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Formula One – Australian Grand Prix Notes and Quotes

By April Neale Mar 17, 2013, 16:56 GMT

German Formula One driver Michael Schumacher of Mercedes AMG EPA/JOE CASTRO

Rewind time as Leigh Diffey (play-by-play), David Hobbs (analyst), Steve Matchett (analyst) and Will Buxton (on-site reporter) hosted NBC Sports Network’s coverage of the inaugural race of the 2013 Formula One™ season – the Australian Grand Prix from Melbourne.

Following are notes and quotes from this morning’s coverage:

Q3 COVERAGE

Hobbs on three-time defending champion and pole position winner Sebastian Vettel: “37 poles and this will be his 102nd start. That is absolutely mind blowing.”

Matchett on Red Bull: “A mind-blowing performance from the driver, mind-blowing performance from the team.”

PRE-RACE COVERAGE

Hobbs before the race: “Red Bull have been an absolute revelation again, locking up the front row.”

Matchett on tire durability: “It’s going to be a storyline that’s going to go right through the season, I’m sure. There’s no question about that.”

Diffey on Vettel’s success at a young age: “He has written himself right at the very top of F1’s history books.”

Diffey on Ferrari: “This time last year, there was a lot of head shaking and a lot of head scratching. I think Ferrari are feeling a lot more confident this year.”

RACE COVERAGE

Matchett: “A terrible start for (Mark) Webber.”

Buxton on Lewis Hamilton’s early-race struggles: “Perhaps he took just a little too much out of them in that all important qualifying session to get him up into P3, and it’s really costing him in the race now.”

Diffey on first pit stop during lap 5 of 58-lap race: “Already we’re talking about tire degradation being an issue.”

Matchett joking about Kimi Raikkonen’s personality: “He’s only asleep in a state of alertness.” [laughter]

Hobbs on Raikkonen: “He’s got fabulous natural car control. When you watch him behind the wheel, he’s got uncanny balance.”

Diffey on Raikkonen: “The ice man has been red hot today…Kimi Rakkonen – victorious in Australia to kick the season off.”