F1's five rookies for 2013: What you need to know - MotorSportsTalk

There are just 22 seats to be had in Formula One this year and three of them have gone to up-and-coming talents who are eager to make names for themselves.

Here’s a quick guide to the five new faces in the F1 field in 2013.

This video is no longer available. Click here to watch more NBC Sports videos!

Esteban Gutierrez – Sauber

Like fellow Mexican Sergio Perez he is backed by Escuderia Telmex which enjoys funding from the world’s richest man, Carlos Slim
Won two F1 support series in their inaugural years: Formula BMW Europe in 2008 and GP3 in 2010
Covered 1,720 miles in pre-season testing – more than any other driver

Valtteri Bottas – Williams

A protégé of fellow Finn and two-times world champion Mika Hakkinen
Appeared in 15 practice sessions for Williams last year
Hasn’t started a race since the Macau Formula Three Grand Prix in November 2011

Giedo van der Garde – Caterham

At 27 years of age he’s the oldest of F1’s new intake for 2013
F1’s first Dutch driver since Christijan Albers started the 2007 British Grand Prix
Was team mate to future F1 drivers Sebastian Vettel, Paul di Resta and Kamui Kobayashi at the ASM team in the 2006 F3 Euro Series
Won the 2008 Formula Renault 3.5 championship, then spent four years in top F1 feeder series GP2

Max Chilton – Marussia

Started his single-seater career at such a young age he required a special dispensation to compete in the British Formula Three championship
Hasn’t won a championship in any of the junior categories he raced in
Ended last year’s GP2 championship strongly with victory at Singapore lifting him to fourth overall

Jules Bianchi (pictured) – Marussia

Has been a Ferrari Development Driver since 2009 and has extensive experience in their cars
Drove in nine practice sessions for Force India last year
Narrowly missed out on winning the 2012 Formula Renault 3.5 championship following a controversial collision with title rival Robin Frijns
Was passed over for the Force India race seat but landed the Marussia drive vacated by Luiz Razia

Miguel Oliveira mastered mixed conditions on the Chang International Circuit in Buriram, Thailand to win the MotoGP Thai Grand Prix. Oliveira showed the adaptability as he navigated a race that began in wet conditions and turned dry over the course of the race. Oliveira won the Indonesian GP in similar conditions.

“It was a long race, but I can’t complain,” Oliveira said on CNBC. “Every time we get to ride in the wet, I’m always super-fast. When it started raining, I had flashbacks of Indonesia. I tried to keep my feet on the ground, make a good start and not make mistakes and carry the bike to the end.”

All eyes were on the championship, however. Francesco Bagnaia got a great start to slot into second in Turn 1.

Meanwhile Fabio Quartararo had a disastrous first lap. He lost five positions in the first couple of turns and then rode over the rumble strips and fell back to 17th. At the end of the first lap, Bagnaia had the points’ lead by two. A win would have added to the gain and for a moment, it appeared Bagnaia might assume the lead.

Early leader Marco Bezzecchi was penalized for exceeding track limits, but before that happened, Jack Miller got around Bagnaia and pushed him back to third. Oliveira was not far behind.

After throwing away ninth-place and seven points on the last lap of the Japanese GP last week, Bagnaia did not allow the competition to press him into a mistake. He fell back as far as fourth before retaking the final position on the podium.

“It’s like a win for me, this podium,” Bagnaia. “My first podium in the wet and then there was a mix of conditions, so I’m very happy. I want to thank Jack Miller. Before the race, he gave me a motivational chat.”

Two points split the top two
20 points split the top three
40 points split the top five

Three races to go… see you in Australia 🇦🇺#MotoGP pic.twitter.com/n0WOuHPx9P

— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) October 2, 2022

Miller led the first half of the Thai Grand Prix before giving up the top spot to Oliveira and then held on to finish second. Coupled with his Japanese GP win, Miller is now fully in the MotoGP championship battle with a 40-point deficit, but he will need a string of results like Bagnaia has put together in recent weeks – and he needs Bagnaia to lose momentum.

Miller’s home Grand Prix in Australia is next up on the calendar in two weeks.

Bagnaia entered the race 18 points behind Quartararo after he failed to score any in Japan. The balance of power has rapidly shifted, however, with Quartararo now failing to earn points in two of the last three rounds. Bagnaia won four consecutive races and finished second in the five races leading up to Japan. His third-place finish in Thailand is now his sixth MotoGP podium in the last seven rounds.

Aleix Espargaro entered the race third in the standings with a 25-point deficit to Quartararo, but was able to close the gap by only five after getting hit with a long-lap penalty for aggressive riding when he pushed Darryn Binder off course during a pass for position. Espargaro finished 11th.

Rain mixed up the Moto2 running order in the MotoGP Thai Grand Prix as well. Starting on a wet track, Somkiat Chantra led the opening lap in his home Grand Prix. He could not hold onto it and crashed one circuit later, but still gave his countrymen a moment of pride by winning the pole.

Half points were awarded as the race went only eight laps before Tony Arbolino crossed under the checkers first with Filip Salac and Aron Canet rounding out the podium.

American Joe Roberts earned another top-10 in eighth with Sean Dylan Kelly finishing just outside the top 10 in 11th.

F1’s five rookies for 2013: What you need to know

Miguel Oliveira wins MotoGP Thai Grand Prix, Bagnaia closes to two points in championship

Read more about Motorsports