#I was so stressing I watched the last 15~ laps through his onboards instead of hearing the F1 TV commentary haha

[sainz100]

Max Verstappen | 2024 Belgian GP | 📸 via Verstappencom's Insta

[racingliners]

F1 Re-Watch 2013: Round 18 - USA

Yeehaw! (sorry, couldn't help myself). What can I say the 2024 testing hype is getting to me and I really want to finally finish my 2013 watch through before the first race of the season, so we're on Austin!

Again, very few memories of this race bar Seb's first and only win at COTA and the very iconic "We have to remember these days..." team radio 🥹

So let's get into it!

As far as I can remember, they just had regular Pirelli podium caps instead of the cowboy ones but I could be wrong.

Honestly I don't mind COTA as a track that much. It's not one of the greats but it is decent.

What the fuck is Hulkenberg doing in 4th??????

Starting the grid order whiplash early I see

Speaking of, let's get into it: Seb pole and Webber P2, normal for 2013; Grosjean P3; Hulkenberg P4 (WILD); Lewis P5; Val P9 (hell yeah); Jev P14 and Jenson P15 :(

OH we also have Heikki Kovalinen filling in for Kimi as he missed the last two races of 2013, he lines up P8.

Mediums and Hards are the tyre compounds for this race.

[Formation Lap]: It is also Quite Warm™️. To the point where it may become a 2-stop race due to thermal degradation.

"Mercedes don't care if they're 19th and 20th so long as Ferrari are 21st and 22nd" um... I care

[Start/Lap 1]: Grosjean takes P2 at turn 1!!!!

and Lewis takes P3!!!!!

and we already have yellow flags

aaaaand they're gone

shit Sutil's in the wall (he's fine)

aaaaaaand Safety Car

well that was certainly a first lap.

Sutil's girlfriend facepalming is a mood

[Lap 2]: Bernd Maylander sighting!!! Our forever Driver of The Day.

[Lap 3]: as it's a SC there's really nothing much going on apart from shots of people in garages

and the replay of Webber's start was actually fine, it was just where he'd positioned the car that led to him losing places

[Lap 4]: Hi Ted!!!!

woo SC in this lap

let's go zoom zoom!

Seb's had a great SC restart, I miss it when they didn't stress me out

[Lap 5]: "We think Jenson might have a bit of front wing damage" fUCK

racing gods stop being mean to my boy

[Lap 6]: Seb leads by 1.9 seconds like the GOAT he is

Alonso is down in P7 I have zero idea how that happened.

and once again I'm quite compelled by just watching the cars go round even though there's nothing much happening sdvhvhd

[Lap 7]: Webber is catching up to the back of Lewis 👀

[Lap 8]: Not Maldonado having a wobbly front wing (possibly from the contact with Sutil)

[Lap 9]: again nothing much happening but cars going around the track are fun to just watch 😅

[Lap 10]: Though Webber's dropped back from Lewis a tiny bit

Jenson is in the dizzying heights of... P14 🥲

Hulkenberg is also the conductor of a little DRS train in P5

[Lap 12]: a shot of the McLaren pit wall since there's so little racing happening

[Lap 13]: Lewis getting a little snarky with Bono instantly being followed with a shot of the Merc pit wall dbhdfjbshfdj

and Webber gets past Lewis!!

The TV feed literally cut to it as it was happening so I got a bit of a fright

It was a saucy move though, round the outside of turn 16

[Lap 15]: Once again asking where I can get myself an emotional support Bono

also also HOW is Rosberg down in P11 but Hulkenberg is in P5. Nico be serious for a minute please.

and by be serious, I mean get your pretty little head further up the field and be the superior Nico

...Not Hulkenberg being faster than Lewis too 😭

once again asking Mercedes to get their shit together

JENSON SIGHTING!!!!!

[Lap 16]: He's chasing down Massa for 13th

the TV feed following Jenson and immediately getting a Seb fastest lap, the racing gods are Sebson truthers

[Lap 17]: Seb onboard!!!!! He exists!!!!

he also has a 6.3 second gap over Grosjean

"I've got no grip man" every race we get closer to the maiden 'Bono my tyres are gone'

[Lap 19]: Anyway I haven't done a top 5 overview yet, it's: Seb, Grosjean, Webber, Lewis and Hulkenberg

Speaking of Nico v Nico, Rosberg takes P10 from Ricciardo

It was a good move too! Started in the braking zone of turn 16 and ended around turn 18, probably the longest bit of racing we've had so far

[Lap 21]: And Jenson makes his first and possibly only stop

he comes out in P16 😭

[Lap 24]: Bottas pits from P8 and comes out in P10

[Lap 26]: I think Lewis got the message after the third box Bono, but I appreciate the dedication to the bit (Lewis has made his one and likely only stop, like many mediums off for hards)

[Lap 28]: Seb finally makes his first stop! And also for the hard tyres

Lewis jumped Hulkenberg at his stop!!!!!! God!! Bless!!!!

also also 🚨WE ARE FINALLY AT HALF DISTANCE🚨

and honestly thank goodness, this race has not been it thus far

[Lap 29]: Webber also makes his first stop

and oof 2.3 second stop.

I wish I could say that Fernando made a great move on Gutierrez but the on board camera was at a funky angle so I didn't actually see it

[Lap 30]: Grosjean has pitted and comes out between the two Red Bulls

aaaaaand a Seb fastest lap 👌

oof Lewis is not happy this race 😩

[Lap 31]: Perez passes Gutierrez on the main straight

[Lap 32]: Nico Rosberg finally gets himself into P11

and lol at the fact you can barely hear Ross Brawn on the TV feed.

the V8 engines said "I've had enough of this guy"

[Lap 33]: Top 5 overview since it's been a while: Seb, Grosjean, Webber, Lewis and Hulkenberg

Webber is only within a couple of seconds of Grosjean though

And Jenson is still in P14 🥲

Rosberg takes P10 from Di Resta down the inside of turn 16!!!

Another very fun move 👌

[Lap 34]: And Valtteri briefly took P8 from Gutierrez

for a 2013 Williams that's basically winning a grand prix

[Lap 35]: I can't believe I'd forgotten about the rotating cameras on the front wings 😵‍💫

BUT Valtteri re-takes P8 - through the esses section!!!!

another peach of a move 👏

[Lap 37]: Webber's been dropping back from Grosjean by half a second...

Comms don't think he has a problem but biiiig oofs

"Rosberg's starting to catch Bottas" oh the 'Nico's sudden retirement causing Valtteri to take his seat' of it all

[Lap 38]: Webber just did the fastest lap, he's fine

meanwhile Jenson's in P13!!!! progress!!!!

Being a Jenson fan in 2013 was rough, let me tell you

[Lap 39]: *crosses off 'Andrea Stella talking to Fernando in Italian' off my bingo card*

huh, Massa made a second stop for mediums

inch resting

nvm IT PUTS JENSON IN 12TH!!!!!!

[Lap 40]: Seb sighting!!!!

[Lap 41]: livery watch: oh the navy and gold Toro Rosso livery how I miss you...

[Lap 42]: Rocky once again telling Seb to slow down dfvhdfvhd

unstoppable force vs immovable object

Rocky and Bono are the founders of the Exhausted Race Engineers Club

[Lap 44]: and we now find ourself in the very strange universe where Alonso (in a Ferrari) can't get past Hulkenberg (in a Sauber)

You'd think it would be an immediate pass, but no

[Lap 45]: and Fernando finally gets the move done on the exit of turn one

Lewis is the next car ahead...

potential stress inducing battle aside, another Seb sighting!!!

He is unbothered, moisturised, flourishing

[Lap 46]: Jenson closing up to the back of Di Resta

[Lap 47]: damn Fernando is already within DRS range of Lewis

the old man is old manning again

[Lap 48]: Speaking of old men, Webber's back in DRS range of Grosjean

[Lap 50]: Still catching but not quite close enough

Lewis is back to 2 seconds ahead of Fernando

and most importantly on midfield watch, Valtteri is still in P8

Jenson's into P11!!!!!!!! WE MAY STILL GET POINTS!!!!!!

oh a Simon Rennie sighting for the girlies (gn)

[Lap 52]: 🚨5 laps remaining!!!!🚨

honestly the second half of the race was much better than the first, curse you one stop races

Jenson is 2.4 seconds from P10, I'm not sure if he's going to make it

[Lap 53]: you know that "I wanna see my little boy" vine? That's me every time the TV feed cuts to Seb

[Lap 54]: Jenson is now 6 tenths behind P10

come onnnnnn JB

[Lap 55]: We literally have 2 laps left

can't type. too invested in watching the Jenson v Ricciardo battle.

HE TAKES P10 ON THE EXIT OF TURN 1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

that's my guy that's my bestie

[Lap 56]: Last lap!

looks like everyone else is going to hold position

[Finish]: AND SEB WINS IN COTA!!!!!!!!!

His 8th win on the bounce, which at the time made him the first driver to do that in one season. MY GOAT!!!

rest of the Top 10: Grosjean, Webber, Lewis, Alonso, Hulkenberg, Perez, Bottas, Rosberg and Jenson

well, that kind of felt like a race of two halves, which I'm very much pinning on the one stop strategy the bulk of the cars ran. But WHEW once the drivers didn't have to conserve their tyres the racing was great! Loads of battles up and down the field which was so fun to watch.

Next race, and the last one of 2013 - Brazil!