We look back and celebrate Red Bull Racing driver Sebastian Vettel's season as he becomes a double Formula 1 World Champion. Here's his season in pictures...
AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX (ALBERT PARK)
After the Bahrain Grand Prix is cancelled, Formula One fan have to wait a little longer for the start of the season. And what better city to have in pole position than Melbourne, Australia?
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Rumours allude to the new RB7’s pace, but reigning F1 world champion Sebastian Vettel is taking nothing for granted.
– ‘It all starts from zero.’ – Sebastian Vettel
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Vettel finishes 22 seconds clear of the field from pole.
– ‘The index finger-wagging celebration is back’ – Daily Telegraph
– ‘A faultless drive… fantastic.’ – Christian Horner
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| 1 | Sebastian Vettel | Red Bull Racing |
| 2 | Lewis Hamilton | McLaren |
| 3 | Vitaly Petrov | Lotus-Renault |
| 1 | Sebastian Vettel | 25 |
| 2 | Lewis Hamilton | 18 |
| 3 | Vitaly Petrov | 15 |
Clive Mason/Getty Images
But Sebastian is quick to remind everyone it’s only race one …
- ‘We have to keep our feet on the floor... It will be very close.’
MALAYSIAN GRAND PRIX (SEPANG)
Vettel arrives in Malaysia, playing down his chances
– ‘Australia is history. We have to focus on what is going on here.’ Sebastian Vettel
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Victory makes it four wins in a row for Vettel
– ‘Vettel cruises to Malaysian GP win’ – Toronto Sun
– ‘It’s hot outside, but our heads are cool.’ – Sebastian Vettel
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| 1 | Sebastian Vettel | Red Bull Racing |
| 2 | Jenson Button | McLaren |
| 3 | Nick Heidfeld | Lotus-Renault |
| 1 | Sebastian Vettel | 50 |
| 2 | Jenson Button | 26 |
| =3 | Lewis Hamilton | 22 |
| =3 | Mark Webber | 22 |
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CHINESE GRAND PRIX (SHANGHAI INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT)
Shanghai and guess who’s back on pole?
– ‘The pace of Sebastian and the Red Bull was phenomenal.’ Jenson Button
– ‘Tomorrow it all starts again from zero.’ – Sebastian Vettel (Notice a theme developing?)
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But Vettel’s 100% record ends as he runs out of rubber and Hamilton takes a late victory.
– ‘Red Bull are doing a fantastic job. We are having to push with everything we have to close the gap.’ Lewis Hamilton
– ‘Congratulations to them. I don’t see second as a disappointment.’- Sebastian Vettel
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| 1 | Lewis Hamilton | McLaren |
| 2 | Sebastian Vettel | Red Bull Racing |
| 3 | Mark Webber | Red Bull Racing |
| 1 | Sebastian Vettel | 68 |
| 2 | Lewis Hamilton | 47 |
| 3 | Jenson Button | 38 |
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TURKISH GRAND PRIX (ISTANBUL PARK)
As F1 arrives in Istanbul, Vettel’s wants to be back on the top step.
– ‘It's important not to make the same mistake twice.’ Sebastian Vettel
It’s a perfect weekend for Red Bull: Vettel winning from pole and Webber second for a one-two
But no champagne for the winner: Turkish laws means at 23 the World Champion is too young to drink alcohol
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– ‘What a race. We controlled it from the beginning to the end!’ – Sebastian Vettel
– ‘Yeah, wasn’t bad, was it? I think. I’ll have a look at it on telly.’ – Mark Webber
– ‘The Red Bull is a rocket ship. Can the others really close the gap?’ – Joe Saward, F1 commentator
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| 1 | Sebastian Vettel | Red Bull Racing |
| 2 | Mark Webber | Red Bull Racing |
| 3 | Fernando Alonso | Ferrari |
| 1 | Sebastian Vettel | 93 |
| 2 | Lewis Hamilton | 59 |
| 3 | Mark Webber | 55 |
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SPANISH GRAND PRIX (CIRCUIT DE CATALUNYA)
F1 lands in Europe. For once, Sebastian’s on P2 as Webber takes pole.
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Vettel beats his team-mate in the race to the first corner but Fernando Alonso beats them all to take the lead. In the Vettel manages to pass Alonso and hold off Hamilton to take an impressive victory.
– ‘He is the new benchmark for all aspiring young drivers.’ Martin Brundle, BBC commentator/former F1 driver
– ‘Vettel holds off Hamilton for Spanish GP win’ - Reuters
– ‘McLaren and Ferrari are giving us a hard time…’ – Sebastian Vettel
© Vladimir Rys/Getty Images
| 1 | Sebastian Vettel | Red Bull Racing |
| 2 | Lewis Hamilton | McLaren |
| 3 | Jenson Button | McLaren |
| 1 | Sebastian Vettel | 188 |
| 2 | Lewis Hamilton | 77 |
| 3 | Mark Webber | 67 |
© Mark Thompson/Getty Images
MONACO GRAND PRIX (MONTE CARLO)
The big one: glamorous Monte Carlo where the odds look good for Sebastian's joining the list of Monaco legends. But more late drama sees Alonso and Button ready to pounce on Vettel’s ailing RB7. But he’s saved by a red flag.
– ‘The roulette wheel must have kept on spinning from last night.’ – Sebastian Vettel
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– ‘A world champion's performance,’ Christian Horner.
– ‘Sebastian Vettel wins Monaco Grand Prix with 'champion's drive' The Guardian
– 'Vettel adds street circuit to list of honours’ Daily Mirror
– ‘Vettel emerges from chaos to win’ – Daily Telegraph
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| 1 | Sebastian Vettel | Red Bull Racing |
| 2 | Fernando Alonso | Ferrari |
| 3 | Jenson Button | McLaren |
| 1 | Sebastian Vettel | 143 |
| 2 | Lewis Hamilton | 85 |
| 3 | Mark Webber | 79 |
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CANADIAN GRAND PRIX (CIRCUIT GILLES VILLENEUVE)
Heavy rain gives us the longest Formula One race in history (4 hours and 4 minutes). It's well worth the wait, though because what a finish as a last lap pass by Jenson Button deprives Vettel of victory.
© Mark Thompson/Getty Images for Red Bull Racing
– ‘Canadian Grand Prix will go down as one of the greatest of all time’ Daily Telegraph
– ‘Seb put a wheel onto the wet surface and ran wide. I’ll take that… I think we deserved some luck’ – Jenson Button
– ‘It was obviously frustrating to lose the Grand Prix almost in sight of the chequered flag.’ – Christian Horner
– ‘I only made one real mistake in the whole race – so at the moment it is not very sweet’ – Sebastian Vettel
– ‘A good race for the neutrals watching at home but a few grey hairs for us.’ – Mark Webber
– ‘Definitely my best race.’ – Jenson Button
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| 1 | Jenson Button | McLaren |
| 2 | Sebastian Vettel | Red Bull Racing |
| 3 | Mark Webber | Red Bull Racing |
| 1 | Sebastian Vettel | 161 |
| 2 | Jenson Button | 101 |
| 3 | Mark Webber | 94 |
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EUROPEAN GRAND PRIX (VALENCIA STREET CIRCUIT)
Valencia: Red Bull Racing lock out the front row and Vettel storms to another win. He’s particularly happy with this one.
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– ‘This is the best one so far’ – Sebastian Vettel
– ‘Sebastian Vettel procession continues.’ – Daily Mirror
– ‘Sebastian Vettel dominating Formula One in manner not seen since Schumacher’ – Daily Telegraph
© Mark Thompson/Getty Images
And those championship rumours won’t go away…
– ‘The most important time to lead the championship is after the last race’ – Sebastian Vettel
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| 1 | Sebastian Vettel | Red Bull Racing |
| 2 | Fernando Alonso | Ferrari |
| 3 | Mark Webber | Red Bull Racing |
| 1 | Sebastian Vettel | 186 |
| =2 | Jenson Button | 109 |
| =2 | Mark Webber | 109 |
© Getty Images for Red Bull Racing
BRITISH GRAND PRIX (SILVERSTONE)
The British Grand Prix, the home race for 90% of the Red Bull Racing team. Sebastian finishes second but even when Seb doesn’t win, he still extends his lead, leaving Silverstone 80 points clear of his nearest rival, team-mate Mark Webber
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– ‘Alonso storms to Silverstone win’ – BBC.co.uk
– ‘McLaren woes continue’ – Daily Telegraph
– ‘Every grand prix is special but winning here is even more special.’ – Fernando Alonso
In the closing laps, Seb and Mark race for second, giving Christian Horner a few grey hairs in the process.
– ‘We were racing each other. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that’ – Sebastian Vettel
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| 1 | Fernando Alonso | Ferrari |
| 2 | Sebastian Vettel | Red Bull Racing |
| 3 | Mark Webber | Red Bull Racing |
| 1 | Sebastian Vettel | 204 |
| 2 | Mark Webber | 124 |
| 3 | Fernando Alonso | 112 |
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GERMAN GRAND PRIX (NÜRBURGRING)
One victory continues to elude Sebastian: his home race. At the Nürburgring he records his worst result of the season (stil fourth, so not exactly terrible).
Mark Webber leads the 2011 German GP from Hamilton and Alonso © Getty Images
– ‘It was tough, a difficult race.’ – Sebastian Vettel
– ‘McLaren and Ferrari were very quick and we need to come back to the pace they have’ – Sebastian Vettel
– ‘We are back in the fight.’ – Lewis Hamilton
– ‘We are pushing as hard as possible.’ – Stefano Domenicalli, Ferrari team principal
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| 1 | Lewis Hamilton | McLaren |
| 2 | Fernando Alonso | Ferrari |
| 3 | Mark Webber | Red Bull Racing |
| 1 | Sebastian Vettel | 216 |
| 2 | Mark Webber | 139 |
| 3 | Lewis Hamilton | 134 |
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HUNGARIAN GRAND PRIX (HUNGARORING)
A brilliant drive from Jenson Button keeps Sebastian off top spot, but he still extends his championship lead.
Mark Thompson/Getty Images
– ‘We need to make sure we come back strongly for the next race.’ – Sebastian Vettel
– ‘Button wins landmark race at Hungaroring’ – Daily Telegraph
– ‘I'm heading to Hawaii with my lovely lady’ – Jenson Button announces his holiday plans with girlfriend Jessica Michibata via Twitter.
– ‘McLaren pair say title hopes rising’ – Autosport.com
| 1 | Jenson Button | McLaren |
| 2 | Sebastian Vettel | Red Bull Racing |
| 3 | Fernando Alonso | Ferrari |
| 1 | Sebastian Vettel | 234 |
| 2 | Mark Webber | 149 |
| 3 | Lewis Hamilton | 146 |
Mark Thompson/Getty Images
Does this mean Sebastian’s title charge momentum has gone…?
BELGIAN GRAND PRIX (SPA)
…. No.
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Spa: Not traditionally the team’s best track, but Vettel sweeps all before as Red Bull Racing dominate the weekend.
– 'Vettel Returns to Victory’ – New York Times
– ‘One of Vettel’s most impressive wins to date’ – James Allen, F1 commentator
– ‘One of our best results ever as a team’ – Mark Webber
– ‘I enjoyed every lap today. The car was fantastic.’ – Sebastian Vettel
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| 1 | Sebastian Vettel | Red Bull Racing |
| 2 | Mark Webber | Red Bull Racing |
| 3 | Jenson Button | McLaren |
| 1 | Sebastian Vettel | 259 |
| 2 | Mark Webber | 167 |
| 3 | Fernando Alonso | 157 |
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The one-two in Spa is a clear signal that Sebastian Vettel's double world championship was looking increasingly inevitable. But would there be an upset in Monza?
ITALIAN GRAND PRIX (MONZA)
Sebastian returns to the scene of his first win, puts in a bold pass on Fernando Alonso and takes an emotional victory.
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– 'When you stand up there (on the podium) you feel blessed, as it doesn’t happen to many people’ – Sebastian Vettel
‘I think he will just lose the championship if he stops racing now, and spends the next months at home.’ – Felipe Massa, Ferrari
– ‘What we’ve seen today has all the ingredients for demoralizing our competitors - and that’s OK.’ – Dr Helmut Marko
– ‘I doubt it’s still possible to beat Sebastian for the title, but we’ll keep pushing.’ – Lewis Hamilton
– ‘Vettel in tears after a brilliant win at Monza’ – The Mirror
– ‘Vettel wins Italian GP, edges closer to F1 title’ – Sports Illustrated
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| 1 | Sebastian Vettel | Red Bull Racing |
| 2 | Fernando Alonso | Ferrari |
| 3 | Jenson Button | McLaren |
| 1 | Sebastian Vettel | 284 |
| 2 | Fernando Alonso | 172 |
| 3 | Jenson Button | 167 |
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SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX (MARINA BAY)
Pole again in Singapore as F1 returns to Asia. The title is only a matter of time but will the night race – as gruelling as it is spectacular – crown its first F1 champion?
Singapore's grid girls make faces © Getty Images for Red Bull Racing
Certainly his peers were increasingly willing to bow to the inevitable.
– ‘He has driven really well and, more than his speed, he has made a lot less mistakes.’ – Jenson Button
– ‘Sebastian is the only driver who has so far finished all the races. He is driving fantastically well.’ – Fernando Alonso
– ‘He's had a great year, lots of victories, with everybody else scrapping for podiums.’ – Mark Webber
– ‘He has been exceptional this year. He has really driven very, very well.’ – Lewis Hamilton.
– 'This year’s he’s had the perfect season, nothing else to say!' – Sébastien Buemi, Toro Rosso
– 'Good driver and deserves to win.' – Nico Rosberg, Mercedes
– 'I think he’s really a complete driver, and I think he deserves to win the championship this year.' – Sergio Pérez, Sauber
– 'I have my money on him to win the championship this weekend so he has to push' – Timo Glock, Virgin
But Jenson Button once again preserved his tyres long enough for a late surge, leaving Sebastian needing to one more point to become a double world champion.
– “With the races that we’ve had so far, it should not be a big problem but it’s over when it’s over and not before.”
– Sebastian Vettel
© Mark Thompson/Getty Images for Red Bull Racing
| 1 | Sebastian Vettel | Red Bull Racing |
| 2 | Jenson Button | McLaren |
| 3 | Mark Webber | Red Bull Racing |
| 1 | Sebastian Vettel | 309 |
| 2 | Jenson Button | 185 |
| 3 | Fernando Alonso | 184 |
Mark Thompson/Getty Images
JAPANESE GRAND PRIX (SUZUKA)
Pole again for Sebastian at one of his favourite tracks, but victory eludes him as Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso slip past to leave Vettel third.
© Getty Images for Red Bull Racing
Third is more than enough though.
– 'Sebastian you're the 2011 world champion. Well done.' – Christian Horner
– 'Thank you so much every single one, every single one. We took nothing for granted and we did it.' – Sebastian Vettel
© Getty Images for Red Bull Racing
| 1 | Jenson Button | McLaren |
| 2 | Fernando Alonso | Ferrari |
| 3 | Sebastian Vettel | Red Bull Racing |
| 1 | Sebastian Vettel | 324 |
| 2 | Jenson Button | 210 |
| 3 | Fernando Alonso | 202 |
© Getty Images for Red Bull Racing
Mark Thompson/Getty Images
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