Vettel Pays Tribute To Schumacher

30 March 2015 03:30

Sebastian Vettel paid an emotional homage to Michael Schumacher for providing the inspiration for his maiden victory with Ferrari.

Four-times world champion Vettel was highly emotional as he stood on top of the podium after taking the chequered flag in the Malaysian Grand Prix in only his second race with the Maranello marque.

Not since Schumacher's last triumph with the Scuderia at the Chinese Grand Prix in 2006 have the German and Italian national anthems been played back to back to hail such a combined Ferrari success.

For Vettel, it was the realisation of "a dream" sparked by his hero Schumacher who won five of his seven titles with Ferrari, but who suffered life-changing injuries following a skiing accident 15 months ago.

"The team has been phenomenal, welcoming me the first day," recalled Vettel.

"I remember when the gate opened in Maranello it was like a dream coming true.

"I remember the last time I was there was as a young kid watching Michael over the fence driving around in the Ferrari, and now I'm driving that very red car. It's incredible.

"Of course, when I grew up Michael was my hero, and for all of us - and I speak for all of the kids at the go-kart track at the time in Germany - we looked up to him.

"When he turned up every year, and to look after us a little bit, it made our lives.

"So that's why I think.I probably don't understand yet how special it is. Very, very emotional."

Vettel's win was no fluke, beating Mercedes duo Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg in a straight fight as he made good use of better tyre wear in the 30 degree heat at the Sepang International Circuit.

Following Mercedes' domination last season, when only technical woes denied them victories in all but three of the 19 races, and after an easy win in the season-opening event in Australia, this defeat came as a surprise to reigning champion Hamilton.

"Huge congratulations to Seb and Ferrari," said Hamilton, who finished 8.5secs adrift of Vettel at the end of the 56 laps.

"You have to hand it to them - I wasn't expecting them to be as quick as they were. They had some serious pace and deserved the win."

Rosberg, meanwhile, was left chewing on his words as a fortnight ago after the race in Australia he had called on Ferrari to give them a fight.

It was a case of 'be careful what you wish for', with an unhappy Rosberg stating: "Ferrari did an awesome job and deserved to win.

"We'll be back next race. All I can say now, on behalf of our team is: game on, Ferrari!"

Kimi Raikkonen could arguably have joined team-mate Vettel in the top three but for a lap-one puncture as the Finn finished fourth.

Behind Williams duo Valtteri Bottas and Felipe Massa in fifth and sixth, Max Verstappen created Formula One history by becoming the youngest to score points at the age of 17 years 180 days by claiming seventh in his Toro Rosso.

As for Fernando Alonso, what must he be thinking after quitting Ferrari last year to join struggling McLaren as in his first race for the team he retired after 21 laps with an ERS cooling problem.

Team-mate Jenson Button retired 21 laps later with a turbo issue, leaving neither of the team's cars classified for the first time since the 2006 United States Grand Prix.

Although three laps down, Manor's Roberto Merhi saw the flag, a triumph for the team who unfortunately had to withdraw Will Stevens ahead of the race after failing to fix a fuel pressure problem.

Source: PA-WIRE