Sebastian Vettel Once Destroyed F1 Viewership After Dominating the Sport With Red Bull

Sebastian Vettel Once Destroyed F1 Viewership After Dominating the Sport With Red Bull

Currently, neutral fans who watch F1 for the racing action are disappointed about the fact that Max Verstappen is dominating every single race. However, there was a time when Sebastian Vettel was considered to be the winner of the race even before it began.

Vettel’s dominant period with Red Bull lasted between 2010 and 2013, and it peaked towards the end of the last season. The German driver won nine consecutive races, in dominant fashion, which frustrated fans who were watching as a neutral or were supporting another driver.

As a result, F1 witnessed a 10% drop in viewership in 2013 compared to 2012, where other drivers like Fernando Alonso were involved in the title fight. As reported by Autosport, in 2012, the viewership count was 515 million, which plummeted to 450 million in 2013.

Verstappen may be dominating F1 races currently, with is upsetting a lot of fans. However, periods of dominance in the past too, were never uncommon. The likes of Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton, all had their eras in the sport, where they were considered near-untouchables because of their superiority.

The era of Dominance for Sebastian Vettel- 2010 to 2013

Rising up through the Red Bull ranks, Vettel was always considered to be one of the most talented young drivers in the sport, but he finally delivered what he promised in 2010. His title win that year made him the youngest world champion of all time at the age of 23 years and 144 days.

2010, however, was just the beginning. Vettel went on to win the title in the next three seasons as well, with his 2013 win being particularly dominant. His record of nine-consecutive race wins is the most of any driver in F1 history.

In 2014, however, Red Bull had a major performance slump, due to the onset of the turbo-hybrid era. This brought Vettel’s untouchable time to an end but provided the platform for an even more dominant period, this time in the form of Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton.

Max Verstappen under threat from Sergio Perez?

Red Bull may have the fastest car in F1 in 2023, but by no means is Max Verstappen coasting towards yet another title win- at least till now. Out of four races this year, the Dutchman has won only two, with his teammate Sergio Perez bagging the other two wins.

Perez has never been involved in a title battle in his F1 career, and the RB19 is arguably the fastest car he has ever driven. Rising up to Verstappen’s challenge, Perez is adamant that he won’t let his opportunity slip away.

Verstappen is currently P1 in the drivers’ championship standings with 93 points to his name. Perez, however, is close behind in P2, with 87 points.

 

Post Edited By: Somin Bhattacharjee
Lewis Hamilton Max Verstappen Red Bull Sebastian Vettel Sergio Perez

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Somin Bhattacharjee

Basketball Editor Somin Bhattacharjee first discovered the game during the 2014 FIBA World Cup. Not long after, he turned to the NBA and found himself drawn to the Golden State Warriors — right at the start of Stephen Curry’s rise. Over time, the admiration turned into full-blown support for the team, one that continues even as the Curry era approaches its twilight. A true hoophead, Somin also follows EuroLeague basketball closely and enjoys exploring the game beyond the NBA. Though holding a bachelor's degree in marketing, Somin discovered his true calling in writing. Since 2021, he has penned over 3,000 articles for TheSportsRush, covering everything from breaking news to sharp opinion pieces and detailed exclusives. He thrives on writing about in-game moments and the reactions that make basketball a uniquely emotional sport. Beyond basketball, Somin plays different sports including soccer and remains a passionate fan of Spanish football giants Real Madrid

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