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I didn't like the other thread along this line, so I've made my own.

I know it's only one race, but Vettel proved a lot in my eyes today. I was of the opinion that the dominant pace and grip of his car last year flattered him and his race-craft. I was wrong.
It wasn't just his performance in the race either, he has the right attitude and the real style

To Vettel

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Lots of love,
A McLaren fan

to Vettel too. Great drive to second.

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Obviously, yes he is a worthy champion. McLaren were easily the best car today and he still managed to beat Hamilton. Vettel got some help for a timely safety car that just came out only seconds after Hamilton pitted behind Button, but Hamlton had 16 laps to pass Vettel for 2nd and he couldn't get it done. Vettel gets results and he did so today with a car that wasn't perfect as in year's past. This should be a fun year. Webber looked racy as well today.

I was always skeptical of him and thought he was shown better than he is because of the dominant car. Nonetheless he was magnificent today and took his chance with the safety car and took the fight to the Mclarens. great overtakes and no 2010 mistakes, my opinion of him has been improving since Monza last year. I just think that the redbulls have more pace in them than was suggested yesterday in quali.

I thought taking the McLaren guy who collected the Constructors trophy and pushing him up on the podium with himself, Jenson and Lewis was a sign of a class act. He was very gracious and that contrasted sharply with Lewis who seemed to be in a bit of a sulk.

I never doubted him.

Its just haters that do, now that hate has shifted on Lewis.

What is the icing on the cake is his overtaking. He passed Rosberg in a great move.

Then Hamilton was stuck behind Perez for a long time, yet Vettel managed to pass Perez decisively and easily, helping bring down the gap to Hamilton. His passing was better than the apparent passmaster Hamilton has shown in recent times, and we have seen some amazing defensive driving from him too last year, in China (where he fought for many laps against Hamilton in a car with worn out tyres), Spain, Monaco etc.

He might not have pulled off many breathtaking, outrageous moves as Hamilton has, but I would say that is more down to Hamilton's recklessness. When it comes out and the opponent is yielding, then Hamilton looks great. His overtaking moves just show that he attempts regardless of circumstances, and looks like a hero or zero, while Vettel's overtaking has got better, decisive, quick, and consistent, with hardly any errors.

I would say that Vettel is a better racer than Hamilton. Just pulling off the odd outrageous overtake and then crashing in other races doesn't make you a "great overtaker".

And regarding the safety car "luck", I think it is as simple as Vettel said. It helped a bit, yes, but I get the feeling he was going longer in the stint for a few more laps, and would've come out ahead of Hamilton after his stop. He was only 1.9 seconds behind Hamilton before Hamilton's stop.

I think it's a scary thought for his rivals, that he still has so much potential to improve on his already awesome skills.

He was just 1.624 seconds behind and he was shedding from the gap a few tenths every lap.

After the restart, even with superior McLaren top speed plus the use of DRS he never gave Lewis a chance.

He was lucky with SC but would have got 3rd anyways. I don't think MS would have got podium even if he had not retired. RBR was good in race and closer to Mclaren than qualifying

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http://www.kimiraikkonen.com/forum/index.php

He made a great overtake on Rosberg (I hate to admit it as a LH fan!) I think that if anything he needs an average car this year to show how/if he can out perform the cars potential.

He was incredibly lucky with the safety car, and I don't think we should forget that he was down with alonso about to attempt to overtake him till the toro rosso (didn't catch which driver) let him past then blocked alonso. I don't see why Red Bull have to use underhand tactics like this, they're obviously a decent team and its little moments like this which makes me think they lack class.

I'd say that pass on Rosberg has well and truly put the 'he can't overtake' nonsense to bed. Stunning pass.

I missed the pass on Rosberg partially, and saw it only briefly. Can someone please post a link to the video?

Never mind, found it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AojZnOWgGxg

He made a gamble on his first pit stop. Out of the group of front runners he was the only one who had two stints on the option tyre before switching to his final prime stint.

Turned out to be a good call as he pretty much made them last the distance and had the bonus of the extra pace when everyone was on primes in the 2nd stint. Also enabled him to keep close to Lewis and then the Safety car was the extra helping hand. Bit of luck but he made that luck by keeping the gap small to Lewis.

Good drive today especially waltzing his way past Rosberg early on, does seem like he qualified out of position after seeing his race pace today.

Since 2011 he absolutely complete driver.

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Renault!

2012 Planet F1 Prediction Competition Champion

It's amusing how quick people were to make bold statements just be seeing the first qualifying session ... Maclaren are unbeatable ... Vettel is ordinary because the Red Bull is no longer the dominant car, ... and Alonso is ordinary because Ferrari is about the 5th or 6th best car. More amusing is to hear the same people after the race. lol.

he made 1 move on rosberg and now people acting like he's on hamiltons level?.. and SC is the reason he was 2nd

also http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPe1ZnAfLXQ

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ENGLAND

Even the English commentator praised Vettel's pass as one the best and astonishing (i dont remember the exact words) he had seen.

Come on. Hamilton was unable to keep up with Vettel after safety car, while Button pulled away.

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Renault!

2012 Planet F1 Prediction Competition Champion

No one is saying he is on Hamilton's level! Relax!

He is making all his overtakes work, overtook Perez faster than Hamilton (who was stuck behind him), isn't crashing while overtaking. Of course he isn't on Hamilton's level. He's better.

I don't think it was regarded as one of the best they had ever seen. It doesn't compare to his over take on Alonso at Monza, or Webber going passed Alonso through Eau Rouge.

Calm down people, he's not the messier, he's just a good racing driver!

I really don't understand this hero or zero mentality on here when 1 over take makes you better than Fangio and one scuffed start makes you a has been with issues.

I don't think he backed off, he did not even close up for pass with DRS available. After he moved out of DRS window, the gap between them increased slightly lap by lap.

He wasn't. Look at Maldonado and Alonso. Lewis was unable to use DRS.

Vettel was a bit lucky with sc, but you never know when his pit stop was originally planned. However looking at Button I can say that Vettel should have been that close to Hamilton. It was mere 2 seconds before Lewis pitted for the last time.

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Renault!

2012 Planet F1 Prediction Competition Champion

I like Vettel. don't get the hate for him. He's clearly a great guy, very humble. Good at his job.

I want McLaren to win and particulary Button. But I can see that Vettel is a quality driver despite the petty arguments against him.

Fair play for a good performance this weekend and I hope we have a good clean fight between McLaren and Red Bull all season long.

Great season opener. And only a week until the next one. Woo!!

Geez, Lewis has a duff start and drops 2 places and suddenly he has no racecraft, can't overtake and won't win the WDC according to various threads today. It's the first of 20 races so isn't it a tad premature to write anybody off? I'm just pleased he managed to collect a good ruck of points. Fairplay to Jenson and Sebastian: battle resumes next weekend

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"Go forth a conqueror and win great victories"
-Virgil.

Pretty sure we can write the HRT's off

Consider me pwned, lol

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"Go forth a conqueror and win great victories"
-Virgil.

He drove a great race today. Safety car or not he was faster than Lewis in a slower RB. He also closed the gap to Lewis before the SC. He was not lucky,he put himself in a position to fight for second after being the forth fastest car in quali.
Did anyone who was following live timing notice Webber was quicker than Vettel when in clear air. They were on a different tyer strategy but still it looks like in the comming races Webber will be more competitive than last year provided he does not get into trouble at the starts.

Thats a big YES tto that.

Hes starting to go SuperNova is Vettel. For following reasons,

Great Maturity
Humble
Funny
Friendly

Oh and hes a good driver.

I watched the way he congratulated jenson on victory whereas hamilton couldnt even get his hat on.
Vettel showed a lot of human qualities after the race, which is reflected in him being World Champion.

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RHCP - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7IupYmj ... ure=relmfu

He was just plain lucky to end up before Hamilton on that safety car incident. He would have never got past Lewis.

I kind of agree, but lets see him when he has a tough year, then his true colours will show. Its easy to be all smiles when every things going your way. Turkey '10 is a prime example of what he can be like.

I actually saw him as the driver of the day. He made a nice pass on Nico and then put together a brilliant race. He took advantage of the safety car opportunity to gain a position but either way, he was on the podium. I think the Red Bull has pace that is similar to the McLaren on race days so perhaps his chances of defending his title are not as dim as they seemed after Q3.

Thats what I think. If had a face on him yesterday after quali a bit like lewis today.

If he starts to lose ground to Button or Lewis in the WDC and beat by Webber in Quali more we might see the mood change.

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Disclaimer: The above post maybe tongue in cheek.

"I thought I'd get your theories, mock them, then embrace my own. The usual."

You mean when after the 2010 Italian Grand Prix, he was 23 points behind, or when he saw a win blow up in Korea and he left with 25 points behind and just two races left? You know which colors he showed back then? 4 flawless races and a second place in Singapore.

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Arguing semantics: the lowest form of internet discussions.

Well i for one think Seb still has an awfull lot to prove myself !!
Today was nothing special, so he made one good move on a top 6 runner, and ?
He also had a lot of luck today with others retiring, and the safety car.
He is a good driver, time will tell if he is great.

The only one retiring in front of him was Schumacher, who was two laps away from being overtaken by Vettel anyway. Vettel was 0.7s behind Hamilton when he pitted, who in turn was unable to overtake Vettel in 22 laps, despite having a 10kph higher top speed and DRS. The facts counter your argument.

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Arguing semantics: the lowest form of internet discussions.

Franky the levels of hypocrisy expounded on this forum are enought to make anyone despair, far to often the more reasable and objective posta are drowned in a sea of hatred and character assaination