SAO PAULO: Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel became Formula One’s youngest triple world champion at the age of 25 after a wet and wild Brazilian Grand Prix rollercoaster won by McLaren’s Jenson Button behind the safety car yesterday.
The German, who needed only a fourth place to be sure of becoming the first driver to win his first three titles consecutively, finished sixth after battling back from last spot on the opening lap.
It was enough, however, when sole rival Fernando Alonso crossed the line in his Ferrari in second place with Brazilian teammate Felipe Massa third.
“You’re a triple world champion. You’re the man. You are a triple world champion,” shouted team principal Christian Horner over the team radio as Vettel crossed the finish line after what must have been one of the most nerve-racking races of his career.
Vettel ended the season with 281 points to 278 for Alonso, who would have been the youngest triple champion at 31 had results gone his way on a day when the fickle Brazilian weather produced a thriller.
The chaos started right from the off, when Vettel fell back into the pack and was caught in a collision with Brazilian Bruno Senna’s Williams that left him facing the wrong way with a damaged car.
“There is visible damage, it is not the front wing, we cannot fix it,” he was told as he rejoined the chase with the whole race ahead of him.
Four laps later Vettel was assured the data looked good and Red Bull technical head Adrian Newey had a photograph of the damage taken at the driver’s pitstop to get a closer look from the pit wall.
Alonso, Vettel’s only title rival who had 13 points to make up, looked like he could steal it as the championship pendulum swung both ways over the 71 laps at the Interlagos circuit.
The safety car was deployed twice, there were crashes, collisions, botched pitstops and constant uncertainty about the weather with black clouds overhead, occasional rain but not the torrential downpour many had feared.
McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton had led from pole position but could not shake off team mate Button, who made a wise decision to do a long first stint along with Force India’s Nico Hulkenberg.
Hamilton’s last race for McLaren before he joins Mercedes ended when he and Hulkenberg collided on the 54th lap as they came up to lap back markers into turn one.
Hulkenberg, who had led for much of the race, was able to rejoin but was given a drive through penalty that ended his hopes of a podium finish.
Australian Mark Webber finished fourth, ahead of Hulkenberg in fifth in his last race for Force India before moving to Sauber.
Seven-times world champion Michael Schumacher took a surprising seventh place for Mercedes in his last race in Formula One.
Out of the points, Caterham celebrated 11th place for Russian Vitaly Petrov that lifted them back ahead of Marussia into 10th place overall in the championship — a finish worth millions to the team.
Vettel F1’s youngest triple champion
Vettel F1’s youngest triple champion
Ton-up Farhan helps Pakistan seal Super Eight spot with Namibia rout
- It was Farhan’s maiden T20 ton and he became only the second Pakistani to score a T20 World Cup century after Ahmed Shehzad in 2014 against Bangladesh
COLOMBO: Sahibzada Farhan hit a magnificent unbeaten century to help Pakistan seal the final Super Eight berth at the T20 World Cup with a thumping 102-run win over Namibia in Colombo on Wednesday.
Farhan scored 100 not out off 58 balls with four sixes and 10 fours as Pakistan posted 199-3 before they routed Namibia for 97 in 17.3 overs.
Pakistan’s victory took them to six points from four games in Group A and eliminated the United States, who finished with four points.
India also have six points and play the Netherlands in the group’s final game later Wednesday.
The defending champions India, South Africa, Zimbabwe and the West Indies will play each other in the Super eights Group 1, hosted in India.
Pakistan join New Zealand, England and co-hosts Sri Lanka in Group 2, hosted in Sri Lanka.
After a morale-shattering 61-run defeat against India, Pakistan needed a victory to avoid an early exit, which was achieved with ease as spinners Usman Tariq (4-16) and Shadab Khan (3-19) tore through the Namibia batting.
Louren Steenkamp scored 23 while Alexander Busing-Volschenk was the only other batsman to reach double figures with 20.
‘Complete performance’
Skipper Salman Agha praised a clinical show.
“It is a complete performance,” said a relieved Agha.
“We batted well and Farhan anchored the innings. He has been batting well for a while and I am happy that he got his hundred.
“With the ball we were lethal.”
Namibian skipper Gerhard Erasmus admitted Pakistan’s spin bowlers were too hot to handle.
“It (spin) is a special skill to have, to turn the ball both ways like they do,” said Erasmus.
“I think that’s one of the things we’ll definitely take home and look to improve on.”
Farhan earlier blasted a six and a four off pace bowler Jack Brassell to enter the 90s before taking a single off Gerhard Erasmus to complete his hundred in the final over.
It was Farhan’s maiden T20 ton and he became only the second Pakistani to score a T20 World Cup century after Ahmed Shehzad in 2014 against Bangladesh.
Shadab Khan, promoted to No. 5 with Babar Azam left out, hit three sixes and a four in his 36 not out off 22 balls as Pakistan smashed 42 from the last three overs.
Farhan put on 40 for the opening wicket with Saim Ayub (14) before consolidating the innings during a 67-run second wicket stand with captain Salman Agha (38).
Pakistan also left out pace bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi after a poor show in the first three matches, including conceding 31 in two overs in the defeat against India on Sunday.
Farhan’s ton means this is the first T20 World Cup in which three centuries have been scored.
He followed Sri Lanka’s Pathum Nissanka, who scored a hundred against Australia on Monday, and Canada’s Yuvraj Sama who reached three figures against New Zealand on Tuesday.
