Vettel hails ‘fantastic’ year as he gains membership into elite club

After nine wins and finishing runner-up on four occasions ahead of yesterday’s Japanese Grand Prix, Vettel could only manage third behind Jenson Button who has now chalked up a hat-trick of victories for McLaren this season.

It was not the result Vettel had been hoping for, but, as he only required one point in this race, he actually managed to claim 14 more than was needed.

Unsurprisingly, the champagne flowed in the Red Bull Suzuka paddock home where the team members wore commemorative T-shirts proclaiming the 24-year-old German’s feat as the 2011 champion.

More importantly, Vettel is the youngest driver to win back-to-back titles, eclipsing the mark set by Fernando Alonso in 2006 by a few days short of a year.

Vettel also joins an elite club that is now nine strong in winning in consecutive years, his name alongside some of the greats in Alberto Ascari, Juan Manuel Fangio, Jack Brabham, Alain Prost, Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher, Mika Hakkinen and Alonso.

Asked to sum up his feelings, Vettel began by admitting it was difficult to know where to start, before delivering a three-minute soliloquy.

As for the more salient points of his speech, he said: “We have had a fantastic year, and the good thing is it is not over yet.

“This was a phenomenal, strong result again today, and to win the championship here is fantastic.

“There are so many things I want to say, but it’s hard to remember all of them.

“I am just so thankful to everyone in the team... pushing hard to build two cars, to fight for a lot of points and to fight for the championship.

“We put ourselves in a very, very strong position and it is great to achieve the goal we set ourselves going into this year already.”

Vettel did single out one person for a special mention – trainer Tommi Parmakoski, with whom he has spent most of his time this year.

“He is the one who did not allow me, at any stage this year, to lose my grip, to start to fly, or think about things not in our control,” added Vettel.

“This year we have always been just this one step ahead, and it is down to people like Tommi and other individuals.

“Every single one (in the team) has pushed more than 100 per cent to do his job and keep us on the right track.

“There is no secret – you just take it step by step, and I could not have done it alone.

“I have needed all the support I could get from the team, from Mark (Webber), from everyone outside the team working for me.”

Naturally, such a triumph took the edge off Button’s superb day, in particular given his connections with Japan – his second home as he has described it – through girlfriend Jessica Michibata.

After parking up at the end of the pit straight and standing on top of his car to take the acclaim from the crowd, it left Button with a long run past the garages to the podium where his celebrations were slightly more mooted.

But with so much focus on Japan following the earthquake that took place in March, killing more than 15,000 people, the win was a poignant one for the 31-year-old Briton.

“This circuit is very special to all of us,” said Button. “We love this place, so to get a victory here in front of such an amazing Japanese crowd really does mean a lot.

“I need to say big thanks to the team for the improvements we’ve had over the last few races, and today they have been impeccable.

“So congratulations to them, congratulations to the fans - I think we put on a good show for them today.

“But it should be Seb we talk about as this guy has done a great job this year.

“However hard we have tried, we haven’t been able to touch him in a lot of races, so congratulations to him too.”

Alonso sandwiched the duo, with the podium trio separated by just two seconds come the end of the 53-lap race, with Webber fourth and Lewis Hamilton a dejected fifth in his McLaren.

A slow puncture early on compromised Hamilton’s race which also included another collision with Ferrari’s Felipe Massa, who was seventh behind Michael Schumacher in his Mercedes.

The race left Vettel 114 points clear of Button with only 100 available, whilst Red Bull are poised to clinch consecutive constructors’ titles as they lead McLaren by 130 points.

Afterwards, Red Bull team boss Christian Horner believes McLaren counterpart Martin Whitmarsh had been made to eat his words after watching Vettel make Formula 1history.

Following last season’s Belgian Grand Prix, a furious Whitmarsh described Vettel as “the crash kid” after he took Button out of the race by spearing into the McLaren.

It was among a number of high-profile crashes that blotted Vettel’s copybook en route to claiming his maiden championship at the death in Abu Dhabi.

This season, however, Vettel has been almost perfect, with the only surprise yesterday being that he could only manage third at Suzuka.

Asked as to how far Vettel has come on since Whitmarsh’s crash-kid comment, Horner said: “He’s had to eat those words this year, hasn’t he?

“Sebastian has just benefited from more experience and the level that he has operated at has been phenomenal this year.

“He really has raised the bar this time around.

“He’s come into the year as the reigning world champion and he’s performed like a true world champion.

“He really has risen to the challenge, driven absolutely impeccably this year, and it’s been a pleasure to see.”

As far as Horner is concerned, Vettel learned the lessons from last year and eradicated all the niggles.

“There were little things last year, but there were three race wins that were definitely taken away from him through mechanical issues,” added Horner.

“Whereas this year the level he has demonstrated, not just on a Saturday, but on a Sunday as well...

“If you think back to the race in Barcelona where he was under acute pressure, and then in Monaco where he was under monumental pressure. That was an absolute standout drive for me this year.

“Then in Italy, you think of his passing move on (Fernando) Alonso to win the race in very dominant fashion there.

“He’s been in absolutely fantastic form, and he’s maintained a continually high level for 12 months now.

“He thoroughly deserves this championship victory, which he has dominated since the first race in Melbourne.

“It’s the culmination of a lot of hard work and teamwork, and he can be very proud of what he’s achieved.”

For his part, Whitmarsh was happy to hold his hands up and acknowledge Vettel’s performance this season.

“I’ll eat them,” said Whitmarsh of his words on Vettel last year.

However, he added: “At the time he had a car he should have easily won the title with, and quite early, but it went down to the wire, and ultimately he was quite lucky to win it.

“But I have said, and I’ll say again, I think Sebastian has driven fantastically this year – he deserves this year’s championship.”