Sebastian Vettel crowned youngest world champion at Abu Dhabi
Let’s be honest, no one thought Sebastian Vettel would emerge as Formula One world champion.
But that is exactly what happened at the finale of one of the most exciting seasons in Abu Dhabi, as the Red Bull driver, who was third in the standings behind leader Fernando Alonso and the other Red Bull of Mark Webber, overturned a 15 point deficit to clinch the title by four points.
He stormed to pole position in Saturday’s qualifying, and did all he had to do, leading the race from start to finish. Alonso started the race in third, but lost a position at the start to Jenson Button. With Webber behind Alonso, it was all he needed to become world champion, but when Nico Rosberg and Vitaly Petrov pitted during the safety car, Alonso also pitted to cover off Webber.
Ultimately, the early stop cost Alonso the championship, as he was tucked up behind Petrov in seventh position for the rest of the grand prix, and had to pass him, Rosberg and later on Robert Kubica in order to be world champion, but the Spaniard was unable to do so. It was Alonso’s crown to lose, and Ferrari got their strategy wrong, as they kept their eye on Webber and should’ve kept their eye on Vettel out in front.
Vettel crossed the finish line to take his fifth win of the season, but didn’t know what was happening, as Red Bull chose not to inform him of the situation. When the rest of the field finished the race, then Vettel was told he was world champion.
“I'm a bit speechless to be honest. It has been an incredible tough season for myself, for all of us, physically and mentally,” said Vettel, who at 23 years of age is now the sport’s youngest world champion.
“To come here, we were always believing in us, in the car and I kept believing in myself.
“I tried to avoid contact, just drive and do my own thing and try to win this race and do my best. We've lifted this championship were it matters,” Vettel added.
The German revealed he took inspiration from Kimi Räikkönen’s achievement back in 2007, where he found himself 17 points behind with 20 points available in the two remaining races to take the title by a point.
“Prior to the race I was thinking about Kimi's situation,” he said. “Whether you like Kimi or not - some people do, some people don't - but I faced a little bit of a similar situation. He proved us wrong, but the circumstances were special, the same as with me.”
Red Bull won the constructors’ championship in Brazil, and now they add the one that matters most, the drivers’ championship. To be fair to Vettel, he has set the pace all season, taking 10 pole positions with stunning laps and driving the wheels off his car, and should have wrapped up the championship earlier.
Alonso was set to become the youngest triple world champion if he won the title, but after a rollercoaster debut season for Ferrari, he is pleased with the way the season went, despite not winning the title. “I had said it over the past few days, but this is still a great season,” he said.
“There have been some very intense months, and I found myself in a team that has an amazing atmosphere. Now there is some sadness, but I am sure with a clear head we will begin to appreciate better what we have achieved,” added Alonso, who showed his frustrations towards Petrov at the end of the race by gesturing with his hands.
Despite being in a great position to win the championship having been 47 points adrift midway through the season, Alonso is thinking about next season already.
"We have to continue like that, staying united, determined, and we have to face next year with the same will to win. For next season we must improve the car and ensure the mistakes that all of us - the drivers and the team - have made during the year are not repeated,” said Alonso.
Alonso was quick to praise Vettel’s remarkable feat. “This is sport - sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. Congratulations to Red Bull and Sebastian but next year we will try again,” said Alonso, who has challenged for the world title in four of the last six seasons but has only been successful twice.
“It was very good, for me especially after two years of some difficulties, coming back to winning races, fighting for the championship. I'm sure with this team it is very possible to fight for championships in the future, so I am happy,” Alonso added.
Vettel will probably feel he deserves to be world champion this year, and throughout the season there have been five different leaders of the championship, but one of them wasn’t him.
He is the leader now when it matters the most.
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