Bangalore: Sebastian Vettel was on such a record roll in 2013 that by the time Formula One rocks up for next year’s season-opener in Australia it will be almost eight months since anyone else won a grand prix.
Even allowing for an August shutdown and three month winter break, that single statistic highlights just how demoralising a year it has been for all those trying to beat Red Bull’s quadruple world champion.
The cheeky-faced 26-year-old, soon to be a father, could have clinched his employers fourth successive constructors’ championship on his own given that he amassed more points (397) than any other team over the 19 races.
The finger-pointing German chaÂÂÂlked up nine wins in a row, the first time any driver has done that in a single campaign since the championship started in 1950, and 13 in total to equal compatriot Michael SchumacÂher’s 2004 record with Ferrari.
The youngest quadruple champion also became the first to win his first four titles successively. On the evidence of this year, Vettel can look forward to new milestones - and more of the tyre-smoking victory ‘donuts’ - in 2014 as his career increasingly draws comparison with the best of the best.
Victory in Australia would make him the first driver to win 10 races in a row and take his career tally to 40 wins - just one short of the number amassed by the late Brazilian Ayrton Senna.
Another title, in a year that will see Russia make its debut and Austria return after India and South Korea bowed out, would equal Schumacher’s record of five in a row.
The fans, some of whom took to booing Vettel on his increasingly routine trips to the top of the podium, were scathing about ‘Abu Double’ and what they saw as a needless gimmick - with the chÂaÂmpion very much in agreement.
They were not too happy after this year’s Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang either when Vettel ignored team orders (the famous ‘Multi 21, Seb’) and passed Australian team mate Mark Webber for the win.
The German will not have to worry about Webber next year, with the no-nonsense veteran deciding enough was enough and leaving Formula One for a new future with Porsche in their Le Mans sportscar programme.
Instead Vettel will have a younger, smilier and probably more compliant Australian on the other side of the garage, with Daniel Ricciardo moving up from Toro Rosso and a steep learning curve ahead.
There was also controversy over a ‘secret’ tyre test carried out by Pirelli and Mercedes in Spain in May that had rivals up in arms and the German manufacturer, who won three of the five races between the test and August break, summoned to the governing body.
It was McLaren, the team who had ended 2012 with the fastest car, who looked more chumps than champs after ending their 50th anniversary year without a single podium appearance for the first time since 1980.
It could have been worse, with Jenson Button grabbing a fourth place right at the finish in Brazil to stave off the team’s worst ovÂerall performance since their FoÂrmula One debut season in 1966.
Mexican Sergio Perez was the fall guy, shown the exit after just one season at Woking with McLaren putting their trust in a younger man and signing 21-year-old Danish rookie Kevin Magnussen to take his place.
