Singapore Football Formula 1 Special: Magnificent Vettel 24-year-old world champion on course to make history after his first win at Marina Bay

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Formula 1

SingTel Singapore Grand Prix



SINGAPORE - At the fourth time of asking, Sebastian Vettel produced a vintage drive under the stars to claim his first drivers' title in the SingTel Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix last night.

The 24-year-old world champion was magnificent, leading from start to finish in his Red Bull over 61 laps around the 5.073km Marina Bay street circuit in front of more than 80,000 fans.

The fireworks that lit up the night sky after he crossed the finish line was a fitting tribute to Vettel, who is now just one point away from successfully defending his world title.

McLaren's Jenson Button, who finished second, is 124 points behind with 125 left in the remaining five races.

Barring an absolute meltdown, Vettel will surely be crowned the youngest double world champion in the history of Formula 1 in Japan in a fortnight.

The German collected his ninth win on a track he regards as one of his favourites in Singapore last night, and he acknowledge the feat, when he said: "There are no secrets or magic, but it has been an incredible year for us, an incredible record for me and Red Bull.

"In terms of reliability we had no problems with the car and engine. It was perfect from start to finish ... nothing's gone wrong this year so far ... it does need a lot of smoothing for everything to come together to ensure the incredible run we've had."

Vettel came here with Toro Rosso in the inaugural race in 2008 and finished fifth. A fourth and a second followed in the next two editions after he moved to Red Bull.

Now, he is a winner of a race widely regarded as the toughest on the Formula 1 calendar because of the heat and humidity, the 23 turns - the most in the sport - and the two-hour duration of the Grand Prix.

Last night, he also had to overcome the appearance of the safety car halfway through the race after Michael Schumacher's Mercedes collided with Sergio Perez's Sauber.

While Button did try to turn on a late charge, the Englishman knew it was an impossible task to chase down Vettel.

"I am pretty happy to be second," said the Englishman. "I felt pretty good after 10 laps, I could start pushing, but there was really no catching Seb for most of the race."

Vettel shed some tears when the German anthem rang out along Marina Bay to salute his victory.

"There was something in my eyes," he said, grinning.

"Like I said. I really like this track.

"It means a lot to me. It is one of the hardest challenges we face all year, so it is good to come out of that as a winner.

"In the toughest race, I would say we had a perfect day at the office."

But the job isn't done yet, and the Red Bull pilot vowed to keep his eye on the ball and clinch the final point.

"I feel capable, but I still have to do it. Statistically, the chances are on our side and it should not be a big problem, but it is over when it is over, not before," he said.