Who is Sebastian Vettel?

Factfile:

Name: Sebastian Vettel

Date of birth: July 3, 1987

Nationality: German

Alternate career option: As a child, wanted to sing like Michael Jackson. " I soon realized I have no voice like him and dropped the idea," he said in an interview.

Relationship status: Committed. Rumoured to be dating Hanna Prater, a fashion designer who has been with him for several years.

Residence: Thurgovia, Switzerland

Under a hazy afternoon sky in Greater Noida, a German stormed his way into Formula One record books - stamping his authority on motorsport racing with his fourth straight title. And it was just another day in office for him.

Such has been the nature of Sebastian Vettel's approach to F1 racing that not many doubted his ability to win the Indian Grand Prix to claim the driver's championship title - youngest ever at 26 to win four in-a-row and third to win as many ever. From pole to the chequered flag - a hat-trick at the Buddh International Circuit - Vettel showed why he is counted amongst the best ever seen on the F1 circuit. He needed to finish at least fifth on Sunday (October 27) but the Red Bull driver had eyes only on the first spot, right from the start.

Uncatchable, impassable and unstoppable - Sebastian Vettel has defined these words not just in his F1 car but in all other races he competed in, right from his childhood years.

Prodigal child with prodigal heroes

Not known for his grades in school, Vettel concentrated on cars and racing from an early age. With three Michaels - Schumacher, Jordan and Jackson - as his heroes, an eight-year-old Vettel started competing in karts series.

The spectacular skills that he showed resulted in an admission to the Red Bull Junior Team at the age of 11 and the subsequent years brought him several more accolades. At 18, Vettel was impressing fans and experts in the Formula 3 Euro Series.

Life with F1

In 2006, Vettel was included as the third driver at the Turkish Grand Prix for BMW Sauber. The young German set the fastest time in the free practice before the race and followed it up with the fastest time in the testing session of the Italian Grand Prix in the same year.

A year later, when Robert Kubica suffered a serious crash, Vettel replaced him in the BMW Sauber car for the United States Grand Prix. It was here that his eight-placed finish made him the youngest ever to score points in a F1 race - at 19 years and 349 days!

On July 31, 2007, BMW released Vettel and he joined Torro Rosso. Here, he scripted a phenomenal story as he collected five points to send early warning signals of bigger things to come from him.

The 2008 season however was one of amazing contrast. Having failed to finish even a single of the first four races, doubts were being cast on Vettel's ability. He blew all the doubts to smithereens when he won the Italian Grand Prix - youngest ever to win a race at 21 years and 74 days. This was also the first win and podium for Toro Rosso.

Red Bull and the rampage

Sebastian Vettel replaced David Coulthard at Red Bull Racing in 2009. It was a season where he challenged Jeson Button and showed that the right man behind the right car can do wonders. He may have finished second - just 11 behind Button - but it was the last time that F1 would see this man anywhere except right up at the top.

Many have tried to undermine Vettel's achievements - winner in 2010, 2011, 2012 and now 2013 - by saying that he has benefited from a superior car. However, most agree that even a superb car needs an equally superb hero behind it to race to glory again and again. Sebastian Vettel, through this consistency, has shown that he truly is one of the greatest ever. His story though continues to be written.