Ecclestone predicts end of Vettel era in 2014

Formula One chief Bernie Ecclestone has predicted that the dominance of Red Bull star Sebastian Vettel in the sport may end as early as next year.

The triple-time world German champion has won his third straight Singapore Grand Prix to close in on his fourth World Championship

However, the Courier Mail reports that the F1 president and CEO said that Vettel's domination may soon be over, even as early as 2014, with the emergence of new cars, new rules and new engines.

The report mentioned that 2014 would see the introduction of sweeping changes to the sport's technical regulations for the first time since 2009, with Ecclestone saying that it will be the chance for Ferrari and Mercedes to catch up with Vettel and adding that next year, the best car might win the title instead of the best driver.

According to Ecclestone, the taunts that have met Vettel's past two race wins in Italy and Singapore were not due to him as a person, but due to his dominance, adding that Vettel is as dominant as former stars Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher in certain periods and does not give Ferrari's Fernando Alonso and Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton a chance.

Vettel has won the past three GPs and seven in total this season - more than half the races - and leads Alonso by 60 points in the standings, with the Spaniard another 36 points clear of third-placed Hamilton, the report added.