Greatness arrives early for young champ Vettel
DEFENDING drivers' champion Sebastian Vettel will stand at the threshold of greatness when he lines up for his 100th F1 race.
DEFENDING drivers' champion Sebastian Vettel will stand at the threshold of greatness when he lines up in the US tomorrow week for his 100th Formula One race.
The 25-year-old German can clinch his third successive title with Red Bull and become the youngest triple champion in F1 history if he wins the US Grand Prix in Austin, Texas.
And after his near-amazing drive from a pitlane start to finish on the podium at last Sunday's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, there are few observers left who have any reservations about Vettel's status in the hall of champions.
Many have already declared he is one of the greatest. Certainly, his Red Bull team is -- as expected -- full of admiration not only at the technical merit of the champion, who has a 10-point advantage over Ferrari's Fernando Alonso -- Vettel's team is also in awe of the German's mental strength.
Team chief Christian Horner revealed earlier this week that Vettel was the only man in the team convinced he could pull off a good result (in Abu Dhabi).
"Fernando (Alonso) looked very revved up on the podium having gone forward four places, while Seb had gone to the podium via losing his front wing," said Horner. "Seb is going about his job the way he does it. Mentally, he is very strong. Before the race, I went to see him to wish him good luck, and he is in there playing a drum kit with his trainer.
"He said: 'I will see you later on the podium.' "
AFP