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Sebastian Vettel won his fourth consecutive F1 Drivers World Championship title at the Budh International circuit today. We take a look back at his career so far and at some of the major records that he holds(some of which may surprise you)
10) Shortest time elapsed before gaining a penalty
Yes it may surprise you that Vettel holds this record. His penchant for speed came to haunt him when he was handed his first drive as a test driver for BMW Sauber in 2006 at Istanbul. His age at that time was 19 years and 53 days, which made him the youngest F1 débutante. Six seconds later he was noted for an infraction which led to him being fined $1000. The infraction – speeding in the pit lane.
9) Youngest driver to set a fastest lap at a Grand Prix meeting
Vettel was handed his début as a test driver for BMW Sauber at Turkey in 2006. His age when he drove the BMW Sauber F1 car that Friday was 19 years and 53 days(youngest début). In the second session, he set a time of 1:28.091, the fastest time that Friday. He beat the record set by fellow German Nico Rosberg who had set the fastest lap in his début race in Bahrain earlier that year. Rosberg was 20 years and 258 days old when he set that record.
8) Youngest driver to score points in an F1 race
On 17th June 2007, Sebastian Vettel scored his first ever points finish when he finished 8th in the 2007 US Grand Prix at Indianapolis for BMW Sauber to grab the final point on offer. This was his first ever full race drive and Vettel’s age at that time was 19 years and 349 days. The previous driver to hold the record was Jenson Button who was 20 years and 67 days old when he finished 6th in his 2nd carrer race at the Brazilian Grand Prix in 2000.
7) Youngest driver to lead a lap of a F1 race
115 days after he scored his first ever points finish, Vettel grabbed the record for the youngest driver to lead a F1 race at Suzuka in the 2007, Japanese Grand Prix. Vettel was 20 years and 89 days old when he claimed the record from Fernando Alonso(21 years, 237 days) who set the record in the 2003 Malaysian Grand Prix.
6) Youngest Driver to score a double(Pole and Win) and a triple(Pole, Win and fastest lap) in an F1 Race
At the Italian Grand Prix at Monza in 2008, Sebastian Vettel(driving for Torro Rosso) added yet another record to his record when he became the youngest driver to win a race(previous record holder – Fernando Alonso 22 years, 26 days), he also became the youngest driver to scor a double at the age of 21 years and 73 days. The day before he took the record for the youngest driver to take pole position for a F1 race(previous record holder – Fernando Alonso 21 years, 236 days). A year later he became the youngest driver to achieve the triple(Pole, Win and fastest lap) when he won at the 2009 British Grand Prix.
Sebastian Vettel celebrates his latest World Championship win
5) Youngest driver to win races with different teams
When Vettel stood on the top step of the podium in the 2009 Chinese Grand Prix, he became the youngest ever driver to win races with two different teams. He had won the 2008 Italian Grand Prix with Toro Rosso. He was 21 years and 287 days old when he won the 2009 Chinese Grand Prix with Red Bull.
4) Youngest F1 Drivers championship runner-up
In 2009, Vettel came quite close to winning the Driver’s championship. He eventually lost the championship as he was forced to retire his Red Bull RB5 thrice(Jenson Button – the winner only retired once). Vettel’s age at that time the final standings were confirmed at Abu Dhabi was 22 years and 121 days.
3) Most Pole positions, front row starts,wins from pole and podium finishes in a single season
In the 2011 Formula One season Vettel took pole position in 15 of the 19 races in he calender. He won 9 of those 15 races and won two other races as well. He qualified second in 3 other races which took his total of front row starts for the year to an astounding 18 out of 19 starts. He also featured on the podium 17 times(11 wins, 5 second place finishes and one third place finish).
2) Youngest driver to achieve the Grand Slam(Pole, win, fastest lap, and led every lap)
At the inaugural Indian Grand Prix at the Budh International circuit in 2011, Sebastian Vettel became the youngest driver to achieve the grand slam in an F1 race. He won pole position, lead every lap of the race and set the fastest lap of the race on his way to a commanding victory. He broke Jim Clark‘s 59 year old record set at the 1962 British Grand Prix. Vettel’s age when he broke the record was 24 years and 119 days – which was just 19 days less than Clark.
1) Youngest Driver’s World Championship winner
Vettel was just 23 years and 134 days old when he won first ever Driver’s World Championship title in 2010. The previous record was held by Lewis Hamilton who was 23 years and 300 days when he won the title in 2008. The next year he became the youngest double world champion at an age of 24 years and 98 days. Next year he became the youngest triple World champion at the age of 25 years and 145 days. His win today made him a four time champion – his age 26 years and 131 days.
