While there were many interesting things to remember in 2011, the year was all about Sebastian Vettel, writes Rajesh Pansare
This was a year when Sebastian Vettel graduated from a boy to a man. Enroute his second championship, he erased out the erratic driving that marred his 2010 season, won 11 out of the 19 races and sealed the title with four races to go.
The German stepped up into the role of a world champion by finding another gear his opponents could not match. The argument that he was in a fastest car looks pale while comparing him with teammate Mark Webber, who was using identical equipment.
If someone doubted his capabilities of going one-on-one with his challengers, he dismissed that at Monza. The 24-year-old put two wheels on the grass to overtake Fernando Alonso. It was an exuberant demonstration of guts, skill and confidence.
The young Weltmeister invariably failed to show his hand until qualifying, and even then it would only be in Q3 that we were left under no illusion that, once again, it was business as usual.
On race day, he would streak clear at the lights before opening up a huge gap. His Red Bull car ensured that he kept the advantage, which wasn’t the case in previous two seasons. Vettel’s ability to manage his tyres and keep his pursuers at bay must be lauded as it is more difficult to pace yourself with an empty track ahead of you.
As the title came into a touching distance, Vettel was still true to his word, racing for victory rather than solid points. Even in Japan, he tried time and time again to pass Alonso for the second position until the team finally convinced him to bring the car home third and secure his second championship.
For Vettel’s success, credit must go to Red Bull as well, who have now set the benchmark for the past two seasons. McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes couldn’t even come close to them.
The only criticism you could aim at the team was its inability to get KERS working reliably. Christian Horner admitted that Adrian Newey wouldn’t make changes to accommodate the system, and while it didn’t cost Vettel as he won five of the first six races, the issue was more pronounced for Webber as he only finished on the podium twice in that same time. Otherwise, the team became a much more slick operation and really grew in to the mantle of world champions.
For a layman, the 2011 season might be only of Vettel, Vettel and Vettel but there was more to it than just his 11 wins.
Drag Reduction System (DRS) and Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems (KERS) made racing more fun to watch with more overtaking manoeuvres. For Michael Schumacher fans, it was more a season to forget while Force India rookie Paul di Resta made a solid, if not spectacular start to his F1 career.
Lewis Hamilton and Felipe Massa couldn’t keep off each other on track and it soured their relation off it as well. Massa even went on to say that Hamilton “cannot use his mind,” referring to number of time they collided on track.
For Williams, a team that has won nine constructors’ championship and seven drivers’, it was a season to forget. They finished a disappointing ninth, garnering just five points. All true F1 fans will be disappointed by the fall and fall of Williams.
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