[Mark]

Heartiest congratulations, Sebastian Vettel! – Former Formula BMW Champion wins 2010 Formula 1 World Championship.

Munich, 14th November 2010. Sebastian Vettel (DE) has done it: At the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix the 23-year-old secured the drivers’ title in the FIA Formula 1 World Championship in a nail-biting season finale to become not only the sport’s youngest-ever world champion, but also the first Formula BMW graduate to win world motorsport’s premier title.

BMW Motorsport Director Mario Theissen says: “Our heartiest congratulations go to Sebastian Vettel upon his Formula 1 World Championship. Sebastian’s enormous talent was evident in 2004, when he won the German Formula BMW Championship after scoring 18 victories in 20 starts. From then onwards we kept our eye on him, bringing him into Formula 1 as Friday driver for the BMW Sauber F1 Team. Upon his Formula 1 racing debut in 2007 in Indianapolis he became the youngest-ever driver to score a point. That race marked the beginning of a stellar career, which has now reached its initial peak with a first world title. We wish Sebastian all the best for his future career. He provides the best proof of the success of our Formula BMW young driver development concept, which will continue in 2011 under the Formula BMW Talent Cup banner.”

In 2003 and 2004 Vettel raced in the German Formula BMW Championship, making his mark on this young driver development series like no other driver. In his first season as a single seater race driver he celebrated five victories and ended runner-up in the championship. The following year saw Vettel totally dominate the championship: he won 18 of 20 rounds, took 14 pole positions and set 13 fastest laps on his way to an emphatic title. He remains the most successful Formula BMW driver of all time.

After promotion to the Formula 3 Euro Series he finished the 2005 season as best rookie, having completed his first Formula 1 test for the BMW WilliamsF1 Team on 27th September 2005. He participated in the 2006 Turkish Grand Prix as Friday driver for the BMW Sauber F1 Team, going on to make his Formula 1 racing debut as substitute for Robert Kubica (PL) on 17th June 2007, immediately scoring a point by finishing eighth in a BMW Sauber F1.07. During that season BMW allowed Vettel the opportunity of joining Scuderia Toro Rosso, for whom he took a sensational victory from pole in the 2008 Italian Grand Prix. He has driven for Red Bull Racing since 2009, adding nine further race wins to his tally.

Vettel maintains close links with Formula BMW. Among other activities, Formula 1’s newest champion will attend the Formula BMW Talent Cup Shoot-Out in Cartagena (ES), where young drivers will prove their talent on 22nd and 23rd November, competing for free-of-charge participation in the new development programme promoted by BMW Motorsport.

In addition to Vettel, a further six Formula BMW graduates raced in Formula 1 during 2010: Sébastien Buemi (CH), Timo Glock (DE), Nico Hülkenberg (DE), Nico Rosberg (DE), Bruno Senna (BR) and Adrian Sutil (DE) all made their debuts in single seater motorsport in this successful young driver development series.

[JoeyBananaz18]

I wish they would come back to F1.

[KANdaddy]

me too

[TK-421]

I don't see why everyone wants BMW back in F1. It's not like they won anything, except that fluke in Canada. They should just stick to road racing.

[graider]

Originally Posted by TK-421

I don't see why everyone wants BMW back in F1. It's not like they won anything, except that fluke in Canada. They should just stick to road racing.

agree. i rather bmw focus more on gt racing.

[Echo M3]

Originally Posted by TK-421

I don't see why everyone wants BMW back in F1. It's not like they won anything, except that fluke in Canada. They should just stick to road racing.

What are you talking about? BMW Williams came very close to snatching the WDC with Montoya. The mistake was splitting from Williams, quite obviously. Together they were making serious progress.

[TK-421]

Originally Posted by pman10

What are you talking about? BMW Williams came very close to snatching the WDC with Montoya. The mistake was splitting from Williams, quite obviously. Together they were making serious progress.

My bad, totally forgot BMW was with Williams - during that time, I always referred to them as the Williams team so it just slipped my mind. If BMW can get backpacked by someone like them again then by all means

[E90SLAM]

Originally Posted by TK-421

My bad, totally forgot BMW was with Williams - during that time, I always referred to them as the Williams team so it just slipped my mind. If BMW can get backpacked by someone like them again then by all means

Just like Renault teamed with Red Bull....litrerally...

Or they should focus on F1 engine supply, giving team a powerful engine without sacrifice efficiency and fuel economy.
Plus, in 2012 or 2014, FIA might bring back Turbo engine with the new Concord agreement. As long as BMW sort out the Fuel Pump issue ...they might have a chance bringing the BMW name back to F1...

[GewoW]

Originally Posted by E90SLAM

Just like Renault teamed with Red Bull....litrerally...

Or they should focus on F1 engine supply, giving team a powerful engine without sacrifice efficiency and fuel economy.
Plus, in 2012 or 2014, FIA might bring back Turbo engine with the new Concord agreement. As long as BMW sort out the Fuel Pump issue ...they might have a chance bringing the BMW name back to F1...

If they bring in turbos that would be nice since the tech would trickle down to us and make modern day turbos better...(read: high revving with great throttle response). Then i may start liking turbos...


And CONGRATS to Seb. I am SO HAPPY Alonso didn't win.

[z00m]

23years guy won championship - congrats. And thank you Petrov

[kmarei]

red bull gives you wings

[SloPoke]

Congratulations Seb! After such an amazing season with 10 poles mixed with the some of the terminal failures, it must feel nice to come out on top. I don't think his maturity should ever be called into question again after staying focused and never giving up this season even with the media breathing down his neck. He is a truly fast driver but always impresses me with the humility to ALWAYS give his team credit first. You deserve it Seb.

[TK-421]

Originally Posted by GewoW

If they bring in turbos that would be nice since the tech would trickle down to us and make modern day turbos better...(read: high revving with great throttle response). Then i may start liking turbos...


And CONGRATS to Seb. I am SO HAPPY Alonso didn't win.

I am praying to God they don't bring turbos (and the 4-bangers that would come with). There's always the fuel economy and all that other bullshit that would come from it but at the sacrifice of the engine sound. I mean seriously, the V8s of today sound a couple steps down to the V12s of the early '90s and the V10s of a couple years ago... and that's an understatement

[phrozen06]

[LeifW]

Originally Posted by GewoW

And CONGRATS to Seb. I am SO HAPPY Alonso didn't win.

+1

Leif W.

[Sharpie12]

Originally Posted by GewoW

And CONGRATS to Seb. I am SO HAPPY Alonso didn't win.

My girlfriend was complaining the whole time because she wanted Alonso to win. She was cursing Renault and Petrov the whole time haha. It was a pretty emotional win.

[z00m]

Originally Posted by Sharpie12

My girlfriend was complaining the whole time because she wanted Alonso to win. She was cursing Renault and Petrov the whole time haha. It was a pretty emotional win.

Yah, those fantastic eyebrows can buy any girl

[escobar929]

it was a great year by Seb, he destroyed the competition in Qualifying but w/ some bad luck and some mistakes he couldnt always win from pole, he truly deserved this

[FStop7]

Kubica was in contention for the WDC in 2007, but then BMW fell behind because Mario Thiessen is an idiot. Thiessen declared that winning the WCC or WDC was not in "the plan" for 2007 and they needed to focus on 2008. So they stopped development on the 2007 car and eventually fell too far behind. Then their 2008 season was a complete disaster. Perfect example of German over management.

[E90SLAM]

Originally Posted by FStop7

Kubica was in contention for the WDC in 2008 (After Canadian GP), but then BMW fell behind because Mario Thiessen is an idiot. Thiessen declared that winning the WCC or WDC was not in "the plan" for 2008 and they needed to focus on 2009 (with confident of KERS). So they stopped development on the 2008 car and eventually fell too far behind. Then their 2009 season was a complete disaster. Perfect example of German over management.

Here...fixed the year for you...

[Dackelone]

Congrats Vettel! Looks like there will be a big parade in Frankfurt tomorrow. He is from that area/Hessen.

[GewoW]

Originally Posted by TK-421

I am praying to God they don't bring turbos (and the 4-bangers that would come with). There's always the fuel economy and all that other bullshit that would come from it but at the sacrifice of the engine sound. I mean seriously, the V8s of today sound a couple steps down to the V12s of the early '90s and the V10s of a couple years ago... and that's an understatement

Yes there's no doubt it'll sound worse. But I'm willing to put up with some worse-sounding engines in that sport so that they can improve the sound/engine quibbles in our end of the spectrum.