FORMULA 1. Sebastian Vettel won his third Formula One Drivers’ World Championship in a dramatic Brazilian GP. In the end, he beat Fernando Alonso to the title by just three points after the Spaniard finished second behind race winner Jenson Button.

Sebastian Vettel of Germany and Red Bull Racing drives during the final practice session prior to qualifying for the Brazilian Formula One Grand Prix at the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace on November 24, 2012 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Photo Credit: Getty Images/Red Bull

Vettel went into the race in the better position, starting from fourth behind team-mate Mark Webber and the front-row McLaren pairing of pole winner Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button. Alonso, by contrast was down in seventh.
 
However, the tables were turned just after the start, which took place in light drizzle. Alonso surged forward to battle with the leading McLaren drivers but Vettel was caught in a funnel of cars into Turn Four and was hit hard by Williams’ Bruno Senna.

Sebastian Vettel drives on his way to finishing in sixth position and clinching the drivers world championship during the Brazilian Formula One Grand Prix at the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace in Sao Paulo, Brazil on November 25th, 2012. Photo Credit: Getty Images/Red Bull

He was pitched into a spin and shipped heavy damage to his left-hand sidepod. Remarkably he was able to carry on, though he was rooted to the back of the field.
 
Not to be denied, he began a fightback that saw him climb to seventh place by lap eight.
 
Ahead, Alonso was doing what was needed to get him into title contention. To have any chance to taking his third title the Spaniard needed to score a podium finish and he quickly muscled his way through to third.
 
After doing all that good work, however, he lost the place to a hard-charging Nico Hulkenberg who was thriving in the tricky conditions.
 
As the weather worsened, everyone bar Button and Hulkenberg dived for the pits to take on intermediates and the courage the pair displayed in riding out the storm soon saw them establish a massive advantage.

On lap 19 Hulkenberg did the unthinkable and beat Button at his own game of wet weather tyre mastery. The German pounced into Turn One and passed through the Senna S. It looked like the Force India driver might be on course for his and the team’s first victory in his last outing for the Silverstone squad.
 
In the title battle, things were becoming even more complicated for Vettel. Lacking pace, he found himself embroiled in a messy fight with Sauber’s Kamui Kobayashi and, as the safety car came out so that debris could be removed from the track, the German found himself with no radio communication back to the pitwall.

Team mates celebrate as Sebastian Vettel of Germany and Red Bull Racing crosses the line to finish in sixth position and clinch the drivers world championship during the Brazilian Formula One Grand Prix at the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace on November 25, 2012 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Photo Credit: Getty Images/Red Bull

Hulkenberg made a mistake to let Hamilton through to the lead and in attempt to fight back, the German then collided with the McLaren into Turn One, bringing Hamilton’s final race for the team to an emotional end.
 
The Force India driver was hit with a drive through-penalty for causing the collisions and slipped down the field.
 
That put Alonso third, with team-mate Felipe Massa second. The Brazilian waved Alonso through with 10 laps to go.
 
Vettel, meanwhile, was seventh, which gave him the championship, but he pushed on to eventually brush past Michael Schumacher and seal sixth and the championship, finishing the last laps under the safety car that appeared when Paul Di Resta hit the wall two laps from home.

By Justin Hynes
RedBull.com
25 November 2012

Formula Vettel - It's a one-two-three!

Sebastian Vettel takes his third drivers' title after an extraordinary wet-dry Brazilian Grand Prix. Now Vettel and Webber return to the Red Bull Racing factory in Milton Keynes, UK to celebrate the triple double Championship with the team. News Cut available.

Sebastian Vettel (C) of Germany and Red Bull Racing celebrates with Red Bull Racing Chief Technical Officer Adrian Newey (L) and Team Principal Christian Horner (R) on the podium as he finishes in sixth position and clinches his third consecutive drivers world championship during the Brazilian Formula One Grand Prix at the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace on November 25, 2012 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Photo Credit: Getty Images/Red Bull

Car 1 Sebastian Vettel, Finish Position: 6th, Start Position: 4th

“It’s difficult to imagine what goes through my head now, I am so full of adrenalin. It was an incredible race, everything that could have happened to make it more difficult for us today, happened! I got turned around in Turn 4 for no reason and was heading the wrong way; so I had to get straight and was lucky no one hit me. The car was damaged and we lost speed in straights, even more as it dried up, but fortunately it started to rain again. All weekend people tried to push us in a certain direction and said if it rained it would be harder for us, but we have proven today that we like rain conditions as much as the dry. I am very, very happy. The most important thing throughout the season is that we kept pushing and remained ourselves. We just try to do our thing and stick to the route that we know and that’s what made the difference. Some people try to play games, but we never get distracted, we keep going our way. Everyone at Milton Keynes and here at the circuit, they are always pushing so hard and we really stepped up our game in the second half of the season. I would like to thank everyone in the team and at Renault. There’s no one in this team that feels more important than any one else, we all push together, alongside each other, it’s one big force and I’m very proud of that. It’s unreal what has happened. To win a third title, especially here where one of my heroes Ayrton Senna was from, it’s difficult to put into words. I was crying in the car but my radio wasn’t working, so I’m maybe happy for that! Tomorrow I can probably say more, but now I just don’t have the right words.”

Car 2 Mark Webber, Finish Position: 4th, Start Position: 3rd

“The race lived up to expectations today and the conditions were obviously very tricky for all of us. We weren't particularly strong today pace wise and both Seb and I were pretty vulnerable on restarts, as well as the start of the race on slicks. I got hit pretty hard on the inside, I think it was one of the Sauber's, and we had to press on from there. We got probably what we could have out of today and we made a good call to go to the intermediate tyres when we did. For Sebastian, it was a great effort. He has joined a pretty decent club now and has even set his own some ways, the youngest ever World Champion and now a triple World Champion – you’ve got to take your hat off to him. The season has gone fast, there have been a lot of different winners, some ups and downs, a lot of crashes and a couple of nice wins for myself. I'm now looking forward to having a break, to recharge and then it’s on to 2013.”
 
Christian Horner, Team Principal: “An unbelievable end to what has been a really incredible season. We always knew this Championship was going to go right down to the wire and I don’t think anybody could have expected the kind of race we got today. But, to have achieved a triple double World Championship is quite phenomenal. Sebastian has driven better than ever this season and has fought his way back into this Championship; he’s never given up and you saw that in today’s race. After being knocked out of position and going to the back of the field with a load of damage, he fought his way back into the race, he never gave up and it was a race of maximum stress today with rain and no rain, then incidents, spins, you name it, it happened – safety cars, radios that didn’t work – but you have to reflect on the season as a whole. Over 20 races the team has done an unbelievable job and Sebastian truly deserves this World Championship. Having gone up against an incredible opponent in Fernando Alonso, and we have to pay tribute to him and the way he’s driven this year, it has made this Championship even more appreciated because of the level of competition we’ve had to compete against. So, all I can do is thank every single member of the team for everything that they’ve put in. I’d like to thank Dietrich Mateschitz for his commitment, backing and support, and the encouragement that he’s given all of us. To all the members of Red Bull who have been with us all the way through this, and of course to all of our partners that have grown and been on this journey with us over the last three years, A big thank you on behalf of the whole team to all of them. It’s going to take a little while for the success to sink in.”
 
Adrian Newey, Chief Technical Officer: “The whole season has been an amazing ride, but today, to finish it like that down to the wire with so many obstacles – the first lap incident, the concern about the damage to both the bodywork and the exhaust, the fact that the car was then hard on its tyres, the radio failing – was just great; you know, we had so many things thrown against us. I think to come through all that and still get enough points to win the Championship was a real testament to team and driver. For Seb to get three championships, I don’t know how you’d be able to describe that, but I think the hallmark of the year really has been the tenacity shown by the team. We struggled with the car at the start of the year, trying to understand how it worked with the loss of the side exhaust, and to turn around a slightly difficult sub car at the start of the year, to get it to the point where we were able to seal the Constructors’ a week ago and then again here with the Drivers’ – it’s just been a great tribute to everybody.”
 
Cyril Dumont, Renault: “It was a tough race. Seb was in the last position after he spun and after that we lost radio contact. It was pretty difficult – we changed to slick tyres and then had to stop again to change to intermediates, but we weren't ready due to the radio issue. It's been difficult on our side with the alternator issue at the previous race, so it seems running the new specification here was the right decision to take. All in all it’s been a difficult season, but we reached the goal we wanted. I'd like to thank all of my team at the track, back at Viry and everyone who’s part of the Renault Group and the people working for Mechachrome. A big thank you to everyone, it's been a pleasure to work with you over the last six years.”

Red Bull
26 November 2012

Fangio, Schumacher...and now Vettel

We sit down to talk with the newly-crowned triple World Champion after his dramatic race in Brazil.

Sebastian Vettel of Germany and Red Bull Racing celebrates with team mates on the podium as he finishes in sixth position and clinches the drivers world championship during the Brazilian Formula One Grand Prix at the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace on November 25, 2012 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Photo Credit: Getty Images/Red Bull

You’re now a three-time world champion and you’ve won three in a row. What does that mean to you?
It's difficult to find the right words. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think there are only two guys who have done that before [Juan Manuel Fangio and Michael Schumacher].
I have to say a big thank you to everyone in the team. Of course, this sounds like a bit of a standard phrase and sometimes we get criticised for bringing up standard phrases like that, but I really I am just one of the guys in the team.

There were a lot of problems in the race. Was that one of your toughest grands prix?
I said it on the radio but you didn't hear that! I said it was for sure the toughest race. It's hard enough if you lose radio communication for a start in these circumstances, because if there are any circumstances where you really need to talk, it's these. Then we got turned around, the car was damaged, we were dead last, we came back again. But [we] still we finished sixth…and obviously it happened to be the last race and the championship decider and it went in our favour, so not much more to say.

Would you say this is your hardest-won title and, if so, perhaps the most rewarding?
It was a very tough season for us on-track and off-track, a season with ups and downs for everyone. However, as I said, I think we always remained ourselves and kept doing it our way, and I think that made the difference in the end. In that way, I think it was because people tried everything, inside the lines, outside the lines, to beat us and the amount of questions we had to deal with, stuff we had to deal with throughout the season didn't make our lives easier. But the key was to remain ourselves and I think that made the difference in a way.

It was a season characterised by a poor start but a big recovery. How did that come about?
Since the start of the season, we were fighting with the car. It wasn't similar to last year's – I couldn't… it's difficult for you to understand, but I couldn't use my tricks or my style to make it work and manipulate the car the way I liked. I didn't have enough rear stability mostly to work with the brakes and get the car into the corners, to the apex, the way I like. We tried everything and I think at some stage, we just did a step that was big enough and in the right direction that allowed me to do more of what I like, so naturally it came in our direction.

You’ve won three titles in a row now: what’s the next challenge?
First of all I want to enjoy now…I don't want to get carried away with next year. I'm very happy now and I want to have a good time with the guys now for tonight. It's incredible what we have achieved. Christian [Horner] came on the radio after the race and mentioned the names that have achieved similar. He started with Michael [Schumacher], that was the obvious choice, quite easy to remember, then Senna, Lauda, Piquet. After that it was starting to get all loud and noisy. I think he mentioned all of them except Prost, so I told him: “you forgot Prost, he's got four”. Fangio as well. Sorry, nearly forgot!

By Justin Hynes
RedBull.com
26 November 2012
 
Statistics

In his Formula One career, Sebastian Vettel has achieved:
101 RACE STARTS (26 before Red Bull Racing, 75 with)
26 WINS
46 PODIUMS
36 POLES
15 FASTEST LAPS
1054 POINTS
3 DRIVERS’ CHAMPIONSHIPS
RECORD: Most poles achieved by a driver in a season (2011)
RECORD: Most laps led by a driver in a season (2011)

2012 Red Bull Racing – Formula One Driver

·         2012 Formula One World Champion
·         Youngest ever triple Formula One World Champion
·         Third driver in history to claim three consecutive Championships
·         Winner Bahrain Grand Prix
·         Winner Singapore Grand Prix
·         Winner Japanese Grand Prix
·         Winner Korean Grand Prix
·         Winner Indian Grand Prix
·         Five additional podium finishes
·         Six fastest laps
·         Six pole positions
·         281 points
 
Top 10 Overall Standings

1 Sebastian Vettel Ger Red Bull Racing-Renault 281
2 Fernando Alonso Spa Ferrari 278
3 Kimi Raikkonen Fin Lotus-Renault 207
4 Lewis Hamilton GB 190
5 Jenson Button GB McLaren-Mercedes 188
6 Mark Webber Aus Red Bull Racing-Renault 179
7 Felipe Massa Brz Ferrari 122
8 Romain Grosjean Fra Lotus-Renault 96
9 Nico Rosberg Ger Mercedes GP 93
10 Sergio Perez Mex Sauber 66