India Grand Prix (2013) RESULT

With Sebastian Vettel on pole in the Red Bull and just one win away from his fourth drivers title in a row, can anyone stop the German?

A fourth F1 world championship in a row has seemed a given for Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel for much of the season, but today, at the Indian Grand Prix, is the day Vettel needs to step up and do what he’s done all season to secure his fourth title in a row. Did he? Of course he did.

Vettel started on pole and led, for much of the race, a procession that was almost a celebration parade for Red Bull and Vettel.

Nico Rosberg managed second place for Mercedes and Romain Grosjean drover brilliantly – perhaps the best drive of the race – to go form 17th on the grid to third at the finish, with the only man capable of spoiling Vettel’s party – Fernando Alonso – a lowly 11th.

Mark Webber should have been able to make it a Red Bull one-tow, but gearbox problems and a wayward alternator put paid to his race with still a third of the race to go.

The race had its highs and lows – and some good racing – but the day was all about Sebastian Vettel, the first man to win four titles from his first title in a row, the only man ever to have won a Grand Prix in India, the youngest man ever to win a drivers title and probably, as he’s still so young, likely to be the most successful F1 driver of all time.

He’s also a lucky man – often a requirement of a true great – unlike Alonso who managed to start his race by clipping the back of Webber and damaging his front wing, the resulting pit stop putting him out of contention.

But it was a good day for Romain Grosjean in the the Lotus who drove the drive of his career to take third, Nico Rosberg did well to give Mercedes a second place and Perez secured fifth for McLaren – their equal highest finish of the season.

But the Indian Grand Prix 2013 – perhasp the last – will be remembered for the fourth world title in a row for Sebastian Vettel.

Well done, Seb. It really is deserved.