Sebastian Vettel is Formula 1’s new champion for 2010

By David Mirsky

Youngest F1 winner Vettel gets a little thirsty after big race

ABU DHABI (Hollywood Today) 11/15/10 – A remarkable day in Formula 1 racing ended up with a remarkable day and a remarkable young man, Sebastian Vettel, holding the winner’s trophy for this year’s season.

Vettel, 23, still gets carded in bars, but the only driver’s license he will  ever need again is a news clip of him winning all the marbles at the last minute of the last race of the 2010 F1.

This year’s Formula 1 season has come to an end in Abu Dhabi, with Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel taking the race’s win and with that win, the World Championship.  Vettel, who started the race from the pole position, led the race from the start and never looked back, except for the first lap incident that began with Michael Schumacher spinning out, causing Luizzi to drive into Schumacher’s stalled Mercedes, and nearly decapitating the past F1 champ.

The incident brought out the safety car which bunched up the field for four laps, but didn’t seem to bother Vettel, who, at the race’s re-start, quickly sped away from most of the field, except for McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton who stayed in Vettel’s mirrors for most of the race.

The 2010 Formula 1 season started off with some great racing, and never let us down an unprecidented 19 race schedule which included the new Korean venue, with its brand new track.  There was nothing predictable about the 2010 season.  Spainiard, Fernando Alonso won the season’s first race with his new Ferrari team, and Sebastian Vettel won the last race of the year, and gave him the championship, with the honor of being the youngest driver to accomplish the feat.

Red Bull's cars did indeed have wings

Lewis Hamilton had been the youngest driver to win the championship, but Vettel did at the ripe old age of 23 and about 160 days younger than Hamilton.  The German driver could be heard sobbing with joy as he took his victory lap, taking bows from the fans and corner workers at was has to be the most modern, and remarkable venue in racing.  This 2010 season was one of the best seasons as far as the driver’s championship; there were four drivers, Alonso, Vettel, Webber, and Hamilton, all racing for the championship today.  That’s something that has never happened before, and of as we said, made it a memorable season to be sure.

Abu Dhabi has built this track starting from a man made island from this desert country, using the most imaginative designs anywhere, including a massive Ferrari pavillion.  The marina, surrounding the track was filled with amazing sailing vessels…yachts the size of football fields…more amazement.

For the most part, today’s race ran without any incident, except for the first lap, and in all honesty…if it weren’t for this being the final race of the year,  and choosing the 2010 champion, this race would likely go down as a real bore.  For more than forty laps, we watched Alonso trying to pass Russian rookie, Petrov and his Renault, and Kubica holding his own for a 4^th place finish in his Renault…the Renault’s did not help Alonso at this race.  Webber, Vettel’s team mate, and potential champion contender, couldn’t catch or pass Alonso for those same 40 laps.   It seemed that most of the crowd was complaciant watching this race…there were no signs of racing fans, or even the ever present Ferrari fans waving their prancing horse banners, a bit sterile for most race fans.

The new rules and a new point system seemed to work better than people thought they would.  2010 saw no serious injuries or deaths in what has to be one of the most dangerous sports on the planet.  We watched these 850 horse power engines, turning 18,000 RPM, lasting more than 4 races, certainly a success in modern engineering.

Younger drivers, winning championships and the return of the older drivers returning to the sport after winning championiships.  And, the most competitive season filled with the most talented drivers and technicians to grace the ultimate in motor sports.  Formula 1 is alive and well, and continues to be the truest form of racing…and let’s not forget the Formula 1 fans, which have become the most knowledgable, and devoted fans on the planet.   The season ended today, and we can hardly wait until next March when the 2011 season starts another year of racing.