He’s surely displaying deity-given power as he brushes all aside and stands on the brink - just one point away - of becoming the youngest double world champion at 24.It’s not just having this namesake watching over him, however. This young man is augmenting his natural talent with hard work, determination, focus, calm and, two of his most attractive traits, humour and humility.
In at least two interviews, one recent and one when he was driving for Toro Rosso, he said, quite seriously, that he would do his job for free. He is often quoted as saying he considers himself lucky that he’s found the job he lives for. He accepts the accolades and intrusions from his burgeoning multitude of fans as part of the deal. He never brings his long-time girlfriend to work because he would not be able to focus completely on his work, worrying instead whether she was okay.
That focus and determination was once more in evidence at Singapore yesterday when he led the race from lights to flag. Not even one of the longest and slowest pitlanes on the F1 calendar cost him the lead throughout the race.
A late-race tyre change nearly nobbled him when Team Lotus released Heikki Kovaleinen into his path. But Vettel used one of his strengths to avoid a collision. He said afterwards that he was aware that Kovaleinen was in his box and he was watching the Lotus team’s pit lights. When he saw the light go out, freeing the Finn into his path, he was ready and lifted, giving him the space to avoid disaster. That’s part of his awesome skill set: in spite of the demands of a long, hot, bumpy race, he still had the capacity to be aware of everything around him. Seven-time champion Michael Schumacher was known to have that spare brain space – and look where it got him. The incident cost Lotus 10 000 euros.
This is in direct contrast to the previous youngest world champion. This weekend Lewis Hamilton (now number 2 to McLaren team-mate Jenson Button on points) missed yet another opportunity with brushes with other drivers. In qualifying he nearly took out Ferrari’s Felipe Massa, and he hit the Brazilian in the race, earning a drive through (one Twit said he had more drive-throughs than McDonalds), compromising Massa’s race - again.
A furious Massa, who has been having troubles of his own since his Hungary accident, let fly at Hamilton, “patting” the Briton’s shoulder during a post-race interview, sarcastically “praising” him.
“How many races this year he did this? He went in the wrong direction and he paid and he never learned. The FIA is looking for sure for that, because he is doing that so many times. I think he is not learning. I tried to speak to him after we wait, but he didn’t listen to me. I called him two times, but he walked past me. He didn’t even look to me.
“As a team we have got to try and get better, Lewis has got to try and get better as a race driver but I think he drove from very difficult circumstances, five times through the pit lane to score valuable points, and get a strong fifth place like that, it was a great drive.”
It’s a tragedy that someone so talented has lost his way. Losing his father as manager (replaced by a showbiz management company, of all things) and the steadying hand of Ron Dennis has derailed his focus. When he appeared on Top Gear after winning his title, he came across as a nice guy with a bright future. He really must reclaim that young man with dreams and lose the head-bending sense of stardom and entitlement.
The only other driver to finish on the same lap as the leaders was Paul di Resta in the Force India. Never having tackled this track before, it was a superb drive. The young Scot did everything well: managed tyres, kept his head and put in a good dose of speed. Clearly his success in the DTM series has helped teach him these valuable lessons.
The Renaults had a dismal showing, with Kovaleinen finishing 16th between Bruno Senna and Vitaly Petrov, delighting in having beaten the Russian.
They were also fined 7 500 euros for telling Senna he was racing Perez, even though the Mexican was a lap ahead. They collided when Senna tried to overtake. Singapore just isn’t their track.
Now it’s off to the magnificent Suzuka and Vettel’s chance to grab that one point. It’s fitting that the German will make history at an historic track.
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