Vettel Claims Another Award

Formula One champion Sebastian Vettel has been crowned the International Racing Driver of the Year award at the AUTOSPORT Awards in London.

Vettel, who became a three-time world champion last month when he finished sixth at the Brazilian Grand Prix, claimed the AUTOSPORT honour for a third consecutive year.

The German became the youngest driver to ever win three Formula One titles and he admitted he’d come a long way in a short period of time.

“Time goes by quickly if you look back now. I remember my first Friday with BMW Sauber and now it is five years ago. For me it sounds like a big number but it doesn’t feel like it,” Vettel said at the Awards ceremony.

“You do grow up, there are certain things you realise in the car, you get a bit more experience, a bit more relaxed.”

On 2012, he added: “It was a long, long year of ups and downs. Maybe in the beginning I didn’t have the car I liked - maybe it was competitive in the race but in qualifying it was difficult for me to find that extra step.”

Meanwhile, Sebastian Loeb won the International Rally Driver award and Gordon Shedden the National Driver of the Year gong.