Friday, Mar 29, 2024 | Last Update : 01:57 AM IST

  Vettel on brink of world title

Vettel on brink of world title

AGENCIES
Published : Oct 6, 2013, 10:14 pm IST
Updated : Oct 6, 2013, 10:14 pm IST

Sebastian Vettel stands on the brink of a fourth world title in succession after he powered away from pole position to win a fiery Korean Grand Prix on Sunday.

S1.jpg
 S1.jpg

Sebastian Vettel stands on the brink of a fourth world title in succession after he powered away from pole position to win a fiery Korean Grand Prix on Sunday. The unstoppable German, 26, could retain the title in Japan next week if he wins and Ferrari rival Fernando Alonso finishes outside the top eight. Not even two appearances by the safety car, or the worrying sight of his team-mate Mark Webber climbing out of his burning Red Bull, was enough to stop Vettel’s fourth win on the bounce. He took the chequered flag 4.224sec ahead of Kimi Raikkonen of Lotus, who just beat team-mate Romain Grosjean — told by his team to “smile on the podium” — to the line for second. Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg and Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton, who started second on the grid, were fourth and fifth. Vettel’s third win on the trot in Korea means he has racked up 272 points, a mammoth 77-point lead over nearest challenger Alonso, who came home sixth at Yeongam, with five races to go. “I’m loving what I do,” Vettel, booed at previous races because of his dominance, told the crowd from the podium. “I’m trying not to think about it to be honest,” Vettel told a post-race press conference, flanked by Raikkonen and Grosjean, when reminded he could win the title next week at Suzuka. “There are still a lot of points to get even though it looks very good for us. There is a chance for Fernando (Alonso) so we need to stay on top of our game. “To be honest, as I said on the podium, we are just having a good time. We enjoy the fact the team is working very well, the car is working — it’s very on the edge... Probably more than you think from the outside.” The real battle on an overcast but dry afternoon next to the Yellow Sea was behind the German, with Hamilton and Grosjean duelling for long periods for second. Hamilton’s Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg was also in the mix before a problem with his wing saw sparks dance spectacularly from the belly of his car as he overtook Hamilton mid-race. An extended pit stop saw the German rejoin in midfield and he had to settle for seventh, with McLaren’s Jenson Button eighth. Felipe Massa of Ferrari and Sergio Perez of McLaren rounded out the top 10. Ferrari-bound Raikkonen, who started back on ninth on the grid but battled his way through with a superb exhibition of aggressive racing, said: “I think I lost a place on the first straight. The Brazilian Massa, who started sixth on the grid, found himself dumped down to the back of the field.

Disappointing show by Force India Adrian Sutil and Paul di Resta had a bad day in office as Sahara Force India returned pointless from the incident-filled Korean GP. While Di Resta dropped out after a carsh on the 25th lap, his teammate Sutil had stopped in the pits on the 50th lap. Not much was expected from the Silverstone-based oufit in the race after Sutil and Di Resta started at 14th and 15th positions on the grid after poor performance in Saturday’s qualifying session.