In the last seven outings, Vettel finished inside the top six in all races bar one, and in Valencia, Spa-Francorchamps, Singapore and Fuji he drove with all the composure and brio of a seasoned grand prix veteran. In the Brazilian Grand Prix finale at Interlagos the former German Formula BMW Champion was sublime as he ran up in second place for a while, and just over a lap from home he boldly and opportunistically overtook the McLaren-Mercedes of eventual title-winner Lewis Hamilton to pinch what would be fourth place at the flag.

The undisputed highlight of Vettel's 2008 season, though, was Monza, when the driver who was already the sport's youngest-ever points-scorer added to that achievement by becoming its youngest pole position sitter and grand prix winner too over the course of a weekend that firmly installed him as a world champion in-waiting.

That he stormed to the top spot on the starting grid could perhaps have been explained away by the uncharacteristic weather conditions that caught out many – Hamilton and defending F1 World Champion Kimi Raikkonen amongst them – but Vettel's performance on race day, not putting a foot wrong and never once letting Heikki Kovalainen in the sister Silver Arrow get close enough to apply any pressure, was a drive of pure genius.

That, as much as anything else he achieved in 2008, was more than sufficient to mark Sebastian Vettel out as one of the key pretenders to Hamilton's throne over the years to come. Red Bull Racing has work to do indeed if it is to provide the erstwhile F3 Euroseries Vice-Champion with a car to match his evident potential in 2009.

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