Patrick O’Brien’s Grand Prix Rating System: The Gap: Explanatory Chapters 1894-2013

The 2013 Formula One season was dominated by the Vettel/ Red Bull-Renault package, which won 13 of the 19 races. Many reckon that Vettel is one of the great drivers. Some however argue that Vettel was fortunate in having the fastest car, the Red Bull-Renault. Just how good was Vettel compared with his peers? This publication compares grand prix and Formula One drivers, cars and packages in simple arithmetic terms. My study found that all that matters in assessing competitiveness in grand prix racing is ’the gap’; that is, the time intervals between competitors. For the first time the driver has been separated from the car and each is expressed as separate performance elements that make up the performance package. Just how much current four-time champion Vettel contributes to the Red Bull-Renault’s recent dominance is explained and quantified. My analysis starts from the first car race in 1894, from Paris to Rouen, and includes over 1,200 grand prix races. The Patrick O’Brien Grand Prix Rating System is divided into 17 volumes, one for each decade since racing’s inception in 1894 (up till 2016) plus three further analytical volumes.