- 07 Aug 13, 09:43#368800
This article is the next entry to our writing competition.I hope you enjoy it. Find it also in the competition thread in the 'Forum and Website Issues' section.
Down to the wire
It’s Sunday November 24th 2013. The place is Interlagos, final race of the 2013 F1 championship, and things are poised for a showdown. The championship has gone down to the wire, but only two teams can take the WCC, Red Bull or Mercedes, and only one of two drivers can take the WDC, Sebastian Vettel or Lewis Hamilton. Over the second half of the season it’s been nip and tuck between these two drivers. Hamilton took Singapore, vettel took India and Suzuka. Hamilton gained the upper hand towards the end by taking the last two races at Austin and Abu Dhabi. A problem with the brakes at Austin caused Vettel to retire leaving Hamilton slightly ahead on points at the start of the final race. The constructors also could go either way. Ferrari failed to remain in contention after the summer break slipping back to fourth place behind Lotus. Kimi put in strong performances at Monza and Spa, as did his team mate, but after that Lotus could not remain in contention with the top two teams, and by the final race are out of contention for both titles.
And so we await the lights on the grid at Interlagos, but fate intervened on Sat. During Q2 a sudden but fierce rain storm caught out Hamilton, who was last to set a second time, he couldn’t improve on his first time and missed the cut, he lines up 11th. Vettel is on pole. In fact the Bull’s have locked out the front row with Rosberg in third.
The lights go out. With everything to gain, Hamilton makes a blistering start and by the end of the first lap is comfortably in 5th position. Vettel by contrast is once again feeling the pressure of the title fight, he defends over aggressively from Webber, who ducks behind him and passes him, Rosberg and Grosjean pass him on the other side. At the end of the first lap he is just one place in front of Hamilton. The race settles down and the cars circulate with little overtaking of significance. It seems the Bulls, as qualifying suggesed, are slightly quicker. Webber is pulling out a lead at the front , Hamilton is struggling to hold on to Vettel who is all over Grosjean. During the first round of pitstops Vettel jumps Grosjean and Rosberg, putting him into second place. Again the race stabilises. Should the race finish like this Vettel will win his fourth world title. But all is not done. On the next set of tyres and with lower fuel Hamilton and Rosberg find more pace. Hamilton puts a move on Grosjean into turn 1, and he’s up to fourth, still not enough to take the title from Vettel. As the race enters the last stint the leading four cars are within sight of each other.
Coming out of the Senna S, Rosberg takes an unusual angle, he raises his hand to Hamilton who screams past and raises his hand in return. Hamilton is now in 3rd place. Should the race finish like this Hamilton will take the championship. Aware of the situation Vettel is screaming in his radio. Horner , feet a-jiggle implores his driver to calm down and concentrate on his driving, which has become very ‘on the edge’ . He tells Sebastian not to worry, that the team will talk to Mark.
Skip to Webber’s car. The radio cackles into life.
HORNER- “Mark, think of the championship”
MARK- “ Its ok mate, were one/two, we’ve got it sewn up!”
HORNER- “No Mark. Multi 12, Multi 12.
MARK-“ Oh I see mate. Yeah, the multi thing. Yeah ok.
At which Webber turns off his radio, turns up his engine and guns it to the end of the race, taking the checkered flag ten seconds clear of a distraught and increasingly ragged Vettel.
Red Bull have won the WCC. Lewis Hamilton has won the WDC. Mark Webber has won his last F1 race. An ecstatic Hamilton and Webber hug each other as they clamber from their cars. Vettel flings out his wheel, rips off his helmet and marches up to Mark and Lewis, incandescent with rage, tears on his face he lays in to Mark Webber with a variety of choice expressions in a variety of languages. Mark looks on with a lopsided grin, he waits till Sebastian pauses for breath, taps his forehead, then says quietly….but loud enough to be picked up by the world's media.....
“Multi 21 Seb. Multi 21”
Down to the wire
It’s Sunday November 24th 2013. The place is Interlagos, final race of the 2013 F1 championship, and things are poised for a showdown. The championship has gone down to the wire, but only two teams can take the WCC, Red Bull or Mercedes, and only one of two drivers can take the WDC, Sebastian Vettel or Lewis Hamilton. Over the second half of the season it’s been nip and tuck between these two drivers. Hamilton took Singapore, vettel took India and Suzuka. Hamilton gained the upper hand towards the end by taking the last two races at Austin and Abu Dhabi. A problem with the brakes at Austin caused Vettel to retire leaving Hamilton slightly ahead on points at the start of the final race. The constructors also could go either way. Ferrari failed to remain in contention after the summer break slipping back to fourth place behind Lotus. Kimi put in strong performances at Monza and Spa, as did his team mate, but after that Lotus could not remain in contention with the top two teams, and by the final race are out of contention for both titles.
And so we await the lights on the grid at Interlagos, but fate intervened on Sat. During Q2 a sudden but fierce rain storm caught out Hamilton, who was last to set a second time, he couldn’t improve on his first time and missed the cut, he lines up 11th. Vettel is on pole. In fact the Bull’s have locked out the front row with Rosberg in third.
The lights go out. With everything to gain, Hamilton makes a blistering start and by the end of the first lap is comfortably in 5th position. Vettel by contrast is once again feeling the pressure of the title fight, he defends over aggressively from Webber, who ducks behind him and passes him, Rosberg and Grosjean pass him on the other side. At the end of the first lap he is just one place in front of Hamilton. The race settles down and the cars circulate with little overtaking of significance. It seems the Bulls, as qualifying suggesed, are slightly quicker. Webber is pulling out a lead at the front , Hamilton is struggling to hold on to Vettel who is all over Grosjean. During the first round of pitstops Vettel jumps Grosjean and Rosberg, putting him into second place. Again the race stabilises. Should the race finish like this Vettel will win his fourth world title. But all is not done. On the next set of tyres and with lower fuel Hamilton and Rosberg find more pace. Hamilton puts a move on Grosjean into turn 1, and he’s up to fourth, still not enough to take the title from Vettel. As the race enters the last stint the leading four cars are within sight of each other.
Coming out of the Senna S, Rosberg takes an unusual angle, he raises his hand to Hamilton who screams past and raises his hand in return. Hamilton is now in 3rd place. Should the race finish like this Hamilton will take the championship. Aware of the situation Vettel is screaming in his radio. Horner , feet a-jiggle implores his driver to calm down and concentrate on his driving, which has become very ‘on the edge’ . He tells Sebastian not to worry, that the team will talk to Mark.
Skip to Webber’s car. The radio cackles into life.
HORNER- “Mark, think of the championship”
MARK- “ Its ok mate, were one/two, we’ve got it sewn up!”
HORNER- “No Mark. Multi 12, Multi 12.
MARK-“ Oh I see mate. Yeah, the multi thing. Yeah ok.
At which Webber turns off his radio, turns up his engine and guns it to the end of the race, taking the checkered flag ten seconds clear of a distraught and increasingly ragged Vettel.
Red Bull have won the WCC. Lewis Hamilton has won the WDC. Mark Webber has won his last F1 race. An ecstatic Hamilton and Webber hug each other as they clamber from their cars. Vettel flings out his wheel, rips off his helmet and marches up to Mark and Lewis, incandescent with rage, tears on his face he lays in to Mark Webber with a variety of choice expressions in a variety of languages. Mark looks on with a lopsided grin, he waits till Sebastian pauses for breath, taps his forehead, then says quietly….but loud enough to be picked up by the world's media.....
“Multi 21 Seb. Multi 21”
You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.
Abe Lincoln
Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power. Abe Lincoln
Abe Lincoln
Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power. Abe Lincoln
except for poor Webber