Ind GP - Race weekend recap - Vettel

After an unpredictable start to the 2012 Formula One season, the ending seems to have a very familiar feel.

It was only a few months ago that we were thumbing our way through the record books, working out the last time we'd ever gone five, six and seven races into a season with different winners [answer we hadn't - ever].

From those seven different winners, more remarkably we'd have five different teams triumphant on the podium. McLaren, Ferrari, Mercedes, Red Bull and Williams all taking top points.

It's a far cry from the now dominant Red Bull team and German driver Sebastian Vettel.

After leading the times throughout Free Practice One, Free Practice Two and Free Practice Three he then went on to set the fastest time in qualifying to take pole position.

With Red Bull team-mate Mark Webber taking second place, the team had successfully locked out the front row for the third race in succession.

“Pole is the best place to start from, so I’m happy with that. We had a good qualifying session and a good weekend so far with no car issues. My first attempt in Q3 wasn’t great, I was a bit too greedy with braking into Turn Four, but after that we had a good second run and it was enough pole. McLaren, Ferrari and Lotus look competitive in race trim, so we’ll see what happens tomorrow - they will be pushing hard.” Vettel told formula1.com after qualifying.

But while even his team-mate Mark Webber was threatening to race Vettel in the build up to the race no-one really expected anything other than Vettel going on to claim his fourth successive victory and that proved to be the case.

Vettel got away well from the grid, beat Webber into the first corner and that was it, no dramas, no real issues other than nearly running into the back of Pastor Maldonado when the Williams driver was struggling with a puncture. A perfect, if not a bit dull for everyone else, race from lights to flag.

Following the race Vettel said: “All in all, it was a very good race for us and I’m happy with the result. I had a good start, Mark had a better one and it was close in Turn One, but I had a good exit from Turn Three and got ahead. I was able to open a gap, which was important. I felt very good on the soft tryes and was competitive, I could have stayed out even longer I think, but at some stage you have to cover. McLaren and Ferrari were quick on the hard tyre today, so it was important to have a gap to them.

Vettel often likes to complete the hat-trick of pole position, race winner and fastest lap, but on this occasion Jenson Button took the fastest lap, so the German will have to be content with a 13 point lead over Fernando Alonso in the F1 title chase.