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Writer's pictureJames Townley

The 2013 Grid: Where Are They Now? (Part 1)


10 years on from the 2013 season, I take a look at where the 22 drivers on that grid are now starting with the top 6 drivers in the championship that year.


The world champion in 2013 was Sebastian Vettel driving for Red Bull. Vettel won the championship for a fourth and final time in 2013 and left Red Bull for Ferrari in 2015. Sebastian's quest for a 5th championship was unsuccessful at Ferrari as he left the team for Aston Martin in 2021.


Then at the end of the 2022 season, Vettel retired from Formula 1 with 4 world championships, 53 wins, 122 podiums, and 57 pole positions. In Vettel's later years in the sport, he was known for his environmental awareness as he wore t-shirts and customised one-off helmet designs. After his retirement, Vettel has continued his environmental awareness under the phrase: "There is still a race to win."


Second place in the driver's championship that year was Fernando Alonso driving for Ferrari. Alonso stayed at Ferrari until the end of 2014 before re-joining McLaren for the 2015 campaign. Then after a nightmare for 3 years at the team, Alonso announced his retirement from Formula 1 at the end of the 2018 season. In 2018 and 2019, Alonso won the 24hrs of Le Mans with Toyota and entered the Indianapolis 500 in 2017, 2019, and, 2020 with McLaren with no luck of a win to complete the triple crown.


In 2021, Fernando came out of F1 retirement to race for the Alpine F1 Team until the end of the 2022 season. For 2023, Alonso replaced the retired Sebastian Vettel who beat him to the championship in 2013. Alonso's current Aston Martin contract expires at the end of the 2024 season.


Third place in the 2013 drivers championship was Vettel's Red Bull teammate Mark Webber. 2013 was Mark Webber's final year in Formula 1 as he retired after 11 years in the sport. In 2014, Webber joined Porsche in the FIA World Endurance Championship and won the championship in 2015. Webber left the championship at the end of the 2016 season and hasn't raced since.


Since his Motorsport retirement, Webber has joined the British channel, Channel 4's pundit team, and is the driver manager for current McLaren driver Oscar Piastri.


Fourth place in the 2013 drivers championship was Lewis Hamilton driving for Mercedes. 2013 was Hamilton's first year at Mercedes as he replaced the retired Michael Schumacher. Since 2013, Hamilton has won 6 championships with Mercedes in 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020 as well as equalling Michael Schumacher's championship record of 7, breaking his win record and his pole record.


Lewis Hamilton still races for Mercedes and with his current contract expiring at the end of this year, it looks likely that Hamilton will stay at Mercedes for 2024 at least as he chases that 8th world championship.


Fifth place in the 2013 drivers championship was Kimi Raikkonen driving for Lotus. This was Raikkonen's last year at Lotus as he re-joined Ferrari in 2014. Kimi raced the iconic Italian team until the end of the 2018 season and moved to Alfa Romeo for 2019. Then at the end of the 2021 season, he announced his retirement from Formula 1 with 1 world championship, 21 wins, 103 podiums, and 349 Grand Prix starts.


Since his Formula 1 retirement, Raikkonen has competed in 2 races in the NASCAR Cup Series with one being in 2022 and the other in 2023.


Sixth place in the 2013 drivers championship was Nico Rosberg driving for Mercedes. Rosberg went on to finish runner-up in both 2014 and 2015 to teammate Lewis Hamilton until in 2016, he became world champion. Just 5 days after his championship-winning race, Rosberg announced his retirement from Formula 1.


Since he retired from Formula 1, Nico hasn't returned to racing and features on the Sky Sports F1 punditry team occasionally.






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