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Red Bull Racing's Sebastian Vettel won a record eighth straight race Sunday at the 2013 Formula 1 Grand Prix of the United States at Circuit of the Americas.
The young four-time World Champion claimed victory ahead of Lotus' Romain Grosjean and his teammate, Mark Webber. Vettel became the first man to win eight consecutive events in one calendar year.
At the green, Vettel remained in first place from his pole position while Grosjean, starting third, jumped ahead of Webber to take second.
Vettel pushed really hard during the opening laps to build a 10-second cushion over Grosjean.
Near the end of the race, Grosjean and Webber had a good scrap over second place but the Australian never found a way past despite using his KERS in different manners. The Frenchman scored his best finish of the season after five third places this season.
Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes AMG finished over 20 seconds behind the podium positions in fourth at the end of what was evidently a frustrating 56 laps for the Briton amid yet more tire management concerns.
Fernando Alonso in his Ferrari arrived home fifth after having battled hard against the Sauber of Nico Hulkenberg in the closing laps of the race.
Mexican Sergio Perez (McLaren) drove an inspired race to finish seventh ahead of the flying Valtteri Bottas who scored his first points in career in a Williams.
The points finishers were rounded out by Nico Rosberg (Mercedes AMG) and, via a penultimate-lap pass on Daniel Ricciardo (Toro Rosso), Jenson Button (McLaren) who again endured a very difficult weekend.
Results* of the 2013 US Grand Prix, Circuit of the Americas:
1 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB9-Renault) - 56 laps in 1h39m17.148
2 - Romain Grosjean (Lotus E21-Renault) - 6"284
3 - Mark Webber (Red Bull RB9-Renault) - 8"396
4 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes W04) - 27"358
5 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari F138) - 29"592
6 - Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber C32-Ferrari) - 30"400
7 - Sergio Perez (McLaren MP4/28-Mercedes) - 46"692
8 - Valtteri Bottas (Williams FW35-Renault) - 54"509
9 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes W04) - 59"141
10 - Jenson Button (McLaren MP4/28-Mercedes) - 1'17"278
11 - Daniel Ricciardo (Toro Rosso STR8-Ferrari) - 1'21"004
12 - Jean-Eric Vergne (Toro Rosso STR8-Ferrari) - 1'24"574
13 - Felipe Massa (Ferrari F138) - 1'26"914
14 - Esteban Gutierrez (Sauber C32-Ferrari) - 1'31"707
15 - Heikki Kovalainen (Lotus E21-Renault) - 1'35"063
16 - Paul Di Resta (Force India VJM06-Mercedes) - 1'36"853
17 - Pastor Maldonado (Williams FW35-Renault) - 1 lap down
18 - Jules Bianchi (Marussia MR02-Cosworth) - 1 lap down
19 - Giedo Van der Garde (Caterham CT03-Renault) - 1 lap down
20 - Charles Pic (Caterham CT03-Renault) - 1 lap down
21 - Max Chilton (Marussia MR02-Cosworth) - 2 laps down
DNF Adrian Sutil (Force India)
Drivers' championship:
1. Vettel 372 points; 2. Alonso 227; 3. Hamilton 187; 4. Raikkonen 183; 5. Webber 171; 6. Rosberg 161; 7. Grosjean 132; 8. Massa 106; 9. Button 61; 10. Di Resta 48; 11. Hulkenberg 47; 12. Perez 41; 13. Sutil 29; 14. Ricciardo 19; 15. Vergne 13; 16. Gutierrez 6; 17. Bottas 4; 18. Maldonado 1.
Constructors' championship:
1. Red Bull-Renault 553 points; 2. Mercedes 348; 3. Ferrari 333; 4. Lotus-Renault 315; 5. McLaren-Mercedes 102; 6. Force India-Mercedes 77; 7. Sauber-Ferrari 53; 8. Toro Rosso-Ferrari 32; 9. Williams-Renault 5
*Unofficial results
 |
| Sebastian Vettel on the podium. (Photo: WRI2) |
The young four-time World Champion claimed victory ahead of Lotus' Romain Grosjean and his teammate, Mark Webber. Vettel became the first man to win eight consecutive events in one calendar year.
At the green, Vettel remained in first place from his pole position while Grosjean, starting third, jumped ahead of Webber to take second.
 |
| Romain Grosjean, Lotus (Photo: Rene Fagnan) |
Vettel pushed really hard during the opening laps to build a 10-second cushion over Grosjean.
Near the end of the race, Grosjean and Webber had a good scrap over second place but the Australian never found a way past despite using his KERS in different manners. The Frenchman scored his best finish of the season after five third places this season.
 |
| Mark Webber, Red Bull Racing (Photo: Rene Fagnan) |
Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes AMG finished over 20 seconds behind the podium positions in fourth at the end of what was evidently a frustrating 56 laps for the Briton amid yet more tire management concerns.
Fernando Alonso in his Ferrari arrived home fifth after having battled hard against the Sauber of Nico Hulkenberg in the closing laps of the race.
 |
| Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber (Photo: Rene Fagnan) |
Mexican Sergio Perez (McLaren) drove an inspired race to finish seventh ahead of the flying Valtteri Bottas who scored his first points in career in a Williams.
The points finishers were rounded out by Nico Rosberg (Mercedes AMG) and, via a penultimate-lap pass on Daniel Ricciardo (Toro Rosso), Jenson Button (McLaren) who again endured a very difficult weekend.
 |
| Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes AMG (Photo: Rene Fagnan) |
Results* of the 2013 US Grand Prix, Circuit of the Americas:
1 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB9-Renault) - 56 laps in 1h39m17.148
2 - Romain Grosjean (Lotus E21-Renault) - 6"284
3 - Mark Webber (Red Bull RB9-Renault) - 8"396
4 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes W04) - 27"358
5 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari F138) - 29"592
6 - Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber C32-Ferrari) - 30"400
7 - Sergio Perez (McLaren MP4/28-Mercedes) - 46"692
8 - Valtteri Bottas (Williams FW35-Renault) - 54"509
9 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes W04) - 59"141
10 - Jenson Button (McLaren MP4/28-Mercedes) - 1'17"278
11 - Daniel Ricciardo (Toro Rosso STR8-Ferrari) - 1'21"004
12 - Jean-Eric Vergne (Toro Rosso STR8-Ferrari) - 1'24"574
13 - Felipe Massa (Ferrari F138) - 1'26"914
14 - Esteban Gutierrez (Sauber C32-Ferrari) - 1'31"707
15 - Heikki Kovalainen (Lotus E21-Renault) - 1'35"063
16 - Paul Di Resta (Force India VJM06-Mercedes) - 1'36"853
17 - Pastor Maldonado (Williams FW35-Renault) - 1 lap down
18 - Jules Bianchi (Marussia MR02-Cosworth) - 1 lap down
19 - Giedo Van der Garde (Caterham CT03-Renault) - 1 lap down
20 - Charles Pic (Caterham CT03-Renault) - 1 lap down
21 - Max Chilton (Marussia MR02-Cosworth) - 2 laps down
DNF Adrian Sutil (Force India)
Drivers' championship:
1. Vettel 372 points; 2. Alonso 227; 3. Hamilton 187; 4. Raikkonen 183; 5. Webber 171; 6. Rosberg 161; 7. Grosjean 132; 8. Massa 106; 9. Button 61; 10. Di Resta 48; 11. Hulkenberg 47; 12. Perez 41; 13. Sutil 29; 14. Ricciardo 19; 15. Vergne 13; 16. Gutierrez 6; 17. Bottas 4; 18. Maldonado 1.
Constructors' championship:
1. Red Bull-Renault 553 points; 2. Mercedes 348; 3. Ferrari 333; 4. Lotus-Renault 315; 5. McLaren-Mercedes 102; 6. Force India-Mercedes 77; 7. Sauber-Ferrari 53; 8. Toro Rosso-Ferrari 32; 9. Williams-Renault 5
*Unofficial results