Who is better off? 2013 vs 2014 F1 points comparison

By Apr 21, 2014, 10:00 AM EDT
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After the first four rounds of the 2013 Formula 1 season, the stage appeared to be set for a tight championship battle. Sebastian Vettel led the way with two wins, but Kimi Raikkonen – who was the surprise victor in Australia – trailed by just 10 points. Fernando Alonso had also claimed a win and was waiting in the wings, whilst Lewis Hamilton had made a great start at Mercedes and sat third in the championship. Of course, we all know what happened from then on…

What a difference 12 months makes. The championship has been turned on its head, and we are now staring down the barrel of a season of Mercedes dominance that could make Red Bull’s exploits look tame.

In order to put how much has changed into perspective, let’s take a look at how the current scores stand up against the tallies from the first four rounds of the 2013 season.

2013 VS 2014 – POINTS COMPARISON AFTER FOUR RACES

THE WINNERS

Nico Rosberg, Mercedes
2013: 14 points. 2014: 79 points. Difference: +65
Of the entire grid, Rosberg has made the biggest gain over last season. One win and three second places has given him the championship lead, but his teammate is in hot pursuit.

Nico Hulkenberg, Force India
2013: 5 points. 2014: 36 points. Difference: +31
The other German Nico has also made a great start after leaving Sauber to return to Force India. He still inexplicably lacks that maiden podium, but surely this is the year for Hulkenberg. He finally looks at home with the Indian team.

Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
2013: 50 points. 2014: 75 points. Difference: +25
His start to 2013 was by no means bad, it’s just this year has been better. Three imperious wins has given him 75 points, and had it not been for a DNF in Australia, it could easily have been the maximum 100.

Valtteri Bottas, Williams
2013: 0 points. 2014: 24 points. Difference: +24
What a difference a year makes. Bottas’ F1 career started in quiet fashion thanks to the lackluster FW35 car, but he has now proven just how good he is. In fact, 24 points actually short changes the Finn given his great races.

Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull
2013: 6 points. 2014: 24 points. Difference: +18
Perhaps it’s unfair to compare Red Bull with Toro Rosso, but Ricciardo has still made a huge step up. Two fourth place finishes, like Bottas, leaves him short. Factor in the 30 points lost in Australia and Malaysia, and he’s got a very good return indeed.

Jenson Button, McLaren
2013: 13 points. 2014: 23 points. Difference: +10
JB struggled in 2013 with the troublesome MP4-28 car, but he has ran better so far this year. However, it’s not the seismic step forwards that many at McLaren expected, having scored just 8 points since Australia.

Sergio Perez, Force India
2013: 10 points. 2014: 18 points. Difference: +8
Same as Button. Rubbish car last year, a bit better this year. Was unfortunate to not start in Malaysia.

Jean-Eric Vergne, Toro Rosso
2013: 1 point. 2014: 4 points. Difference +3
A minimal increase for Vergne, who must be feeling worried with Carlos Sainz Jr. and Antonio Felix da Costa eyeing his seat.

THE LOSERS

Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari
2013: 67 points. 2014: 11 points. Difference: -56
Probably the most surprising statistic from the first four races. The Finn appears to be struggling with the new regulations and the Ferrari F14 T; a far cry from his win and two second places at the start of last year.

Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull
2013: 77 points. 2014: 33 points. Difference: -44
Frankly, 33 points is still a remarkable haul for Red Bull considering where the team was during pre-season. Still looking decidedly average, and sounded like a troublesome kid in kindergarten in China.

Romain Grosjean, Lotus
2013: 26 points. 2014: 0 points. Difference: -26
It’s a dire situation at Lotus, meaning Grosjean has stood little chance of scoring any points in the first four races as he did last year. Progress is being made, though, as he was set for points in China before retiring.

Felipe Massa, Williams
2013: 30 points. 2014: 12 points. Difference: -18
Another weird stat, given that he’s in a quicker car than before and also under less pressure. Some bad luck in Australia, Bahrain and China hasn’t helped, though. Probably deserves more.

Adrian Sutil, Sauber
2013: 6 points. 2014: 0 points. Difference: -6
Three straight retirements for Sutil, but it’s not like he would have made the top ten anyway.

Fernando Alonso, Ferrari
2013: 47 points. 2014: 41 points. Difference: -6
Not much in this one for Alonso. He scored 43 in the first four races of 2012, so it’s a pretty regular start. Similar story, too: car isn’t quick enough, but he still makes it work. Great result in China with P3.

ALL THE SAME

Esteban Gutierrez, Max Chilton, Jules Bianchi and Pastor Maldonado have all broken even. That said, they couldn’t lose any points. Zero in 2013, zero in 2014.

Here’s a full table of the comparison for all you F1 stat lovers out there. It’s not just me, right?

Ford unveils a new Mustang for 2024 Le Mans in motorsports ‘lifestyle brand’ retooling

Associated PressJun 9, 2023, 7:00 PM EDT
Ford Mustang Le Mans
Ford Performance
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LE MANS, France — Ford has planned a return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans with its iconic Mustang muscle car next year under a massive rebranding of Ford Performance aimed at bringing the automotive manufacturer “into the racing business.”

The Friday unveil of the new Mustang Dark Horse-based race car follows Ford’s announcement in February (and a ballyhooed test at Sebring in March) that it will return to Formula One in 2026 in partnership with reigning world champion Red Bull.

The Mustang will enter the GT3 category next year with at least two cars in both IMSA and the World Endurance Championship, and is hopeful to earn an invitation to next year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans. The IMSA entries will be a factory Ford Performance program run by Multimatic, and a customer program in WEC with Proton Competition.

Ford CEO Jim Farley, also an amateur sports car racer, told The Associated Press the Mustang will be available to compete in various GT3 series across the globe to customer teams. But more important, Farley said, is the overall rebranding of Ford Performance – done by renowned motorsports designer Troy Lee – that is aimed at making Ford a lifestyle brand with a sporting mindset.

“It’s kind of like the company finding its own, and rediscovering its icons, and doubling down on them,” Farley told the AP. “And then this motorsports activity is getting serious about connecting enthusiast customers with those rediscovered icons. It’s a big switch for the company – this is really about building strong, iconic vehicles with enthusiasts at the center of our marketing.”

Ford last competed in sports car racing in 2019 as part of a three-year program with Chip Ganassi Racing. The team scored the class win at Le Mans in 2016 in a targeted performance aimed to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Ford snapping Ferrari’s six-year winning streak.

Ford on Friday displayed a Mustang with a Lee-designed livery that showcased the cleaner, simplified look that will soon be featured on all its racing vehicles. The traditional blue oval with Ford Performance in white lettering underneath will now be branded simply FP.

The new mark will be used across car liveries, merchandise and apparel, display assets, parts and accessories and in advertising.

Farley cited Porsche as an automaker that has successfully figured out how to sell cars to consumers and race cars in various series around the world while creating a culture of brand enthusiasts. He believes Ford’s new direction will help the company sell street cars, race cars, boost interest in driving schools, and create a merchandise line that convinces consumers that a stalwart of American automakers is a hip, cool brand.

“We’re going to build a global motorsports business off road and on road,” Farley told the AP, adding that the design of the Mustang is “unapologetically American.”

He lauded the work of Lee, who is considered the top helmet designer among race car drivers.

“We’re in the first inning of a nine inning game, and going to Le Mans is really important,” Farley said. “But for customer cars, getting the graphics right, designing race cars that win at all different levels, and then designing a racing brand for Ford Performance that gets rebranded and elevated is super important.”

He said he’s kept a close eye on how Porsche and Aston Martin have built their motorsports businesses and said Ford will be better.

“We’re going in the exact same direction. We just want to be better than them, that’s all,” Farley said. “Second is the first loser.”

Farley, an avid amateur racer himself, did not travel to Le Mans for the announcement. The race that begins Saturday features an entry from NASCAR, and Ford is the reigning Cup Series champion with Joey Logano and Team Penske.

The NASCAR “Garage 56” entry is a collaboration between Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet and Goodyear, and is being widely celebrated throughout the industry. Farley did feel left out of the party in France – a sentiment NASCAR tried to avoid by inviting many of its partners to attend the race so that it wouldn’t seem like a Chevrolet-only celebration.

“They’re going right and I’m going left – that NASCAR thing is a one-year deal, right? It’s Garage 56 and they can have their NASCAR party, but that’s a one-year party,” Farley said. “We won Le Mans outright four times, we won in the GT class, and we’re coming back with Mustang and it’s not a one-year deal.

“So they can get all excited about Garage 56. I almost see that as a marketing exercise for NASCAR, but for me, that’s a science project,” Farley continued. “I don’t live in a world of science projects. I live in the world of building a vital company that everyone is excited about. To do that, we’re not going to do a Garage 56 – I’ve got to beat Porsche and Aston Martin and Ferrari year after year after year.”

Ford’s announcement comes on the heels of General Motors changing its GT3 strategy next season and ending its factory Corvette program. GM, which unlike Ford competes in the IMSA Grand Touring Prototype division (with its Cadillac brand), will shift fully to a customer model for Corvettes in 2024 (with some factory support in the IMSA GTD Pro category).