2013 Special: top motorsports stories

#11 Jean Todt maintains hold on FIA presidency

Jean Todt, former Ferrari team boss, has just been re-elected to a second term as FIA president. Todt ran unopposed as his main rival, David Ward, withdrew for failing to get support from the delegation. Todt gets another four year term as head honcho of the motorsports world, and one of the first on his agenda was to shake up the Forumla 1 rules to provide an exciting climax to the coming seasons, and possibly derail the assault of Vettel of the record books.

 

#10 Mark Webber moves on

Aussie Mark Webber of the Red Bull Racing F1 Team recently announced his retirement from Grand Prix Racing, and instead will move over to the Porsche Racing Series. Webber, the team’s #2 driver, has made it public that he feels that RBR management has been giving all out support to his team mate, and he feels that the chemistry in the garage has been eroded especially during this year’s (multi 21) Malaysian GP. Webber could well compete in the 2014 Le Mans 24 hours on board the LMP1 Porsche challenger “919Hybrid.”

 

#9 Sebastian Loeb retires from WRC

Frenchman Sebastian Loeb, the most successful driver in the history of the World Rally Championships (WRC) after winning nine straight championships, formally announced his retirement from WRC Series, and for 2014, will joining the Citroen Racing Team in the World Touring Car Championships (WTCC). With nothing left to prove in the WRC, Loeb jumped at the chance to prove his worth when he oined the Citroen team, headed by current four-time WTCC champion, Yvan Muller. This should be interesting times for the Citroen Racing Team

 

#8 Scott Dixon wins Indy Car Series Champion

Kiwi Scott Dixon, driving for the Chip Ganassi Racing Team, won his 3rd IndyCar Championship on board the #9 Target Honda Dallara at Fontana Raceway in California. He made his mark on the IndyCar series back in 2003 by winning his first championship, and again in 2008. Scott held off Helio Castroneves to win the 2013 Championship. Dixon is now the winning-est active IndyCar driver with 33 wins to his credit.

 

#7 Jamie Whincup wins V8 Supercars Championship

Melbourne native Jaime Whincup has dominated the V8 Supercars in the past six years, never even stepping outside the top two spots during this period. His incredible run culminated in his winning the 2013 Championship. Whincup now becomes a five-time winner of the premier Australian Series. The 30-year-old is also a four-time winner of the famed Bathurst 1000.

 

#6 Jimmie Johnson wins Sprint Cup Drivers Championship, NASCAR

The #48 car claimed its 6th Championship this year on board a race-prepped Chevrolet. Winning his sixth title meant that Johnson is now only one win away from tying the record of the great Richard “The King” Petty. Not many imagined that “The King’s” record could be equalled, much less surpassed, but as things stand, Jimmie Johnson could well tie the record in 2014, putting him in the exclusive group of championship winners in the most watched racing series in North America.

 

#5 Robert Kubica is WRC2 Champ

Kubica, named 2013 personality of the year by the FIA for winning the 2013 World Rally Championship 2 Vchampionship during his first full season in rallying, the Pole has now signed on for a full 13-race season for 2014 in WRC in an M-Sport Prepped Ford Fiesta. His win in WRC2 brings to focus his unwavering commitment to come back from his horrific crash two years ago in an accident that left him with a nearly severed arm and doubts in the minds of the motoring community about his future in motorsports. While he may not get a seat in F1, WRC could prove the best recourse for the recovering Pole.

 

#4 Yvan Muller wins WTCC 4th Drivers Trophy.

Frenchman Yvan Muller wins the World Touring Car Championship for the 4th time in his illustrious career. Yvan has won 3 of his 4 championships on board a Chevrolet Cruze. But with American Marquee pulling out of the WTCC this year, Yvan was left to race for the RML team, and still using a Chevrolet Cruze, albeit a non-works team. For 2014, Muller will be joining newly formed team Citroen Racing. Yvan will be racing alongside his new team mate, nine-time WRC champ, Sebastian Loeb.

 

#3 Tom Kristensen wins 9th 24 heures de Le Mans crown on board an Audi Le Mans Prototype

Danish driver Tom Kristensen, the only driver to win nine times at the prestigious 24 hours of Le Mans, with six of those wins consecutive, making the feat all the more impressive. Kristensen won his first Le Mans back in 1997, followed by wins in 2000-2005, 2008, and finally the 2013 edition of the pinnacle of endurance racing. Kristensen also won the 12 hour Sebring endurance race six times, giving him the title of FIA World Endurance Champion for 2013.

 

#2 Marc Marquez wins the MotoGP Championship

The 20-year phenom has stamped his name on the MotoGP history books by being the youngest world champion in the premier series, also, becoming a rookie world champion for the first time after 35 years. Marquez bested countryman Jorge Lorenzo for the 2013 title, it was touch and go for the young gun as the latter races showed that he could commit a mistake or two, most notable was his brain fade moment at Philip Island when he failed to come into the pits to change bikes as per the rules set forth by the stewards. But Marc, resilient as ever, took that mistake and rode “cleanly” in the remainer of the season to sew up the championship in front of his home crowd.

 

#1 Sebastian Vettel wins #4

With 39 career wins, 13 wins in a single season, 9 straight wins, 9 pole positions, 16 podiums, 2 race grand slams (pole position, led every lap, and fastest lap time), and more importantly, 4 World Driver’s Championships; very impressive numbers from the 26-year-old German who finished the 2013 season once again on top of the rankings for the 4th year in a row. Red Bull Racing has been reaping the success brought about the fantastic cars designed by Adrian Newey. Add to that the brilliant race craft of Sebastian Vettel, and the team from Milton Keynes could add a few more championship trophies in their already overcrowded trophy cabinet.