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Formula 1
COOPER: 2013 Driver-By-Driver Analysis
A look at the 22 drivers who will line up on the grid this year...
Sebastian Vettel of Germany and Infiniti Red Bull Racing poses for a photograph during day two of Formula One winter testing at the Circuit de Catalunya on March 1, 2013 in Montmelo, Spain. (Photo: Getty Images)
With just a week to go before the first F1 race of the season in Australia we take a look at the 22 drivers who will line up on the grid this year.
#1 Sebastian Vettel (Infiniti Red Bull Racing)
In 2012 Sebastian Vettel became only the third man in history to win three World Championships in a row – and the first to win his first three titles consecutively. While it’s fair to say that he had a clear car advantage in 2011, his other titles didn’t come so easily, and last year he really had to fight for it over the final races of the season. His ability to bounce back from adversity, as he did after the grid penalty in Abu Dhabi and early collision in Brazil, is one of his strengths. Still only 25, he is at the top of his game, and even if the RB9 is not the best car initially he is sure to be in the title fight.
#2 Mark Webber (Infiniti Red Bull Racing)
Had Sebastian Vettel not arrived at Red Bull in 2009 Mark Webber might have been a World Champion by now. However, the Australian has had the bad luck to find himself in a winning car but with a man who might find a place among the all-time greats alongside him. Webber has worked hard to get where he is, experiencing a long apprenticeship with Minardi, Jaguar and Williams before arriving at the fledgling RBR team in 2007. He scored his first win in 2009 and the following year he challenged for the title until the last round. After a difficult 2011 he bounced back last season, occasionally outpacing his team mate, and he remains as motivated as ever. Thanks to his usual one-year contract he will inevitably have to fend off questions about his longer term future from the very start of the season.
#3 Fernando Alonso (Scuderia Ferrari)
It’s hard to believe that Fernando Alonso has not won a World Championship since he earned his second title with Renault in 2006, given the Spaniard’s constant presence in title battles. He came close during his turbulent single season with McLaren in 2007 and again with Ferrari in 2010 and 2012, losing at the final round on all three occasions. However he rightly drew a lot of satisfaction from last year’s unsuccessful campaign – his car was often only the third or fourth best on the grid, and yet his race craft somehow kept him in the fight. Ferrari looked more than respectable in testing and with a more competitive car in 2013 Alonso could finally secure that elusive third title.
#4 Felipe Massa (Scuderia Ferrari)
Felipe Massa heads into his eighth season with Ferrari facing the familiar speculation about whether he will hang onto his job for another year. The man who pushed team mate Michael Schumacher hard and very nearly won the 2008 World Championship has had a tough time since Fernando Alonso came to Maranello. At times last season it seemed unlikely that he would be retained for 2013, but a timely upturn in form in the latter third of the season ultimately secured his place. The potential to win races is clearly still there, and he’s determined to fight back and prove his worth again this season, but Alonso won’t make it any easier for him.
#5 Jenson Button (Vodafone McLaren Mercedes)
Many criticized Jenson Button when he joined what was perceived as Lewis Hamilton’s team in 2010, but over the past three seasons he’s shown impressive form, scoring some superb wins. With Hamilton now gone and replaced by the inexperienced Perez Button has a chance to really take on the mantle of team leadership, and it will be fascinating to see how he fares. The downside is that he performs at his best when the car is just right for him, and in an era where tires are so dominant, it isn’t easy to hone the package to perfection. It remains to be seen whether his smooth style pays dividends with Pirelli’s 2013 rubber.
#1 Sebastian Vettel (Infiniti Red Bull Racing)
In 2012 Sebastian Vettel became only the third man in history to win three World Championships in a row – and the first to win his first three titles consecutively. While it’s fair to say that he had a clear car advantage in 2011, his other titles didn’t come so easily, and last year he really had to fight for it over the final races of the season. His ability to bounce back from adversity, as he did after the grid penalty in Abu Dhabi and early collision in Brazil, is one of his strengths. Still only 25, he is at the top of his game, and even if the RB9 is not the best car initially he is sure to be in the title fight.
#2 Mark Webber (Infiniti Red Bull Racing)
Had Sebastian Vettel not arrived at Red Bull in 2009 Mark Webber might have been a World Champion by now. However, the Australian has had the bad luck to find himself in a winning car but with a man who might find a place among the all-time greats alongside him. Webber has worked hard to get where he is, experiencing a long apprenticeship with Minardi, Jaguar and Williams before arriving at the fledgling RBR team in 2007. He scored his first win in 2009 and the following year he challenged for the title until the last round. After a difficult 2011 he bounced back last season, occasionally outpacing his team mate, and he remains as motivated as ever. Thanks to his usual one-year contract he will inevitably have to fend off questions about his longer term future from the very start of the season.
#3 Fernando Alonso (Scuderia Ferrari)
It’s hard to believe that Fernando Alonso has not won a World Championship since he earned his second title with Renault in 2006, given the Spaniard’s constant presence in title battles. He came close during his turbulent single season with McLaren in 2007 and again with Ferrari in 2010 and 2012, losing at the final round on all three occasions. However he rightly drew a lot of satisfaction from last year’s unsuccessful campaign – his car was often only the third or fourth best on the grid, and yet his race craft somehow kept him in the fight. Ferrari looked more than respectable in testing and with a more competitive car in 2013 Alonso could finally secure that elusive third title.
#4 Felipe Massa (Scuderia Ferrari)
Felipe Massa heads into his eighth season with Ferrari facing the familiar speculation about whether he will hang onto his job for another year. The man who pushed team mate Michael Schumacher hard and very nearly won the 2008 World Championship has had a tough time since Fernando Alonso came to Maranello. At times last season it seemed unlikely that he would be retained for 2013, but a timely upturn in form in the latter third of the season ultimately secured his place. The potential to win races is clearly still there, and he’s determined to fight back and prove his worth again this season, but Alonso won’t make it any easier for him.
#5 Jenson Button (Vodafone McLaren Mercedes)
Many criticized Jenson Button when he joined what was perceived as Lewis Hamilton’s team in 2010, but over the past three seasons he’s shown impressive form, scoring some superb wins. With Hamilton now gone and replaced by the inexperienced Perez Button has a chance to really take on the mantle of team leadership, and it will be fascinating to see how he fares. The downside is that he performs at his best when the car is just right for him, and in an era where tires are so dominant, it isn’t easy to hone the package to perfection. It remains to be seen whether his smooth style pays dividends with Pirelli’s 2013 rubber.
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