Jenson Button took his third win of the season at yesterday’s Japanese Grand Prix, leading home Fernando Alonso and – as if it was ever in doubt – record-breaking double world champion Sebastian Vettel. Though he did well to cover a move from Button off the line, Vettel was eventually leap-frogged after the second round of pit stops, with his Red Bull failing to cope as well as the McLarens and Ferraris with the tyre-punishing twists of Suzuka. Mark Webber finished fourth, just ahead of Lewis Hamilton, who brought out the safety car on lap 25 following yet another tangle with Felipe Massa, which took a chunk out of the Brazilian’s front wing. Michael Schumacher enjoyed another strong race to finish a solid sixth, while Felipe Massa, Sergio Perez, Vitaly Petrov and Nico Rosberg also picked up some points.
So that’s that – Sebastian Vettel is Formula One’s youngest ever double world champion, and the first man to pick up the title with four races to spare since Michael Schumacher in 2004.
Feels sort of anti-climactic, doesn’t it? Given that most of his rivals had given up on the season by the half-way point, they really should’ve handed Vettel the trophy back in Germany. That’s not to say that a dominant, one-sided season can’t be a spectacle – they’ll be talking about that four-hour epic in Canada, if nothing else, for decades to come – it’s just hard to get excited about something that’s looked inevitable for months.
Still, what is exciting is that we now know the identity of this era’s first legendary driver. And, as sick as we are about the fact that he doesn’t have a Union Jack on his helmet, thinking about the lad’s potential is seriously dizzying. Since his debut in 2007, he’s won 19 races, been on pole 27 times and amassed a fortune that doesn’t even bear thinking about – all before his 25th birthday. At Vettel’s age, Ayrton Senna was in his rookie year, and we were still living with our mum.
So, how long can Sebastian Vettel keep on winning? Assuming he’s got another decade of his career left to run, we’d happily put money on another three world titles. It’s unlikely any of them will be as easy as the infamous cakewalk of 2011 but still, we’re going to stick our neck out and say that this young guy from Heppenheim has just put himself in the position to become one of the all-time greats of his sport.
Of course, there’s always the chance he’ll do a Fernando Alonso and spend the next five years getting shown up by the latest rookies. But it’s been a long time since Formula One has had a hero so consistent, so level-headed and so damn fast as Sebastian Vettel, and something tells us that the domination is only just beginning.
What do you reckon? How many more titles can Vettel win? Here’s how they finished:
1. Jenson Button
2. Fernando Alonso
3. Sebastian Vettel
4. Mark Webber
5. Lewis Hamilton
6. Michael Schumacher
7. Felipe Massa
8. Sergio Perez
9. Vitaly Petrov
10. Nico Rosberg
11. Adrian Sutil
12. Paul Di Resta
13. Kamui Kobayashi
14. Pastor Maldonado
15. Jaime Alguersuari
16. Bruno Senna
17. Rubens Barrichello
18. Heikki Kovalainen
19. Jarno Trulli
20. Timo Glock
21. Jerome d’Ambrosio
22. Daniel Ricciardo
23. Vitantonio Liuzzi
24. Sebastien Buemi (DNF)
Vettel has his head screwed on, and rarely makes errors. He can win another 3-4 titles, provided he has the car.
Next year should be exciting with at least 4 world champions at the front of the grid. If Renault can get their act together (and Kubica can miraculously return to form), maybe Mercedes too, it would fantastic to see a five-way fight for the title among the constructors.
This year’s outcome has been inevitable, but the races have still been exciting to watch.
I agree i think though that the FIA should make sure all cars complie with the rules there is clearly a diffrence in the teams and this need to be rectified for more exciting racing. For example i highly doubt Red Bull are opperating in the guidlines there cars have been clearly faster even when hamperd by technical difficulties. This displays that the racing is fixed and therefore no one deserves the title because it is saying that a few cars are being favoured and takes away the meaning off the word.
Look i’m not saying Seb didn’t deserve the title he did he was the best end of story. What i am saying is next year all cars should be overhauled by the govening body to ensure that they all complie within the rules. They say money talks and bullshit walks i say let there be an even slice off pie for all so we can all enjoy what it has to offer.
Can Vettel say SQUIRREL?
Speedy then your heading down the road of control engines,there cant be a control engine in f1,can there..
A1 tried it and look what happened to that..
Its just a matter of cubic dollars!!
Seb did drive damn well,but f1 will get very dull if he does a ms.
Yeah black dog but that takes the spirt of sport away when there is no compertition it’s why AFL is such a good game, sallary caps and bottom teams getting top picks keeps every team on about par and keep things closer. Look at English Premier League thats the most boring sport on the planet. They all have great skill and athletsim but the same teams win all the time and thats boring either you bring up the other teams which is not going to happen or you start evening out the comp either way if you want people to watch you have to give them a reason.
Proof is in the pudding on this one how many people have blogged about the F1 3 by this count. Look at the Super V8 they are more even and they get heaps off talk why not because it’s Australian every team has a even chance off winning. Which makes it more exciting face it F1 is fast but boring no one wants to see the same team win every time theres just no point watching when it’s like that.
Before you say what about the rest off the world they watch F1 yes but if you look at per population per capiter and asked how many people watched it would be very mineute.
OHH YEAH BABY…thats waht im talkin about. Ya all hearin me Heh? Who da MAN? SEB DA MAN!
Speed Demon you are crazy, ohh yeah! You heard me babe. you carazy
Almost forgot…hehe, What happened to Webber? muahahahahahahahahahahaha hahahahahahahahahahahamua