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LONDON, England - Red Bull and its driver Sebastian Vettel are cantering to F1's 2013 titles so the most important thing left is the battle for second in the Constructors' championship - and the millions it means.
Way behind the Red Bull express, grandee teams Ferrari, Mercedes and Lotus are all separated by just 30 points. Their battle is worth many millions in income distributed by F1's commercial-right holders and at the centre of that battle is Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton - but he has already turned his real attention beyond November's season finale.
Asked what he was looking forward to most in 2013 now, Hamilton admitted in Japan: "Christmas."
ALL OVER?
For the fans, it's a similar story. Perhaps Vettel's march into the record books will stimulate their interest. For instance, the German has just won five grands prix on the trot. Not even Michael Schumacher won more than seven in a row.
If Vettel wins in India - sealing his title - and then Abu Dhabi, Austin and Interlagos, it will match Alberto Ascari's 60-year-old record. He would also equal Schumacher's record of 13 wins in one season.
Hamilton thinks he could do it: "If he doesn't have any reliability issues most likely he will. He's just walking it."
And, like Hamilton's impatient wait for Christmas, Lotus boss Eric Boullier also gave a sickly smile when asked which of the remaining races he was targeting for a win. "Winter testing!" the Frenchman replied.
Including 2013, Red Bull has won the four Drivers' and Constructors' championships. McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh said on Sunday in Japan that success had been powered by "a lot of money". Whitmarsh said: "It's a very important factor."
'TOO SIMPLISTIC'
Boullier told Speed Week: "I would guess teams such as Red Bull and Ferrari spend the equivalent of between R3.3-billion and R4-billion. At Marussia it's maybe the equivalent of R806-million but to be competitive you can hardly have less than about R1.6 million."
Former Mercedes boss Norbert Haug, however said it was too simplistic to say Vettel was just driving the most expensive F1 car to easy victory in F1. Haug said on German TV: "He is clearly the best. He works the hardest, is involved the least in politics and he takes care of his mechanics.
"Even if you have the most money, the F1 title is not just mailed to you."
Stay with Wheels24 for the 2013 F1 season – fresh reports every day.
Way behind the Red Bull express, grandee teams Ferrari, Mercedes and Lotus are all separated by just 30 points. Their battle is worth many millions in income distributed by F1's commercial-right holders and at the centre of that battle is Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton - but he has already turned his real attention beyond November's season finale.
Asked what he was looking forward to most in 2013 now, Hamilton admitted in Japan: "Christmas."
ALL OVER?
For the fans, it's a similar story. Perhaps Vettel's march into the record books will stimulate their interest. For instance, the German has just won five grands prix on the trot. Not even Michael Schumacher won more than seven in a row.
If Vettel wins in India - sealing his title - and then Abu Dhabi, Austin and Interlagos, it will match Alberto Ascari's 60-year-old record. He would also equal Schumacher's record of 13 wins in one season.
Hamilton thinks he could do it: "If he doesn't have any reliability issues most likely he will. He's just walking it."
And, like Hamilton's impatient wait for Christmas, Lotus boss Eric Boullier also gave a sickly smile when asked which of the remaining races he was targeting for a win. "Winter testing!" the Frenchman replied.
Including 2013, Red Bull has won the four Drivers' and Constructors' championships. McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh said on Sunday in Japan that success had been powered by "a lot of money". Whitmarsh said: "It's a very important factor."
'TOO SIMPLISTIC'
Boullier told Speed Week: "I would guess teams such as Red Bull and Ferrari spend the equivalent of between R3.3-billion and R4-billion. At Marussia it's maybe the equivalent of R806-million but to be competitive you can hardly have less than about R1.6 million."
Former Mercedes boss Norbert Haug, however said it was too simplistic to say Vettel was just driving the most expensive F1 car to easy victory in F1. Haug said on German TV: "He is clearly the best. He works the hardest, is involved the least in politics and he takes care of his mechanics.
"Even if you have the most money, the F1 title is not just mailed to you."
Stay with Wheels24 for the 2013 F1 season – fresh reports every day.