The 2013 Formula One season so far, ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix on Sunday:
Australian Grand Prix – March 17
Kimi Raikkonen upstaged the established order to claim a resounding victory for Lotus in the season-opener in Melbourne.
The Finn roared off from seventh on the grid and employed only a two-stop strategy to win from Ferrari‘s Fernando Alonso and Red Bull world champion Sebastian Vettel.
Alonso’s team-mate Felipe Massa of Brazil was fourth with Lewis Hamilton, making his Mercedes debut after his high-profile defection from McLaren, fifth.
Standings: Raikkonen 25 pts, Alonso 18, Vettel 15
Malaysian Grand Prix – March 24
Vettel incensed Webber and ignited a team orders row as he ignored Red Bull’s strict instructions and pulled off a risky overtaking move to snatch victory.
The German ace went wheel-to-wheel with Webber late in the race, earning a stern rebuke from team principal Christian Horner, before emerging in front and taking his 27th win, putting him on top of the early championship standings.
Third-placed Hamilton’s first podium for Mercedes was also tainted after team orders reining in team-mate Nico Rosberg.
Standings: Vettel 40, Raikkonen 31, Webber 26
Alonso stormed back after failing to finish in Malaysia to open his 2013 account ahead of Raikkonen and pole-sitter Hamilton. Vettel, who had set off from ninth on the grid, finished fourth.
Standings: Vettel 52, Raikkonen 49, Alonso 42
Bahrain Grand Prix – April 21
Vettel extended his lead in this year’s title race when he claimed an impressive victory for Red Bull in an incident-filled Bahrain Grand Prix.
It was the 25-year-old’s second win in four races and the 28th of his career.
It saw him pass Jackie Stewart into sixth in the all-time Grand Prix winning list.
Starting second, Vettel took the lead on lap three and then controlled the 57-lap race as he came home 9.1 seconds clear of Raikkonen.
Frenchman Romain Grosjean finished third in the second Lotus, as the Renault-powered team made the best of excellent tyre conservation.
Standings: Vettel 77, Raikkonen 67, Hamilton 50
Spanish Grand Prix – May 12
Alonso thrilled his massive home crowd with a dominant victory for Ferrari in a tactical race in which management of Pirelli’s ultra-quick wearing tyres was essential. The Spaniard’s second win of the season endorsed his challenge for a third title. Raikkonen took second with the other Ferrari driven by Massa in third, Vettel fourth and Mercedes pole-sitter Rosberg only sixth.
Standings: Vettel – 89, Raikkonen – 85, Alonso – 72
Monaco Grand Prix – May 26
Rosberg became the first son of a former Monaco Grand Prix winner to triumph on the streets of the Mediterranean principality when he drove his Mercedes to an accomplished victory.
In a chaotic race littered with accidents, a red flag and two Safety Car interventions, the 27-year-old German, son of 1983 victor and original ‘flying Finn’ Keke Rosberg, produced an impeccable and flawless race to claim the second win of his career.
He came home ahead of second placed Vettel and Webber, with Hamilton fourth.
Standings: Vettel – 107, Raikkonen – 86, Alonso – 78