Sebastian Vettel caps F1 season off in style
Winning the Drivers' World Championship was not nearly enough for Sebastian Vettel. When starting on pole at the Brazilian Grand Prix, the German had only one thing on his mind - winning.
And that's exactly what he did. His achievement saw him equal the record season victories achieved by Alberto Ascari and Michael Schumacher, and take his career total to 39 top-of-the-podium finishes.
Vettel didn't cruise all the way to the finish this time around, as Nico Rosberg took the lead for one lap. He almost came unstuck after a late decision to enter the pits saw his Red Bull team unprepared in the paddock for his arrival, losing the 26-year-old time when getting new wheels fitted to the car.
However, none of this would affect Vettel's charge to the finish, reaching the chequered flag a whole ten seconds ahead of his teammate Mark Webber.
The race would mark the Australian's final outing in a Formula One car, as the 37-year-old announced his intention to leave the sport earlier this year. His second place finish earned him third place on the overall driver's leaderboard, just ahead of Lewis Hamilton.
Elsewhere, Fernando Alonso made an improvement on recent race finishes, taking third place in the GP. Luckily for the Spaniard, his performances earlier in the season had secured him second place in the Drivers' Championship.
The question now remains about who will provide a challenge to Vettel next season. The pairing of Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen at Ferrari is likely to give the German with a few sleepless nights, while Mercedes and McLaren are also expected to improve their vehicles for the 2014 season.
Posted by Sebastian Turkenburg