The wings to win

I read a comment made by Sebastian Vettel in a documentary that makes a compelling statement. “When I was a little boy I tried out lots of things, football, tennis, beach volleyball. But I wasn’t the best, so I stopped.”

He chose Formula One, instead.

There was no fuss, no needless histrionics. It was purely clinical efficiency, a determination to win, and clear thinking. Coupled, of course, with a car that performed well, and backed by a team that had the belief that it could be done.

Not easy when you consider that the Red Bull F1 team was up against formidable rivals such the legendary Ferrari and the well-oiled machine that is McLaren.

It was no surprise that Sebastian Vettel is the Formula One World Champion once again, with his back-to-back title coming with four races yet to go in the calendar.

He might not have won in Suzuka, but it did not matter – all he needed was a solitary point, and his third place in Japan gave him fifteen. All that remains now is to determine who takes the other places.

Vettel does not, perhaps, have the aura that the legends before him such as Juan Manuel Fangio, Alain Prost, Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher possessed. He might be lower in profile compared to recent winners such as Mika Hakkinen and the mercurial Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton.

Yet, Vettel now owns records that are truly enviable – youngest at pole position, youngest on the podium, youngest winner of a GP race, youngest world champion and, now, the youngest back-to-back double champion.

His world title last year was marked by inconsistency, but 2011 win has been exceptional and emphatic – nine race wins in the fifteen completed so far, with twelve pole positions is testimony.

Red Bull gives you wings, says the brand’s tag line. Sure did, in Sebastian Vettel’s case.