Unstoppable Vettel continues to attack the Formula One records

By Carsten Lappe Oct 31, 2011, 11:10 GMT

New Delhi - Sebastian Vettel got his first career race Grand Slam and another Formula One record as the German showed no signs of slowing down at the inaugural Indian Grand Prix despite being long assured of the world title.

Vettel, 24, managed for the first time to lead every lap of a race from the pole position to victory, and also had the fastest lap time on Sunday for the rare achievement.

To underline the dominance that has seen him now win 11 races, Vettel dethroned Briton Nigel Mansell as the man with most laps in the lead during the course of a season. Vettel now has 711 laps in first place, Mansell had 692 in 1992.

His pole on Saturday gave Red Bull a record 16th in a season and two more records are under threat in the final two races of the campaign.

Vettel can equal Michael Schumacher on 13 wins in a season and at least match Mansell's 14 poles in one year, having secured 13 so far. He can also beat Schumacher's most podium finishes in a season if he makes the rostrum in the final two races for what would be a mark of 18.

'We are still hungry so we are not lacking motivation at any stage ... I love what I do. I think we all do so it is great and in a way we don't want this to end,' said Vettel.

'I think we can continue. The car is fantastic. The team is enjoying and we are on a run basically since the beginning of the season and it is great. We enjoy every race.'

Team principal Christian Horner named Vettel's run on the Buddh International Circuit 'inch-perfect' and 'immaculate' while second-place finisher Jenson Button was left wondering what it will take to stop the flying German.

'Is he going to be untouchable? I don't know. I hope not, and we're going to do everything we can to make sure that he doesn't win the next two races but he's obviously been very strong all year,' said Button.

'It's very very difficult to challenge Red Bull and Sebastian, but we're doing everything we can.'

Vettel has won both races in South Korea and India since clinching back-to-back world titles in Japan for 374 points.

Button will aim to retain second place (240) ahead of Ferrari's Fernando Alonso (227) and Mark Webber in the second Red Bull (221), while fifth-placed Lewis Hamilton (202) will probably just be pleased when the season is over.

Coming off a three-place grid penalty for ignoring yellow flags in practice, the 2008 champion had yet another run-in with Ferrari's Felipe Massa, but this time around it was finally the Brazilians' fault when he drove into the McLaren as Hamilton tried to overtake him.

Meanwhile, Indian organizers will also be pleased with the debut of the race just outside New Delhi, with Vettel leading the praise.

'It is great, what the people did here in a short amount of time. We heard about it a couple of years ago but to put up this arena is incredible,' he said.

'I think all in all it was fantastic. I am very proud, as I said, to be the first winner here in India. I think it is a very impressive country, very different to what we probably know from Europe, but very inspiring.

'The circuit is fantastic so all in all it is fantastic so thanks a lot to India and all the people here.'