Thousands of fans celebrated Sebastian Vettel’s fourth Formula One world title in his home town of Heppenheim on Sunday as sports, politics and the media also saluted the young German.
Some 3500 fans from across the country gathered at a public event in Heppenheim, 40km outside Frankfurt, to watch Vettel clinch his fourth straight crown with victory at the Indian Grand Prix.
“The atmosphere was fantastic – we were all excited. Vettel raced with superior ease as always,” Vettel fan club head Alex Moeller said as champagne corks popped.
Vettel emulated Michael Schumacher (seven titles overall) and Juan Manuel Fangio (five) with four titles in a row, and Alain Prost also had four.
“Compliments and congratulation to Sebastian – a great performance by him and the team. He truly deserves the fourth title,” Schumacher said via Sky TV.
Prost said from Red Bull’s engine suppliers Renault: “I’m delighted to see Sebastian win the title today. He is a great driver and he has had some outstanding wins this year, some of the best of his career so far.
“He is a great champion and I don’t think this title will be his last.”
The last title rival Fernando Alonso was left to salute Vettel like other drivers and teams.
“I congratulate Sebastian Vettel, they have been very strong and dominant, especially in the second half of the season, and Red Bull deserve to be champions.”.
Sunday’s second-placed finisher Nico Rosberg said: “Sebastian Vettel’s achievement is unbelievable. Four is a lot but it is well deserved. He is doing a great job; the Red Bull team is doing a great job.”
Three-time world champion Niki Lauda named Vettel “a giant” but there was also much praise from outside the F1 community.
“Four in a row. You are absolutely amazing,” German NBA star Dirk Nowitzki told Vettel via Sky.
Wimbledon finalist Sabine Lisicki tweeted: “Congratulations to Sebastian Vettel World champion again.”
Arsenal’s German winger Lukas Podolski tweeted: “World Champion again! Congrats to Sebastian Vettel – what a sportsman.”
The German Olympic sports federation tweeted Vettel was “a master of his craft” and the prime minister of Hesse, the federal state Heppenheim is located in, also chimed in with wideranging praise.
The Bild tabloid screamed “King Vettel IV” on its website, and the Sueddeutsche Zeitung mentioned Vettel and chief designer Adrian Newey together: “They are dominating the field more than ever – and there is no end in sight.”
French sports paper L’equipe named Vettel “heavyweight champion” on the internet and Britain’s Daily Telegraph said on its website: “If you were to build the ideal prototype driver for modern-day Formula One, you would come up with something resembling Sebastian Vettel”.