Driver profile: Sebastian Vettel

In five short years, Sebastian Vettel has taken advantage of a privileged position at the wheel of an Adrian Newey Red Bull to dominate Formula 1.

Vettel's stats and facts

  • Team: Red Bull
  • Team-mate: Mark Webber
  • Previous teams: BMW Sauber, Toro Rosso
  • Nationality: German
  • Born: 3/07/1987, Heppenheim
  • Grand Prix debut: US 2007
  • World championships: 2010, 2011, 2012

Last year he became only the third driver in history to win three consecutive world championships after Juan Manuel Fangio and Michael Schumacher, and at the age of 25 suddenly Schumacher's record of seven world titles looks vulnerable.

Vettel carries himself with a light and sunny disposition but there is a towering ambition behind the easy smile.

Strong in all conditions, Vettel is all but unbeatable in the fastest car and perhaps the best out there at building a weekend towards a perfect qualifying lap.

There are weaknesses - like Jenson Button, he can struggle in a car with which he is not happy and he can be susceptible to mistakes triggered by emotion under pressure. But he's so young, and still improving.

Vettel will again be the man to beat in 2013.