Sao Paulo: Sebastian Vettel ended the 2013 Formula One season in typically record-breaking style on Sunday when he claimed a commanding victory in the Brazilian Grand Prix ahead of his retirement-bound Red Bull team mate Mark Webber.
It was Vettel’s ninth successive victory since the Hungarian Grand Prix at the end of July, his 13th of the season and the 39th of his career.
This meant he extended his own record of consecutive wins in a season, equalled Italian Alberto Ascari’s historic record of nine straight wins stretched across two seasons from 1952-1953 and also equalled fellow-German Michael Schumacher’s total for one season, set with Ferrari in 2004.
Webber came home second, 10.452 seconds behind the 26-year-old four-time champion, with in third two-time champion Fernando Alonso of Ferrari.
Jenson Button finished fourth for McLaren ahead of Nico Rosberg of Mercedes, Sergio Perez in the second McLaren and Felipe Massa, who marked his final race with Ferrari by finishing seventh.
German Nico Hulkenberg, who is set to leave Sauber for a return to Force India, finished eighth ahead of luckless Briton Lewis Hamilton, who suffered a collision, a puncture and a drive-through penalty in his Mercedes, and 10th place Australian Daniel Ricciardo, in his final race for Toro Rosso before replacing Webber at Red Bull.
There were no points for Force India as Paul di Resta finished in 11th and Adrian Sutil 13th.
Di Resta finished the season in 12th place (48 points), dropping two spots in this race alone to Hulkenberg (51) and Perez (49). Sutil is in 13th with 29 points.
Force India, however, hold onto sixth place in the constructors’ standings with 77 points. (AFP)