’s extremely unlikely that Vettel will suffer the same fate as Villeneuve, it’s clear that the uncertainty created by next year’s rule changes means that the 26-year-old is not taking any of his phenomenal recent success for granted.

For him, every victory is to be savoured, as if it could well be his last; his lack of complacency is incredible for somebody who has become so used to standing atop the podium.

It’s an admirable attitude, and one that will serve Vettel well as he endeavours to continue rewriting the F1 record books for the remainder of his career.

Jamie Klein, Online Sport Editor

Formula One silly season goes into overdrive

Sebastian Vettel may have long since clinched this year’s Formula One title, but the last few days have seen fans of the sport hit by a deluge of announcements and speculation regarding numerous teams’ driver line-ups for next season. Here are a few of the big talking points to have emerged:

McLaren’s big gamble 

The most surprising news, which broke on Monday evening and was confirmed by the team on Thursday, is that Sergio Perez’s time at McLaren is coming to a close after just a single season. His replacement will be the relatively unknown – but extremely talented – newcomer, Kevin Magnussen, who is part of the team’s young driver programme.

Perez’s time at McLaren has run out after only one season. Photo: Simon Williams (via Flickr)

Reports suggest that McLaren have been underwhelmed by Perez’s speed this year, particularly in qualifying, and don’t regard him as the right man to lead the team into the future. On the other hand, Magnussen, this year’s Formula Renault 3.5 champion, is said to be viewed by McLaren as a far better long-term prospect.

With next season set to be a transitional year before Honda joins forces with the team once more in 2015, it seems McLaren are taking the opportunity to allow Magnussen to build his experience  with the ultra-experienced Jenson Button on hand in the other side of the garage to help the young Dane get up to speed.

But, this represents an enormous risk at a time when testing is so limited; by contrast, Lewis Hamilton, the last rookie to be handed a McLaren drive back in 2007, had the luxury of thousands of testing kilometres to get himself prepared before his race debut.

And, with the team reportedly having its sights firmly on signing Fernando Alonso from Ferrari in 2015, there’s a chance that Magnussen could end up being dispensed of by McLaren after just one season, much as Perez appears to have been, if he disappoints.

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What now for Perez?

Perez has been linked to a move to Force India for next year. Photo: Stefano F (via Flickr)

The good news for Perez, who effectively confirmed his pending departure from the team on Wednesday evening with a statement on Twitter, is that several seats are still up for grabs elsewhere, and that his sponsorship backing means he’s likely to be in demand. Force India has been mentioned as a potential destination for Perez, which would put pressure on existing drivers Paul Di Resta and Adrian Sutil to prove they deserve to remain.

Returning to former team Sauber is another option for Perez, but the most attractive team with a vacancy still open is Lotus. A couple of weeks ago, it seemed Nico Hulkenberg was on the brink of being confirmed alongside Romain Grosjean for next season, but the long-awaited deal with investment group Quantum Motorsports still isn’t finalised. Which brings us neatly on to our next point…

Kimi’s absence fuels uncertainty

Last weekend, it was revealed that Kimi Raikkonen will be skipping the final two races of the season in order to have surgery to resolve a lingering back injury, effectively bringing down the curtain on his Lotus career early before his move to Ferrari next year.

Raikkonen will miss the last two Grands Prix to have back surgery. Photo: Didier Marechal (via Flickr)

It emerged at Abu Dhabi that Raikkonen had not been paid all season by Lotus and therefore may choose to not attend the last two Grands Prix. But shortly after the race it appeared that the dispute had been resolved, with Quantum Motorsports agreeing to pay Kimi what he was owed.

Thus, it may be that Raikkonen is opting to have surgery now rather than after the season because the promised money never showed up. That in turn would suggest the Quantum deal is still far from certain to happen, opening the door for Perez to join Lotus courtesy of his Mexican funding and perhaps leaving Hulkenberg looking for a return to Force India.

The other well-financed driver Lotus will be considering if the Quantum deal fails to materialise is Pastor Maldonado, who is leaving the Williams team at the end of the year in order to make way for another South American driver:

Massa throws in his lot with Williams

It was confirmed by the team on Monday that Felipe Massa, who has been replaced by Raikkonen at Ferrari for next season, will be moving to Williams in place of Maldonado, with Valtteri Bottas staying on at the team for a second year.

Massa brings valuable experience to the struggling Williams team, who look to have the ingredients in place for a rise up the competitive order after a dire 2013 season in which they have so far scored only one point. The team have recruited former Renault engineer Pat Symonds as their technical director this year, with rumours abound that Ross Brawn – who will be leaving Mercedes – could follow suit.

A switch to Mercedes power next year, who are believed to have the strongest engine for next year’s wide-ranging rule changes, should also help, whilst funding won’t be an issue thanks to sponsorship from Massa’s native Brazil and a handy severance payment from Maldonado’s backer, PDVSA.

Though going to Williams may seem like a huge step down for Massa, who has driven for Ferrari since 2006, helping the Grove-based team to get back to where they belong in the F1 pecking order gives the 32-year-old a goal for the remainder of his career – Maldonado’s Grand Prix win at Spain last year is a feat Massa will be dying to emulate before he hangs up his helmet.

Jamie Klein, Online Sport Editor

Marquez's title confirms arrival of new MotoGP superstar

After a thrilling finale last weekend at Valencia, MotoGP has crowned its youngest ever world champion in Marc Marquez, who has re-written the record books over the course of his season-long duel with defending champion Jorge Lorenzo.

As well as clinching the first of what will surely be many MotoGP titles at the age of just 20, Marquez has become the first rider to win the series at his first attempt since Kenny Roberts back in 1978. And, just as Roberts put his stamp on the championship all those years ago, Marquez already appears to have made a similar impact.

Just as Roberts is credited with being the first to adopt the now-ubiquitous riding style of hanging off the side of the bike mid-corner, knee down, Marquez seems to have sparked a trend whereby the majority of the riders now lean over in the corners to the extent that their elbows drag along the tarmac too.

Despite his imperious record in the lower categories, few were considering Marquez as a genuine title contender back when the season got underway under lights in Qatar in April; fewer still would have predicted that Marquez would go on to win six races, take nine pole positions and appear on the podium 16 times. In fact, there were only two occasions when he was off the podium all season.

Marquez (93) leads Lorenzo (99) and the rest of the pack at Laguna Seca. Photo: Brendan Lim (via Flickr)

The first came relatively early in the season at Mugello, where Marquez fell from his bike whilst chasing race leader Lorenzo, while the second came in slightly more unusual circumstances at Phillip Island – the first race at which Marquez had a chance of sealing a title that seemed destined to be his since he reeled off an incredible four race wins in a row during the summer.

The Phillip Island race featured a compulsory pit-stop as a result of the fact that the tyres that had been supplied by Bridgestone couldn’t cope with the whole race distance. The organisers mandated a two-lap pit window in which the riders had to come in for a change of bike, but thanks to a blunder by his Honda pit crew, Marquez missed it and was disqualified as a result.

This blew open the title fight and brought Marquez’s closest championship rival Lorenzo back into contention. The Yamaha rider, having recovered from fracturing his collarbone at Assen, fought valiantly to claw back the lost ground during Marquez’s mid-season domination, his sheer determination epitomised by this epic duel the pair had at Silverstone:

That victory was the first of five Lorenzo took in the final seven races of the year, setting up a final-race title showdown in which Lorenzo would have to win to have any realistic chance of overcoming Marquez.

This is exactly what Lorenzo did, but Marquez crossed the line in third place to comfortably secure the points he needed to get the job done. The way he handled the pressure of the situation in front of 90,000 home fans was nothing short of remarkable for somebody of such a tender age.

And, if Marquez is this quick and error-free now, just how good will he be five years down the line? It’s a good thing the championship has Lorenzo, or else MotoGP fans would most likely be in for a lengthy and tedious period of Marquez domination, particularly when you consider how poorly his other main rivals fared this year.

Chief among these is his Honda teammate Dani Pedrosa, who, with the departure of former champion Casey Stoner from the team, seemed to have his best shot yet of securing a long-awaited first MotoGP title. But, he was only able to win half as many races as Marquez, generally looking like a mere shadow of the rider who had dominated the latter half of the 2012 season.

Marquez celebrates title victory on the podium at Valencia. Photo: Marc Marquez (via Twitter)

His misfortune of being paired with Marquez just as Stoner left the scene was perfectly symbolised by an incident at Aragon which effectively extinguished Pedrosa’s already faint title hopes. The slightest contact from an attacking Marquez was enough to cause Pedrosa’s traction control system to fail, the 28-year-old promptly flying over the handlebars at the very next corner.

Another rider whose future prospects seem bleak is seven-time champion Valentino Rossi, who returned to Yamaha alongside Lorenzo this year following a barren two-year spell at Ducati. A breakthrough win at Assen proved to be a false dawn as the man nicknamed ‘The Doctor’ failed to finish higher than third for the remainder of the year.

Parting ways with long-time crew chief Jerry Burgess is the latest step Rossi has taken in order to re-capture past glories, but at 34 years of age, the Italian is now one of the elder statesmen of the grid and is probably destined for sporadic race victories at best until he hangs up his leathers.

Comparisons will inevitably drawn between the newly-crowned Marquez and Rossi, whose incredible success the Spaniard undoubtedly has the talent to emulate in time. Not only that, but Marquez appears to also have the same happy-go-lucky demeanour that made Rossi so popular in spite of his overwhelming domination for much of the 2000s.

It was also Rossi’s famous rivalries with the likes of Max Biaggi and Sete Gibernau that kept interest in MotoGP afloat during this period, and the evidence suggests that Marquez vs. Lorenzo could be the latest in a long line of spectacular head-to-heads that have given the sport such a rich heritage.

It may be one-nil to Marquez for now, but expect Lorenzo to be determined to even the score next year.

Jamie Klein, Online Sport Editor