Sebastian Vettel Wins His Tenth Race of The Season at Korea
Red Bull Racing keeps on popping champagne bottles in Asia: two Sundays ago with the celebration of the World Drivers’s Championship clinched by the German, and this past weekend after the World Driver’s Championship was won. Far from relaxing after clinching his the World Drivers’ Championship at Japan on October 9, and becoming the youngest driver in Formula 1 history to win two titles in a row, Sebastian Vettel demonstrated at the Korean Grand Prix held last Sunday in South Korea that his thirst for glory wasn’t quenched yet. The 24-year-old German driver, who qualified in second place, wanted to win his tenth race of the season there, and since lap 1 he snatched No. 1 from McLaren’s British driver Lewis Hamilton, position that he defended until the end without setbacks. With this victory Vettel reached 349 points that combined with his teammate Mark Webber’s 209 pts, who finished in third place at Korea, secured Red Bull Racing’s second World Constructor’s title in a row, which confirms their hegemony in the F1. For the 35-year-old Australian driver this title is “a massive thing,” but he didn’t hide his disappointment for not finishing in second place. While for the German it was “good to see that the whole team keeps on pushing.” Vettel is only three victories away from tying Michael Shumacher’s record for most wins in a season with 13, set in 2004 after 18 races. And only two pole positions are keeping him from matching the all time record signed by Nigel Mansell in 1992 with 14 poles in 16 races.
Therefore don’t expect the German to slow down his pace during the last three events of the years, because despite having won all the titles in dispute with Red Bull, he still has an ego to feed. A good example of his ambition was seen during the last lap at Yeongam on Sunday, when he pushed his car to the limit in order to sign his second fastest lap of the season after the one achieved at the European Grand Prix on June. Risking at the end of a race that he had controlled was “really stupid,” like Vettel himself admitted, but he then explained that it had to do “with the ego because there are no more points.” Therefore don’t expect any less that his best effort in India, Abu Dhabi and Brazil. Getting ready for India The Indian Gran Prix will be held on October 30 at the Buddh International Circuit, and will become the first F1 event to take place on the Indian Subcontinent. There the battle for No. 2 will live another epic chapter, since only 26 points separate those competing for that position: British Jenson Button from McLaren has 222 points, followed by Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso with 212 pts, Webber with 209 pts and Hamilton with 196 pts. Like Vettel these four drivers are also fueled by their egos, which guarantees a good show for the inaugural event at Buddh International Circuit that already “has full support from the government and the sports ministry,” according to the organizers: Jaypee Sports International.