Although Sunday’s impressive victory from pole position in Singapore’s Formula One night race left Sebastian Vettel only one small step away from wrapping up back—to—back titles, the German Red Bull driver remained modest.
Going into the remaining five races, the German leads McLaren’s Jenson Button by 124 points in the drivers’ standing, meaning he needs to earn just one point more to clinch his second crown.
“It’s over when it’s over,” said Vettel, who secured his ninth win in 14 races of the season in Singapore, in the post—race press conference.
“I feel capable, but I still have to do it,” he said calmly amid peals of laughters from the press when asked if he was able to earn the one missing point in the five races to come.
“With the races we had, it shouldn’t be a big problem,” said the 24—year—old.
“Statistically the chances are on our side but generally in sports there have been a lot of stories written, and this one also has to wait to be closed first.”
But German Bild paper on Monday declared Vettel “world champion”, while Britain’s Daily Telegraph said Vettel achieved another first on Sunday in “yet another demonstration in the art of ‘leading from the front.’ “As if Vettel’s supremacy this year was not already obvious enough, the Red Bull driver managed for the first time in his career to lead for every single lap of a race, including during the pit stops when the race order usually undergoes a temporary reshuffle.”
Vettel said he did not think about the championship during the 61 laps on Singapore’s bumpy 5.07—kilometres floodlit track.
“Crossing the (finish) line, I didn’t know whether it might be enough or not,” he said. “I didn’t know in which position people had to finish.”
Ahead of Sunday’s race, four drivers still had a very slim chance to snatch the title from Vettel, McLaren’s Jenson Button, Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso, Red Bull teammate Mark Webber and McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton.
Alonso came in third in Singapore, followed by Webber and Hamilton, leaving all of them out of contention for the title.
Button is the last rival standings after placing second on Sunday, but his chances are as remote as they can get because he needs to win the final five races and have Vettel not finish another race or no better than 11th, outside the points in all of them.
But Vettel is the only F1 driver this season to have completed all races, winning nine, coming second in four and fourth in the other.
Button is naturally not wasting any thoughts on the title but does hope that he can take his momentum of four straight podium finishes into the final races.
“I’ve had a run of podium finishes recently, so I’d really love to finish one step higher at the next race,” he said.
Well aware of the scenario now, the mathematics are much easier for Vettel entering the Japanese Grand Prix on October 9 in Suzuka.
“For the next one, I’m obviously smart enough to work it out myself,” said the German.
