Sebastian Vettel's top 5 races

Sebastian Vettel top 5 races

September 14, 2008 saw the start of something special in the world of Formula One. That day, on which the Italian Grand Prix was held, heralded a new racer for the sport, a winner: Sebastian Vettel. Red Bull Racing's triple world champion started his F1 career in 2007 as a stand-in driver for BMW and scored a point on his debut at the United States Grand Prix.

Sebastian Vettel, born on 3rd July 1987, is a professional German Formula One racing driver, currently driving for the Austrian racing team Red Bull Racing. He is the current Formula One World Champion, having won the championship 4 years in a row: in 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013. He is among the most successful F1 drivers of all time and the youngest to have won the championship four times.

In his first year driving for Red Bull in 2009, Vettel finished the season as the youngest-ever World Drivers' Championship runner-up. The following year he stunned the world when he went on to become the youngest driver ever to win the World Drivers' Championship. In the same year he helped Red Bull win the team's first World Constructors' Championship. He followed up his first championship with three more titles, becoming the youngest double, triple and quadruple world champion in Formula One. He has many memorable races under his belt, but we’re looking at the top 5 races, which tested him under different situations and still, he comes out on top:

#1. Vettel’s dancing in the rain – Monza 2008

No one could have predicted the unbelievable Italian Grand Prix weekend at Monza in 2008, when in one of his earliest feats, Sebastian Vettel in a Toro Rosso – formerly Minardi – took pole position and won the race. The team from Faenza was used to celebrating occasional points finishes, so a win at their home circuit was like a dream come true.

21-year-old Vettel brilliantly controlled the race from the front in appalling conditions of low visibility and wet tracks to become Formula One’s youngest ever winner.

Sebastian Vettel top 5 races

#2. Vettel’s under pressure, what’s he gonna do? – Monaco 2011

In a classic Monaco race, Vettel held the lead from a charging Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button. The Red Bull Racing driver's fragile Pirelli tires were over 50 laps old and with both Alonso and Button on much fresher tires, he had to keep them behind if he was to win his first Monaco Grand Prix.

That’s exactly what Vettel did and when the race was red flagged for an incident on lap 67 the team left the pits and changed his tires on the track itself so he could drive out the remaining laps to victory once the race was restarted.

Sebastian Vettel top 5 races
Vettel in the lead in the blue Red Bull Racing car

#3. Come back king, Vettel – Abu Dhabi 2012

After closing down on a 40-point deficit to Fernando Alonso, it looked like Vettel would be taking home a third title, but the race to the championship took a twist in Abu Dhabi when the Red Bull Racing driver disqualified from qualifying after running out of fuel on his in-lap.

Without pole position and starting from the pits, Vettel had a massively eventful race and with a bit of luck from a safety car and a whole lot of overtaking, he made his way from the pits to the podium.

Sebastian Vettel top 5 races
Vettel stranded after his car ran out of fuel

#4. Vettel’s most dramatic race – Brazil 2012

The 2012 championship was to take another twist in another incredibly dramatic final race at Interlagos. Vettel had a poor getaway and was then hit from behind by Bruno Senna, putting the Red Bull into a spin and dead last. Determined not to give up, Vettel drove out of his skin, pulling off pass after pass, and in just a few laps was back up into the points.

More drama came when a broken radio led to confusion in the Red Bull Racing pits, and a slow pit-stop saw Vettel tumble back down the order. After yet another fight back, Sebastian was back up to sixth – in championship-winning position - and crossed the line to become the youngest ever triple world champion.

Sebastian Vettel top 5 races
Sebastian Vettel takes home the F1 championship for the 3rd time

#5. Alpha Vettel: most dominant race – Singapore 2013

Sebastian’s championships have been characterized by those performances where he’s dominated the whole grand prix weekend – but none more so than at the Singapore Grand Prix in 2013. Nothing could stop the German that weekend, as he recorded his third Grand Chelem which stands for pole position, leading every lap and scoring fastest lap.

Nico Rosberg got the best getaway but couldn’t make the move stick into turn one and within three laps Vettel already had a five-second lead at the front. Even when the safety car came out – diminishing his lead – he still pulled out a big enough gap to make a pitstop and emerge ahead, eventually winning the race by over 30 seconds from Alonso.

Sebastian Vettel top 5 races

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Edited by Staff Editor