Sebastian Vettel fought hard to secure the final point in his maiden German Grand Prix at Hockenheim today, after duelling energetically race-long with – and ultimately getting the better of – former double
F1 World Champion
Fernando Alonso.
Having been the only one of his countrymen to qualify inside the top ten on the starting grid, the recently-turned 21-year-old made a positive getaway when the lights went out to jump past future
Red Bull Racing team-mate
Mark Webber and run a strong eighth throughout his opening stint.
Following his first pit-stop, Vettel – who grew up not far away from the Baden-Württemberg circuit – engaged in a fraught scrap with Alonso's
Renault, a battle which on several occasions saw the pair running side-by-side, even down the pit-lane, and culminated in the Spaniard shaking his fist angrily at the uncompromising young
Scuderia Toro Rosso ace after being pushed over the white line on the exit of the pits.
“It was a tough race with a lot of fights,” Vettel acknowledged afterwards, “but it was big fun. The first lap was hard and close. I tried to pass Kimi [Raikkonen], but it didn't work out. I took some time to find a rhythm, but I had a wonderful car and could run at a great pace.
“I was disappointed when I saw the safety car as I was comfortably holding a points' position, but we did the best we could in the situation. I fought to the end; although I was quicker than Jarno I could not pass, and then he made a mistake, which brought me back to eighth place.
“Congratulations to everyone in the team – eighth with no retirements means we deserved to finish where we did, and I am proud of that.”
Sébastien Bourdais came home less than six seconds behind Vettel at the end of one of his most encouraging performances of a frequently frustrating ‘rookie' campaign in the top flight.
