Offered a choice between going down in history with Schumacher and Fangio, or
standing on top of every podium on the calendar, Vettel replied: “I prefer
the second thing.”
The 26-year-old German added: “When I was small I dreamed about F1, and
honestly never thought one day I would be able to test one of these cars.
“The first time I did I s*** myself the first couple of laps and I thought
‘All right, that’s for real men, not for me’, but then I got used to it and
obviously wanted to do more.
“A couple of years later Red Bull gave me the chance at Toro Rosso to get some
races, and it’s incredible what’s happened over the last couple of years.
“But nothing has changed in the way I still love racing, I love the challenge,
I’m still nervous when I wake up on Sunday, still excited when I walk on the
grid and tense, looking forward to the race.
“I enjoy – not the numbers – but the fact I’m racing, and a great crowd today,
a fantastic day.
“It would be a shame if you were too tense and if you tried to force things
too much, so you have to allow yourself to enjoy it because this (the job)
is not normal. It doesn’t happen to everyone.
“I’m very fortunate I’m one of 22 guys in Formula One, that when we leave our
hotels we get great respect from the fans who are cheering, shouting our
names, and it’s just great.
“That’s what I look forward to most, and obviously trying to do it again – and
I love trophies so I don’t mind collecting a few either.”
On a circuit Vettel has made his own over the years, he suffered a rare poor
start behind polesitter and team-mate Mark Webber.
That allowed Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton a chance to squeeze between them, only
to sustain a right-rear puncture after the merest of touches with the left
end of Vettel’s front wing.
Hamilton was eventually forced into retirement with severe damage to the floor
of his car after he had limped back to the pits.
Instead, from fourth on the grid, Lotus’ Romain Grosjean grabbed the early
lead, and from that moment it became a battle of strategies.
On a two-stop, and exercising patience over the opening laps, Vettel made his
work to perfection to finish seven seconds ahead of Webber, who stopped
three times, and Grosjean who changed tyres twice.
“I’ve now won four times here at Suzuka, which is incredible,” added Vettel.
“Regarding the championship we have a very, very good gap. It looks very good
at this stage, but we will still keep pushing. It’s not over until it’s
over.”
As far as Alonso is concerned, the Spaniard knows “it’s only a matter of time
before he (Vettel) will be champion”.
Alonso, who finished 45 seconds down, added: “We have different goals now. We
will continue to try to do out best on Sundays, and when it is
mathematically settled we will congratulate him.”
Lotus’ Kimi Raikkonen was fifth, followed by the Saubers of Nico Hulkenberg
and Esteban Gutierrez, the latter in the points for the first time in his
rookie year.
Mercedes’ Nico Rosberg, given a drive-through penalty for an unsafe release
after almost colliding with McLaren’s Sergio Perez, was eighth.
McLaren’s Jenson Button and Felipe Massa in his Ferrari completed the top 10,
with Paul Di Resta 11th for Force India.
(Edited by Giles Mole)