Caterham Seal World Championship as F1 Returns to Mexico City

Qualifying:

Pos#DriverConstructorTime
162Dave CassidyPrecision-Mercedes1:06.992
21Sebastian VettelCaterham-Judd1:06.999
363Jules BianchiPrecision-Mercedes1:07.032
42Lewis HamiltonCaterham-Judd1:07.290
529Pastor MaldonadoSauber-Judd1:07.452
698Salvatore MiccoliDGN-Mercedes1:07.528
799Kevin MagnussenDGN-Mercedes1:07.585
890Daniel RicciardoCalinetic-Holden1:07.625
927Nathan McKaneFerrari1:07.751
1021Stoffel VandoorneHaas-Judd1:07.771
1191Sergio PérezCalinetic-Holden1:07.937
1231Rhys DaviesHolden1:07.991
1328Romain GrosjeanFerrari1:08.069
1422Johnny Cecotto Jr.Haas-Judd1:08.222
1532Daniel MelroseHolden1:08.235
1643Sébastien BourdaisValerian-Ferrari1:08.470
1730Mike RockenfellerSauber-Judd1:08.476
185Valtteri BottasWilliams-Ferrari1:08.682
1955Artem MarkelovMansell-Mercedes1:09.085
2067Marcel Agyemang-BaduRed Bull-Mercedes1:09.255
2166Esteban OconRed Bull-Mercedes1:09.257
2212Scott DixonFlanders-Holden1:09.327
2342Davide ValsecchiValerian-Ferrari1:09.454
246Ma QinghuaWilliams-Ferrari1:09.455
2511Carlos Sainz JrFlanders-Holden1:09.584
2656Bradley DagnallMansell-Mercedes1:09.708

* demoted five places for changing engine/gearbox

Report:

Despite struggling with traffic, Sebastian Vettel managed to finish second.

The Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez was the home of the legendary finale to the 1987 Formula One season which saw Gerhard Berger win his only world championship, so nostalgic F1 fans were rather pleased to see this venue return to the Formula One calendar and with a championship battle going on, we were in for an exciting event.

Indeed we got a nice race, Sebastian Vettel showed that the thrills of a close title fight get to him: he lost time at the start and had to deal with traffic, completely unable to rejoin the battle for the win. Jules Bianchi worked well and took the lead, extending it and ending up winning a crucial win, making the title fight once more closer.

On the side of the teams, the championship has been decided: Caterham won the championship today, even after Lewis Hamilton retired with a puncture on the final lap. This is crucial, because it may very well lead to Hamilton dropping out of the title fight, he is now more than one win behind his teammate who leads the championship.

To the teams below them, a lot happened as well: Pastor Maldonado and Mike Rockenfeller finally overtook Ferrari in the team’s championship. Artem Markelov came close to saving the ailing Mansell team once more, but his car gave out when he was a favourite for the points. Instead, Nathan McKane rescued himself to give Ferrari a point.

Race:

Pos#DriverConstructorTime/RetiredPoints
163Jules BianchiPrecision-Mercedes42:35.86515
21Sebastian VettelCaterham-Judd+35.49112
329Pastor MaldonadoSauber-Judd+41.46810
498Salvatore MiccoliDGN-Mercedes+44.6968
531Rhys DaviesHolden+51.1856
690Daniel RicciardoCalinetic-Holden+51.6945
722Johnny Cecotto Jr.Haas-Judd+57.4964
832Daniel MelroseHolden+65.2163
930Mike RockenfellerSauber-Judd+66.9982
1027Nathan McKaneFerrari+68.9451
112Lewis HamiltonCaterham-JuddPuncture2
1211Carlos Sainz Jr.Flanders-Holden+1 Lap0
1366Marcel Agyemang-BaduRed Bull-Mercedes+1 Lap0
1421Stoffel VandoorneHaas-Judd+1 Lap0
1543Sébastien BourdaisValerian-Ferrari+1 Lap0
1612Scott DixonFlanders-Holden+1 Lap0
1762Dave CassidyPrecision-Mercedes+1 Lap2
1842Davide ValsecchiValerian-Ferrari+1 Lap0
196Ma QinghuaWilliams-Ferrari+1 Lap0
2091Sergio PérezCalinetic-Holden+1 Lap0
2167Esteban OconRed Bull-Mercedes+1 Lap0
2255Artem MarkelovMansell-MercedesEngine0
DSQ5Valtteri BottasWilliams-Ferrari+51.6060
DNF99Kevin MagnussenDGN-MercedesAccident0
DNF28Romain GrosjeanFerrariSuspension0
DNF56Bradley DagnallMansell-MercedesEngine0

Fastest Lap:

Sebastian Vettel – 1:08.659

Infinite Improbability Drive Of The Race:

Pastor Maldonado – was able to compete with the reigning world champion and his superior car.

Reject Of The Race:

Dave Cassidy – crucial mistake hurts his own teammate.