Sebastian Vettel – 2010 World Champion
Sebastian Vettel has become the youngest ever Formula One World Champion after a dramatic climax to the 2010 season in Abu Dhabi. The 24 year old German stormed to victory with a faultless performance from pole position and broke down in tears on the podium as the realisation of his achievement began to sink in.
Only 32 people have ever earned the World Drivers’ Championship and the fact that Vettel has joined that exclusive group so early in his career is incredible. This success will be the first of many as it would seem Red Bull’s protégée has the potential to become one of the most successful Grand Prix drivers of all time.
2010 has not been an easy year for Vettel and this is evidenced by the fact that he never led the championship before Abu Dhabi. He registered more retirements than his nearest challengers and was only able to convert half of his pole positions into victories. Off track, he was criticised for his reactions to incidents in the Turkish and Hungarian Grands Prix and was seen by some as the beneficiary of unfair favouritism within his team.
However, Vettel troubles this year do not detract from the enormity of his achievement and his championship success is fully deserved. He may not be the most complete driver in Formula One but this year he was the fastest and, above anything else, raw speed is what Grand Prix racing is all about. It’s well worth noting that Sebastian had more luckless mechanical gremlins than his rivals in 2010 and without those he could have sealed the title with several races remaining.
The World Championship was rightly won by the driver who challenged for more race victories than anyone else.
This is the story of Sebastian Vettel’s incredible 2010 season through the words of the man himself. The following quotes offer a glimpse into Vettel’s competitive mindset, his sense of humour, the development of his rivalry with Mark Webber, and his feelings on becoming World Champion.
Preseason
“For sure, there’s only one target, to be one step closer than last year. I want to win the World Championship. If we’re considered the favourites, that’s fine. If not, then that’s also fine”
Bahrain Grand Prix
“We know that we have a great car, that we are very competitive, in qualifying and in the race. Until 16 laps before the chequered flag the race was 100 percent coming our way so we have to avoid issues and then we’re in a very good shape”
Australian Grand Prix
“It breaks my balls not to get the win but there’s still a long way to go in this Championship. We’re working hard to get on top the reliability issues and we hope to have a solid race and see the chequered flag in Malaysia”
Malaysian Grand Prix
“We are both trying to push and fight amongst ourselves but we have to keep the respect. If Mark had been in my position I’m sure he would have done the same”
Chinese Grand Prix
“I’m obviously not the oldest on the grid. At the moment, as I said, I’m enjoying what I’m doing a lot. I don’t know where we will be in five, ten years. At the moment, I would say hopefully in Formula One if teams sign me. You never know. Formula One changes quickly as does life, so things can change quickly”
Spanish Grand Prix
“I had a haircut. I saw Fernando had one too. I dropped more than he did, so I hope that our car will make a bigger step than his and we can stay ahead, so we have to see”
Monaco Grand Prix
“Every weekend is a new challenge. I think this weekend we did our optimum, it wasn’t enough to win, Mark was a little bit better. Maybe next time it might look different”
Turkish Grand Prix
“If you watch it on the TV you can see what happened. I’m not in the happiest of moods. I was on the inside going into the corner. I was there, I was ahead and focusing on the braking point and then we touched. Mark’s car hit my rear right wheel and I went off. There’s not much more to say”
Following the Turkish Grand Prix
“What we have been discussing internally is neither driver is favoured in any way. We go out and try to find out who is the better one like it should be”
Canadian Grand Prix
“It’s a close battle at the top of the table and, as we have seen, things can change very quickly. There is no reason to panic from our side, we have a very good car and we’re looking ahead to Valencia”
European Grand Prix
“Most important today is the fact that Mark had quite a big shunt and the fact he is fine. It shows the cars are safer and safer but shows there is still a risk. Some people miss the attraction, they say that F1 boring and that nothing happens compared to 30 years back, but on days like this you get reminded that the speeds are high and that when things go wrong, they can go spectacularly wrong”
British Grand Prix
“Your teammate is always the first person you want to beat because the same machinery is available, but there’s always a certain distance. We work together where we must work together, to promote the team and develop the car. Otherwise, everyone is focussed on themself and hopes to seek their own advantages”
Following the British Grand Prix
“I am obviously focused on myself but, especially with what has happened in the past, people have their opinions and I have mine”
German Grand Prix
“I’m happy where we are now as a team. Again, I can only repeat that from the outside there was more of a fuss made than there was inside. I can assure you that Mark and myself are always looking to do our best but on top of that, I think we understood many times this year that the team is the main priority and we are racing for the team, in the end. We don’t get our cheque from you guys, we get it from the team. I think that’s something we always have to respect”
Hungarian Grand Prix
“I did not understand inside the car what was happening and I still do not really understand why I did get a penalty. In the end I should have won. For some reason it did not happen and we finished third … Maybe you can argue that we did something wrong against the regulations but then I don’t know”
Belgian Grand Prix
“We should probably have more points. We have a saying, I don’t know if it makes any sense in English, but where I come from we say ‘if the dog wouldn’t have gone for a shit, he would have got the cat’ which is basically would, could, should. It’s all fine, but at the end of the day what matters are the points you have on the scoreboard”
Italian Grand Prix
“In Hungary I slept during the Safety Car and made a mistake, and again when I lost the car when overtaking Jenson. But I am open and honest enough to admit that. I’m not proud of it. But you can’t change anything except to try and ensure it doesn’t happen again. In the end, making a mistake makes you a better driver. I am someone who, after sleeping on things for a night, can look at everything positively”
Singapore Grand Prix
“We are Red Bull, we are in a unique position again this year and we are horny. Can you say that in English or does it not make too much sense?”
Japanese Grand Prix
“I love this circuit. It is always special to come here. The fans and I think the atmosphere for all of us is special. It is the first time I have won a grand prix for the second time, so I think ultimately you have to fall in love with this track”
Korean Grand Prix
“With Mark’s crash it was hard for us as a team, but when I look at myself I know the reason for the failure was not my fault, was nothing to do with my performance or speed”
Brazilian Grand Prix
“Red Bull entered Formula One and I was a small boy. I remember my first trip. I had just got my drivers’ licence and I drove to England, it was in 2005, to Milton Keynes and if I compare the place back then to now it is massive progress. I was a little boy. Someone showed me around and I was fascinated. Sparks in my eyes. Looking up to Formula One and now to be part of the team and part of the driver line-up to give them their first (constructors) championship is incredible”
Before the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
“The speed has been there all season and it hasn’t been the easiest season for myself. But we are still in the hunt, so that is good. We try our best”
After the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
“I don’t know what to say. I am still a bit empty. I can’t believe it. When I crossed the line I did not know if it was enough or not. All weekend I did not try to focus on the championship as the situation was pretty clear. We had to try to win this race, do our maximum and the rest was up to the others. I did the in-lap and just enjoyed it. Since I am a little kid I follow Formula One. Before the race I said to myself ‘look there are so many people coming here to Abu Dhabi to watch the race’. So many people thrilled about this race about to take place, watching the World Championship decision and to find out who is going to win it. Just to be part of that race and part of that fight, to be one of the four, I was feeling extremely proud, happy. I don’t want to sound philosophical but we travel so much all year and we get to see so many places, different people, and I was just feeling extremely happy with myself as I can do something I really love. People keep saying we are not doing too bad and I am able to enjoy it. I said to myself ‘no matter what happens it has been a good season’ with all the trouble we had and things slowing us down and taking points away from us. Then crossing that line. I was already thinking… I was tempted to watch the screens but I didn’t as my engineer, the last 10 laps, kept telling me all sorts of things, the gaps and pace. Partly I asked for it, to know where I am. But things I have to watch out for which is fine but I think in none of these 19 races he has been so alive in the last 10 laps. I was already thinking ‘what is going on?’ and I was seeing sometimes on the screen Lewis behind the Renault and also I think it was Alonso and Ferrari behind the Renault. But then I just tried to forget and kept driving and focused on myself. As I said the in-lap and just now, the whole podium ceremony and coming here. It kind of sinks in, but it is still not. I don’t know what is best to say to be honest. Extremely proud. We have one guy in the team who knows all the World Champions every year since 1950. Just ask him the year and he gives you the World Champion. To be on that list now with drivers like Senna, Michael, those two guys, I mean I don’t know”