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Sebastian Vettel's Unbeatable Record

Sebastian Vettel has hung up his F1 racing gloves at the end of 2022. And for a man who began his career with an-off appearance at the 2007 US grand prix ended with 53 wins in 290 starts four World Titles he is a modern f1 legend. 

Originally posted by elfynevans

So how did it happen…?

It all began on the 25thof August 2013, and the drivers were heading in to Round 11. It was the first race after the summer break at Spa and Sebastian Vettel was already leading the championship. At the time he already had 4 wins out of 10 races and a 38-point lead over Kimi Raikkonen in the drivers’ standings. As for the race Vettel made a clean getaway at the beginning but overtook Lewis Hamilton on the straight to gain 1stplace, finishing there at the end of the race. 

Next up, was Monza, and Vettel started the race on pole, followed closely by his teammate Mark Webber and Felipe Massa, however, he held them off with ease and gained his second win in a row. 

We headed now to Korea, and although Vettel had Lewis Hamilton close behind, he was able to secure another comfortable victory despite the craziness going on behind him. He secured his 4thconsecutive win. 

Now it was Round 15, just one week later and it was the Japanese Grand Prix. Vettel did not take pole in qualifying, which had him fall to P3 at the start. However, this didn’t stop Vettel and he ended up winning the race adding his 5thwin to his now growing record. 

India 2013, came next, and I mentioned this earlier in my must watch races posts. Vettel started the race on brand new softs and therefore had to pit early, which resulted in him coming out of the pits in P17 but quickly made his way up to P2. He subsequently won the race and not only did Vettel secure his 6thconsecutive win but his 4thconsecutive world championship. 

Round 17 took F1 to Abu Dhabi, and even though he had won the championship, Vettel did not give up on wanting those race wins. He took absolutely no prisoners this race and finished 30 seconds above his teammate Mark Webber in P2. He now had his 7thconsecutive win.

Getting closer to the win record, Formula 1 raced in the United States for Round 18. Vettel started the race from pole, and well, the rest was history. He had an easy win and secured his 8thwin in a row, this race broke Ascari and Schumacher’s previous record of 7 consecutive wins. 

True F1 brilliance came for Sebastian Vettel that season and is one of the reasons I am such a huge fan. It’s sad to see him retire but his memory will live on through all the amazing records he made and the statistics he has.  

Let me know, what is your favourite Sebastian Vettel Moment?

#Sebastian Vettel #red bull f1 #Formula 1

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Spygate and Crashgate...Formula 1′s cheating scandals!

There have been many instances of cheating in Formula 1 but none more compelling than Spygate and Crashgate. 

So, if you want to delve a little deeper into the Formula 1 iceberg, this blog post is for you.

Spygate 

 It was 2007 when Formula 1 was rocked by the Spygate scandal. Sounds crazy and it was, and there’s so much information that you could make a multiple part Netflix series on the one scandal alone. However, I am here today to give you the most important parts and sum it up for you in one blog post.

A staff member at the photocopying shop blew the whistle which then allowed Ferrari to subsequently file claims against Stepney outlining that he stole confidential technical information and gave it to McLaren in his time working there. 

This then became an FIA investigation and a legal case in Italy, where Ferrari is based. There was a case in England but was later dropped after Ferrari reached an agreement with the Coughlan’s. 

The FIA investigation was the harshest out of the bunch and found that McLaren had been in possession of the document and as a result McLaren was disqualified from the constructors’ championship and handed $100m fine, which to date is the largest fine handed out in the FIA’s history. 

It is important to note as well that both McLaren drivers at the time, Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso, both appeared in court to relieve themselves of any possible penalties and fines against them. Both said they didn’t have any knowledge of what had happened. 

Crashgate

The Formula 1 Crashgate scandal occurred at the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix. 

After 2007, Fernando Alonso had left McLaren and joined Renault. Across the season he had been performing well and heading into Singapore he was the favourite to challenge for pole and potentially win. However, the race and qualifying did not go smoothly.

In qualifying Alonso suffered a fuel problem in Q2 and thus, was knocked out, lining up on the grid P15.  

Alonso was able to come up the pack with the pitlane closed and following a fortunate string of events with other drivers involved including penalties and bad pitstops Alonso was able to claim victory. 

Sounds poetic, but it was all orchestrated. And we didn’t find out until the following year when Piquet, after being dropped by Renault midway through 2009, went to the FIA and spilled his guts about everything.

He told the FIA that Flavio Briatore and Pat Symonds asked him to crash, bring out a safety car, and give Alonso the opportunity to secure victory. Alonso, however, was not considered to have been one of the conspirators in the crash.

 There are so many other sagas surrounding Formula 1 and more recently the cost cap saga involving Red Bull…but that one is for another day.

#Spygate #Crashgate #Formula1 #McLaren #Ferrari

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Women of the F1 Paddock

Although underrepresented there are so many amazing women in the paddock. They all are inspirational in their own way, and all have an important story to tell. So today, I’m highlighting just some of the incredible women leading the way.

Angela Cullen

Lewis Hamilton’s physio and right—hand woman since 2016, Angela Cullen is a powerhouse. Lewis has even described her as his chauffeur and confidante. 

Carolyn Paterson

Beginning her career at BMW UK as a marketing communications assistant, Carolyn is now a Press Officer at Scuderia Alpha Tauri. 

From PR schedules and briefings to writing editorials, Carolyn has a multifaceted job…and is damn good at it too! You might’ve even seen her around the paddock with Yuki Tsunoda as she also works closely with the drivers. 

Niamh Sidwell

 Niamh is a Production Coordinator at Formula 1 and has been working in F1 for almost three years!

Her role is to provide logistical and coordination support to the Creative Media team. She is almost like a director and makes sure everything runs as smooth as possible.

At the Singapore Grand Prix earlier this year she even had the opportunity to be a Assistant Producer for Track TV!

Abi Crawforth

Abi began her career in motorsport with Williams Racing as a Mechanical Engineering Apprentice in 2015, and since then she has been doing some amazing things. Now she works at Red Bull as a CNC Machinist, where she's responsible for properly configuring and setting up machinery tools according to the specifications of technical drawings in order to make car parts!

Marie-Thérèse Helayel

Marie-Thérèse is a recent graduate, but that doesn’t mean she hasn’t reached amazing heights in her career already. Currently she is a Power Unit Engineer at Red Bull!

Lauren Merchant 

 The driver’s team kits are a vital part of Formula 1 and Lauren is responsible for coordinating everything team kit related at Aston Martin.

Lauren takes care of the distribution and fulfillment of all team clothing, from race wear to office wear options.

She's been with the team since January this year, with her role being a completely new one!

Sarah Fasey

You will usually find Sarah buried in her work phone on race weekends as she fulfils her role as Red Bull’s social media producer.

Sarah graduated from University of Leeds with a BA in Fashion Marketing and worked for Nike for two years as a Marketing Assistant and Digital Designer before joining Red Bull Racing & Red Bull Technology in August 2020. 

Susie Wolff

Where do I start with Susie Wolff. She is a powerhouse and a history maker in the motorsport world.

Susie started off her racing career in karting before moving on to Formula Renault and Formula Three, then moving to DTM to compete for Mercedes-Benz. 

In 2012, she was signed by Williams as a development driver and in 2014 Susie became the first woman since 1992 to compete in a Formula 1 race weekend. After her racing retirement she went on to work at Venturi Racing (Formula E) as Team Principal and then CEO. 

So now you know there are some amazing women in the paddock, doing a myriad of different jobs, and there is always a spot for you! So be brave, be bold and go chase your dream!

#Women in motorsport #Angela Cullen #Susie Wolf #Formula1

[formulalex]

Must Watch Formula 1 Races

In Formula 1 there is always a new race to watch, a thrill to have and a driver to cheer for. There are the highest highs and the lowest lows…so if you’re new here is a list of some of the best Grand Prix’s to rewatch.  Beware, there are some spoilers…but just enough to keep you interested! 

Italy 2019 

Perhaps the greatest one of the greatest and most iconic lines from one of Formula 1’s favourite pundits David Croft was born in this race. It’s a must watch…especially if you’re a Ferrari fan.

Italy 2008 

This one is special, and if you know your Formula 1 history or the people in it, it might bring a tear to your eye. One of the greatest got his first win here, definitely watch it for the nostalgia.

Spa 2019

This one is a sad one, if you don’t know F2 driver Anthoine Hubert tragically lost his life in a crash earlier that weekend, this race was for him with a lot of his friends racing in his honour.

 India 2013 

A race that made history, not only a brilliant track but an amazing drive from Sebastian Vettel. If you like history and to jump out of your seat with excitement this one is for you!

Canada 2007

This race was just a taste of what was to come from Lewis Hamilton, and one of the first I ever watched. If you weren’t a Hamilton fan before, you will be after.

China 2018

For my Aussies, this one is for you. A Daniel Ricciardo masterclass of overtakes.

Canada 2011

The longest Grand Prix in history clocking in at over 4 hours, thanks to heavy rain and a red flag. There were 6 DNFs in this race too, which made it very interesting.

No matter who you are a fan of these races are sure to ignite your love for Formula 1 even more, and because 7 is not nearly enough here are some runners up…

Abu Dhabi 2010 (Sebastian Vettel becomes youngest world champion)

 Brazil 2012 (Vettel gets his 3rd World Championship)

Spain 2012 (Pastor Maldonado…that’s all)

Monaco 2016 (Sad day for Daniel Ricciardo)

Monaco 2018 (It’s redemption day for Daniel Ricciardo)

Mexico 2018 (Lewis Hamilton wins his 5th World Championship)

Britain 2021 (I won’t explain, its pure brilliance, just watch it)

Turkey 2020 (Lewis Hamilton matches Schumacher

Hope you will take some time and watch some of these classics and let me know what your favourite race is!

#Formula1 #Races #Must Watch Races #F1 #Sebastian Vettel #Lewis Hamilton #Daniel Ricciardo

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Formula 1- for women, by women!

As Formula 1 is starting to grow so is its audience. And as we all know women are becoming an increasingly powerful force in the male dominated industry that is motorsports. However, we are not always made to feel welcome. 

I’m sure if you are a woman and a Formula 1 fan you are all too familiar with men asking you “If you’re a Formula 1 fan then explain DRS!” or “I bet you only like it because the drivers are good looking!”….cue your eyeroll. 

This is where Formula Alex comes in! This blog will be by women, for women, giving you all the knowledge, you need to know and highlighting amazing women trailblazers already in Formula 1 along the way.

So, if that interests you stick around because there is a lot of great content to come!

#Formula1 #Motorsport #Women in Motorsport